Question concerning Maglite 2AA

[ToyTank]

If the light is direct drive alkaline or lithium will be brighter. WIth NIMH though you get real long runtimes at lower output.

I have modded incan minimags with HRCI 5mm LEDS vf 3.0-3.6V and they are very bright for almost the whole life of a lithium battery and about half the life of an alkaline then you get the long taper.

With NIMH it is bright with about 50ma draw until it hits about 1.35 per cell then output and draw drops to about 3-5 ma. After 1.25 draw is 1ma but output is still usable and should run for about 1000 hours as voltage drops current drops. Not sure I think about 1.15v per cell it may stop I'm actually 4 days into a runtime test.

 

[Obsessed]

I wouldn't say my MiniMAG AA LED has focusability (?). It kind of just goes from horribly artifact laced beam to slightly less horribly artifact laced beam. I don't consider it a selling point or even useful. If it were me I'd probably compare it to cheap single AA Fenix lights like the E11 which has a higher high and low setting without the flashing modes and very reasonably price.

Truer words have never been spoken.

The only thing I use my Mags for is to show how dim they are next to my Flashaholic Lights. :devil:

 

[bladesmith3]

Truer words have never been spoken.

The only thing I use my Mags for is to show how dim they are next to my Flashaholic Lights. :devil:

sad thing is........ that is also my only use for my mini mags. lol

 

[rambo180]

sad thing is........ that is also my only use for my mini mags. lol

OK are we talking similar price and batteries/size range mags to your flashaholic torches.. or are we compring a Thrunite TN11s to a maglite mini. Apples and oranges guys! apples and oranges.

(I am not sure I want to know the answer, i'm afraid to hear the mags are in the same battery category and get blown away! haha)

 

[ericjohn]

Back in late 2005 and early 2006, I had my first to be several of Mini Maglites. At the time I had no income and only so much in the bank. Ergo, instead of buying alkaline AA's constantly, I used some NiMH AA's. Talk about overdrive. Running the Krypton bi-pin on those batteries produced a more potent light than running their current Xenon bi-pins on alkalines, iirc. I had used that light everyday, several times a day. The bulb lasted from December to May. I wouldn't advise doing this with a Xenon lamp. I had a S&W 2AA Xenon flashlight, it was designed to run on two Energizer Max (alkalines.) I thought it would be cool to run it on Energizer Ultimate Lithium. Insta-flash. Luckily I had a spare bulb. Xenon bulbs are more sensitive to higher voltages, so that is why I wouldn't advise using NiMH or Lithium on Mini Maglites with Xenon bulbs. If you can find the Krypton bi-pins, they will make a VERY strong light when overdriven.

Here's something interesting I have observed:
I had a couple of batteries (AA Energizer Ultimate Lithiums.) At the time, I my cell phone charger went out, so I went to the Home Depot and purchased an Energizer phone charger that was powered on AA batteries. I had charged my phone (a Motorola Buzz) and used up those batteries, or so I thought. For the hell of it, I tried them in one of my flashlights and it was still as bright as if the batteries were fresh out the package. Some months later, I tried them in my aforementioned Mini Maglite (yes that is the story I just told about the overdriven Krypton bi-pin.) I decided to hook one of them up to my electrical multi tester. After all that use, I still had a reading of 1.7 Volts! Do the math, there had to be some kind of voltage drop from using those batteries and they were still putting out more power than a fresh Alkaline battery. I am guessing they must have a fresh voltage of 1.8x but I am not sure.

Works wonderfully with a Krypton bulb, but would instantly kill a Xenon bulb.

Enough of that.

The point I am trying to get across is; it is allright to use NiMH or Lithium on a Mini Maglite equipped with a Krypton bulb, but don't you dare try it with a Xenon. If you do you will have wasted at least $0.98. If you are still interested in using NiMH, buy some White Star bi-pins in bulk. Given the right (slightly excessive) amount of power this bulb can be really something else.

 

[thospress]

I have a Maglite 2AA LED flashlight and had a question. I have done a search here and found multiple answers. In my paperwork for the Maglite it says not to use rechargeable batteries. There seems to be some variable opinions on here though. I had found some people saying they were able to use rechargeables. I would prefer to be able to use Eneloops or something rechargeable like that for the convenience of recharging, and also due to having less chance of an alkaline battery leaking and ruining the flashlight. If anyone has any experience and has done this before, help would be appreciated. Also, if you do use rechargeables, does that change the output at all?

I emailed Maglite Customer Service to ask that question and their response was that all rechargeables will shorten the life of Mag leds. Their rationale is that rechargeables maintain a constant voltage while the alkalines (which their lights are designed to use) do not. Does this make sense to anyone out there and if so, would it apply to other lights that warn against using rechargeables (like Inova)?

 

[WarRaven]

Hmm, through a voltage drop under load?
Natural though most want to drive a led to keep light output up, not let it dwindle down for self preservation of the light over the users preservation.
A NiMH gives what you need, alkaleaks give what the oem needs.

