At what voltage are you swapping out for a fresh 18650?
I’ve found myself swapping out at 3.8v. Just curious what everyone’s low level is?

At what voltage are you swapping out for a fresh 18650?
I’ve found myself swapping out at 3.8v. Just curious what everyone’s low level is?

I usually start charging them whenever I no longer can reliably get the 'turbo' mode going or I suspect I am losing my turbo mode.

I usually start charging them whenever I no longer can reliably get the 'turbo' mode going or I suspect I am losing my turbo mode.

I do enjoy my turbo mode, but I don’t really need it in my day to day. I use it as a “hey check this out” kinda thing.

I push mine in an unprotected flashlight down to about 2v. Afterward I will fully charge the battery (well, the unexploded ones) then wrap it in foil and put it in the oven for a bit so all the electric juice is nice and warmed up.

On a serious note - I don't think I have run one down close to 3 volts as of yet, but it will be interesting to see on my upcoming trips to the woods. Of course, I have my solar panel for charging during the day, so I doubt I will run them too far down in just one night. One of the big things I look at when buying a light is more toward run time on low or moonlight mode. The turbo is a nice to have thing, but hypermiling is more important to me. When I find a light that does both, I am in heaven. It is one of the things I like about my Sofirn SP31 V2.

I don't check the voltage on mine.  My Fenix E30R has built-in battery level indication, so I charge it when the indicator shows red (<50% charge).  I haven't run my Streamlight Polytac X down to the point that it needs charged yet; I'm just going to run it until it starts acting up.  Either of these lights will take 2xCR123As in place of the 18650 in a pinch, so no worries.

I'm running 16650's instead of 18's but in my EDC lights I'll swap those out at the end of the day even if it's just been a while since I swapped them out.

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Or do you mean at what point do you throw them away and get a new one?

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Or do you mean at what point do you throw them away and get a new one?

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No. You have it right.

I can usually tell if I am approaching the need for a new battery swap somehow?
The ZL that I always have with me has a built-in gauge of sorts but it almost never indicates the need before I sense it,not a great endorsement for the gauge clearly.

They always seem to be about 3.8 when I get the "Feeling" and pull them though.

The FW3A on the other hand pretty much just needs to be swapped once I use it at all!
OK not really but that one just encourages high output use to me and is not my 1st light out either so when I do use it I really use it!

I can usually tell if I am approaching the need for a new battery swap somehow?
The ZL that I always have with me has a built-in gauge of sorts but it almost never indicates the need before I sense it,not a great endorsement for the gauge clearly.

They always seem to be about 3.8 when I get the "Feeling" and pull them though.

The FW3A on the other hand pretty much just needs to be swapped once I use it at all!
OK not really but that one just encourages high output use to me and is not my 1st light out either so when I do use it I really use it!

There’s a lot of truth there about the FW3A. Speaking of repeated battery swaps, my D4V2 should be here tomorrow. Pretty fast considering it was shipped on the 14th. Can’t wait to hurt myself. 

There’s a lot of truth there about the FW3A. Speaking of repeated battery swaps, my D4V2 should be here tomorrow. Pretty fast considering it was shipped on the 14th. Can’t wait to hurt myself. 

Just wait till you get a load of those aux leds!
No turning back after that


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Just wait till you get a load of those aux leds!
No turning back after that


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I’ve seen videos, but I’m sure they don’t do it justice. I’ll post up after I have a little fun with it.

You were right. The aux leds are awesome. It’s just so pretty. Sucker gets hot quick though.

usually 3.2-3.8V but I also wait till light is acting up or if a model has voltage blinky and it goes off.