Surfire Batteries

[DiscoveryXD]

How the heck do you keep these things from going dead in the winter time? I leave the batteries in the light, they go dead, I take them out of the light, and they go dead. The cold weather is hell on these batteries and I leave the light in my truck so I have it for emergencies.

 

[p m]

Dunno, Matt, I've kept a box at home for a year and a half, and they are still good.
The ones in the light are still good, too, after about a year.

 

[FIVESPDDISCO]

matt

if you turn the light off they last longer

 

[msggunny]

matt

if you turn the light off they last longer

Good one. I was wondering if someone was going to say that.

I havent had a problem with mine lasting, had them in for well over a year, in their package and in my light, but i didnt have them in the cold.

 

[KngTgr]

Dunno, Matt, I've kept a box at home for a year and a half, and they are still good.
The ones in the light are still good, too, after about a year.

x2

 

[DiscoveryXD]

matt

if you turn the light off they last longer

no shit? i'll remember that....

but seriously, mine just don't last in the cold. Maybe it's the light somehow? Mike sent me an A2 Aviator last week, so I'll see if it does the same in the cold as the other light.

 

[peter sherman]

I buy the 123 @ sams. any brand they last ok!

 

[flyfisher11]

no shit? i'll remember that....

but seriously, mine just don't last in the cold. Maybe it's the light somehow? Mike sent me an A2 Aviator last week, so I'll see if it does the same in the cold as the other light.

Matt,

When I found that light in my old pro gear it had the same batteries in it for half a year at least and it had been living in my garage since I retired from the AF this summer. So from the '80s to single digit temps they still were fine. I swapped them out for some "new" Sanyo batteries before I sent it to you just to be sure you had some good batteries. I have never experienced what you are dealing with. Just be sure to unscrew the cap so that it can't get inadvertently turned on. Also keep your spare batteries separated. I built a pelican micro case with foam to carry spares.

Cheers,

Mike

 

[JRdisco1]

All ive ever used was surefire brand, but have used in all conditions never had problems at all. May want to send it in let surefire look at it

 

[D Chapman]

If you move south you won't have this problem.

Or, just buy a Streamlight Stinger......

 

[DiscoveryXD]

yeah, that's why i'm wondering if my light is somehow draining the batteries? I have the cap unscrewed almost all the way... hmmm...

those stinger's are nice, my dad and brother use them for police work.

 

[Butch]

Just be sure to unscrew the cap so that it can't get inadvertently turned on. Mike

X2 I keep mine in the glove box with the cap loosened so that it will not turn on and off with the bumps of the road.

 

[flyfisher11]

If you move south you won't have this problem.

......

Yeah it's a sweltering 8 degrees right now down here in Western NC

Cheers,

Mike

 

[lagged]

Shouldn't batteries in storage last longer in the cold?

 

[DiscoveryXD]

Shouldn't batteries in storage last longer in the cold?

nope. I go out fly fishing in really cold weather and the brand new Duracell's I put in my camera go dead in half a day without even using the camera.

 

[kennith]

That's why I roll all LED, all the time. I never have to worry. I just change the batteries every Christmas so they don't go stale. Never really had one go dead on me.

That's after years of batteries being dead every time I grabbed a light. As soon as the first LED flashlight entered the consumer market, I bought one. I've still got it, and I've only changed the batteries three times. They have never actually died. My current favorite is my Streamlight LED Tasklight, 3AA. It's bright as all hell, and I've got the same reliability.

I'm going to try one of the newer Pelicans soon, just for kicks.

Edit: I've actually used the Streamlight as a vehicle's headlight before.

Cheers,

Kennith

 

[ptschram]

That's after years of batteries being dead every time I grabbed a light. As soon as the first LED flashlight entered the consumer market, I bought one. I've still got it, and I've only changed the batteries three times. They have never actually died. My current favorite is my Streamlight LED Tasklight, 3AA. It's bright as all hell, and I've got the same reliability.
Cheers,

Kennith

I use the Streamlite twin task 3AAA and find myself replacing batteries every Monday to be prepared for the work week.

I had ordered a Stinger from my Matco man, until SWMBO realized I was gonna spend $155 on a flashlight! She mumbled something about my paying my hospital bill before buying a blinging flashlight! I bought a box of AAA batteries!

 

[barefoot]

nope. I go out fly fishing in really cold weather and the brand new Duracell's I put in my camera go dead in half a day without even using the camera.

dude! i know EXACTLY what you are talking about! the odd thing is that many recommend storing batteries in refrigeration. the cold here kills everything damn quick...maglight, headlamp, digitial camera, etc. in addition to running down quicker....the batteries are not as powerful in the cold.

last year i bought a crap load of energizer d-cells to put in my camping bin. when i finally used them in spring (after sitting in an-un heated garage all winter) they were damn near dead. never took them out of the package until i tried to use them.

i find it hard to believe that no-buddy else has problems with cold and batteries.....

enjoy!

 

[flyfisher11]

Lithium may be different, but generally don't the electrons get really excited the cooler it gets expelling the stored energy in the battery? In S.E.R.E training we were always told to put your batteries in your sleeping bag with you. Another trick for the survival radio/beacon was to pull the batteries and put in your arm pit to warm them up and get a little more operational time out of them. That is if they were dying on you.

Cheers,

Mike

 

[kennith]

I use the Streamlite twin task 3AAA and find myself replacing batteries every Monday to be prepared for the work week.

I had ordered a Stinger from my Matco man, until SWMBO realized I was gonna spend $155 on a flashlight! She mumbled something about my paying my hospital bill before buying a blinging flashlight! I bought a box of AAA batteries!

The Twin task is a different light. It's hard to find the one I have. It's the same case, with a proper reflector and a single Luxeon LED. That's all it is. The batteries last very long in mine. They have a couple of silver ones at a specialty store nearby, but I haven't seen them anywhere else since I cought mine at a convention.

Cheers,

Kennith