Maglite 2D mods and options

[alpg88]

I have 3500lm 12 xte leds dropin, from LC, it is 3 mode, great dropin, pure flood, you can not even compare that flood with lame maglite "zoom", literally night and day. It is only available in cool white thou,

 

[Przemo(c)]

Great stuff, thank you so much, guys, for such elaborative explanation, suggestions and links. I think it has left no stone unturned for me now in terms what I needed to know and of course I'm going for it now

 

[froze]

Some refer to the 213 lumen model as 2D classic because it's made (mostly) from the parts the classic units were made of.

If you want to get 2000 lumens you need to start with this one.

Maglite 2-Cell D Xenon Flashlight

Every Maglite flashlight embodies a precise balance of refined optics, efficient power, durability, and quality. Each Maglite D-Cell flashlight includes two high-intensity Xenon Lamps for enhanced brilliance and extended range. Comes packaged in a chipboard box.

maglite.com

That Xenon Maglite does not put out 2,000 lumens, the 2-cell model only puts out only 27 lumens according to the Maglite.

Maglite since being taken over by China has become junk, the switches are very poorly made now. In addition, the LED conversion is also cheaply made, I bought one and it failed in about 3 months, and when it did work it didn't put out anything near 2000 lumens, maybe 75 to 100 even though the one that I bought claimed 500 and some odd lumens, and the zoom did not work as good with the conversion LED verses the original Xenon bulb I had.

You would better off just buying a new light, and if you want something inexpensive but good then look at NEBO lights, you can get 2000-lumen lights for around $55, they even have a 6000-lumen light for $90, and they have a bunch of different lights, just take a gander. I own 4 of their older versions and they all run great.

 

[bykfixer]

Whatintheworld are you talking about?

 

[letschat7]

Whatintheworld are you talking about?

Fck'd if I know.

 

[alpg88]

That Xenon Maglite does not put out 2,000 lumens, the 2-cell model only puts out only 27 lumens according to the Maglite.

LOL, he said start with it, meaning xenon 2d is one of the easiest to mod, you can make it into anything. if you have no skills or tools you can buy 3500lm drop in kit. if you do have skills and tools, your imagination is the limit.
I moded probably 100 maglites, I have 4D that puts out over 10000lm, and it is halogen, 2C that uses 3500lm drop in, and everything in between pretty much, including 4D with an aircraft landing light.

 

[letschat7]

Woah!!!

 

[bykfixer]

LOL, he said start with it, meaning xenon 2d is one of the easiest to mod, you can make it into anything. if you have no skills or tools you can buy 3500lm drop in kit. if you do have skills and tools, your imagination is the limit.
I moded probably 100 maglites, I have 4D that puts out over 10000lm, and it is halogen, 2C that uses 3500lm drop in, and everything in between pretty much, including 4D with an aircraft landing light.

I was talking about the "Maglite since taken over by China" part. I wonder if Tony Maglica knows that.

 

[hsa]

 

[letschat7]

You would better off just buying a new light, and if you want something inexpensive but good then look at NEBO lights, you can get 2000-lumen lights for around $55, they even have a 6000-lumen light for $90, and they have a bunch of different lights, just take a gander. I own 4 of their older versions and they all run great.

Nebo is Chinese made and I believe it is named after a false diety. My boss gave me one and it was D.O.A. I can't repair it without putting real money into it and it would still be just a Nebo. I seen these at the hardware shop back and they day and found them laughable but the specs seem better nowadays.

I can't judge you though if you like Nebo you like them. I like Led Lenser, Suprabeam, Varta, and some other made in China Euro lights but really I'm overpaying for low quality/performance typically. Still if you care about how American Mag is I wouldn't bring Nebo up as some kind of great alternative.

You are better off buying a 500 lumen light that is reliable and/or has long run time. Than worrying about a large amount of lumens. I don't even see lights maintaining 1600-2000 lumens without stepping down and battery life for high powered lights are and hour or two it seems.

 

[Chicken Drumstick]

In my 20 years on this and other flashlight forums, and moding over 100 maglites, I can't think of anyone moding the mag, trying to keep that useless "zoom" which offers nothing but a very poor quality unfocused beam for close up, i sure do not miss it on any of my mods, pretty much any decent mod eliminates the need for it, and will give you wider and much nicer flood.

