On a recent 8 day hike around Kejimkujik in Nova Scotia (awesome trip and park BTW), the batteries died out. (I know that for some reason I took out the original Panasonic batteries and used a pair of SureFire batteries in it, and then put the Panasonics back in.) No problem. I pulled out my extra batteries, put in another pair of CR-123's (Evergreen), pressed the button, waited for the green LED to start flashing, put it in the water, I got a momentary flash of blue UV light, followed by a rapidly flashing red LED.

It wouldn't work.

So two days into a week+ long trip, I was forced to turn to Micropur tablets in my survival kit. Which ran out after 3 days. Then I had to boil water, which used up a limited supply of methyl hydrate. I had intended the alcohol to be used just for boiling water to rehydrate meals, not for purifying water. Eventually I was reduced to using fire to purify the water. Having to stop repeatedly to boil water is a pain in the ass. When it's the middle of summer and you're drinking 8 or more liters of water a day, having to wait for your boiling water to cool down is a pain in the ass. Pouring it from bottle to cup repeatedly helped cool it down. But it was all inconvenient to say the least.

When I got home I checked the batteries and they're fine. According to my battery tester they're at full power, and they have no problem sending forth a bright beam from either my Sure-Fire or Fenix lights.

I've been a bit hesitant about relying on a battery operated device for something as vital as water. I had it proved to me why. Water purifiers are really about the only thing that I, and others I've ever been out in the bush with, have had issues with. I strive to reduce the weight and bulk of what I'm carrying, but this is one area where the adage of two is one, one is none is spot on.

I got in touch with the company, and they told me that based on previous testing and experience, the lesser known brands of batteries are not very good performers. Many of the lesser known brands do not have the capacity to deliver more than 0.5A at the rated voltage. The high quality (well known) batteries can deliver 1.25A at the rated voltage which is why they are able to perform better. Basically, the more famous the brand, the better the quality. Energizer batteries are typically the best for the SteriPEN Adventurer followed by other well known brands such as Kodak, Sanyo, Duracell and Panasonic.

Maybe if I'd spent time over on CandlePowerForums reading up on obscure battery minutia, I'd have known, but anyway... I guess it just never even occurred to me. They worked fine in lights, why wouldn't they also work in anything else? You know what they say about assuming.

As it turns out, different batteries (especially CR123's) work very differently in different devices. Surefire batteries are made for tactical lights (low peak amps, maintain max volts for as long as possible, constant load and heat control), while Energizers are made for cameras (strong peak amp draw while charging the flash, then low load and minimal heat issues). Use a battery made for a different application and you will get bad results.

When it comes to, say AAs, I've put them in walkmans, flashlights, GPS', cameras, radios, etc., and they've always worked. Name brand, cheapo dollar store, rechargeable, whatever. They've always worked in anything.

Just never dawned on me that it wouldn't be the same with CR123s.

I get that cheap batteries that may not let something run as long. But for something to completely not function at all - totally unsat.

When I bought the unit from TADGear, I bought a box of Evergreen CR123's to accompany it, thinking I'd gotten a great deal. Certainly as compared to buying a single CR123 from a camera store, it was.

The discovery that they lack the oomph to power the Steripen though, leaves me unsure whether to be unimpressed with the batteries or the Steripen. To me this is a MAJOR flaw in the system.

Finding this out leaves me rather underwhelmed and regretting ever buying the Adventurer to be honest.

If I'd known this in advance I would have opted for one of the AA models. Easier to get, cheaper, and something tells me that I could throw any brand of AA in there and it would work fine. Although as it turns out, Steripen claims you should only use Lithium batteries as anything else won't push enough current through.

I guess I could go out and spend another $100 and buy another Steripen, one of the AA models. But if I'm going to spend another $100 on any water filtration system, I'll spend the money to make myself a gravity filter.

I'm not denying that I'm a dummy for not checking before hand to see that the Evergreen batteries would work. I made the assumption that they would work fine, and it caused me some grief.

The moral of the story: Either do not use bargain brand CR123's, don't purchase the Steripen Adventurer or any other model that is powered by CR123 batteries, or don't rely on a battery powered water purification method.

I'll get some better CR123 batteries and relegate the Evergreen ones to powering flashlights.

But I've already bought the components and I'm making myself a gravity filter. The Steripen is about to be relegated to a backup role.

Sorry about your sorry experience with cheap CR123s. I've had the same results with a UV Aquastar, which works fine with name-brand batteries and poorly with the off-brands. I've found Sanyos on line at about US$2 each, which I'm fine with. Evereadys and Duracells at the local drug store at $6 or $7 each, I can't handle.

