# Best CR123A batteries? What do you use?



## yliu (Apr 12, 2011)

I've done some research for the best CR123 battery, I couldn't find too much. Although most CR123 seem to have 1400mAh capacity. The highest I found is the Varta CR123A with 1600mAh.

Will that make a difference in battery life of flashlights?


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## Lynx_Arc (Apr 12, 2011)

battery capacities as listed on the labels are sometimes bogus as many asian companies inflate the mah ratings to get people to buy them thinking they have more power in them when in fact at times they have even less than more known brands rated lower.


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## srfreddy (Apr 12, 2011)

Titanium Innovations are the best bang for the buck from a reliable brand.


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## jasonck08 (Apr 12, 2011)

srfreddy said:


> Titanium Innovations are the best bang for the buck from a reliable brand.



I'd have to disagree. Several reports mentioned the batteries being discharged after ~2 years in storage, where top tier cells actually have a 10 year shelf life. I don't use CR123's normally though, so I don't have much personal experience other than using some stock SF cells.

I'd stick to a top tier brand, with cells made in the US or Japan. SureFire, Duracell, and Rayovac cells I believe are all made in the US by Panasonic. The Rayovac branded cells seem to be the cheapest and the most reliable cells.


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## Sparky's Magic (Apr 12, 2011)

4Sevens CR123a @ 1,500mAh. come fresh around 3.26V. I'm happy with that and the price is very fair.


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## yliu (Apr 13, 2011)

jasonck08 said:


> I'd stick to a top tier brand, with cells made in the US or Japan. SureFire, Duracell, and Rayovac cells I believe are all made in the US by Panasonic. The Rayovac branded cells seem to be the cheapest and the most reliable cells.


 
The Varta (German Company) CR123 seems to be the highest priced here in europe, even higher than the Duracells and Energizer CR123s. Does that consider a top tier? and how are the Panasonic CR123?


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## glazer1972 (Apr 13, 2011)

I went through a box of titanium innovations...I bought Surefire the next go around.


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## Mr. LED (Apr 13, 2011)

Are 4Sevens CR123 good? I've heard a few cases that they don't last as long as other top brands. Someone with experience on them to comment? Thanks.


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## jasonck08 (Apr 14, 2011)

Mr. LED said:


> Are 4Sevens CR123 good? I've heard a few cases that they don't last as long as other top brands. Someone with experience on them to comment? Thanks.



There is no way to know, as they have only been on the market for a little over a year. My guess is they'd perform similar to the titanium innovation cells and not have near the shelf life of top tier cells.

If you buy them and plan to use them up within a year, then they would probably work just fine for you.


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## yliu (Apr 18, 2011)

I just bought 2 VARTA CR123 batteries, they are made in china. I am really scared of CR123s after seeing some pictures of them exploding in flashlights. So I really want to only get high quality batteries.


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## yliu (Apr 18, 2011)

I also found that lithium batteries always have a weird smell, does anyone know if it's poisonous?


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## Cypher_Aod (Apr 18, 2011)

I recently bought 106 US-Panasonic CR123A cells because I found them for a Silly good price (£1.12 each in the UK)
I bought them on the assumption that, as Panasonic-US make the Surefire, Duracell, Rayovac etc... cells which seem to receive accolades of praise, that these would be equally good?

I hope that this was not a mistaken assumption. The cells are in Panasonic-retail-blisters, which are in boxes of ten, ten of which are in a crate/bundle. All of them have Panasonic-stickers, barcodes, serial numbers and Date-Codes (08-2020) and they all say "Made in USA"


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## TyJo (Apr 18, 2011)

yliu said:


> I also found that lithium batteries always have a weird smell, does anyone know if it's poisonous?


 I've noticed the smell after opening a pelican case or tube with CR123s, but lots of stuff can smell funny so I haven't worried about it (I doubt is poisonous unless you are snorting them while they vent, which would probably sting). I use rechargeables but I have CR123s just incase, I get Surefire because they are 2 for $5 at Lowes and cheaper online.


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## lpd226 (Apr 18, 2011)

cant go wrong with surefire. they are damn expensive though. luckily my department provides mine and I smuggle as many as I can get my hands on lol.


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## bel_riose (Apr 19, 2011)

I use SF, Panasonic and Sanyo.

Sanyo did good with me.


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## angelofwar (Apr 19, 2011)

Surefire primaries are the only one's I buy...but I won't hesitate to use Energizer/Panasonic.


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## Sparky's Magic (Apr 19, 2011)

Gene Malkoff's 'lights come with Battery Station Cells installed...

I put one up against a Sanyo and a 4Sevens and in my HDS 140 ex. got identical run times (more or less). The Battery Station started out a little lower than the others and gave about 40" less - 3.23V as opposed to 3,26V. I repeated the test, replacing the Sanyo with an Energizer and again there was nothing in it. At $12.85 here in Aust. (not a typo.) for top CR123's, I'm not likely to repeat this test ever again! It did, however, tell me what I wanted to know; the HDS ran for 77min. on high before stepping down and was consistent across 4 different cells. I used a small personal fan to circulate some cooler air around the HDS; not because heat was an issue but to even things out a bit for all cells. Indoors, v/hot, muggy, I could have have hand-held the light, I guess.

