Any flashlight experts out there? My light won't turn on.

[Sylvain]

The vape shop idea is a great one as many vape mods take 18650's. You will more than likely need to find a real vape shop and not just a tobacco shop. Looking at Google your selections are not far and wide but I did find one. I have no idea if this shop has what you need or if it's still open for business but hey, at least you can let your fingers do the walking.

396 Route de Dieppe, 76770 Malaunay, France smoke2vape.fr


+33 9 81 71 35 67


Note. Some 18650 batteries are protected and some are button tops. Be sure the 18650 you get is compatible and safe to use in whatever device you intend to use it for. Do your research before buying due to the hazards that miss-using a 18650 can cause.

Thanks.

I read a bit about it and apparently I need to avoid using unprotected 18650s.
They are cheaper than protected ones but can blow up if overcharged.

It might be safer to find two CR123A to test the flashlight until I can get my hands on the same model of 18650 sold with the flashlight (Klarus brand cell).

 

[hoosierdoc]

I thought most 18650s had a PCB chip or whatever it's called to protect against overcharging? I looked at importing them as a white label from china a while back. Insanely cheap.

 

[Sylvain]

I thought most 18650s had a PCB chip or whatever it's called to protect against overcharging? I looked at importing them as a white label from china a while back. Insanely cheap.

From what I read the protection keeps the battery from exploding, over-charging can still kill the battery in some situations.

The 18650 that came with the flashlight is protected.

Protected Lithium-Ion (Li-ion) batteries have a small electronic circuit integrated into the cell packaging. This circuit protects the battery against common dangers, such as overcharge, over discharge, short circuit/over current, and temperature. Protected batteries are safer to use in your devices. Protected batteries are less like to ignite and cause personal or property damage. Most protected batteries have these components:
PTC: Protect against over heating and indirectly over current. Will automatically reset.
CID or Pressure Valve: Will disable the cell permanently if the pressure is too high in the cell (Can be due to over charge).
PCB: Will protect against over discharge, over charge, and over current, depending on design. The PCB will reset automatically or when placed in a charger.

 

[2ADMNLOVER]

So the moral to this story is use a light with easy to find batteries ?

 

[actaeon277]

Can't get amazon delivery?

 

[Jaredjosh]

Can't get amazon delivery?

I was wondering the same thing. I seen some protected button tops on the Amazon.fr site. Assuming you need protected button tops, and can get Amazon where you live with reasonable delivery cost.

 

[Sylvain]

So the moral to this story is use a light with easy to find batteries ?

Yes.I used lights that take AA, AAA, or D batteries so far.
It's never been a problem to find batteries.

I showed the 18650 to a hardware store employee and was told that it was a "foreign battery" which they never saw before.

Can't get amazon delivery?

I wanted to find one at a local store to get it quicker.
I finally found batteries at a store today.Two CR123A (also hard to find around here).

Of all places it was at a gun/hunting gear store.On a shelf right next to some .223 ammo and shock collars.
CR123A (just called 123 here) are apparently used in shock collars to train hunting dog ... who knew.

The light works now.I don't have to send it back to 'Merica for repair (and pay international shipping both ways).

 

[actaeon277]

 

[Sylvain]

I'm still trying to get a new 18650 replacement battery since it's covered by their warranty.
But they can't ship them internationally unless it's in a flashlight.

 

[The Bubba Effect]

Just pop by the house Sylvain, I've got an extra one in the truck.

 

[jkaetz]

18650 batteries are popular, just not with retail stores. They're used in plenty of power tools, laptops, tesla cars, and Boeing 777s among other things. The easiest way to source them is likely Amazon or eBay though.

They don't NEED to be protected. Just don't overcharge them.

I have a pile of them from old laptop batteries that wouldn't charge anymore. I've brought them back from very low voltages and used them in flashlights. No fireworks of any sort. They might not last as long as if they were brand new but they certainly don't die in a few minutes either.

 

[AngryRooster]

18650 batteries are popular, just not with retail stores. They're used in plenty of power tools, laptops, tesla cars, and Boeing 777s among other things. The easiest way to source them is likely Amazon or eBay though.

They don't NEED to be protected. Just don't overcharge them.

I have a pile of them from old laptop batteries that wouldn't charge anymore. I've brought them back from very low voltages and used them in flashlights. No fireworks of any sort. They might not last as long as if they were brand new but they certainly don't die in a few minutes either.

Agree with this. I have several good quality chargers and have cracked open a couple old laptop batteries. Most of the time the cells inside are just fine with only one or two that are weak. I recycle the weak ones and put the others in a 'general use' box. Most of our lights run on 18650 cells, a few AA lights, and AAA lights on the keys.

I actually wish there were more things that used the 18650 cells. Flashlights, work lights, we have a couple of small radios and a few fans as well, but that's about it. The radios run a seriously long time. I put one in the barn and turned it on, volume a little bit louder than conversation level. It was still going 10 days later.


