Lithium batteries in flashlights?

[willshak]

I bought a 12 pack of AA 1.5 volt Ultimate Energizer Lithium batteries (not the rechargeable type). The package says they last up to 8 times longer than their Energizer Max batteries in Digital cameras, and up to 7 times longer in hand held GPS devices than their Energizer Max batteries. I did buy them for my Nikon digital camera Nowhere on the package does it mention using them in flashlights, like my non LED AA mini Maglight. I did a Google search on 'lithium batteries in flashlights' and could not find any site that says they can be used in flashlights, but they didn't say they couldn't be used. Does anyone have experiences using them in flashlights, or know for sure?

[RicodJour]

No problem. They mention digital cameras and GPSs because those are the devices with bigger demands and people are willing to shell out the dough. The packages also don't mention vibrators, right...? ;)

BTW, non-LED flashlight...? Why? The batteries last a helluva lot longer with LEDs. I picked up three 100 lumen CREE LED small flashlights (3@AAA each, included), for under $20. Blows even a big Maglight out of the water.

R

[A. Baum]

Why not be the first to test them in real life?

[Frank]

No experience but I might want to check the voltage and amperage vs the batteries you are using. With all the various chemicals in batteries today 1.5 volts is probably nominal. Also flashlights tend to drain batteries rapidly. Don't know if this is a problem but here is a Garmin gps recall over lithium batteries overheating.

[Jeff Thies]

This puzzles me also.

LiIon chemistry is ~ 3.6V. The AAs are definitely 1.5, so the battery is fundamentally different than the LiIon rechargeable.

My thinking is that for high drain flashlights, plain old alkaline may be about as good as it gets.

Don't really know. Maybe the Op will let us know.

Jeff

Also flashlights tend to drain

[Nate Nagel]

I don't think there's any issues with them, I'm not aware that they self-discharge faster than regular alkalines.

Where did you find them? I was buying them for a while for my digicam, because it doesn't like rechargeables (even the Nikon-branded ones, go figure) but I haven't seen them in a year or more so have resorted to being even less ecologically correct and buying the HugeAssPack of regular alkalines.

nate

[willshak]

Sam's Club. $20 for 12.

[Frank]

Depends on the electromotive potential of the anode and cathode.

There are better references than this:

but small table shows:

Emf Cell chemistry

1.2 V nickel-cadmium 1.2 V nickel-metal hydride 1.5 V zinc-carbon 2.1 V lead-acid 3.6 V to 3.7 V lithium-ion

Originally most batteries were zinc-carbon or lead acid, in your car.

The lithium in this case must be coupled with something of lower potential.

To get higher voltages, you put batteries in series. Break open a 9 volt battery and you will find six 1.5 volt little batteries.

[clare]

They can be used, but what a waste of expensive battery power!!!!!!

[clare]

Different animal. Those are the rechargeable Lithium Poly or Lithium Iron batteries.

A flashlight is about as un-fussy as a battery application can get.

[clare]

Too late. I've used batteries that were reading "low" in my camera in a flashlight and they did work -for quite a while before they were totally dead. They were not as good as a standard flashlight battery, but I didn't expect them to be, having taken about 400 pictures in my Lumix.

[clare]

For flashlights, plain old carbon-zinc manganese dioxide batteries are virtually as good as alkalines. Just don't leave the batteries IN the flashlight when you store it/them, or you might never get them out.

[clare]

These are basically an alkaline battery "Lithium-iron", "Li/Fe". Used in Energizer lithium cells as a replacement for alkaline zinc-manganese chemistry. Called "voltage-compatible" lithiums. 2.5 times higher lifetime for high current discharge regime than alkaline batteries, better storage life in e.g. cars in summer due to lower self-discharge, 10 years storage time. FeS2 is cheap. Some types rechargeable. Cathode often designed as a paste of iron sulfide powder mixed with powdered graphite. Variant is Li-CuFeS2. 1.8 volts theoretical voltage.

[Stormin Mormon]

What did that cost? About thirty bucks, for the 12 pack? Them are expensive. I've heard they have slightly higher voltage than alkalines. But, they should work fine in mini mags with filament bulb. Seriously expensive, but they should work. They would be good if you don't like to change batteries often.

[Stormin Mormon]

Can you use Lithium cells in battery vibrators?

You sound like you like the Cree lights. Got a link to them online? So I can see, dream, drool and so on.

[Stormin Mormon]

That comes with a promotion to field testser, grade two.

[Stormin Mormon]

Dear Nate, Please try Powergenix (sold on

) batteries. They are slightly higher voltage than NiMH (1.6 versus 1.2) and my digicam really loves them. They are rated 1500 mA, but I havn't tested. I have, however, melted some plastic and blown bulbs in devices which were over voltaged. Little lantern with PR-13 battery tends to blow bulbs. The 4.5 volt PR-13 bulbs don't last when powered on four 1.6 volt Powergenix.

[Stormin Mormon]

Good price. I'm tempted to buy them for my tool box lights. Sadly, other brands have leaked. Couple days ago, I trashed a couple Thunderbolt Magnum alkalines from Harbor Freight. Fortunately, they were not in a device.

[Stormin Mormon]

Lumix? Really? Zounds. I knew we had a brain link. I'm on my second LS-70. My number two camera (first one died after about 125,000 frames). Starting to get cantankerous. I think the lens isn't working quite right. Never fed it lithium AA cells, but I'm sure they would be fine. The camera seems fine on Powergenix.

I had been using NiMH Rayovacs. One time, the grandkids took 160 flash pictures in about the space of an hour with NiMY cells.

[Stormin Mormon]

Realizing, of course, that alkalines last 4 times as long as carbons. And that carbons go dead on thier own in a year or two. Me, well, I don't use carbons for much anything any more. They come in my HF free LED flash lights.