CR123 Rechargeable Batteries

[BG]

I have a ATN 3900 fitted to my rifle. It runs on two CR123 batteries (one in the illuminator). I am considering buying rechargeable batteries and charger. Does anybody use rechargeable batteries in their NV setup and if so what brand and would you recommend?

I read certain brands of rechargeable battery are only suitable for standard digital cameras that do not require large amounts of power. Would they be suitable??


Thanks in advance.

Gordon

[Gary C]

easier to buy from 7 day shop dot com

[cliveward]

Gordon,

These batteries will put out 3.8V when fully charged which may not be compatible with your equipment.

Personally for the price of the batteries and charger you could purchase enough disposable batteries (from one of the discount web shops) to see you to the end of your scopes useable life, without any danger of damaging it.


Cheers





Clive

[BG]

Thanks gents. Took Gary's advice. Batteries ordered.

Cheers

Gordon

[Baldie]

Thanks gents. Took Gary's advice. Batteries ordered.

Cheers

Gordon

Goodo.

There is at least one BBS member here who went the other route, and now has a non-working NV system. ;)

[Marko]

Goodo.

There is at least one BBS member here who went the other route, and now has a non-working NV system. ;)

Oh crap, are you talking about me!?

Is that why my Night Visions IR does not work as efficiently as my friends?? Cos I have an ATN 3900 and I use Rechargeable batteries. Hang on, he uses them as well so that couldn't be it.

Think I will investigate the route what Mr C said.

[Lefty Gunz]

I use rechargeables in my illuminator, so far without any problems (fingers crossed). I take 6 out with me when i go and i havnt yet run out of power.
However, I do think that using the non rechargeables does increase the output of the illuminator slightly.

[windowrest]

or try here, cheaper than 7day for locator batteries, dunno about cr123s http://www.battery-force.co.uk/show_CR123A.html

[kdubya]

http://www.eurobatteries.com/sitepages/lithcambat.asp


2X cr123 with charger just under £14 all I use in my set up
cheers KW

[SCOTTK]

I had a paladin, and contacted Deben and ATN about this, they were pretty clueless realy, but through my investigations I basically found that there are many different types on CR123 batteries that do putt out varied voltage, form 3 volt to about 3.8volt.

Make sure you buy the 3volt variety and you will have no problems, or at least I didnt for over 6 months!

If you get the higher voltage ive heard there is a good chance of burning your unit out.

I got a set of uniross cr123 rechargables 3v and they were fine.

ATB

Scott

[Liam]

Rechargeable batteries killed two lamps on my mates surefire and i've been told to stay away from them

[Arnold Layne]

I had a paladin, and contacted Deben and ATN about this, they were pretty clueless realy, but through my investigations I basically found that there are many different types on CR123 batteries that do putt out varied voltage, form 3 volt to about 3.8volt.


Some batteries come off the chargers at higher voltages up to 4.2v or higher - nano chargers are known for doing that, so take care, whats on the side of the battery is not what you might get:eek:the 3v batts should be OK though. , and dont put two CR123's together as they may not be at the same voltage which can cause problems as well.

take care when charging, and look out if you short them out:o also they are damaged be over discharging, so one option is to get protected batteries but they dont dim they just shut off which may be a problem in some situations, I use unprotected CR123's in HDS led torches and they work fine.

Mark

[Arnold Layne]

Rechargeable batteries killed two lamps on my mates surefire and i've been told to stay away from them

some Surefires work fine with the RIGHT rechargeables, you just need to know what you are doing. I've been using them in Surefire LED lights for a number of years BUT some such as the L1 will be damaged by 3.8v CR123 but a L4 head will run on 1 bat but not on 2.

Mark

[Marko]

or try here, cheaper than 7day for locator batteries, dunno about cr123s http://www.battery-force.co.uk/show_CR123A.html

Hi

Thank you for the link.

I am a bit concerned about putting rechargeable batteries in my set up now.

Surely they would b fine in the illuminator though?

Marko

[cozzy]

i use rechargable cr123s in my atm crusader 6900 its illuminater and a 100watt soviet bazaar ir for the last six months on average 2-3 times a week and find they work fine:confused:
regards cozzy

[WelshBoa]

So is the general consensus not to use any rechargables in NV incase they come out of the charger overpowered? Or do people use rechargables but make sure the batteries are only 3v?

Dont think I would take a chance on it if it meant knackering an expensive NV monocular....is it worth the risk??!!

And 3v is the maximum voltage battery you should be using anyway?

[Carlitobrigante]

Dont chance it in the first place mate!
I have knackered a perfectly good IR illuminator already with rechargeables.
Anyway, the ordinary CR123s last so long that it is only the real tightwads that would ude them in everything anyway:D

ATB,

Charlie.

