# Best 18650 battery for Fenix PD35



## pschach (Jan 2, 2014)

Dear CPF'ers,

First, thank you for all the great information on this page. I have recently purchased the PD35, which is fantastic. I plan to use it over the next year while travelling around Asia and the Middle East. 

I like that the light takes the CR123s, as I have a SteriPen for water purification that also uses these batteries. However, it seems that 18650 are the better battery. 

I bought this cheap combo on Amazon as I wanted to have a charger that is as portable as possible. The Nitecore charger is nice, but just too big for me. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00A34SANW/?tag=cpf0b6-20


I realize that a protected battery is the better route, so I was going to keep the included ultrafire battery as a backup and also purchase a protected EagleTac 3400. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AYLA5UU/?tag=cpf0b6-20

Is it okay for me to charge the EagleTac in this cheapo charger? Will it harm the light? Is this the best battery available? I don't want to sacrifice any lumens. 


thank you


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## Labrador72 (Jan 2, 2014)

I have never seen a review of this charger but when it comes batteries, it's usually best to stay away from all "whatever"fire brands.

If you want something portable, check out reviews for the Xtar SP1 or MC1 charger. Xtar seem to be making good chargers at affordable prices.

The Eagletac 18650 3400 is by all accounts a good battery. I own two and the only problem I had is that the wrapping is coming off. Not sure if a coincidence or just something that happened to me - haven't seen other people reporting the same issue.


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## roadkill1109 (Jan 2, 2014)

Panasonic 3400 cell.


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## Jash (Jan 3, 2014)

If I was travelling and taking an 18650 light with me, I'd take the AW IMR 2200's with me. You have a charger with you so I'd choose safety over capacity.


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## martinaee (Jan 3, 2014)

I have a Eagletac 3100mAh. Panasonic re-wrapped I guess.

They have 3400 cells, but I don't know if they are as proven as the 3100's. Most likely they are though so get either the 3100 or 3400 cells.


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## Fig (Jan 3, 2014)

+1 on the Panasonic 3400's. Not cheap, but best batteries to date that I own.


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## pschach (Jan 3, 2014)

roadkill1109 said:


> Panasonic 3400 cell.




http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DHXY72O/?tag=cpf0b6-20

these? Does it matter that they aren't protected? If, in reality, there won't be any problems with a good quality un-protected battery I guess that's fine, right?


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## pschach (Jan 3, 2014)

Hi Jash,

thanks for the input. You are saying b/c I have a garbage charger I should get a protected battery? 


thanks,

P


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## pschach (Jan 3, 2014)

Jash said:


> If I was travelling and taking an 18650 light with me, I'd take the AW IMR 2200's with me. You have a charger with so I'd choose safety over capacity.




Hi Jash,

thanks for the input. You are saying b/c I have a garbage charger I should get a protected battery? 


thanks,


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## pschach (Jan 6, 2014)

Labrador72 said:


> I have never seen a review of this charger but when it comes batteries, it's usually best to stay away from all "whatever"fire brands.
> 
> If you want something portable, check out reviews for the Xtar SP1 or MC1 charger. Xtar seem to be making good chargers at affordable prices.
> 
> The Eagletac 18650 3400 is by all accounts a good battery. I own two and the only problem I had is that the wrapping is coming off. Not sure if a coincidence or just something that happened to me - haven't seen other people reporting the same issue.




Hi Labrador,

Thank for the advice. The Xtar SP1 charger looks perfect, especially being able to back-feed the phone if neccessary. However, I can't seem to find a place to buy it. Any clues?


thanks,

P


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## Labrador72 (Jan 7, 2014)

Any time. Are you located in the US? Xtar seem to have a manufacturer section on CPF Market{lace: http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/forumdisplay.php?155-XTAR
Try asking them where to buy their products in the US. CPF MarketPlace is a separate website so you'll need to subscribe there as well before being able to post.


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## Overclocker (Jan 7, 2014)

LG D1 runs brighter. stays in regulation longer. maintains higher brightness throughout the entire run

Panasonic NCR18650B isn't a very good choice for single-cell lights. However the D1 requires a 4.35v charger but i think we'll see more of these chargers this year.


