I will just leave this here


 
So, Ed, you are saying you are running 18658 batteries in your light? Do they do better than regular C Cells?
 
I guess I can kind of weasel this in here, and rather than revive an old thread, I scored a 9057 Grill Handle Light, NIB, recently, and because I am kind of invested in the 18650 ecosphere (got batteries, chargers, flashlights) I bought a battery holder and the LED replacements, and it works well. So if you should happen to be lucky enough to find one of these grill handle lights, you should know that a Tesla has over 7,000 of these batteries per vehicle, and a laptop battery pack has...I dunno, many...and our battery-powered tools have a bunch of them, so...

I thought of the same mod but couldn't find a suitable battery holder. Can I ask where you found yours?

Thanks.
 
And will a single 18650 battery on each side vs two C-Cell batteries on each side last longer? Do you anticipate any problem with the heat causing the rechargeable 18650 to die earlier?
 
And will a single 18650 battery on each side vs two C-Cell batteries on each side last longer? Do you anticipate any problem with the heat causing the rechargeable 18650 to die earlier?
Ok, basic math...Ohm's Law. I don't claim to know all the ins and outs, but here's a thumbnail.

Fully charged, a 18650 is nominal 4.2V, plus or minus. They can be damaged if discharged too low, so when it gets dim, it's time for a recharge. Anyway, let's say that, under load, the voltage drops to 3.7V. Using Ohm's Law, which isn't for everyone, it's going to draw less than 1 Amp. but let's call it 1 Amp. I have a battery discharge tester, but most good 18650s are good for about 2500mA to 3500mA, so on paper I would expect them to last about 2.5 to 3.5 hours of operation.

According to the Wikipedia, "Alkaline C batteries can hold up to 8,000 mAh, rechargeable NiMH C batteries can hold up to 6,000 mAh, and zinc-carbon C batteries usually hold up to 3,800 mAh." So about 6 or 8 hours for C batteries.

There's enough room for two 18650s in parallel, stacked end to end, so that would double the run time (5 to 7 hours). Or if connected in series that would double the voltage and potentially halve the current. I'll have to see how long a single cell actually lasts, but if it is comparable to my flashlight experience I probably won't mess with it..

Some batteries have lower capacity but higher discharge current, like the batteries in a DeWalt or Ryobi power tool pack. Others have higher capacity but lower discharge current, like in a laptop. The point is, these things are only going to get more plentiful as time goes on, at least for the near future, and battery technology is growing by leaps and bounds. I have yet to see one leak, but many of them have a vent that will open if it gets too hot.

Is there two C cells per side? I thought it was 3. Anyway, time will tell how well they do with the grill, but I have about 8 or 10 flashlights around the house that use them and I've been using the flashlights for years without issue. At least you won't have to worry about leaking batteries...I have never seen one leak or a vent open.

Some pics. The comparison between the 9057 vs the 7661, although I do like the tilt switch on the 7661. I bought some tilt switches but they are only rated for 0.3A,...maybe later. I just have the battery holder stuck in the side (you can see it hanging in one of the pics) for now...I pulled it out so you can see it. Maybe I'll 3D print something later.

EDIT: Weber 7661 GO light link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YFCS5WG/?tag=tvwb-20

18650 single cell battery holder (flat top battery) link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07T1BQM7K/?tag=tvwb-20
 

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And one last, for the sake of transparency...those battery holders are really cheap. If this works out, I'm going to get some better holders. And I have no idea how this is going to work in the ice and snow...I don't know how anything can work in the ice and snow. I flew to Denver on a business trip once and the lock was frozen on the trunk of the rental car...now what do I do?...maybe it's a conspiracy to keep us Californians off the icy roads in the winter because we don't know how to drive.
 
Here's a picture of the cells I harvested from a Ryobi pack that I pulled out of the recycle bin at work. Sometimes the electronics go bad in the pack but the batteries are still good, which was the case here.
 

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Having vapor lock issues with it now. Tried two tanks, two regulators and hoses and after a great initial burn for about 10 minutes, now I just get a trickle flame. I guess my next step is to pull out the darn valve. That is going to be PIA. I don't know where else to go. I even tried the tank on my grill and it fires right up there.
 
The elusive Char-Q if you happen to live near Milwaukee, WI


Bruce, this one isn't too far from you, and looks like one of the original ones bad on the slats and side burner :

 
Looks like a cool one to me. Mark Siebel has done great flipping ones out west. I guess I need to get my shop set up and find out if there is a market for rehabbed golden oldies like this in the Midwest. I would sure like to have that one!

The CharQ looks halfway decent for someone here wanting one for themselves. Not too sure it could be flipped successfully at that asking price. It is certainly in WAY BETTER shape than my rough one, but I only paid $25. If I would use it less, I might find time to rehab it!

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$60.00

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