Can you use unprotected cells (18650) in this light since the light has a voltage cutoff? I am a little new to CPF and I just got some 18650's (Samsung 2200mah) out of a laptop battery pack. I am pretty sure these batteries are good they are holding a good charge, but I am little confused on what the protection circuit does since the flashlight has it built in...
ThruNite Catapult Review (SST-50): RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, and more!
- Thread starter selfbuilt
- Start date
Help Support Candle Power Flashlight Forum
Flashlites R Us
Newly Enlightened
- Joined
- Oct 19, 2009
- Messages
- 41
Yes you can use your 18650 Sanyos in the Catapult.
The "protection circuit" in the Cat will protect whatever batteries are installed from overdischarging them while the light is in use.
The "protection circuit" in the Cat will protect whatever batteries are installed from overdischarging them while the light is in use.
Hi all,
My replacement Catapult module arrived today. First impressions are positive - inductor whine is much less (although still present on Hi/Med, it is no more obtrusive than any other light).
Interestingly, output is about 8% higher according to my lightbox and ceiling bounce. I've started the 1x18650 runs, but may need to redo some of 2xcell configs as well, to compare. I'll keep you posted.
Oh, and the plastic insulating disc around the emitter seems to be thicker on the replacement (can't see the star underneath, and it rises higher on the side the emitter frame). Very unlikely you would be able to over-tighten this one.
My replacement Catapult module arrived today. First impressions are positive - inductor whine is much less (although still present on Hi/Med, it is no more obtrusive than any other light).
Interestingly, output is about 8% higher according to my lightbox and ceiling bounce. I've started the 1x18650 runs, but may need to redo some of 2xcell configs as well, to compare. I'll keep you posted.
Oh, and the plastic insulating disc around the emitter seems to be thicker on the replacement (can't see the star underneath, and it rises higher on the side the emitter frame). Very unlikely you would be able to over-tighten this one.
Dioni
Flashlight Enthusiast
very very nice review!
Thanks :thumbsup:
Thanks :thumbsup:
Hi all,
My replacement Catapult module arrived today. First impressions are positive - inductor whine is much less (although still present on Hi/Med, it is no more obtrusive than any other light).
Interestingly, output is about 8% higher according to my lightbox and ceiling bounce. I've started the 1x18650 runs, but may need to redo some of 2xcell configs as well, to compare. I'll keep you posted.
Oh, and the plastic insulating disc around the emitter seems to be thicker on the replacement (can't see the star underneath, and it rises higher on the side the emitter frame). Very unlikely you would be able to over-tighten this one.
Can you tell much of a visual difference between Hi and Med?
berry580
Flashlight Enthusiast
UPDATE
I've added 1x18650 runs to the review (graph above). Note these runtimes are a little different from the other ones shown earlier, since they are based on a replacement Catapult that had slightly greater output (but slightly lower runtime) than the one I originally tested. The difference isn't great - max 8% more according to ceiling bounce, a bit less in my lightbox - and well within emitter variability. But I re-did some of the 2x18650 runs in the graph above so that you could directly compare outputs. I have also updated the summary table in the review.
As you can see above, the light runs on 1x18650, but at lower - and non-regulated - max output. Med/Lo are the same output levels as 2x18650 configuration, with just lower regulated runtime.
One other observation - the emitter isn't quite as perfectly centered on the replacement, introducing some color/pattern distortion around the hotspot. Not an issue at any distance, but you will see it up-close on a white wall. Max throw doesn't seem to be affected.
:wave:
I've added 1x18650 runs to the review (graph above). Note these runtimes are a little different from the other ones shown earlier, since they are based on a replacement Catapult that had slightly greater output (but slightly lower runtime) than the one I originally tested. The difference isn't great - max 8% more according to ceiling bounce, a bit less in my lightbox - and well within emitter variability. But I re-did some of the 2x18650 runs in the graph above so that you could directly compare outputs. I have also updated the summary table in the review.
As you can see above, the light runs on 1x18650, but at lower - and non-regulated - max output. Med/Lo are the same output levels as 2x18650 configuration, with just lower regulated runtime.
One other observation - the emitter isn't quite as perfectly centered on the replacement, introducing some color/pattern distortion around the hotspot. Not an issue at any distance, but you will see it up-close on a white wall. Max throw doesn't seem to be affected.
:wave:
picard
Flashlight Enthusiast
- Joined
- Dec 31, 2004
- Messages
- 1,298
does the Catapult gets hot after 20min?
Would the light shut down when it gets hot?
Would the light shut down when it gets hot?
berry580
Flashlight Enthusiast
efficient of 1x18650 on medium looks like rubbish, especially when compared to its low mode.
