Unsure what to do now.
Have small collection of spare 3v lithium batteries of the CR123A variety, from Energizer, Streamlight, and Duracell.

These have my purchase dates ranging from 2011, 2015 and later. Most have product "good until" dates into 2022 & 2024.

Got ambitious & finally did in-light test today, & found NONE of them work, in either of 2 functioning LBL (Little Black Lights).

Granted most of my more current LBL use rechargeable 3.7 18650s.

These CR123 aren't rechargeable, but they were all tested as 'functional' several years ago, but never put into actual daily use.

Most of my newer LBLs have built in recharge ports. While reluctant to toss the 123 collection, they are presently unusable.

Is it 'new CR123 battery time' or 'new rechargeable LBL time'?

Are your lights made for exclusive use with 18650 batteries only, or are they rated up to 6V? Some lights have drivers that top out at @4.2V and using much higher will either burn out their components or be electrically inhibited to keep the former from occurring. Do said lights still work with 18650 batteries? If so, I suspect it’s probably the case.

Do you have any single cell lights, or perhaps a voltmeter you can test the CR123’s? A good one will read 3.0 or higher (initially). Once they drop down to even around 2.5 or so, they’re generally spent for usable juice.

All of them? Sounds fishy to me.

Have you ever used the LBL's with the CR123? Got anything else that uses a CR123 to check them?



https://medium.com/arscognitio...onality-49d21380a1e6

thank you gents, my inner Columbo is on the track of another necessary part of the investigation: I have located my voltmeter for use later today.

A voltmeter, alone, is not adequate. The need to be tested under load. (JIC you weren't aware.)

I have an older Streamlight that uses a bulb. For a while it wouldn't work. The 123 battery tested okay, changed the bulb; cleaned it, nothing worked. Then I put in 'fresh' Energizer batteries and it worked. There may be a voltage level that once crossed, they cease to function.

And the Duracell batteries...just toss them out no matter what. All Duracells are leaky junk IMO.