SureFire CR123 Rechargeable Batteries

[Garet Jax]

Does anyone have experience with these things? I am using them in my Surefire EDCL2-T flashlight and they aren't working very well. The light doesn't turn on every time. When I put regular batteries in, everything works normally again.

 

[Blaster229]

Oh, rechargeables. Nevermind. I wouldn't use rechargeables. How often do you use it that you need rechargeables in order to save money?

Maybe it has to do with being 2 separate batteries. Try one of those 1 piece rechargeable batteries?

 

[John from MD]

Does anyone have experience with these things? I am using them in my Surefire EDCL2-T flashlight and they aren't working very well. The light doesn't turn on every time. When I put regular batteries in, everything works normally again.

RCR123 rechargeable batteries are 3.7 volts. The primary batteries (dry cells) are 3.0 volts. Some flashlights have a protection circuit that will not let the power go to the LED circuit if the voltage is too high. I had that problem with my department issued Surefire P60. It would not work with rechargeable 123 cells. Perhaps they still don't.

I switched to Fenix when I started buying my own and use a 18650 cell which gives more brightness and last longer. 18650's will fit in many lights made to take CR123's as long as they are in line with each other. Surefire flashlights used to be so narrow that a 18650 wouldn't fit.

 

[Growler215]

RCR123 rechargeable batteries are 3.7 volts. The primary batteries (dry cells) are 3.0 volts. Some flashlights have a protection circuit that will not let the power go to the LED circuit if the voltage is too high. I had that problem with my department issued Surefire P60. It would not work with rechargeable 123 cells. Perhaps they still don't.

I switched to Fenix when I started buying my own and use a 18650 cell which gives more brightness and last longer. 18650's will fit in many lights made to take CR123's as long as they are in line with each other. Surefire flashlights used to be so narrow that a 18650 wouldn't fit.

There are RCR-123A type batteries that use LiFePO4 chemistry rather than Li-ion. These are listed at 3.2V rather than the 3.7V of Li-ion batteries and *might* work in this application in place of non-rechargeable LiMnO2 CR123A batteries. I have some. Kinda hard to find, though, and need a special charger rather than the standard Li-ion battery charger.

 

[Bob A]

I've got a Surefire Fury Intellibeam that takes a 3.6v Surefire rechargeable.

When I use the light right after a full charge, the primary setting is the "intellibeam," which modifies the strength of the beam depending on how much is reflected back. A second click on the button is supposed to jump to full output, but if the battery is freshly fully charged, it gives a brief flash but shuts down.

Pretty sure this is the "protection circuit" that John mentions above, coming into play. Once it's been used a bit, the full power setting becomes available.

(It uses a bigger rechargeable than a 123, but the principle still applies).

 

[todbiker]

I purchased several Olight S10 approaching 10 years ago, and the rechargeable batteries are starting to crap out. Still works fine with regular CR123 batteries. I did find the same spec rechargeable battery on BatteryJunction, purchased a couple, and returned to the rechargeable lifestyle for the S10's.

 

[ken792]

I use RCR123As in my Surefire G2X Pro and they work just fine in both modes. They also work in my X300U.

I also have some cheap Chinese LED conversions. The RCR123As work in my Surefire 628 while the outer spring remains attached, but not in my 6P with the outer spring removed.

Try a 3.7v Li-ion 16650 or a single 16340 plus a dummy spacer.

There are RCR-123A type batteries that use LiFePO4 chemistry rather than Li-ion. These are listed at 3.2V rather than the 3.7V of Li-ion batteries and *might* work in this application in place of non-rechargeable LiMnO2 CR123A batteries. I have some. Kinda hard to find, though, and need a special charger rather than the standard Li-ion battery charger.

LiFePO4 come off the charger at 3.7v if max. CR123As are around 3.3-3.4v when new, but they drop a lot under load. The 3.7v Li-ion come off at 4.2v.