Running Torch off the main battery

[Pepperisit]

This may have been discussed before and may be very stupid but hey ho! No harm in asking!

Is it possible to run a torch off the main battery inside the grip of my gun? (8.4v Mini type)
For example an ultrafire torch can run off anything between 3v-3.7v
So if I tap into the airsoft battery between cells 3-4 and onto the negative wire then the voltage output should be 3.6v.
So it should run the torch.

The problems I can forsee (with my incredibly limited and forgotten A-level in electronics) is that those three cells with the extra load will drain quicker than the other four, would that cause re-charging issues?
If the torch runs the first three batteries dead, would the gun still function but with a reduced rate of fire?

I'm only trying to work this out as then the torch can have its centre battery case removed and can be much smaller and with one less set of batteries to charge before each game.

[Jez Armstrong]

Are you killing battery's that quickly you need to find a solution?

Forget the volts, think of the Amps

[Pepperisit]

Re: Running Torch off the main battery

Nope I havn't actually recieved the batteries for the torch yet. Just wondered if there was any way to make the torch smaller and less hassle of charging two sets of batteries.

Maybe I'm just a dreamer!

[original poster]

Re: Running Torch off the main battery

I wouldn't bother with the hassle to be honest. Normal batteries for torches (CR123 usually) last a fair old while.

[Pepperisit]

Re: Running Torch off the main battery

Yeh i'm sure its probably not worth the hassle then. Plus the ability to use the torch on other guns/on its own is pretty useful

[No1_sonuk]

Re: Running Torch off the main battery

The big problem with uneven discharge is recharging again. You'd ideally need to separately balance the cells you run the light off with the others in the pack before recharging the whole pack - i.e. too much hassle.
Other options would be to get a bulb for the light that can take the full pack voltage, or some kind of step-down unit. In the long run, separate batteries are less hassle.

[Genesius]

Re: Running Torch off the main battery

its not just the fact that its going to cause charging issues with your battery, but also that the amperage is massive and every time you pull the trigger your torch will dim. just use the regular batteries unless you want to get into power caps and resistors. way too much hassle to be worth it.

[Jez Armstrong]

Just get some rechargeable cr123's and the charger from eBay, I just picked up a spare I'm sure it was only like £11