[windowrest]

or try here, cheaper than 7day for locator batteries, dunno about cr123s http://www.battery-force.co.uk/show_CR123A.html

I ordered a load of locator batteries from these chaps day before yesterday,good and cheap. They turned up this morning, and there was even a free bit of belgian chocolate in there! How good is that?:D

[Carlitobrigante]

Heard dodgy tales about that Belgain chocolate - tell you what, you might want to send it to me for analysis before you hurt yourself eating it.............:D

ATB

Charlie.

[bumcake]

Hi, I'm new to the forum and this is my first post :o I have a number of cr123a rechargables that I bought off fleabay, when I checked them with a multi meter half of them are pushing out 4.4 volt's....scary, I'm using the others that are average around 3.4 volt's in two Ir illuminators, one of the illuminators metal body get's really quite warm after a few minutes use, normal?....should I be going down the shop for standard batteries?

Chris

[Baldie]

Hi, I'm new to the forum and this is my first post :o I have a number of cr123a rechargables that I bought off fleabay, when I checked them with a multi meter half of them are pushing out 4.4 volt's....scary, I'm using the others that are average around 3.4 volt's in two Ir illuminators, one of the illuminators metal body get's really quite warm after a few minutes use, normal?....should I be going down the shop for standard batteries?

Chris


As a matter of interest, what did you get off a lithium CR123a?

[bumcake]

As a matter of interest, what did you get off a lithium CR123a?

Being a "tight git" I dont have any lithium's at hand :D , but I shall brave the snow and buy a couple later. :)

Chris

[Arnold Layne]

what every you do don't get them from a local shop, get them on line, I use Lighthound http://www.lighthound.com/, for both non rechargables and rechargables good prices and prompt delivery, about 80p each instead of £7 plus in boots:eek:

[bumcake]

what every you do don't get them from a local shop, get them on line, I use Lighthound http://www.lighthound.com/, for both non rechargables and rechargables good prices and prompt delivery, about 80p each instead of £7 plus in boots:eek:

Wow.. thought I was doing well at 1.99 :D

[SCOTTK]

So is the general consensus not to use any rechargables in NV incase they come out of the charger overpowered? Or do people use rechargables but make sure the batteries are only 3v?

Dont think I would take a chance on it if it meant knackering an expensive NV monocular....is it worth the risk??!!

And 3v is the maximum voltage battery you should be using anyway?


Ive been using the uniross charger and 3v batteries in a newton monocular for over a year (ATN paladin for about 4-6months) and no probs with either.....But i would stay as far away from fleabay as i possibly could, bought my package form batteryforce (i think) for peanuts and had hours of use........But you make your choices and take your chances I suppose:rolleyes:

[Marko]

Ive been using the uniross charger and 3v batteries in a newton monocular for over a year (ATN paladin for about 4-6months) and no probs with either.....But i would stay as far away from fleabay as i possibly could, bought my package form batteryforce (i think) for peanuts and had hours of use........But you make your choices and take your chances I suppose:rolleyes:

They are the ones I use for my ATN Paladin! My friend also uses them and he read that they would be suitable somewhere when I asked the question about their suitability.

[SCOTTK]

just found the email I eventually got from Deben/ATN, they said rechargable ok, but only the 3volt variety;) .

Cheers

Scott

[WoodyD]

Hi i found a cut price shop that sells cr123 for the illuminator and cr2 for the rangefinder at a pound each better than 7.00 quid at boots.:)

[Stoogey]

well late in the date but............

the soviet illuminater i have is a bulb, so was the goffles inbuilt ir.. i've re configged the illuminater and still use 2 AA batteries (rechargeable or other) a few years on.
LED's how ever have resister and some have circuitry, some will work on rechargeables but tbh the batteries last a piddly lenth of time.

to the voltages in NV, its thousands of volts around the tube's, if you up the input a little bit with out regulating then its a few hundred to a few thousand volts arounds the tube.........its a funny calculation, but basicaly 1v in 1000 out, 1.2v in 2000v around the tube...etc..(just exsample figures.)

ALWAYS MEASURE YOUR BATTERY VOLTAGE FROM FULL TO 'CUT OFF' POINT (WHERE THEY ARE DEAMED FLAT IN YOUR PARTICULAR DEVICE).

some devices will take the tail end juice of an aparently flat battery because they'll work at the lower volt or amps....... e.g. take them out the NVD and put um in your IR iluminater... saves a few quid a week.

and useing disposables verses rechargeables............owch add it up peeps.

e.g, disposables, lasting 8 hours, you use them for 6 so the next night out means a change, sds law dictates a fook up or a cluster ####...
3 nights a week at £3 for 6 months.....3x3=£9 a week, 6x4weeks a month=24, so 24x£9=oooooooooooooo £216..... thats an add on NV from #### or other.... a laser illuminater.. etc etc etc.... verses uses £50's of rechargeables for 1-2 years............

definatly worth thinking about though............................................ ....