I broke open my Hybrid Lite solar flashlight so you won't have to!
Ok, this isn't a tactical flashlight. But it seems pretty rugged, and has a neat system of using internal nimh AAA's for solar storage, while also having a backup of non-rechargeable CR-2032 lithiums.
Problem is, the nimh's aren't user-accessible. The box shows that they will store a charge for 3 years! Could these be the new Sanyo Eneloops inside?
Nope. Inside is a dual-pack of "AONON" 700 mah AAA's. Are they truly LSD or "Low Self Discharge"? My only research on the net for AONON batteries show that the 800ma versions are LSD, nothing specific for the 700's - but time will tell, although I've got a suspicion they are LSD.
The pack seems well built - no bad tack-welds, sloppy wrappers etc. Anti corrosion sticker over the series tab that connects the two together. I even put them on a Maha charger/analyzer and the seem to hold a discharge of about 650ma or so each.
But 10 hours of light from a full charge? For me, about 4 is all I can get. But I don't like to drop my cells to zero, or just glow like a firefly.
I'll put the other one I have which IS totally intact, through another round of full charge / discharge cycles outside in bright sun for 2 days and see if I can get more than 4 hours out of it.
Ok, we all wish it had user-replaceable AAA's as the primary solar source, but it seems useful enough for the time being.