BTW, water temperature has a huge effect on whether or not I can cycle the Aquastar on half-spent or generic batteries.

Cheers,

Didn't it mention anything about that issue in the instructions? Sounds like a lawsuit waiting to happen. At first I would have figured it was broken like you did and figured "it happens..." but I'd be pissed about a known battery problem. On the other hand, I would have used the best batteries. I think Consumer Reports rated batteries once.

I once had similar problems with my Steripen Adventurer. I used a set of off-brand CR123's on a short trip in the Rincon Mountains here in Arizona. They quit on the third liter of water I tried to treat.

Then, after reading about problems with the Adventurer on a forum, I started using Panasonic lithium-ion CR123's in it. Other than one problem arising from my not reading the directions, the Steripen has worked great since.

I used it on a through-hike of the JMT last year and only replaced the batteries, a scheduled replacement, once at Muir Trail Ranch. Even then, the batteries I had used from Yosemite were still working. I do carry Micropur tablets as backup though; enough to treat 3 liters per day for the length of the trip. They are really light.

It would be nice, however, if Steripen were to warn their customers about this problem.

Mine died on its first trip. Worked once, then nothing.

Grannyhiker's did a similar thing.

Last month my friend brought a brand new one along, that was the THIRD replacement. First use fine. I got to do the next bottle of water and the thing is getting hot. I look at it, the screen appears to be burning up. One of the guys grabs it and removes the bottom screw, dumping out smoking batteries. Brand name batteries, new. The thing was wrecked. It was moments from catching on fire!

Yet, the version that took "AA" batteries worked great. Sadly that one was stolen from my friend when her daypack was grabbed in a home invasion at her house.

I had similar problems with the Steripen Adventurer a year ago, using the batteries that came with the unit! My other complaint was the on-off switch, which I had to get help with from my son, who fortunately was along on that trip.

I, too, agree that it's not safe to rely on something that uses batteries for such a vital purpose. Fortunately, being something of a skeptic, I did take enough Micropur tablets to finish the trip.

When I wrote up my complaints on this and other forums, I got back at least half a dozen responses from other female readers complaining that the switch was also too stiff for them, and mentioning similar battery problems. Several of them were on this forum.

ULA makes a great gravity filter (the Amigo Pro) using the Katadyn Hiker Pro filter. It's lighter than most gravity filters and relatively inexpensive (most of the cost is for the filter). Unfortunately the firm is "on vacation" until December. Every time I try some other method--my latest venture was the Aquamira Frontier Pro filter used as a gravity filter per Jason Klass' video--I end up switching back to the ULA filter. The Aquamira filter is far too slow and involves a lot more fussing--not worth the 4 oz. weight savings, IMHO. Even with the old reliable ULA Amigo Pro, I always take enough Micropur tabs that I won't have to abort the trip should something happen to it. Enough tabs for one person for 10 days weigh only 1 ounce. As you found out, that ounce of insurance is well worth the carrying.

I just returned from a 5 day, 43 mile backpacking trip in the southern Sierra Nevadas from Kennedy Meadows to Olancha Peak & back. I use my Stripen for my 1 L. bike bottle only, using Micropur chlorine dioxide tablets for my 3 L. hydration bag.

LUCKILY, batteries and weight being so important, I used Panasonic lithium batteries and had no problems. BUT, d@mnit, Steripen MUST warn consumers of the battery problem.

This battery problem is very serious and could well be the basis for a lawsuit should someone relying soley on a Steripen get sick when it failed due to the "wrong" CR123 batteries. Steripen needs to say, IN BIG RED BOLDFACE TYPE, "CAUTION: USE ONLY THE FOLLOWING BATTERIES AND BRANDS!" (Are you listening Steripen?)

Eric

Water temp affects the performance?

FB

The irony being that with the one that died on me first time had the rechargeable ones in it, that they sold with it.
The one that nearly caught on fire had brand name batteries - Energizer? Don't remember, but as the friend said - she was sold the batteries at REI for it. She was told explicitly the batteries were what she needed.

I have a Steripen Adventurer and have used it successfully with Surefire 123A lithium batteries. Don't know how many liters I have treated, but it has not been a problem. I have heard that the Steripen will run the batteries down even when turned off- not a great feature -- so rather than experiment with this, I take the batteries out when I am done purifying. I also always carry a spare set of batteries. Just my experience for what it is worth.

Kinda reminiscent of the issue with certain types of batteries causing LED lights to burn too hot...

FB

Correct.