# What the best 14500 battery?



## GODOFWAR (Jun 10, 2016)

What the best 14500 battery to use in the Astrolux SC 1A Copper 14500 Flashlight and El Capitan ? Is this one the best? http://www.orbtronic.com/batteries-...on-battery-3.7v-840mah-cell-aa-size-Orbtronic


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## CelticCross74 (Jun 10, 2016)

the Sanyo based Keeppower 840mah 14500


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## RobertMM (Jun 10, 2016)

CelticCross74 said:


> the Sanyo based Keeppower 840mah 14500



Agree.

I've had one of the bare cells too, 840mAh Sanyo.


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## bartko09 (Jun 11, 2016)

AW IMR 14500

http://www.rtdvapor.com/new-aw-imr-14500-3-7v-650mah/


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## CelticCross74 (Jun 11, 2016)

wow! Its amazing that so many long timers are still hung up on AW! Yes they are very good cells but the Sony based 840mah Keeppower is just a better cell. Much higher capacity, the PC's are just as good if not better than AW's and the wrap is just as high quality. Where do you even get AW's these days? I almost never see them for sale at all anywhere.

The 840mah Sanyo cell has the most even and steady power delivery from low amp draw to high amp draws that would have the AW tripping its PC circuits. Man...I spend way to much time studying HKJ's reviews.


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## ven (Jun 11, 2016)

Just to be aware, there are 2 Sanyo cells, iirc an 800 and 840mah as CC suggests(great cell!). There are differences in length, if the light is cell fussy on the length, the 840 maybe a tight fit or a none fit with protection. 

I dont use many 14500 cells(prefer 16340 form ), of the ones i do i use KeepPowers which are sanyo inside i believe.

Now most of my 14500's are IMR , AWT or efest flat/button tops for the size.................still i dont have that many, maybe under 10 total.


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## TheBelgian (Jun 11, 2016)

CelticCross74 said:


> wow! Its amazing that so many long timers are still hung up on AW!



The sanyo ur14500 840mAh battery is awesome, but for me, the only available version is the keeppower, which has no metal plate at the bottom, meaning my Zebralight H52Fw's scratchy spring would eat its way through the bare pcb contact. Furthermore, the keeppower is quiet beefy and doesn't fit in all 14500 lights. Thats why the AW is a good and safe bet. 
PS: I'm going to get some 14500's for my sc52w, which doesn't have quiet as scratchy a spring, so I may risk keeppower 840mAh. Does anyone know if it fits the sc52? I recall some people saying it didn't fit or was a really tight fit.


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## staticx57 (Jun 11, 2016)

TheBelgian said:


> The sanyo ur14500 840mAh battery is awesome, but for me, the only available version is the keeppower, which has no metal plate at the bottom, meaning my Zebralight H52Fw's scratchy spring would eat its way through the bare pcb contact. Furthermore, the keeppower is quiet beefy and doesn't fit in all 14500 lights. Thats why the AW is a good and safe bet.
> PS: I'm going to get some 14500's for my sc52w, which doesn't have quiet as scratchy a spring, so I may risk keeppower 840mAh. Does anyone know if it fits the sc52? I recall some people saying it didn't fit or was a really tight fit.



The zebralights have built in over discharge protection. Why not run the bare cell?


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## JB007Rules (Jun 11, 2016)

bartko09 said:


> AW IMR 14500
> 
> http://www.rtdvapor.com/new-aw-imr-14500-3-7v-650mah/



This is BEYOND overkill for a flashlight no? 9A continuous discharge??? There is no way you'd need more than about 2 - 3 Amps.... Lower amperage = higher capacity... This battery doesn't make one lick of sense in the flashlight world (Yes, in the vaping world but not in the FL world...)

Stick with the 840MA Sanyo's!! (Panasonic)


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## msim (Jun 11, 2016)

JB007Rules said:


> This is BEYOND overkill for a flashlight no? 9A continuous discharge??? There is no way you'd need more than about 2 - 3 Amps.... Lower amperage = higher capacity... This battery doesn't make one lick of sense in the flashlight world (Yes, in the vaping world but not in the FL world...)
> 
> Stick with the 840MA Sanyo's!! (Panasonic)




Works great in my BLF X5.


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## JB007Rules (Jun 11, 2016)

I never said it wouldn't work. It will work just perfectly fine 

I'm just stating that you can get more run time from the Sanyo. Although I'd like to see some real world testing to prove that too (to be fair)


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## JB007Rules (Jun 11, 2016)

I must say that is a mighty fine looking flashlight BTW.... However I question how it's possible that it's 1400 Lumens when the the Cree XPL-HI is a 10W LED with a MAX output of 1095 lumens?

See: http://www.cree.com/LED-Components-and-Modules/Products/XLamp/Discrete-Directional/XLamp-XPL-HI

10W * 3.7V = 2.7 amps... 9A is over 3 times more than necessary 

Thanks!


