UPDATE -how good are these in actual use?
Just as good as the $8 cell!
I had to change out an alarm system that used 8 CR123 cells and was calling home to complain about its batteries being low. So I've used 1/4 box so far. Factory new they measure 3.23V and I've also run a set in a surefire E2D with equal runtime to the factory cellls. Have no fear - cheap CR123's are here!
(review)
The cr-123 cell is an amazing primary (disposable) battery. It's high energy capacy, 3.0 v output, and compact size combined with 10 year shelf life have led to its design into alarms, flashlights, weapons systems, night vision, basically anything that needs dependable power for a long time or at a high rate.
The box comes with 4 strips of 10 cells shrink-wrapped for protection. They measure 3.23V open circuit out of the box indicating they are fresh manufacture (the ademco alarm components signal a low-battery indication at 2.8V so there is a narrow band of usefulness) I tested 2 of these in my surefire e2d on high and low without any problems.
Tenergy makes 2 versions of the CR-123 - the 1300 mAh and the 1400 mAh, this is the 1400 mAh spec on their website.
When the CR-123 cell first came out it was a photographic cell and sold at drugstores for as much as $8 ea. Even the best pricing on Duracells CR-123 is 1.89 in large quantity. To get 40 batteries for under 40 dollars is a great feat. All of my ademco wireless sensors use the CR-123 and need to be changed about every 6 years, which is now so this was a great find at the right time.
While some people will swear by a brand (e.g. I always use surefire/duracell/xyz brand), I'm finding that the CR123 is much like gasoline - yes there are subtle differences between arco and shell but both will run you car down the road. Do I want to spend another $36 dollars to get a different wrapper to replace all of my alarm sensors and load up my flashlight. Not now. If for some reason these go dead ahead of time I will update my review, but just getting them I can find no reason not to give them 5 stars as compared to other 5 star 1400 mAh cells on the market. Stay tuned - it may take a while to find out how long they really last due to their long shelf life of 10 years. Tenergy 40-pack Propel CR123A Lithium Battery Ptc Protected - 39005
My flashlight really sucks down batteries, so I figured I'd give these a shot. I was tired of paying $8 to change my batteries. I'm glad I tried these. They last just as long, don't overheat, and fit perfectly. They are probably the same battery, just with a different label. Get them, they are great.
Just purchased my first batch of these from Amazon & decided to test/install one on my Novatac 120P LED flashlight...Run time for the battery exceeded Novatac's specs, so I am very satisfied with these! I also tested the initial voltage...they register 3.1v out-of-the-box. By comparison, I also purchased a 12-pack of the Streamlight CR123A batteries from Amazon also...those registered slightly higher (3.2v), but I doubt overall performance is materially different. I cannot confirm the mAh for either of the brands (neither the battery or packaging was marked with that info), but my test Tenergy battery performed flawlessly, so I will exclusively source these from here on out. At $1 each, you can't beat the value (in my opinion); conversely, both the Streamlight (& SureFire) 12-packs now range from $21-28 (~$2 each)--about double the cost. My only disappointment was not having a manufacture date clearly marked on these batteries (or the box itself); they come shrink-wrapped in 4 10-packs inside the box, but no markings there either :( The only thing was a 2009 Copyright date on the box itself...I assume they were produced at some point in 2009; regardless, I rotate all my batteries/supplies using a First-In-First-Out methodology. Even if they were '08 production, you still can't beat the price. FYI: the Streamlight pack I bought had an 0810 stamp (since it's only May, I'll assume that meant they were made in Aug-08). A 2-pack of Duracell's I had showed an Oct-09 date, so it appears the global supply chain doesn't move/turnover CR123A inventory too fast...could be quite a few things behind that, but (obviously) with the long shelf-life it isn't a huge concern. I may ultimately buy one pack of the SureFire batteries also, just to see their manufacture date & try them out, but I can't provide any feedback on them at the moment...
I purchased these batteries for use in my flashlights and for emergency use. They work great and the price is unbeatable but buyers should be aware that the expiration date is February 2015. I purchased these in March of 2011. The shelf life is not as high as I had expected and would make these batteries less than ideal for longterm storage.
They work well, fit well in flashlights, are are inexpensive.If you must have or need regular non rechargeable batteries for older lights, halogen lights, or lights that sit around alot (like on a weapon) but need to work when called upon without having to recharge them then these are the ticket. If you have a newer LED light that you get a lot of use out of, the rechargeables are the way to go.
The batteries work fine. However I bought a large package of batteries to save money and not have to buy them again. Unfortunately they come with a expiration date of 2015 which is much less than a shelf life of a "new" battery. This definitely hurts the value of the product. - Bulk - Tenergy - Lithium - Cr123a'
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