Don’t Buy Olight: The Hidden Cost of Proprietary Batteries
Right around 2019 I was as big of an Olight fanboy as you can get. Then one day I got really angry at Olight and stopped buying their gear.
Essentially, they had a Rewards or Points program and I had bought a LOT of Olights recently. They were getting ready to drop something cool but the top tier of their Rewards holders got first crack.
I figured I was in the top tier. I found out that you had to be logged in to their site to get the points. It wasn’t enough to just buy one with your name and address.
That isn’t what ticked me off.
What got me was that I mentioned it in their forum some clown dropped a crying face emoji on me.
That wasn’t what made me mad either. People started piling on once clown number one broke the ice. Nope, that wasn’t it either. Hey, I’ve been on the internet long enough to know what happens when you complain about something on a Fan Boy page.
What angered me was that an Employee of Olight piled on.
Now That’s Way Out Of Line
I complained about that. I was told she wasn’t supposed to be commenting in the Olight USA group and she did something in China for Olight. They apologized. Not good enough. I told them to delete my account, and my points and that I’d never buy another Olight again in my life. I will confess that years later I bought a couple of keychain flashlights. Conversely, I wanted a small keychain light and a search kind of revealed that those were the best thing going. I bit my lip and bought a couple. My wife and I use both of ours a lot. It was a good purchase. So maybe with time I seem to have gotten over this.
And then they gave me another reason to hate them.
Olight Batteries
So I have a lot of these Olights. And to be honest Not all of them get used very often. Fast forward 7 years and I’m writing some blogs on battery chargers and testing batteries. Naturally, most of my 7 year old batteries are showing signs of degradation. So, I go to buy some spares.
Many Olight Flashlight Batteries Are Proprietary
This is a problem. The first battery I tested was from a Seeker 2 Pro with a 21700 battery. A high-quality, conventional 21700 cell can often be purchased for around $8–12 from a reputable US supplier. Olight’s proprietary replacements can approach $30. That’s a substantial premium for a replacement battery.
The proprietary 21700 batteries that Olight sell are nearly $30. OUCH! Their batteries have a double positive and double negative on each end.
Compatibility with conventional 21700 batteries varies by Olight model. Some models may operate with standard cells but cannot charge them using Olight’s proprietary magnetic charging system. Other models require Olight-specific battery contacts and may not operate at all with conventional flat-top or button-top cells. Even when a third-party battery physically fits, electrical compatibility and charging compatibility should not be assumed.
Some third-party suppliers offer conventional cells modified with extended terminal assemblies and additional circuitry to accommodate Olight’s proprietary contacts. These are not necessarily equivalent to Olight’s original batteries in construction, protection circuitry, or charging compatibility.
Yeah, I want a modified Lithium Ion battery in my torch. NOT!
You should always check the battery requirements for the specific flashlight model before attempting to substitute another cell.
Olight Controls Your Replacement Options
Boy do I hate that. You almost have to buy their batteries at double the price or higher of a good battery. They not only do this for the aforementioned 21700 batteries they do it for a LOT of other flashlight battery sizes.
Examples Of Proprietary Or Customized Battery Arrangements
| Battery Size | Design & Proprietary Features | Example Olight Models |
|---|---|---|
| 16340 / RCR123A | Dual-polarity top/bottom contacts for magnetic tail charging | Baton 3, Baton 4, Perun Mini, Perun 2 Mini |
| 14500 | Customized low-voltage (2.4V) cell with built-in USB-C port | i5R EOS |
| 18500 | Dual-polarity customized top contacts | Odin Mini, Javelot Mini |
| 18650 | Dual-polarity top contacts or recessed positive terminals | S2R Baton, Baton Pro, Perun, Warrior Mini series |
| 21700 | Dual-polarity top/bottom contacts for high-drain magnetic charging | Seeker 2/3 Pro, Warrior 3, M2R Pro, Odin, Perun 2/3 |
| 26650 | Customized positive/negative ring contacts on one end | R50 Seeker, R50 Pro Seeker |
| 32650 | High-capacity customized cylindrical cell with dual contacts | Marauder Mini |
| Custom Packs | Proprietary multi-cell packs or integrated non-removable cells | X9R Marauder, Arkfeld series, Javelot Pro |
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Expensive
This is really unsatisfactory. Ask yourself if when you buy a shiny new flashlight with some beautiful Cerakote finish on it if you are thinking about buying replacement batteries down the road. There are undoubtedly some folks out there that know about this and purchase their flashlights and batteries accordingly. But not many. One of the best sources of information out there is CandlePowerForums .
As with any subject out there online there are people like me who hate this, and people who support it.
DO NOT Buy Olight Flashlights
That’s my stance. Do you think you are going to run out to the store and just pick up a set when you need them? Nope. Even BatteriesPlus and other retailers don’t stock these proprietary batteries. You have to buy them on line for the most part and you have to pay those inflated prices.
Granted, they make great flashlights but this business model sucks.