Battery FAQ
What brand of batteries should I use?
Batteries are like most things, if you buy cheap, expect cheap results. Do not use off-brand or junky batteries. ONLY use good, known brands. We recommend the following: Samsung, Sony, LG, Sanyo, Panasonic. These are reasonably priced, and your safety and your property are not worth saving a few dollars (literally) on a battery. Other batteries will work in your Cloud Defensive lights. But cheap batteries do not perform as well and they are potentially dangerous, in any application much less a weapon light.
MCH handhelds support most flat-top unprotected cells. However, they have minimal compatibility with Protected cells; hence, compatibility with such cells should not be presumed. We strongly recommend utilizing Unprotected cells for their significant performance enhancements.
REIN lights accept ALL protected and unprotected 18650 batteries. Accepts both button-top and flat-top batteries. However, performance could vary depending on the battery type.
To ensure maximum output and runtimes, we highly encourage the use of Cloud Defensive branded batteries.
What are amps and milliampere hours (mAh)?
Summed up for the sake of education and battery selection:
Amperage (Amps or A) is the unit to indicate how fast a battery delivers power to the light. In the OWL, this is an indicator of performance potential. Batteries with higher discharge rates are capable of better performance. We have found that 15-30A batteries perform the best in OWL. We’ve not seen any higher numbers with batteries exceeding 30A. Thus, we do not recommend using cells that exceed that.
Our lights will run on lower amperage batteries but it will not run how you want it to run. Milliampere hour (mAh) is the unit of measurement that indicates the storage capacity of the battery. The higher the number, the more it stores. Most 18650 batteries range from 2500 mAh.
Can I use CR123 batteries in my REIN, MCH or OWL?
Cloud Defensive Lights listed as "Dual Fuel" and/or "Programmable" are able to use both 18650 or CR123 batteries. Use of any other battery type not listed will void your warranty.
OWL: Single 18650 ONLY
REIN 1.0 & 2.0: Single 18650 ONLY. (REIN 1.0 Micro - single 18350)
REIN 3.0: Single 18650 or two CR123A. (REIN 3.0 Micro - single 18350 or CR123A)
MCH (Non-Programmable): Single 18650 ONLY. (MCH Micro - single 18350)
MCH & MCH Duty (5-mode Programmable): Single 18650 or two CR123A. (Programmable MCH Micro - single 18350 or CR123A)
NOTE: The use of CR123 batteries in Dual Fuel lights will result in a loss in power. This is simply because CR123 batteries are not nearly as powerful as 18650 or 18350 rechargeable batteries (see below). To ensure maximum output and runtimes, we highly encourage the use of Cloud Defensive branded batteries.
Why an 18650 or 18350 battery over CR123 batteries?
The CR123 battery has been the standard for a number of years, but 18650 and 18350 rechargeable batteries have replaced it as the new gold-standard for performance. Capable of higher amperage discharge and more capacity, they are simply a much better performer. So much better actually, that an 18650 at 50% charge offers more energy potential than 2 brand new CR123 batteries. The difference is truly significant. Offering more run-time and more output, it is an easy choice.
A common argument against the 18650 is availability. You should consider a few things on that topic: Like ammunition and other critical items, plan ahead and purchase what you need ahead of time. The 18650 cells are good for about 300 deep cycles during their lifetime. CR123 batteries are primary cells. Meaning you use them and throw them away. Let’s look at the following financial considerations:
COST OF BATTERIES
Price of 2 CR123 batteries: $2
Price of 1 18650 battery: $9
COST OF USEAGE: *300 total flashlight complete battery cycles
600 CR123’s required = $600
A single 18650 required = $9
Disaster scenarios. Not only do the 18650’s run longer and harder, but you can charge them up whenever you need. You are not reliant on any new supply of primary cells to make your light work. You can even go one step further and use a solar battery pack to recharge the batteries if you need/want to. That means in this conversation, you even have zero reliance on the power grid.
Safety and stability. Some people will say that 18650’s are less safe than CR123 batteries. To be clear, all batteries can fail if subjected to the right conditions. But to say CR123s are safer than 18650s is simply speculative opinion. They are both very safe, very durable and as long as you buy high quality batteries, they are very good performers.
18650’s are pervasive now. They are available all over the internet, our site included. And you can buy them locally at any vape shop or battery store.
And as for charge status and slowly degrading power levels in the batteries over time - Rechargeable cells have come a long ways. These batteries will hold more than adequate charge for many months. Typically, you can go 6 months easily before you need to look at recharging. And even then, the argument is simple: Know the status of your equipment and properly maintain it.
The future is a rechargeable one, like it or not. The tech is going in that direction and all the money is being spent on that paradigm. Embrace it and reap the benefits.