I thought the run times being almost identical was astounding: There was only seconds in it!


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## 45/70 (Apr 19, 2011)

yliu said:


> I also found that lithium batteries always have a weird smell, does anyone know if it's poisonous?



I don't think the fumes are all that poisonous. The smell originates from the solvents used in the electrolyte. Some refer to it as "flashahol". It is often more noticeable when lithium CR123A primary cells are run at higher current loads. Under these conditions, due to the heat generated within the cell, a small amount of the solvent escapes through the vent at the top of the cell. This really doesn't come under the definition of "venting" per se, but rather, is just a normal incidence when using this type of cell.

For the record, I don't really use lithium CR123A primary cells much anymore, but I've used Duracell and Sanyo cells _for years_ in the light(s) I keep in my car. I have never had any problems with them and they last about forever. Then again, these lights don't see much use, as I always have a ""pocket light" that usually gets used instead. As far as shelf life goes though, the aforementioned cells, as I said, last a very long time.

Dave


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## Lego995743 (Apr 19, 2011)

I only use surefire cr123a cells because they are made in the usa!!!


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## SgtCuts (Apr 22, 2011)

Lego995743 said:


> I only use surefire cr123a cells because they are made in the usa!!!


 
+1 here they have always worked great for me with a long lifetime!:twothumbs


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## jtivat (Apr 22, 2011)

I just discovered that half of my two year old Battery Station cell where dead! Sanyo's from the same age group are still good to go.


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## syncytial (Apr 23, 2011)

jtivat said:


> I just discovered that half of my two year old Battery Station cell here dead! Sanyo's from the same age group are still good to go.



Have a look at this thread, this thread and this post. Then search for information on passivation and lithium batteries. An email to BS wouldn't be a bad idea.


- Syncytial.


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## jtivat (Apr 23, 2011)

syncytial said:


> Have a look at this thread, this thread and this post. Then search for information on passivation and lithium batteries. An email to BS wouldn't be a bad idea.
> 
> 
> - Syncytial.



Thanks that is good info I think they did have yellow on them but I tossed them six months ago.


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## Mike89 (Jun 27, 2011)

Titanium. A buck a piece. CR123a lights pull a lot of juice at high voltage to get the brightness (which is what everyone wants). There is a price to this though. CR123a batteries were really never designed for a flashlight to begin with. They are just not going to last that long no matter which brand you use. You want to pay big bucks for a battery that will last no longer (or not any longer that's going to make any noticeable difference), be my guest. I'll stick with paying a buck a piece or lower. Better yet, you want more longevity in a flashlight, don't get one with cr123a batteries.


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## destro72 (Jun 27, 2011)

Is there any difference in output/brightness between a rechargeable cr123, and a non-rechargeable one?


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## mrlysle (Jun 27, 2011)

The RCR123's come off the charger at 4.2 volts. So, in some cases, in lights designed to take them, they're brighter than primaries, because of the higher voltage. They only have about half the capacity though, so your runtime will be shorter.


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## aimxplode (Jun 28, 2011)

Rayovac's are great. They are made in USA at the same factory as the Surefires/Energizers/Panasonics and they are only $15 for 12 at batteryjunction.


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## HighLumens (Jul 3, 2011)

Mike89 said:


> Titanium. A buck a piece. CR123a lights pull a lot of juice at high voltage to get the brightness (which is what everyone wants). There is a price to this though. CR123a batteries were really never designed for a flashlight to begin with. They are just not going to last that long no matter which brand you use. You want to pay big bucks for a battery that will last no longer (or not any longer that's going to make any noticeable difference), be my guest. I'll stick with paying a buck a piece or lower. Better yet, you want more longevity in a flashlight, don't get one with cr123a batteries.


 
Do you mean flashlights powered by cr123's have shorter runtime than other ones, like AA powered flashlights?

I hope I'm not turning this thread into a "AA vs CR123" thread, but I'm quite disappointed since I see cr123 powered flashlights usually have better runtimes than any other battery option (at the same brightness level).


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## dano (Jul 3, 2011)

Any of the USA made cells are fine. They are all made in the same place (there is only one lithium battery factory in the U.S.).


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## aimxplode (Jul 3, 2011)

Someone recently made a thread about his Titanium brand cells exploding.
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?317705-First-battery-blowout

I know this could be an isolated instance, but more often than not, it involves made in China cells.


Go with U.S. made


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## aaronu (Jul 22, 2011)

Just because two batteries are made in the same factory doesn't mean they are identical. If two companies commission a factory to make a product, each may have different requirements to the factory on specs, tolerances, quality and pricing. 