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## pschach (Jan 16, 2014)

Labrador72 said:


> Any time. Are you located in the US? Xtar seem to have a manufacturer section on CPF Market{lace: http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/forumdisplay.php?155-XTAR
> Try asking them where to buy their products in the US. CPF MarketPlace is a separate website so you'll need to subscribe there as well before being able to post.



So it turns out the SP1 isn't going to be available for a few weeks in the US. I bought a few of the Panasonic 3400 batteries... if I use that cheap charger in the meantime(http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00A34SANW/?tag=cpf0b6-20 ), am I likely to destroy these good batteries?


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## Artorias (Jan 16, 2014)

pschach said:


> http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DHXY72O/?tag=cpf0b6-20
> 
> these? Does it matter that they aren't protected? If, in reality, there won't be any problems with a good quality un-protected battery I guess that's fine, right?



I have a bunch of Panasonic NCR18650B and I really like them, I've been reading great things about those AW batteries too tho, just can't seem to find them anywhere. Depends on how fancy your flashlight is, I mean if it has its OWN protection or not. Some lights will shut off when the battery gets down to the scary voltages.


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## Kueh (Jan 19, 2014)

You'll want a battery that matches the low voltage cutoff of the PD35. No point in buying capacity that you will never use.


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## justanotherguy (Jan 20, 2014)

I run keeppower batteries. They seem to be well reviewed/liked.
And I end up paying under $11 a cell delivered...


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## Teatime (Oct 23, 2014)

Kueh said:


> You'll want a battery that matches the low voltage cutoff of the PD35. No point in buying capacity that you will never use.



I know this is old post, but would you please elaborate?


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## Phoenixkh (Oct 23, 2014)

I'm a complete noob when it comes to decent flashlights but I recently purchased a Fenix PD35 and got two Fenix ARB-L2S 3400 mAh 18650 Batteries along with their ARE-C1 Fenix Smart Battery charger. I have no idea how they compare to the competition.... that's why I've been learning here at CPF.


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## MikeP. (Oct 23, 2014)

Phoenixkh said:


> I'm a complete noob when it comes to decent flashlights but I recently purchased a Fenix PD35 and got two Fenix ARB-L2S 3400 mAh 18650 Batteries along with their ARE-C1 Fenix Smart Battery charger. I have no idea how they compare to the competition.... that's why I've been learning here at CPF.



Same here. I received my Fenix PD35, two Fenix ARB-L2S 3400 mAh 18650 Batteries and their ARE-C1 Fenix Smart Battery charger yesterday. From what I've read on the forums here the Fenix ARB-L2S batteries are a good choice.


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## HistoryChannel (Oct 23, 2014)

Labrador72 said:


> I have never seen a review of this charger but when it comes batteries, it's usually best to stay away from all "whatever"fire brands.
> 
> If you want something portable, check out reviews for the Xtar SP1 or MC1 charger. Xtar seem to be making good chargers at affordable prices.
> 
> The Eagletac 18650 3400 is by all accounts a good battery. I own two and the only problem I had is that the wrapping is coming off. Not sure if a coincidence or just something that happened to me - haven't seen other people reporting the same issue.



Don't forget the Xtar MC2.... a USB 2 port charger. If you pair it up with a portable battery like an Anker 9000mah battery pack or a solar charger with USB output, you have a off grid charging option for hiking and such.... 

I've had good luck with Orbtronics and Eagletac 3400's. I've seen Panasonics get great reviews as well, although I haven't tried them.


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## bright star (Oct 24, 2014)

In my opinion Eagletac 3400. Always done me good.


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## TitaniumBird (Nov 18, 2014)

*FENIX PD35 2014 Best Battery for Infrequent Use*

Hi,
I'm looking at getting the Fenix PD35 2014 edition for EDC use. However, I know that I will not be using the flashlight on an everyday basis. I'm trying to decide which battery, the 18650 or the cr123a, is the better option.

I saw on this thread: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?378231-Best-18650-battery-for-Fenix-PD35 that the 18650 rechargeable gives better output and is preferred over the cr123a.

My fear is that because I will not be using the flashlight frequently at all, (average once a week max, with longer breaks between), the 18650 battery will not go through enough charge/discharge cycles and/or will drain completely over time. 
On the other hand, I don't want to have to keep buying cr123a's because I fear they too will drain. (and they're kind of expensive) 

Please correct me if my assumptions/understanding is wrong, and ask questions if I wasn't clear.
I would really appreciate any input or help

Thanks,
John


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## Norm (Nov 18, 2014)

Fully charged, protected 18650,storage duration?