Kind of like torque management in new trucks, you simply can't have all the power, you might use it and cost oem a warranty claim.

 

[WalkIntoTheLight]

Any light designed to require the internal resistance of alkaline batteries to work properly, is crap. And Maglites fall into this category.

Yes, I have noticed that Maglites tend to run brighter on NiMH batteries, compared to alkalines. Since Maglites are so poorly heatsinked, perhaps this does cause the LED to wear out prematurely. If it does, well, it's time to buy a better light. Get a light that is output-regulated, and designed to work with NiMH batteries.

 

[leon2245]

Mini maglites work great on eneloops! No ill effects with mine, and even if NiMH did suddenly start destroying them for some reason after all this time, I would simply walk into any big box store (Walmart, target, Home Depot, lowes, sears etc.) & just swap them out for new ones. And even if I didn't have that option, if/when mine fail they're so inexpensive I wouldn't hesitate for a second to rebuy. Best all round lights I've ever owned at any price, for my purposes; the only downside is how mad the Internet will get at you for liking them so much!

 

[KeepingItLight]

Gotta say, a discussion between Maglite fans and Maglite detractors can be more contentious than a debate about NW vs. CW!

It should be easy, however, for all to agree on one thing. If Maglite is making a 2x AA flashlight for which it expressly states that rechargeable NiMH batteries should not be used, that is a model we cannot recommend. Period.

 

[leon2245]

It should be easy, however, for all to agree on one thing.

The Internet would shut down, if that ever happens on any topic.

 

[WalkIntoTheLight]

It should be easy, however, for all to agree on one thing. If Maglite is making a 2x AA flashlight for which it expressly states that rechargeable NiMH batteries should not be used, that is a model we cannot recommend. Period.

IIRC, they state that for all their lights, not just the 2xAA format. I have no idea if it really harms them if you use NiMH or not. NiMH seem to work fine, but perhaps it's doing long-term damage. Or, I'm sure we could come up with a number of conspiracy theories about why Maglite states to only use alkalines.

 

[KeepingItLight]

IIRC, they state that for all their lights, not just the 2xAA format. I have no idea if it really harms them if you use NiMH or not. NiMH seem to work fine, but perhaps it's doing long-term damage. Or, I'm sure we could come up with a number of conspiracy theories about why Maglite states to only use alkalines.

Wow. That sounds like a bad marketing move.

To me, the reason is not important. If a flashlight taking AA batteries is not rated by its manufacturer for use with all three common types of AA battery, then it's a no-go for me. Same thing for AAA.

• NiMH rechargeable
• Lithium primary
• Alkaline primary

If any of these formats is missing from the specs, then I don't buy. Period.

Perhaps the flashlight in question has been designed for all three battery types, but the maker is withholding that fact for some reason. That does not matter to me. I don't have the patience to try to find out what might work or not. Besides that, using a battery type that is not recommended could invalidate a warranty.

Rechargeable 3.7v Li-ion 14500s are different. Sometimes I like an AA flashlight to take those in addition to the three formats listed above, but not always.

I am more tolerant for flashlights using C- and D-size batteries. Lithium primary and NiMH rechargeable batteries are a little harder to find in those sizes.

Any Maglite experts know about this? How many Mags have specs that say, "Do not use rechargeable batteries" or "Only for use with alkaline batteries?" Most? All?

 

[KeepingItLight]

It should be easy, however, for all to agree on one thing...

The Internet would shut down, if that ever happens on any topic.

Well, I did hedge a little bit when I said "should!" :laughing:

 

[more_vampires]

IIRC, they state that for all their lights, not just the 2xAA format. I have no idea if it really harms them if you use NiMH or not. NiMH seem to work fine, but perhaps it's doing long-term damage. Or, I'm sure we could come up with a number of conspiracy theories about why Maglite states to only use alkalines.

Magcharger, sir. Maglite sells NiMH packs for their Magchargers and don't want you to buy anyone else's. They made the pack a funky length to "stop" (lol) you from using aftermarket batteries.

Curse you, Maglite! You've foiled us from modifying!

 

[WalkIntoTheLight]

Magcharger, sir. Maglite sells NiMH packs for their Magchargers and don't want you to buy anyone else's. They made the pack a funky length to "stop" (lol) you from using aftermarket batteries.

Heh, maybe they designed their proprietary battery to have the same crappy performance as alkalines!

 

[WarRaven]

Heh, maybe they designed their proprietary battery to have the same crappy performance as alkalines!

I really didn't want to say that but, um possible.☺

 

[more_vampires]

Well it takes forever and a day to charge from dry, 16hrs IIRC. That's one strike on it.

 

[WarRaven]

Everyone I knew back then with magchargers, would always be so proud about that light, it'd go like... Let me go get my light and show you fellas...
We'd all be gone.
It's only good if it's on you ☺

Just kidding.

 

[KeepingItLight]

Any Maglite experts know about this? How many Mags have specs that say, "Do not use rechargeable batteries" or "Only for use with alkaline batteries?" Most? All?

Gee. Can't I even get a sheepish, "Well, there are a few!"