Berry,We think the light are best fit for 2 18650 battery. for 1 18650 ,it can fit. this is our target.Hope you can understand
Hard to say, since all my runtimes are done under a cooling fan. In handling it, I can't say I noticed it getting any hotter than any of my other lights. I doubt it has any sort of thermal shut-down protection, though - that's very rare, and it would likely have shown up in the runtimes.
One thing to keep in mind is that milk carton lightbox is hardly a perfect integrating sphere (i.e. the output levels are not completely linear - 120 is more than twice as bright as 60, in my experience). And in any case, lights are usually far more efficient at lower levels anyway.
Probably best to stick with the comparison to other lights shown here:
Keeping the mind the Legion II is 3x18650 light, the overall efficiency of the Catapult seems consistent across both its Med and Lo levels.
It also performs as expected on 1x18650 compared to 2x18650, which is good to see.
Rod911
Enlightened
Ending up spending Christmas with three families over the past two days, and I couldn't sleep despite the amount of eating that has occurred, so I decided to run a quick current draw test on the 1*18650 cell configuration.UPDATE
In the high and medium modes, the current draw from the tailcap was 1.20A. However, it seemed to fluctuate between 1.17A and 1.24A and never did settle down in the two minutes or so that I had the prongs on the battery and light body. Unlike its low mode, it was pretty much dead on at 0.30A and never fluctuated compared to the other two modes.
The above could probably be the reason why there was little to no difference in high and medium modes in a 1*18650 configuration on a Catapult.
Note that, the DMM I used was quite cheap, but the results are still usable me thinks.
dlrflyer
Newly Enlightened
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2006
- Messages
- 158
Impressive light, but sadly not for me. I don't do 18650, so the limited voltage range makes this a non-starter for me. Perhaps in a later version, I'll buy one if it supports 4 CR123 primaries.
However, if you look closely, you'll see some thin dark rings near the centre of the beam. To be honest, I find these look rather like a nipple in the centre of the beam.:laughing:
Aw, shucks. I must have the PG-13 version. Mine has a small 5-petal flower, it must be your nipple covered with a pastie.
Note: Attached picture has been contrast-enhanced for better viewing of the (ahem) central feature.
Last edited:
LOL :laughing:
Charles L.
Enlightened
Hi all,
First post on this forum. I'm quite new to the *real* flashlight experience, having bought a Nitecore Extreme a month ago when our old 2AA light died. Since then I've purchased 2 Jetbeams -- RRT-1 and RRT-0 -- and a Thrunite Catapult. The Nitecore and Jetbeams are really nice, but the Catapult.... WOW! I love the heft, build quality and the idiot-proof UI. I even love the quasi-retro aesthetics; it seems to go perfectly with the 1940's rotary phone on my night stand
But most of all I love the amount and quality of the light this beast produces. My wife actually got comments from the neighbors when she used the Catapult to walk our dog 
oo:
Lately I've been reading battery posts, both to keep me from drooling over more lights and also to make sure I do everything possible to prevent a
I'm really enjoying this forum!
First post on this forum. I'm quite new to the *real* flashlight experience, having bought a Nitecore Extreme a month ago when our old 2AA light died. Since then I've purchased 2 Jetbeams -- RRT-1 and RRT-0 -- and a Thrunite Catapult. The Nitecore and Jetbeams are really nice, but the Catapult.... WOW! I love the heft, build quality and the idiot-proof UI. I even love the quasi-retro aesthetics; it seems to go perfectly with the 1940's rotary phone on my night stand
But most of all I love the amount and quality of the light this beast produces. My wife actually got comments from the neighbors when she used the Catapult to walk our dog oo:Lately I've been reading battery posts, both to keep me from drooling over more lights and also to make sure I do everything possible to prevent a
I'm really enjoying this forum!+1Hi all,
First post on this forum. I'm quite new to the *real* flashlight experience, having bought a Nitecore Extreme a month ago when our old 2AA light died. Since then I've purchased 2 Jetbeams -- RRT-1 and RRT-0 -- and a Thrunite Catapult. The Nitecore and Jetbeams are really nice, but the Catapult.... WOW! I love the heft, build quality and the idiot-proof UI. I even love the quasi-retro aesthetics; it seems to go perfectly with the 1940's rotary phone on my night stand
Lately I've been reading battery posts, both to keep me from drooling over more lights and also to make sure I do everything possible to prevent a
Yeah, I love my Catapult. The throw, beam quality, etc... are amazing. That's not even mentioning the actual build quality of the light which is equally impressive. I love the knurling.