Batteries are like most things, if you buy cheap, expect cheap results. Do not use off-brand or junky batteries. ONLY use good, known brands. We recommend the following: Samsung, Sony, LG, Sanyo, Panasonic. These are reasonably priced, and your safety and your property are not worth saving a few dollars (literally) on a battery. Other batteries will work in your Cloud Defensive lights. But cheap batteries do not perform as well and they are potentially dangerous, in any application much less a weapon light.
MCH handhelds support most flat-top unprotected cells. However, they have minimal compatibility with Protected cells; hence, compatibility with such cells should not be presumed. We strongly recommend utilizing Unprotected cells for their significant performance enhancements.
REIN lights accept ALL protected and unprotected 18650 batteries. Accepts both button-top and flat-top batteries. However, performance could vary depending on the battery type.
To ensure maximum output and runtimes, we highly encourage the use of Cloud Defensive branded batteries.
What are amps and milliampere hours (mAh)?
Summed up for the sake of education and battery selection:
Amperage (Amps or A) is the unit to indicate how fast a battery delivers power to the light. In the OWL, this is an indicator of performance potential. Batteries with higher discharge rates are capable of better performance. We have found that 15-30A batteries perform the best in OWL. We’ve not seen any higher numbers with batteries exceeding 30A. Thus, we do not recommend using cells that exceed that.
Our lights will run on lower amperage batteries but it will not run how you want it to run. Milliampere hour (mAh) is the unit of measurement that indicates the storage capacity of the battery. The higher the number, the more it stores. Most 18650 batteries range from 2500 mAh.
Can I use CR123 batteries in my REIN, MCH or OWL?
Cloud Defensive Lights listed as "Dual Fuel" and/or "Programmable" are able to use both 18650 or CR123 batteries. Use of any other battery type not listed will void your warranty.
OWL: Single 18650 ONLY
REIN 1.0 & 2.0: Single 18650 ONLY. (REIN 1.0 Micro - single 18350)
REIN 3.0: Single 18650 or two CR123A. (REIN 3.0 Micro - single 18350 or CR123A)
MCH (Non-Programmable): Single 18650 ONLY. (MCH Micro - single 18350)
MCH & MCH Duty (5-mode Programmable): Single 18650 or two CR123A. (Programmable MCH Micro - single 18350 or CR123A)
NOTE: The use of CR123 batteries in Dual Fuel lights will result in a loss in power. This is simply because CR123 batteries are not nearly as powerful as 18650 or 18350 rechargeable batteries (see below). To ensure maximum output and runtimes, we highly encourage the use of Cloud Defensive branded batteries.
Why an 18650 or 18350 battery over CR123 batteries?
The CR123 battery has been the standard for a number of years, but 18650 and 18350 rechargeable batteries have replaced it as the new gold-standard for performance. Capable of higher amperage discharge and more capacity, they are simply a much better performer. So much better actually, that an 18650 at 50% charge offers more energy potential than 2 brand new CR123 batteries. The difference is truly significant. Offering more run-time and more output, it is an easy choice.
A common argument against the 18650 is availability. You should consider a few things on that topic: Like ammunition and other critical items, plan ahead and purchase what you need ahead of time. The 18650 cells are good for about 300 deep cycles during their lifetime. CR123 batteries are primary cells. Meaning you use them and throw them away. Let’s look at the following financial considerations:
COST OF BATTERIES
Price of 2 CR123 batteries: $2
Price of 1 18650 battery: $9
COST OF USEAGE: *300 total flashlight complete battery cycles
600 CR123’s required = $600
A single 18650 required = $9
Disaster scenarios. Not only do the 18650’s run longer and harder, but you can charge them up whenever you need. You are not reliant on any new supply of primary cells to make your light work. You can even go one step further and use a solar battery pack to recharge the batteries if you need/want to. That means in this conversation, you even have zero reliance on the power grid.
Safety and stability. Some people will say that 18650’s are less safe than CR123 batteries. To be clear, all batteries can fail if subjected to the right conditions. But to say CR123s are safer than 18650s is simply speculative opinion. They are both very safe, very durable and as long as you buy high quality batteries, they are very good performers.
18650’s are pervasive now. They are available all over the internet, our site included. And you can buy them locally at any vape shop or battery store.
And as for charge status and slowly degrading power levels in the batteries over time - Rechargeable cells have come a long ways. These batteries will hold more than adequate charge for many months. Typically, you can go 6 months easily before you need to look at recharging. And even then, the argument is simple: Know the status of your equipment and properly maintain it.
The future is a rechargeable one, like it or not. The tech is going in that direction and all the money is being spent on that paradigm. Embrace it and reap the benefits.