ZL H53 on 14500?

[holygeez03]

I’ve been using an H53w for ~9 months on 14500, for running a few hours/week without issue. I pretty much only use medium since it is bright enough.

Which 14500 cells are you using? Unprotected? Button Top?

I have an H53 and several Orbtronic 14500s that I have always used in ZLs.. they will not fit in the H53.

 

[The Whispering Gallery]

Which 14500 cells are you using? Unprotected? Button Top?

I have an H53 and several Orbtronic 14500s that I have always used in ZLs.. they will not fit in the H53.

I’m using Epoch button tops, unprotected.

 

[ieslei]

I tried my Olight 14500 750mha but it didn't fit. It worked flawlessly with my AW 14500, too bad that one is +10 years old. 75% of efficiency left.
Mine is H53c LE

 

[holygeez03]

I’m using Epoch button tops, unprotected.

Do you have any way of testing to see if the H53 still has low-voltage protection for use with unprotected 14500s?

Maybe that's the main reason they "don't support" 14500 anymore...

 

[The Whispering Gallery]

Do you have any way of testing to see if the H53 still has low-voltage protection for use with unprotected 14500s?

Maybe that's the main reason they "don't support" 14500 anymore...

I haven’t done anything like that, but I’m curious. It does get dim when the battery is running low so it’s obvious in my use cases to swap the battery, but I’ve never checked the voltage at that point. Let me see if I can do something this weekend.

 

[holygeez03]

So I ordered some Epoch Unprotected 14500 cells... they arrived today... charged them... inserted into my H53Fc LE... nothing.

I was so disappointed since they clearly fit and allowed the tailcap to tighten down (the protected cells I normally use do not).

I tried a different cell and it worked perfectly!

It appears that the first 14500 I tried may have a skewed button-top which isn't working with the ZL polarity protection... what are the chances? Hopefully the seller will replace the defective cell... but I am thrilled that the H53 is working with the other unprotected 14500s. That extra turbo boost on H1 is very useful to me, even if it is only 60 seconds until step-down.

 

[The Whispering Gallery]

I was able to confirm LVP on my H53w. I ran a battery down in an SC52w until it turned off. Attempted to turn it back on in high and it quickly went from high to medium to low and then off within a few seconds. Then measured the battery voltage as 2.82V and installed into the H53w. The behavior was identical, turning on in high, then quickly stepping down and off.

 

[holygeez03]

I was able to confirm LVP on my H53w. I ran a battery down in an SC52w until it turned off. Attempted to turn it back on in high and it quickly went from high to medium to low and then off within a few seconds. Then measured the battery voltage as 2.82V and installed into the H53w. The behavior was identical, turning on in high, then quickly stepping down and off.

Great news!

Very happy to continue using 14500s in my ZL headlamps... so the only reason that the H53 "doesn't support" 14500 is that the protected cells don't fit?