Not sure I agree with this. I was using a stock Mini Mag AA the other night. Yes an Incan one. The flood beam is not an even universal beam. But it allows the little light to offer flood and tight throw from a very small amount of lumens. The modern LED ones just don't do the flood mode very well as they get a hole in the beam much sooner. On my Incan modded Magcharger the variable beam is also highly useful. It is a shame the LED ones can't do the same. Seems for LED you do need an optic like LED Lenser. But the beam is then an extreme at either end of spot/flood. And offers no spill beam.

 

[CelticCross74]

Not sure I agree with this. I was using a stock Mini Mag AA the other night. Yes an Incan one. The flood beam is not an even universal beam. But it allows the little light to offer flood and tight throw from a very small amount of lumens. The modern LED ones just don't do the flood mode very well as they get a hole in the beam much sooner. On my Incan modded Magcharger the variable beam is also highly useful. It is a shame the LED ones can't do the same. Seems for LED you do need an optic like LED Lenser. But the beam is then an extreme at either end of spot/flood. And offers no spill beam.

I have never seen any kind of reflector upgrades for nearly anything. When I do find Magz aftermarket I have aluminum reflectors installed if it is going to be a hot high lumen job. Do not want to melt the plastic stock reflector. If I were to just make ONE change it has GOT to be that a quality GLASS LENS can easily be switched out. Can make an amazing difference but that mess between near and far is still just that a mess. I only have a good headlamp from LED Lenser. It had one handed zoom from great spill to great throw and back again. The best value LED lights right now is actually COAST. All those lights that you can turn on while they are still in their packaging and the light features a one handed push pull change for near to throw. Coast also make lights that you need two hands to turn the reflector to change the beam profile. The thing with COAST is that as cheap as some of their lights are they have some of the BEST zoom lights in the world.

 

[oldmanlite]

I have never seen any kind of reflector upgrades for nearly anything. When I do find Magz aftermarket I have aluminum reflectors installed if it is going to be a hot high lumen job. Do not want to melt the plastic stock reflector. If I were to just make ONE change it has GOT to be that a quality GLASS LENS can easily be switched out. Can make an amazing difference but that mess between near and far is still just that a mess. I only have a good headlamp from LED Lenser. It had one handed zoom from great spill to great throw and back again. The best value LED lights right now is actually COAST. All those lights that you can turn on while they are still in their packaging and the light features a one handed push pull change for near to throw. Coast also make lights that you need two hands to turn the reflector to change the beam profile. The thing with COAST is that as cheap as some of their lights are they have some of the BEST zoom lights in the world.

Costco right now has a Coast 1000lm 3 pack rechargeable,usb c. 29.99!. pretty sweet,i bought one. plesantly supprised by the thing. 1000 lm high. 420 lm med. 150 lm low.

 

[xxo]

I don't much care for coast's zoom - too floody when zoomed in and I wonder how much water resistance is compromised by the zoom? Bottom line for me, is that Mags are better lights (much better made, more useful) and are still made in the USA.

It's hard to beat something like the 2C ML25 for shear utility and value and the 213 lumen 2D, or any of the ML50 or ML300 series are excellent as well.

I like the 3C xenon for modding as it will run on 2X protected 21700's with a 6 cell bulb or drop-in.

 

[CelticCross74]

all of my Magz are "well optioned" I guess U could say. They all have at least the good glass lenses. My favorite LED light is up in my room. It is a blue 4 D cell Mag. It was originally a weak incan. It now also has the "3-4 D cell" Malkoff drop in and it fits and functions perfectly. At most it makes roughly 400 lumens but remember this is a full size D cell Mag. I could keep that thing running for near two weeks before it would even appear to flicker. The cheap plastic Mag full sized reflector is actually EXTREMELY good. Love the big Mag's MASSIVE beam profile up against a decent target. Oh and it has a tricked out low resistance switch which has amazingly worked exactly as advertised.

 

[letschat7]

I've been buying Maglite glass lenses as budget permits. Nearly all my C Mags have them.

Last night I decided to use stock 2D since the weather is warm enough to safely use alkalines. I'll mod it once the batteries are used up.