DDS said:


> I just did a little reading on the subject and here is info of interest:
> 
> "The self-discharge of the Li-ion battery is five percent in the first 24 hours after charge and averages 1 to 2 percent per month thereafter. In addition to the natural self-discharge through the chemJical cell, the safety circuit draws as much as 3 percent per month. High cycle count and aging has little effect on self-discharge on lithium-based batteries".
> 
> ...




Norm


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## TitaniumBird (Nov 18, 2014)

Thanks Norm,
That's the fastest reply I've ever had! Great CS 

Sounds to me like Li-ion 18650 is the best option then.

John


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## CelticCross74 (Dec 7, 2014)

Orbtronic 3400mah or 3600mah period. The Orbtronic cells are hot rodded Panasonic cells all made in Japan. Their amperage cut off is not 4a like most other 18650s but 7.5a which will drive the emitter to its fullest


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## seasam (Dec 7, 2014)

I see this thread is a bit old, but this topic interests me as I have a similar light (Nitecore EC20). I have been using Orbtronic/Panasonic batteries and initially purchased the 3100mAh Orbtronic/Panasonic NCR18650A but then realized that under turbo mode these lights can be fairly demanding of a cell, so I purchased some 2900mAh Orbtronic/Panasonic NCR18650PF as well. 

It is my understanding the 18650PF cells are better at keeping voltage up during high drain, not quite as good as the LG 4.35v cells mentioned above, but an improvement over the NCR18650A/NCR18650B cells. 

I've seen this graphed in battery reviews by HKJ but does this translate to real world results? Or are we just splitting hairs at this point given the eye's sensitivity to light? :shrug:


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## hydro_pyro (Dec 8, 2014)

From what I hear, KeepPower and OrbTronic 3400's are the same thing. Panasonic cells with protection. Either one is gererally considered to be the best. Cheap 18650's are terrible. Even the factory Fenix cell quality and longevity is marginal.


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## straightShot (Feb 13, 2015)

This thread keeps on going...

For the Fenix PD35, since it has springs on both ends to contact each end of the battery, the best choice to power it would probably be a flat head type battery. It seems that most protected batteries are button top. What are some good choices for protected flat top 18650s for the PD35?


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## kj2 (Feb 13, 2015)

straightShot said:


> This thread keeps on going...For the Fenix PD35, since it has springs on both ends to contact each end of the battery, the best choice to power it would probably be a flat head type battery. It seems that most protected batteries are button top. What are some good choices for protected flat top 18650s for the PD35?


You could choose for the Fenix branded batteries, and other choices are Eagletac, Keeppower, AW, ArmyTek. I personally uses Eagletac 3100 and 3400 mAh batteries in mine, and works perfectly


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## CelticCross74 (Feb 14, 2015)

Wow this thread is still going! I hope the OP got a better charger before he left for his travels cause that thing is gonna break and break quickly. I also hope the OP ditched that awful Ultrafire 18650 and got anything Panasonic based. Fenix branded 18650's are also re wrapped Panasonic cells just with Chinese protection circuits and nearly a flat top so unless you want a totally Japan only cell (Orbtronic) then youre fine with Fenix cells just as you are with the re wrapped Nitecore branded cells. 

I have 4 PD35's. I use Orbtronic 3400mah and 3600mah (when they are available) protected 18650's. For a charger I use a D4 and have had zero issues with the charger and the cells. Yes CR123 cells do indeed drive the PD35 the hardest but they dont last as long as a good 18650. With CR123 and RCR123 cells you end up driving a light that is already driven to within an inch of its life even harder. Yes you get some more lumens coming out the front but you also wear down the light at the same time.

My oldest PD35 has served me through thick and thin. Ive dropped it off of bridges, down the stairs etc. it even went through the washing machine and the drier once. It now flickers on the lower modes but turbo and strobe still work fine. For this old soldier I have dumped a pair of fresh Panasonic CR123 cells in it. If its gonna go out its gonna go out at maximum output as I EDC it in what I believe are the lights last days but it just wont die. 

