The battery decides how bright a torch can be, how long it runs and what it costs you to keep going. Here is what the codes mean.
AA and AAA
The batteries in your TV remote. You can buy them at any servo or supermarket, which is the whole point. A torch that takes AAs is the one to keep in the glovebox or the blackout kit.
See the MT20A torch (2 x AA), the LA10 lantern (1 x AA) and the T5s penlight (1 x AAA).
18650
A rechargeable lithium-ion cell. The name is the size: 18 mm across, 65 mm long. It holds far more energy than an AA, which is why most 1000 lumen torches use one.
Some torches come with the 18650 in the box and a USB port on the torch, so you never need a separate charger. The MH12 and MH12GT are sold that way.
CR123
A 3 volt lithium battery, about half the length of an 18650. It is not rechargeable. It keeps its charge for years on a shelf, so it suits a torch that sits unused until an emergency. Many torches take either one 18650 or two CR123s. See the P16, P10GT and HC30 headlamp.
Built-in USB rechargeable
Small lights like the TIP, TINI and LR10 lantern have the battery sealed inside. Plug in a USB lead and that is it. Nothing to buy, nothing to lose.
Three rules
- Charge it before first use. A lithium battery that has sat in a box should get a full charge before you rely on it.
- Do not mix batteries. Never run old and new cells, or two different brands, in the same torch.
- Lithium ships by road. We send lights with a lithium battery inside or in the box by road within Australia. See shipping.