Mag-lite Led Conversions?

[Knifewing]

I have a number of Mag-lites in excellent condition, mostly 2 D-Cell and mini-mag 2 AAs. I see that there now are update kits to convert them to LED flashes. Do these kits work and are they worth the money? Or should I just spend the same amount it would take to convert all my Mags and get one new Surefire LED (such as an outdoorsman or E2D, and/or an X3? Any help will be appreciated.

[Tank]

I think it might be cheaper to just buy new 3watt Led Mag lights that just came out , They have them in all the sizes Just bought a couple for christmas presents. 2aa was $24. 3 cell C was $29

[oregon]

http://www.batteryjunction.com/tle-6k2.html

This new 5 watt drop-in looks interesting to me. However, it is not intended for your 2D or mini. It is made for 3-6 C & D ML torches.

I would enjoy 100-135 lumens with longer run time in my M@gLite 3D. Where else can you get a focusable 3D for the price of this modification + the original cost of the flashlight? I just picked up a batch of 3Ds at Lowe's Black Friday sale for $10 each so you are talking $45 end cost in my hand. Hope it works. :D

I've loaded in already and will give my impressions after it arrives.

If I was shopping for a new flashlight I would give serious consideration to the Fenix P1D CE with a CREE XR-E LED. It is powered by one CR123A battery. I've read that it has five output levels: 72 lumens (2.8hrs) -> 135 lumens (1hrs) -> 12 lumens (21hrs) -> Strobe -> SOS. Not available quite yet, unfortunately. The price I've seen listed is about $70.

All the best,

oregon

[Chucula]

i think the led's for the maglites are a good, at least from what ive read. They are about the same brightness but increase the battery life substantially. On the other hand, I do like my surefires and think they were worth every penny.

I suggest checking out this site: http://www.flashlightreviews.com
or more specifically, half way down here: http://www.flashlightreviews.com/review ... _picks.htm.

[cobrajoe]

I used to have the double D conversion, right up until sombody stole it out of my car along with my radio and my CD's.

It was a great upgrade. Much brighter, much whiter, and actually made the adjustable spotlight better (more even lighting).

I don't know how it would compare to a surefire, but I believe it's definately better then the standard bulbs that it comes with.

[ghostrider]

I'd recommend doing a search for this topic over at CPF. I've heard about heat sinking problems with the larger cell Mag-Lites LED's. I bought a 3 x AA for my neighbor, and that is probably the best way to go. Very impressive output and a good form factor (unless you like lugging a tank-like 3 x D cell around), with a 2-3 hour runtime. Pack it with some lithium ion AA's and your good to go.

Personally I don't care much for the larger form factor, however with the 3 x D-cell I think the best way to go is to pack it with 4 C-cells and get a Sears bulb. You get both a brighter light, and a longer run time that way. It's a simple mod that is also reversible.

Definitely don't get the LED drop in from Nite-Eyze for your D or C cell lights, their output is minimal at best. I bought one and took it back. For your AA there are also other drop-in's that you can order on line, and CPF has an entire thread dedicated to the topic. I use the Nite-Eyze drop-in for my 2xAA, but I got it before I discovered that there were other options.

I think it's getting to the point (with the release of the Mag-Lite LED's) where it's no longer even very practical to buy drop-ins for the 2xAA. Sure, the new 3xAA costs more (than a Nite-Eyze drop-in), but the increase in output blows it away.

The Nite-Eyze drop-in for the 2xAA is great for a (very) low output light. I use mine for navigating around when I don't want anyone else to see the light.

[butch]

i ahve a mag drop in and love it in my 4 d
i am waiting fro the 5watt K2 thats ordered to put in my 6c for the truck
2 things
big amgs are not easy for carry but they are MBC rated :D
other thing get the c cell as they fit the hand much better and have just about all the power in a slighty smaller package
time will tell if i like the 5 watt i ll post a little about it when i get it

[Zac]

I bought the conversion kit and was disappointed but I was comparing to a Surefire L4. I'de buy a Surefire as it is the last light you will ever need to buy.

[cdf]

Terralux makes the best minimag conversion kits , but a we bit spendy !

Chris

[lerman]

i have a minimag 2AA s watt led, i tell you buy it!, it's nothing like the old mini mag (which is also vary good), this light is amazing.

[Knifewing]

Thanks for all the help. It sounds like it's worth getting at least a couple of the conversion kits to try and, if they work out, doing the upgrade for them all. But a Surefire is definitely in my future...

jim

[spydie fanatic]

I own two 3D cell--one came with the led and one was upgraded. I noticed that the one that was upgraded has a slight bluish tint to the light...the other is pure white.

They are excellent flashlights; they can also be used as nightsticks :D

[ghostrider]

Here’s some info I found.

http://www.flashlightreviews.com/review ... ag-led.htm

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/sho ... p?t=142987

I may actually consider getting the one from battery junction myself.

[MacTech]

the LED conversion bulbs are decent, not great, they're *MUCH* better than the stock incandescent bulb, but you still have some beam artifacts and rings thanks to Mag Instrument's use of the smooth reflector to optomise throw

the biggest problem with the Mag LED drop-ins is poor thermal regulation, after about 5 minutes of continuous burn, the LED heats up to dangerous levels, so the power circuitry ramps down the brightness, bringing the LED down to safe temperatures, at the expense of brightness

it's hard to notice, unless you have a cold MagLED light next to it for comparison

ironically, the Mini MagLED lights (esp. the 3AA) are far superior to the C and D-cell MagLites w/ the drop-in, the main advantage of the bigger LED'ed lights is runtime, the MiniMagLED's have a much deeper reflector, the "Donut Hole" problem all MagLites have when focused out to flood is largely gone, the flood on a MiniMagLED is actually *USABLE*

the downsides to the MiniMagLED's are;