To answer the OP the best batteries for the PD35 that are most readily available are 3400mah cells from any of the respected brand names, Keeppower, Orbtronic, Eagletac, AW are what you want to try for. Orbtronic offers the latest 3600mah 18650 but they sell out as soon as they get them. Should Orbtronic have the 3600mah in stock when you stop by the site buy a pair immediately. I am lucky to have the 6 3600mah cells that I do have. If not then dont fret waiting for them to come into stock a 3400mah cell is perfectly fine as is 3200mah and even 3100mah. The higher the mah the longer they run and for such a high powered light as the PD35 I personally would not go below 3200mah. Nitecore intellicharger and Digicharger are perfectly fine too....good luck.


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## brickfollett (Feb 16, 2015)

Battery wise, I'm much more well versed in terms of their use with e cigarettes. We draw far more amps than flashlights do, so battery safety is priority number one. I use Sony vtc5s in mine, but Samsung 25r's and LG he2 and he4 batteries have a good reputation as well. 20 amp continuous rating on the LG, 25 on the Samsung and 30 on the Sony. No need for protected batteries, the chip in the flashlight dims the light as voltage drops. High drain batteries like these will stay at a higher voltage a lot longer than batteries like the eagletac 3400 mah. Mah rating isn't everything, and being that this is an icr battery, if something bad happens, these batteries explode. Imr and inr batteries will vent, but you would have to be seriously abusing it in a flashlight for that to happen. Hope that helps!

Also, I use an xtar vp4 charger and couldn't recommend it more. My nitecore i4 started having issues after a year, but that's charging 1 or more cells every single day, and I mean every day


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## mindquest (Jul 2, 2015)

CelticCross74 said:


> I have 4 PD35's. I use Orbtronic 3400mah and 3600mah (when they are available) protected 18650's. For a charger I use a D4 and have had zero issues with the charger and the cells. Yes CR123 cells do indeed drive the PD35 the hardest but they dont last as long as a good 18650. With CR123 and RCR123 cells you end up driving a light that is already driven to within an inch of its life even harder. Yes you get some more lumens coming out the front but you also wear down the light at the same time.
> 
> To answer the OP the best batteries for the PD35 that are most readily available are 3400mah cells from any of the respected brand names, Keeppower, Orbtronic, Eagletac, AW are what you want to try for. Orbtronic offers the latest 3600mah 18650 but they sell out as soon as they get them. Should Orbtronic have the 3600mah in stock when you stop by the site buy a pair immediately. I am lucky to have the 6 3600mah cells that I do have. If not then dont fret waiting for them to come into stock a 3400mah cell is perfectly fine as is 3200mah and even 3100mah. The higher the mah the longer they run and for such a high powered light as the PD35 I personally would not go below 3200mah. Nitecore intellicharger and Digicharger are perfectly fine too....good luck.



Looking at buying the new 2015 PD35 tactical and was wondering if the higher mah batteries (3400mah & 3600mah) were harder to get into the PD35 or hard to get out?


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## WarRaven (Jul 2, 2015)

mindquest said:


> Looking at buying the new 2015 PD35 tactical and was wondering if the higher mah batteries (3400mah & 3600mah) were harder to get into the PD35 or hard to get out?


Fenix sells a 3400 mah protected, it's what's in mine currently.


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## mindquest (Jul 2, 2015)

WarRaven said:


> Fenix sells a 3400 mah protected, it's what's in mine currently.



Thanks WarRaven, it's my first Fenix and first high quality flashlight so I want to not make any mistakes with the battery choice. I heard that some higher mah batteries are larger and can get stuck.


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## WarRaven (Jul 2, 2015)

mindquest said:


> Thanks WarRaven, it's my first Fenix and first high quality flashlight so I want to not make any mistakes with the battery choice. I heard that some higher mah batteries are larger and can get stuck.


I checked tubes in mine earlier this week,('14 models) iirc tubes are 18.9mm id, and 3400 Fenix battery is 18.6mm od.
Edit bad pun. 

The Fenix 3400 slip right in brother.
When using CR123s though, being so much more narrow, there is considerable battery rattle. As well there is no battery sleeve included to avoid that. For the price, Fenix should throw in two plastic tubes IMO, support the users use.
Jmtc 
Have a great day, and night 😀


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## more_vampires (Jul 2, 2015)

We were talking about travel chargers? The Redilast micro USB lithium ion charger is wonderful. Got mine from Illumination Supply.