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## StorminMatt (Jun 11, 2016)

For higher current use, there is also the Sony US14500V. These do seem to be somewhat hard to find. But with 680mAH and 5A maximum current draw combined with a good qualiy cell, they seem like they are the way to go if you need more amps than the Sanyo UR14500p can provide.


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## GODOFWAR (Jun 11, 2016)

Does the light have low voltage cut off? I am asking these questions cuz I want to buy one is it a good light?


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## GODOFWAR (Jun 11, 2016)

Is this good http://m.ebay.com/itm/EVVA-UR14500P...3D231408993050&_trksid=p2056116.c100408.m2460


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## hyperloop (Jun 11, 2016)

Hi guys, thanks for all these informative postings, when I bowed out of the flashlight scene due to health reasons (had a stroke but after long and hard work I am back  ) as I was saying, when I was last online the only cells worth talking about were AW's and the rest of the ****fires (Soshine 18650s protected working well for me for the past few years).

Where would I go to purchase these cells?


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## Torky455 (Jun 11, 2016)

TheBelgian, I run a Keeppower 840 in my SC52 with no issues. Also fits my H52w. Hope that helps.


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## staticx57 (Jun 11, 2016)

Anything from illumination supply and mountain electronics I would trust


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## vadimax (Jun 12, 2016)

JB007Rules said:


> I must say that is a mighty fine looking flashlight BTW.... However I question how it's possible that it's 1400 Lumens when the the Cree XPL-HI is a 10W LED with a MAX output of 1095 lumens?
> 
> See: http://www.cree.com/LED-Components-and-Modules/Products/XLamp/Discrete-Directional/XLamp-XPL-HI
> 
> ...



First of all the LED is overdriven. So, we may assume it takes not 2.7A, but some 6A (non-linear dependance). Next, a battery capable of more current has less internal resistance, hence less internal losses, less heating, less voltage sag under load.

20W/3.7V=5.4A


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## CelticCross74 (Jun 12, 2016)

just learned a valuable 14500 lesson. Always refer to your lights manual as to how long and or thick a 14500 the light can take. I failed to double check the tech spec page for my ET GX25A3 which can also take 14500's. The limit length wise for 14500's for the light is 51.2mm. The 840mah keeppowers I got are 55mm long thus the light does not work with them. Lesson learned.


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## Wendee (Jul 8, 2016)

The info in this thread was so helpful to me today.  

I'll post some info I found for other's who might read this thread because they're looking to buy good 14500 batteries.

The dimensions of the Sanyo UR14500P, 840mAh, without protection are 50.0mm x 14.05mm (as per Orbtronic site).

Sanyo UR14500P, 840mAh, with protection:
Orbtronic brand: 52.9mm x 14.6mm (as per Orbtronic website)
Keeppower brand: 52.5mm x 14.5mm (as per HKJ review on CPF, 2015)

I just bought the Orbtronic brand. Apparently, these batteries will fit in the new flashlight I just ordered. I really hope so (fingers crossed).

Note: I've seen a few posts where CPF members said they're Keeppowers were actually longer than 52.5mm. I'm not sure if different batches would have different lengths, maybe? :shrug:


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## CelticCross74 (Jul 10, 2016)

OP the answer is any Sony 14500 that actually fits the light. My new adventure into 14500's recently has been odd. I admit I should have gone over the manual for the light again before I ordered the 840mah Keeppower 14500's. I have been a Keeppower devotee for awhile and am used to never having to wonder about any feature of their cells. Well...the Eagletac GX25A3 I got them for maxes out at 52mm long 14500's. The protected Sony based 840mah Keeppower cells came in at a bit over 55mm each on my calipers! They just squished the negative end springs in the light so much when the end cap was put on I couldnt get any current going. So then I ordered some 750mah NC NL147 14500's which are specified at 52.5mm perfect right? My delivery of these cells show up and one of the 3 is only 50.5mm long so much for that project. I at least am able to use the awesome high capacity 840mah Keeppowers in my Jetbeam WS-L1. I had already tried a couple top notch 16340's in the Jetbeam with just above a "meh" response. The Keeppower 14500 inside it it is like a whole nother light. Output is clearly up at all modes visually which increased beam definition and so far the cell is doing a top notch job of living up to its rated capacity. Oh its the 800mah Keeppower 14500's that are 52-ish mm. Wish I had known that before. Orbtronics just as good quality but for instance Orbtronic and Keeppower do have their own specified protection circuits and wrap applied when they are finally put together. Also have a Keeppwer 700mah 16340 that measured in at 35.26mm long vs a 700mah Orbtronic 700 that came in at 34.14mm long on my digital calipers. Just that one mm kept me from being able to run the Keeppower in my new SRT3. Hmph...


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## stephenk (Jul 10, 2016)

Wendee said:


> The info in this thread was so helpful to me today.
> 
> I'll post some info I found for other's who might read this thread because they're looking to buy good 14500 batteries.
> 
> ...


Keeppower often update their products. The newer version is 52.7mm and is a wrap of a Sanyo UR14500P.


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