There shouldn't be any restrictions on a charger being shipped. Xtar is my brand of choice. Here is my favorite. https://www.rtdvapor.com/xtar-sv2-rocket/ It comes with a wall plug and a 12v plug. I'm sure there is an adapter if you need it. There are others that are powered through USB as well. I don't think that site ships internationally though, Amazon has them as well.

Once you get a good charger then pick up a cheap laptop battery pack and pull it apart. That will get you 6-8 cells.

 

[jkaetz]

There shouldn't be any restrictions on a charger being shipped. Xtar is my brand of choice. Here is my favorite. https://www.rtdvapor.com/xtar-sv2-rocket/ It comes with a wall plug and a 12v plug. I'm sure there is an adapter if you need it. There are others that are powered through USB as well. I don't think that site ships internationally though, Amazon has them as well.

Once you get a good charger then pick up a cheap laptop battery pack and pull it apart. That will get you 6-8 cells.

That doesn't look bad. I wish it was easier to tell the ultra cheap Chinese chargers from better ones. I have a fancy charger for my RC gear that I use so I have zero concerns of overcharging. The super cheapies make me wonder.

 

[AngryRooster]

That doesn't look bad. I wish it was easier to tell the ultra cheap Chinese chargers from better ones. I have a fancy charger for my RC gear that I use so I have zero concerns of overcharging. The super cheapies make me wonder.

The RC chargers are usually the best of the breed, but they are overkill for someone who just does minor things and some hand held devices. The Xtar chargers (I have 4) have always been great. No overheating, overcharging, or any problems of any kind. I had a Nitecore and it got hot every time I used it. I started putting it in the barn on some concrete blocks and it eventually burst into flames. Never again will I use anything from Nitecore or recommend them to anyone.

I do stick with the name brand cells though, unless they are recovered. We have a couple dozen cells, all are either AW, Samsung or LG. No Ultrafire or any other ...fire cells. The name brand ones aren't that much more expensive but are magnitudes more reliable. There are many places that sell counterfeit cells too. The place I linked above is verified to sell only original cells. They also have a fireproof charging bag if you want to be ultra safe.

I use my label maker and clear labels to mark the date I purchased each cell and a cell number. After I put that on each cell I use a clear shrink wrap to seal it down and give the cell a second layer over the top. It helps protect and identify them.

 

[Sylvain]

I'm still trying to get a new 18650 replacement battery since it's covered by their warranty.
But they can't ship them internationally unless it's in a flashlight.

The dealer contacted the manufacturer to see if they could send me a 18650 directly from China and not from the US.
Apparently the rule of not shipping lithium batteries internationally only applies to the US.

 

[AngryRooster]

The dealer contacted the manufacturer to see if they could send me a 18650 directly from China and not from the US.
Apparently the rule of not shipping lithium batteries internationally only applies to the US.

According to Battery Junction they have international shipping. Shipping Information They have some nice 18650 cells for good prices.

The ones I recommend are
Samsung 30Q INR 18650 3000mAh 3.6V Unprotected High-Drain 15A Lithium Ion (Li-ion) Flat Top Battery
LG HG2 INR 18650 Brown | High Capacity - High Discharge
Panasonic NCR 18650 3400mAh 3.7V Unprotected High-Drain 4.87A Lithium Ion (Li-ion) Flat Top Battery - Boxed

Any of them will do well in a light. All are unprotected but if you have a good charger you won't have to worry about it. Also, don't over discharge them. If your light doesn't have a low voltage cutoff then you need to rotate the cells out before they get too low. These cells don't have a memory effect so there's no problem with charging them before they are low. Just swap it for a fresh cell every couple of days and top it off. Just to be safe, don't charge them when you are gone. I have my charger next to my computer so I'm beside it all the time.

 

[Sylvain]

According to Battery Junction they have international shipping. Shipping Information They have some nice 18650 cells for good prices.

The ones I recommend are
Samsung 30Q INR 18650 3000mAh 3.6V Unprotected High-Drain 15A Lithium Ion (Li-ion) Flat Top Battery
LG HG2 INR 18650 Brown | High Capacity - High Discharge
Panasonic NCR 18650 3400mAh 3.7V Unprotected High-Drain 4.87A Lithium Ion (Li-ion) Flat Top Battery - Boxed

Any of them will do well in a light. All are unprotected but if you have a good charger you won't have to worry about it. Also, don't over discharge them. If your light doesn't have a low voltage cutoff then you need to rotate the cells out before they get too low. These cells don't have a memory effect so there's no problem with charging them before they are low. Just swap it for a fresh cell every couple of days and top it off. Just to be safe, don't charge them when you are gone. I have my charger next to my computer so I'm beside it all the time.

Battery Junction is where I got my light in the first place.
They have international shipping but not on all products.

They can't ship lithium batteries by themselves or some brands of flashlights like Surefire or IR lights.

They offered to just send me another flashlight with the battery (free of charge, with me covering shipping costs) and to let me keep the one I have.
But since then I imformed them that the light was working fine with another battery they since canceled the order and contacted Klarus directly to see if they could them me just a battery.

Also most of the chargers they sell are not compatible with European plugs anyway unless they are USB.