Tiny, light, nice, but no display (just an indicator light.)


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## CelticCross74 (Jul 3, 2015)

and the mighty PD35 battery thread still refuses to die! On top of already having 4 PD35's and a UC35 I have the new TACPD35 in the mail for delivery on Monday. Olight now produces 3200, 3400 and 3600mah 18650s. Any will work fine the 3600's will last the longest between charges. I have full confidence that any PD/UC35 including the new TAC35 will fit any 3600mah 18650 you can get. I have stuffed protected Orbtronic 3600mah cells into all my 35's at one point or another to see if it fit. Only on the UC35 is a 3600mah protected cell has it been a tight fit but still screws down nice and tight. The 3400 and newly availiable again through Olight 3600mah cells are perfect for any of the 35's. Sure you can make the 4.35v cell argument but the difference in output is near invisible to the eye and youd need a charger that charged that high. I use a new Xtar VC4 charger now which is a real step up from my old d4. It is just much more accurate and also gives an added mah readout for each cell being charged. The digital display is really cool and the unit just seems of higher quality vs the d4 just dont skimp out on the proper 2.1a USB wall wart from Xtar to plug the VC4 into in order to charge properly.

My expectations for my coming TAC35 are very high as I predict Fenix did an above average job of making a new reflector for the new XP-l emitter and an above average job in maintaining an above average quality beam profile which is the 35 series trademark.


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## 1DaveN (Jul 16, 2015)

CelticCross74 said:


> and the mighty PD35 battery thread still refuses to die!



If it had died, I wouldn't have found it  Your last two posts on this thread decided me on Orbtronic 3400s for my PD35 and CL25R (not to mention my potential future LD50), so thanks. 

I don't use them enough that I'll save any money, and the Orbtronic 3400s seem to be a good compromise between the common sense decision to use primaries, and the extra cost of Orbtronic 3600s or Fenix 3400s.


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## CelticCross74 (Jul 16, 2015)

have a 3600mah Orbtronic stuffed into my TAC it fits just fine. Avoid Nitecore cells as they have an extra thick wrap that is poorly done. I advise one of the new Panny based Olight 3600mah cells. Orbtronic and Keeppower 3600mah cells as near impossible to find as they sell out as soon as they are stocked. I am lucky to have the 8 3600mah Orbtronics I do have. Olight 3400mah cells scored above average in independent tests Ive seen on YT and am assuming the 3600mah Olights will do just as well. The Olight 3600mah cells are damn expensive though at $25 a pop on GG. The 3400mah Orbtronic and Keeppower cells have both dropped in price to $15 or less per cell and are a steal at that price. Cannot go wrong with any of them.


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## 1DaveN (Jul 17, 2015)

CelticCross74 said:


> have a 3600mah Orbtronic stuffed into my TAC it fits just fine. Avoid Nitecore cells as they have an extra thick wrap that is poorly done. I advise one of the new Panny based Olight 3600mah cells. Orbtronic and Keeppower 3600mah cells as near impossible to find as they sell out as soon as they are stocked. I am lucky to have the 8 3600mah Orbtronics I do have. Olight 3400mah cells scored above average in independent tests Ive seen on YT and am assuming the 3600mah Olights will do just as well. The Olight 3600mah cells are damn expensive though at $25 a pop on GG. The 3400mah Orbtronic and Keeppower cells have both dropped in price to $15 or less per cell and are a steal at that price. Cannot go wrong with any of them.



Thanks for all this useful information. I'm waiting to see if Orbtronic gets the VP2 chargers back in stock, and assuming that happens within the next few days, I'll place my order.


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## Megaphobema (Sep 3, 2015)

I've purchased a P35 2014, which is on the way ... Also, from Mountain Electronics, I purchased an XTAR VP2 and two Sanyo/Panasonic NCR18650GA protected 3500 mAh cells, also on the way. I should be in great shape, as far as this combination of light, charger and batteries, yeah?

I also plan to purchase a Zebralight H602w, as well as an SC600w Mk II L2 within the next couple months, so I'd like to be able to use these cells to work well with these Zebralights, as well.

These will be my first LED flashlights. In the past I had Surefire incandescents. I'm excited. Thank you, in advance, for any and all responses.


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## WarRaven (Sep 3, 2015)

Nice light, congrats.


