Best place/price for CR123s?

[302w 83]

The best price I found for CR123s is just under $20/12 on Ebay for brand name stuff. I think I am going to buy a pack at that price and maybe a cheapo rechargeable setup there as well.

 

Suggestions?

 

During Sandy I didn't have C's or D's (one of the two) for a lantern I had. Won't make that mistake twice.

[TooBigToFit 2]

I got 12 for around $18 on Amazon (Streamlight).

 

The funny thing is that CR123As were pretty easy for me to find before the storms, because everyone uses C's and D's instead. Not saying you shouldn't stock up (you certainly should), but you may be surprised how available they are. Not cheap though!

[MidwestPX 172]

I have run Battery Station branded ones for 5+ years now without issue: http://www.batterystation.com/cr123a.htm

[High Exposure 5,664]

http://www.batteryjunction.com/sf-12-123a.html Surefire Brand 12 for ~$26. The quality is worth the extra $6.

 

Don't buy non-quality batteries. Think of them as the "ammo" for your lights.

 

I only buy Surefire cr123 batteries. I know they are quality and have built in circuit breakers. Most cheapo brands do not.

 

Read why this is important:

 

https://info.publicintelligence.net/FBI-LithiumBatteries.pdf

 

Don't by 123s designed for cameras/photo purposes. They are built to discharge a short burst of power, not run a flashlight consistently.

[MidwestPX 172]

http://www.batteryjunction.com/sf-12-123a.html Surefire Brand 12 for ~$26. The quality is worth the extra $6.

 

Don't buy non-quality batteries. Think of them as the "ammo" for your lights.

 

I only buy Surefire cr123 batteries. I know they are quality and have built in circuit breakers. Most cheapo brands do not.

 

Read why this is important:

 

https://info.publicintelligence.net/FBI-LithiumBatteries.pdf

 

Don't by 123s designed for cameras/photo purposes. They are built to discharge a short burst of power, not run a flashlight consistently.

Agreed. I use the Battery Station ones because they have the circuit breaker in them and are designed for use in weapon applications. My batteries in optics, weaponlights, and my EDC light get cycled out every six months (same time as I change the CO/smoke detector batteries) whether they need to come out or not as PM. So that's six pairs of CR123s in X300Us and one pair in my EDC Fury every six months. I probably go through more batteries than the average user. The Battery Station ones have earned my trust and they're also made in the US.

[Vlad G 345]

The Titanium CR123s have been stellar in flashlights and if you buy enough at once they will run you under $1 each.  Having used hundreds of them now, I can say they are pretty solid.

 

http://www.batteryjunction.com/12pk-titanium-cr123a.html

 

Oh, and they are protected cells so there is that.

[RecessedFilter 222]

I have a couple dozen Surefire batteries stored as they are some of the best 123's you can get. But I really only use the Titanium 123's that Vlad posted. I've gone through about 10-15 and they work great. I don't see any issues with them, and they are much easier on the wallet than the Surefires or any $3 per 123a.

[High Exposure 5,664]

Surefire's by the dozen work out to ~$2.17 per battery.

 

Hell, you can get a pack of 2 at Lowe's for like $4.99.

[Vlad G 345]

I don't have a problem with surefires, except for the surefire premium, apparently everything they brand has to cost 3 times as much, and less face it, they don't actually make batteries, I'm sure they contract that job to someone else (rumor has Energizer as the maker at some point, but who knows).

 

I've seriously gone through hundreds of cr123 in the last few years (well my wife did, but I'm the one in charge of the supply cabinet) and the Titaniums have been flawless and cost 1/3 of the Surefires.

[raz-0 1,259]

I used to love the sf batts. They revised them at some point and lifespan was much less.

 

Absolute longest lasting I have used is foursevens flashlight food. The titaniums work great.

[302w 83]

Are the Titaniums made in USA?

[Vlad G 345]

Probably not, but I have news for you, USA doesn't always make the best stuff, nor does stuff always labeled USA mean what you think it means.

 

For example, these being lithium batteries, I'm pretty sure we didn't use US made lithium or other components. Do you think the battery making robot cares where it pays its taxes?

[302w 83]

Probably not, but I have news for you, USA doesn't always make the best stuff, nor does stuff always labeled USA mean what you think it means.

 

For example, these being lithium batteries, I'm pretty sure we didn't use US made lithium or other components. Do you think the battery making robot cares where it pays its taxes?

There are a number of lights that have exploded from Chinese cells. Surefire has no reports of blowing up yet. Surefire is liable for their products, whereas a random factory in China isn't.

[Vlad G 345]

And if you put some brand that no one has every heard of inside your flashlight, one with no protection circuits, and you mod your flashlight, and forget it on, yes that has happened.  Titaniums don't meet those criteria. I suggest people go visit candle power forums and look at the insane level of geek that people have for testing batteries under different types of load and use, take a look at this:

 

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?235213

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?362052

 

You should also probably read this: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?124776-123-Primary-Lithium-cell-info-testing-links as it documents lots of Cr123 failures, including Surefire battery failure of various sorts (leaks and booms).  Keep in mind that a lot of the people there push their lights and batteries to stupid limits which seems like a bad idea when handling batteries with the rough energy potential of equivalently sized stick so of dynamite.

 

I don't fault anyone for trying to be safe with these things, but battery safety has more to do with how they are used and stored then who makes them, within reason, assuming they have the correct safety vents and breakers.

[ryan_j 0]

ShopRite sells them, and pretty cheap too (Duracell). 

[raz-0 1,259]

ShopRite sells them, and pretty cheap too (Duracell). 

 

 

Walk in retail durtacell fro less than $4 a cell? Can't say I have ever seen that. What's the price for a duracell 123 cell there. 

[ryan_j 0]

Walk in retail durtacell fro less than $4 a cell? Can't say I have ever seen that. What's the price for a duracell 123 cell there. 

 

I am not sure but they were like 1/2 the price I paid at the drug store or walmart. When I go there I will check.

[bry@n 195]

Battery station batteries work fine for my use. No issues and I've been using them for 10 years.