2AA; no "moon mode", once the batteries discharge below the LED's vF (voltage forward, minimum power requirements) the LED simply goes out, leaving you in darkness, the 2AA has about 4 hours of continuous semi-regulated (minimal, if any dimming) burntime
slightly longer than the MiniMag AA incan

3AA; *MUCH* longer than the incan MiniMag
No regulation, the light gets dimmer as the batteries drain, but the light *does* have a "moon mode", it won't suddenly leave you in the dark

the MagLites using the drop in are marginally brighter, mainly due to the greater capacity of C and D cells. but they also have the downside of the infamous Mag "rings and holes" beam, and are only really useful when focused out to spot

the other bigger problem is that LED's have a stranger color spectrum than incan, compare a good, powerful incan (like the SureFire G2 Nitrolon), you'll find that LED's tend to create a "flatter" light, it's harder to judge depth outside with an LED, an incan has better depth rendition

LED main advantage is power efficiency and durability, they can run on batteries that incans have "depleted", and there's no delicate filament to break when dropped

as an example, over on CPF, one of the posters there was using his Fenix L1P 1W LED flashlight in the top of an elevator shaft, 17 stories high, he dropped it, heard it bouncing and banging 17 stories to the ground.....

when he picked it up off the floor of the elevator shaft, it still lit up

the advantages of an incan is power and color rendition, the stock Maglite bulbs are pathetic, and don't give you the experience of a good, powerful Incan ("Hotwire"), the MagCharger rechargable is an exception, it produces 170 searing lumens of light and is a very nice factory-built Hotwire

the best way to get a taste of a Hotwire is to build a "sleeper" MagLite

the only mod i made to the linked light was to use the 5-cell MagNumStar lamp, and put the 6 cell bulb in the tailcap as a backup, the 5 cell bulb will be slightly overdriven, much brighter white, but it's lifespan will be greatly reduced, it's a tradeoff i'm aware of and is acceptable to me, the 5 cell overdriven bulb has almost the same output as the MagCharger, but in the form factor of a basic 2-C Mag

be warned, the call of the Hotwire is almost as addictive as Spydies though.....

[MacTech]

I own two 3D cell--one came with the led and one was upgraded. I noticed that the one that was upgraded has a slight bluish tint to the light...the other is pure white.

that's the "Luxeon Lottery" at work, every Luxeon LED has a chance of having a tint, when you "Win the Luxeon Lottery" you have a light that has no predominant tint, a light that's pure white

[oregon]

http://www.batteryjunction.com/tle-6k2.html

I've loaded in already and will give my impressions after it arrives.

Mag 3D with MaxStar5 LED newly installed.

Update: I ordered the just released TerraLUX MaxStar 5, model TLE-6k2, LED dropin for 3-6 C & D Mag lights Sunday. It shipped on Tuesday and arrived on Saturday (today) from Battery Junction.

I installed it by unscrewing the entire head of a new silver Mag 3D. With the head off I unscrewed the incan bulb by hand. I replaced it with the 5 watt Luxeon K2 LED which screwed in easily. Finally, I screwed the head back onto the flashlight body. Done.

The light is brilliant white, not yellow like the incan puts out. The Mag focuses the central hot spot very well leaving almost no artifacts. The side spill is quite bright and pronounced. I saw no rings.

Outside I compared the beam to that of an identical Mag 3D. The hot spot light from the dropin LED is brighter, there is more throw and the spill is much brighter compared to the incan 3D. The incan was spanked by the LED. With some smoke in the night air from our wood stove I waved the white beam around, shining it into the fir trees, and it looked like a landing light/light saber. Fun for me.

I only ran it for a few minutes and the K2 seemed to grow brighter as it ran. I am tickled. This light goes to my brother-in-law on the 25th so I think I will get a glass lens and some fresh batteries. I hope he likes it.

All the best,

oregon

[denn]

not worth the effort man. just get a Surefire, Inova or whatnot.

Mag-Lite's are weak dumbbells anyway :) :D

denn

[oregon]

It is fun for me to do this simple modification.

The cost: $10 Maglite (black friiday sales at Lowes) + $33 dropin LED + $1 for 4 batteries (dollar store, 1 extra bat) = $44.

Which Surefire can I get with adjustable beam for $44?

I think that Mags are sweet. I enjoy their non-tactical/harmless appearance. Have you seen the copper ones (Target)? Too bad they have not keep up as much as I would like them to with the progress in flashlight technology.

All the best,

oregon

[denn]

It is fun for me to do this simple modification.

The cost: $10 Maglite (black friiday sales at Lowes) + $33 dropin LED + $1 for 4 batteries (dollar store, 1 extra bat) = $44.

Which Surefire can I get with adjustable beam for $44?

I think that Mags are sweet. I enjoy their non-tactical/harmless appearance. Have you seen the copper ones (Target)? Too bad they have not keep up as much as I would like them to with the progress in flashlight technology.

All the best,

oregon

well, if you're cool with the work you put in it, as in a fun-to-do-like-a-hobby-chore, then it IS worth the effort for you

surefire with adjustable beam for 44 bucks? > get a used one :cool: . check sales-corners of torch- and knife-forums and you'll find plenty. or try to score one in a WTT-knife/torch trade (?)

i got and have had my share of Mag's as well, still got a 3D'er that i hardly ever use. but ever since i got my first Surefire, i wanted nothing to do with Mag-Lites anymore. simply completely hooked on the magic that is Surefire...

btw, Mag-Lites make for great melee-weapons! hold by the lens-end, and BANG, lights out! :D

denn

[oregon]

btw, Mag-Lites make for great melee-weapons! hold by the lens-end, and BANG, lights out! :D

denn

LMAO

oregon