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## MX421 (Sep 3, 2015)

I also purchased this light and a Fenix 3400mah Battery a couple of months ago, right before the Tactical came out :shakehead May take one of the earlier poster's stance and have to buy another one (the tactical). 

Megaphobema,

Apparently you and i think alike. In addition, i also have the Zebralight H602w that i purchased about a month ago before i went offshore (on the night shift). This is now my favorite light and it did use the Fenix 3400 maH power cells. Its is extremely floody and can light up anything indoors quite well. However...

As soon as i got back from offshore a couple of weeks ago, the Fenix 3400 maH battery went out on me. After talking with the store i purchased it from, they pointed me to go to Fenix directly who is shipping a replacement as we speak. From my small tech skills, it appears that the protection circuit went out on this battery. Hopefully the new one will be better.

I've used different types of batteries in the PD35 though, including some orbatronic protected batteries, an older protected 18650 that i didn't know was the same type before i went down this rabbit hole and also some unprotected cells i retrieved from a laptop battery and some Makita 'Bricked' batteries. All those batteries, including the unprotected cells work well in both lights and a few other 18650 lights i have.


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## Megaphobema (Sep 3, 2015)

Excellent. I'm excited. The PD35 will be here tomorrow. The charger and batteries in the next few days. My birthday is coming up in two months, so I hope to have the H602w and SC600w Mk II L2 by then. 

I see the PD35 as being my budget thrower, and by default my EDC until I get the Zebralights. I plan to use the PD35 as a thrower, while I have the H602w on for nighttime nature adventures. And will probably carry the H602w in my pocket as my EDC at that point. The plan, after that, will be to get a larger, longer thrower to replace the PD35. I figure I'll be pretty good at that point. Oh, and one more H602w for my daughter to use on nature walks and nighttime exploration. Lol

I really appreciate the responses.


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## CelticCross74 (Sep 4, 2015)

Enjoy that 2014 PD35! I must add that in my experience with Orbtronic, Keeppower and Olight cells they all seem to hold their charge a good bit longer after you have had them awhile and recharged them a few times. I run one of my original "850" lumen PD35's on 2xCR123's for max possible out put. I believe this set up results in 1020 OTF lumens Ill have to check Selfbuilts review again. Gets hot quick set up that way but seem to stay on full blast for longer even though I know its a timed step down.

Not to sure how well those 3500mah cells are going to work though. I almost bought a few for some of my lights from Orbtronic. These 3500mah cells crank 10amps and the PD35 only draws 3 amps. I emailed Sal the owner of Orbtronic about these cells I was going to start by putting these new 3500's in my PD sized lights. He advised against it strongly saying that the 10 amp output of the 3500 would blow the light. The regular 3400mah Orbs can put out up to 7 amps but are not fixed at that out put they just have that ability. The 3500's from what I understand are fixed at 10 amp output and are meant for monsters like 4000+ lumen monsters.

Good on you for getting the Xtar though. Let us know how the 3500's work I hope they dont blow your new light! You can email Sal at Orbtronic. He will actually get back to you. I strongly advise doing this. 3400mah Orbs or Keeppowers are almost always more than enough to drive most modern 18650 lights.


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## Megaphobema (Sep 4, 2015)

First of all, Celtic, I really appreciate your input. At this point I think I'm equally grateful to you, worried, and disappointed. I was hoping I would be set, as far as this initial setup, of course. I definitely don't want to burn the light out. I wanted to order Orbtronic 3600 or 3400, but where I was looking they had none in stock.

At Mountain Electronics, from whom I purchased them, it says -

- "Maximum Continuous Discharge Current (protection circuit limited): 8A (cell is rated for 10A, but protection circuit may trip at 8A+)"

- "This is a popular cell for high drain XM-L & XM-L2 lights because it's lower internal resistance allows these high forward voltage LEDs to remain brighter longer."

I guess the circuit tripping at 8Aish doesn't help me much, either? 

Needless to say I definitely have a lot to learn, and I'm relatively clueless. I saw Panasonic, 3500, protected, and a reference to XM-L2 (the 2014 PD35 having an XM-L2 U2, as I know you know) and added two to the cart.

Darn.


