HKJ what is your favorite 18650 battery and charger??

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Drizden

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What is your favorite 18650 flashlight battery and charger that you use?
 

HKJ

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What is your favorite 18650 flashlight battery and charger that you use?

At the current time my most used charger is the Xtar VP1, but it will be replaced with VP2 soon. My reason for using these chargers are many:
1) Full CC/CV charging and no pulsing
2) Many currents, i.e. I can charger most of my batteries on it.
3) The slots accepts many battery sizes.
4) The voltmeter, this makes it easy to check if a battery has been mistreated (I do have a pile of DMM's, but it is easier to use the charger).
5) The VP2 adds more voltages and 26xxx battery size to the above.
6) Xtar has shown for some time that they make good chargers, this makes me trust them more than new companies

Usual I uses 3100mAh batteries, mostly batteries I have removed from my charger testing due to age, but my favorite is the 3400mAh batteries, because it allows higher charge current (The capacity difference is not that important for me).
 

Tmack

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Samsung 20r - $6 2000mah high drain, super low resistance. I never run my lights dead anyway . ( about 40pcs.)
Panasonic 3400mah unprotected. For the occasions where I do need better run time. (24 pcs)


Nitecore itelecharger i4 (2 pcs)
I would like to pick up a charger with voltage reading but the i4 and a dmm have been good to me do far.
 

UnderPar

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All except one of my 18650 li-ons are Panasonic 3400 mAh. I like using it for longer run times. Am also planning to add my current charger which is the Nitecore i2. Xtar VP1 or VP2 are the options.


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Drizden

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Thx much for the replies , I'm a law enforcement officer that works nights, been doing a lot of research on this website and on YouTube for 18650 brand batteries and a safe charger , my patrol car has an old stinger rechargeable light , but I'm in the process of buying my own duty flashlight with massive blinding throw as well, I also carry the fenix pd35 on my belt , if y'all have any other suggestions for a new to flashlights enthusiast pls let me know ? Thx for the help once again guys!!
 

lwknight

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Well... Cops always liked the 3 and 4 cell maglights because they are useful in many ways other than lighting. So why not consider a Fenix TK60 (860 lumens) that can be used with 3 or 4 cells with the extension and they are pretty much bullet proof to boot. You also get really long run times even in high power modes.
 

weez82

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Well... Cops always liked the 3 and 4 cell maglights because they are useful in many ways other than lighting. So why not consider a Fenix TK60 (860 lumens) that can be used with 3 or 4 cells with the extension and they are pretty much bullet proof to boot. You also get really long run times even in high power modes.

you also get a ton of weight. The guy already carries a ton of gear, no need to get a heavy light too. This is 2014 not 1970. No need for big bulky lights. If the officer needs to hit someone they have other tools for that job
 

StorminMatt

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There's also the Xtar SP2. This charger may not be as sophisticated as the VP2. But one thing I like about it is the ability to charge at 2A. This may not be so useful for 18650s, as many can't be charged that quickly. But it certainly speeds the charging of high capacity 26650s (think Keeppower 5200 or King Kong). The SP1 is also a nice charger, but can only charge one cell at a time. It DOES have the advantage of being able to charge LiFePO4. This is certainly a good feature if you want to charge these cells. But the LiFePO4 setting also works well for 3.7V chemistries if you want to do a storage charge (ie charge to 3.6V to prolong battery lifetime for stored batteries).
 

Theodore41

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Hi.
I believe that the following post is on topic.
I had two chargers.A Xtar VC4 and a Liito Kala Lii-500 with a cablerite power adapter 12V/3A.
Last days,I have one more,a ThruNite Charger MCC-4S,because I bought a Thrunite light,which is sold together with this charger.
So, I ask,if I have to sell one of them ,which is the... candidate?:)
 
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