I can easily imagine a company like SureFire having very specific requirements for their battery manufacturer and just as easily imagine Rayovac being more concerned with pricing and logistics.

That said, does anyone have insight on whether SureFire, Energizer, Panasonic and/or Rayovac are identical under the label or if there are any specification or quality differences between them?


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## ebow86 (Jul 22, 2011)

I only use surefire CR123's simply due to the fact that my local lowes has them 2 for $5. They sell for cheaper online but once you factor in shipping the price evens out, and going to lowes means no wait for delivery.


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## ryguy24000 (Jul 22, 2011)

I use streamlight I get them at my local Electrical wholesale house $18.50 DOZ. They placed top 5 in all catagories in the 123 shootout.


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## pelotonjon (Jul 23, 2011)

4Sevens are the cheapest I can find, and they have worked out well for me so far.


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## john-paul (Jul 23, 2011)

pelotonjon said:


> 4Sevens are the cheapest I can find, and they have worked out well for me so far.



I use a lot of 4Sevens cells, but they are too large for some of my Surefires.


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## Lightfoot98 (Jul 25, 2011)

Went to Lowe's today to pick up more Surefire CR123's, and they were marked at $2.99.
Needles to say, I bought all that were left. (11 2X packs).

Normaly they're $4.30 here.

All had exp of 5-2021


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## ebow86 (Jul 26, 2011)

Lightfoot98 said:


> Went to Lowe's today to pick up more Surefire CR123's, and they were marked at $2.99.
> Needles to say, I bought all that were left. (11 2X packs).
> 
> Normaly they're $4.30 here.
> ...



Wow, that's a great deal. I wish I would have checked my local Lowe's to see if we had the same sale. I sure do wish my lowes would start carrying the 12 packs, but my hometown is so small that I imagine the demand is very little.


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## DutyLight (Jul 26, 2011)

So far I am using an 18650 in my Klarus XT10, however I saw a graph somewhere here on CPF that showed Evergreen brand compared to surefire, and the graphs were nearly identical, so I may get some from ebay.


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## menoceros (Jul 26, 2011)

I buy my 123s at Amazon. Thye have Streamlight for about $18.50/doz. I buy 2 packs and get free shipping. Made in USA and I have had great servive from them.


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## Mattssacre (Sep 11, 2011)

I can tell you from personal experience that the Panasonic's are awesome batteries. These are the batteries that are issued to the USMC as well as other branches of the military. For a price usually half that (or better) of Surefire batteries, they preform just as well.


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## shao.fu.tzer (Sep 11, 2011)

I have all kinds of CR123 primaries and the brand that I go to most frequently is Surefire... Titanium Innovations is an OK brand, and definitely the best bang for the buck... but I fear that they could literally go bang on you.. I've recently tested some CR123s purchased in 2006 and was appalled to find the number of basically dud cells from all sorts of manufacturers - including a MAJOR American brand name company. But the Surefire cells all held their voltage relatively the same according to age. So... Make of that what you will...


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## Tiggercat (Sep 25, 2011)

Just an FYI - Marshall dropped the price if SureFire 123s at Going Gear to $1.99 each. Gut feeling from experience for me puts SF above StreamLight, though I should be receiving some of the new EagleTac 123s on Monday from Illumination Gear.


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## Bobby_C (Sep 26, 2011)

I bought my first real flashlight, a SureFire 6P, about 6 yrs ago. I wasn't too happy that it took CR123A's as they're hard to come by and expensive back then but I wanted a really good flashlight. I only used it sparingly and believe it or not, I'm still using the original batteries from SureFire (exp 3-2015) to this day. I upgraded to a LED drop-in and have been using it a little more but still haven't killed the original batteries.

Not long after I bought the 6P, I found on eBay (of all places) a set of 10 cr123a for cheap so I ordered them. They're Panasonic but made in Japan and no date code. I just bought a Sunwayman V10R and decided to try one of these old batteries and it works great. My M20S-X came with Olights that are made in China with 1500mAh rating. I'll probably try to burn thru those quickly and use up my CR123A's before switching to 18650s.


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## MHeikes (Sep 26, 2011)

Surefire, Panasonic 
I am trying some from Interstate, not sure whose re-brand.


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## Bullyson (Sep 27, 2011)

I found some Panasonic batteries at a great price but the expiration date is Feb 2016. Since they lose power over time would these be worth buying now?


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## jmsodpc (Aug 19, 2014)

anyone care to update this thread with the best cr123 batteries?


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## ChrisGarrett (Aug 19, 2014)

jmsodpc said:


> anyone care to update this thread with the best cr123 batteries?



Anything using the Panasonic USA 1550mAh cell, or the Sanyo Japan 1400mAh cell. The former would be Battery Station, Duracell, Energizer, some Rayovacs, Panasonic, SureFire and StreamLight to name a few.

I don't know who else besides Sanyo uses their cell.

Any differences in runtime would be minute and within cell to cell variances, IMO.

Chris


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