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## CelticCross74 (Sep 4, 2015)

Hey just went to Mountains site and checked out the cells you got. You should be fine. These cells are new to me they deliver "up to" 8 amps, have low internal resistance and are not fixed at a certain amperage high drain cells. Your PD draws I believe just over 3 amps. Well these Mountain cells will feed the light the max amperage it can take and no more. True high drain cells like the 10 amp Orbs and 20 amp Samsungs would have blown your light these wont or shouldnt. I just bought 2 for myself to experiment with. The Mountain cell also has top notch protection circuitry. Will post my experience with them when I get them. Good luck...


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## Megaphobema (Sep 4, 2015)

Excellent. Unless someone else jumps in with a compelling argument against it I'm gonna try them in my PD35, and will of course post the results.

Look forward to hearing of your experience with them.

Thanks, Celtic.


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## Megaphobema (Sep 4, 2015)

I've emailed the owner at Mountain to get his/their feedback. Will let you know what they say.


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## WarRaven (Sep 4, 2015)

I'm not getting this.
The light is not direct drive, 
so light shouldn't pull more then needed ever?

The Fenix battery, sounds like low voltage cut off kicked in and it needs to be reset.


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## Megaphobema (Sep 4, 2015)

The Mountain Electronics response ... "The Protected GA is an excellent battery for a light like that, as long as it fits. The GA has a much lower internal resistance than the B, so it will maintain peak output for longer than the 3400mAh NCR18650B."


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## WarRaven (Sep 4, 2015)

I think PD35 is at most 3.5 amps on turbo?
And their saying it can't handle a sustained load of 3.5?
Really?


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## ven (Sep 4, 2015)

I use efest 3400mah in my pd35 2014(no reason for it being protected,just a good cell i had spare) and a pany BD 3200mah in my pd35vn quad..

Its not really a demanding light, any cell should be fine and if run times are key then the 3500mah make good sense/value.

For me anything over 3100mah is good enough,i very rarely go over 400 ish lm for most uses on the pd35 2014. I find with protected cells,there is less cell movement inside due to length(also found this in the viking pro v2.5). That extra 3mm or so makes a nice snug fit imo.........


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## ven (Sep 4, 2015)

WarRaven said:


> I'm not getting this.
> The light is not direct drive,
> so light shouldn't pull more then needed ever?
> .



Correct imo too,the only difference with high drain cells is that it will give you turbo mode at a little lower voltage over standard cells........where these can not give 3 or 3.5A to the light bellow a set V due to sag.........Just allows the juice to flow easier in short with less resistance(very technical i am :laughing: )


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## WarRaven (Sep 4, 2015)

Yup right on, top up charges ftw!
☺
You seeing what I'm lighting too?


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## ven (Sep 4, 2015)

I like to top off my flashlight cells for a few reasons,always ready to go,several top ups from say 3.8v(just an example) equates to a full cycle. So an IMR cell that may be good for "300 cycles" ,really could end up being 600-900 times on the charger. Even at once a day its around 3 years of daily use/top offs. In that time newer cells come out.........I dont see cells as a long term investment, dont get me wrong i have a little ocd with everything,but i dont go too anal on stuff( not saying its a bad thing!!!) just not for me. I have had one cell go bad on me,a sanyo PCB tripped and i could not reset it,out of ......well dont know but a lot of cells,thats not bad going and not my fault as the other 3 cells(4 cell light) were 4.1v! 

In fact i have re-wrapped a good few cells over the last few month as i find the wraps give well before the cells. Hardest bit other than burning my fingers from the hair dryer.......picking which colour :laughing: 

Light not used or cells not used for 3-6 months tops,i use and run them down and top off again. Now with the opus charger, i dont even need to do that..........more fun using the lights though!

Now i am making a conscious habit of trying to get out(now the nights are drawing in earlier) to get out for night time walks........great fun and have not had much time to do so. Different light/s each time to try and have fun.

Work is a different story,must get 2hrs minimum use ,pretty much every day with lights.........mad really,i use flashlights more in the day than i do at night:thinking:

:laughing:

pd35 on topic-ish, still one of my fav 18650 lights ec32vn in the middle,pic to break up my waffle


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## WarRaven (Sep 4, 2015)

Great post bud, I feel similar again.
Lights are most needed during my day, secondly at night.
Nice lights too, not that I'm biased. ☺
I also concur, about battery charge cycle counts,
As well, I only expect a couple good years out of my cells, 
I'm getting more lights and more cells weekly anyways, so yeah.
Ymmv, but I'm OK with mine. Cheers bud.
Have a great one.


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## ven (Sep 4, 2015)

WarRaven said:


> I'm getting more lights and more cells weekly anyways, so yeah.
> Ymmv, but I'm OK with mine. Cheers bud.
> Have a great one.



Cheers, i have noticed  been on form lately, have you!!

You too,have a great weekend


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## Snyperx (Aug 9, 2016)

Just picked up a PD35 2014 edition, a couple of Panasonic 3400mah 18650's and a Nitecore D4 charger.


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## CelticCross74 (Aug 9, 2016)

alright lets keep this thread going! Have learned a lot since this thread started. In that time frame my very first "850" PD35 that has been beat to death not to mention flushed into a storm drain during a flash flood(I opened the sewer man hole cover dived in and got it back)the lower modes fizzled out on me. This light had been dropped from over 20 feet, kicked, thrown and been under 6 feet of water while on turbo(it kept on cranking). I bought it when it first came out which was 2012 I think? So I contacted Fenix proper via email, they contacted me back asking for the serial number which I sent them and the next day they emailed me back an address in New York state to send it to for FREE warranty repair. I was stunned! Free? The light had been out of its warranty a long time. But I sent it in anyways. Expecting a turn around time of a couple of months I was amazed to see it back in my mailbox in 12 days. They had rebuilt the light and put in a new emitter for free.

Today I have it set up 2xEfest 18350's and it just cranks like heck and oddly does not get blazing hot like it did on protected sources. Have learned any 18650 will work in it really. Any 2xCR123 size, 18350's to boot. Of course do you want the most power or runtime? I believe I am getting 1050 lumens out of this set up but 800mah is not much capacity. Ordered up some more unprotected GA cells gonna stick one in it and it should boost output a touch not like 2x sources but it will work as the light is sprung at both ends.


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## Newlumen (Aug 10, 2016)

I bought 4 fenix in the past 6 months. I have tk75vn with extension, rc40vn, tk16vn, and pd35 tac edition. I only have good things to say.. This thread is pd35 so i will tell you my opinion on this light. Maybe fenix will pm me, and send me a nice fenix light for the christmas present. Jk. I like pd35 tac, very fast UI. I can quickly change turbo-strobe-med in seconds...it is very small and great edc light. The tail switch is very responsive and great quality. I am running lg mj1 unprotected cell, because protected cell will trip and will not run at full power on the vn modded one. So i will purchase another fenix light for sure.


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## CelticCross74 (Aug 10, 2016)

the TAC is no joke. I have yet to get any VN lights must be nice. I put an unprotected GA in my TAC and it was like giving it steroids I love it. Love the TAC mode being able to get to strobe so fast.


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## RPB (Aug 10, 2016)

I am using *Fenix ARB-L18-3500 18650 Battery *in my PD32 2016. Fit is perfect. I find the 123's a little loose for my liking, I will be using the 18650 always.


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## CelticCross74 (Aug 10, 2016)

the new PD32 is freaking awesome I love it! It goes with me more than a lot of my lights. Just threw an unprotected GA in it to see how it goes so far I have not seen much more than possibly a slight at max output jump. For some reason the light does not get as hot as it did with my protected GA in it


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## Newlumen (Aug 13, 2016)

Alright guys. I have lots of powerful lights.. Today i bought fenix tk09 450 lumen, xp-g2 from fenix store for $33.09. I bought 2. I also use cpf8 coupon code. This light is good for back up, or loaner light.. No step down. No overheat, Cool white led, great throw 15,000 lux ?? Tac mode. High-medium-low. it is a great buy.


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## Chay (Aug 14, 2016)

Newlumen said:


> Alright guys. I have lots of powerful lights.. Today i bought fenix tk09 450 lumen, xp-g2 from fenix store for $33.09. I bought 2. I also use cpf8 coupon code. This light is good for back up, or loaner light.. No step down. No overheat, Cool white led, great throw 15,000 lux ?? Tac mode. High-medium-low. it is a great buy.



If it was me, my loaner light would be a light from Walmart or something equivalent lol


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## ven (Aug 14, 2016)

Chay said:


> If it was me, my loaner light would be a light from Walmart or something equivalent lol




A flashaholic is is judged by the lights he /she lends out


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