Sprucing up my Maglites, Recommendations, Tips, Advice sought.

[EscapeVelocity]

My plastic MagLite reflector melted! This from about 3 minutes of continuous use with the Pelican Hi bulb in there. WooT!

 

[EscapeVelocity]

Update:

The Reverse Polarity Side Emitting LED Bulb came in. I wonder if I need to modify the rear spring to make contace when I reverse the batteries?

The Butler Creek #40 Objective Lens Flip Cover came it and it is a perfect fit for all my C & D cell MagLites. The newer style and the old style, C & D. I will use this on the two 6Cs that are going in the vehicles, to keep the lenses clean. Need to order another one, now that I know I got the right size. This size slips on tight, but not too tight. You can with some finesse get them back off of the flashlight heads but they arent about to slip off on their own. It is also light-tight, when closed...and no light slipping out the back side.

 

[EscapeVelocity]

Almost ready to do some comprehensive beamshots and comparison write ups. Just waiting on the Brand New in Box MagLite 3D LED Upgrade Bulb and the Aluminum Reflectors to get here.

 

[darkknightlight]

Thanks. I think the Centura C cells are 4000mah. The Pelican 3584 Lo bulb is 2 amp draw. It isnt as impressive but better than a stock Maglite 6 cell xenon. I just put a MagLite 5 cell Xenon in the 6C Mag (with the Centuras) and it is pretty good, about on the level with the Pelican 3584 Lo bulb. I wonder what the draw is on that.

I can't tell you what the draw is on a 5 cell xenon, but I would be very surprised if it was near the 3854 low. A good resource for bulb draw information is the Popular bulbs current including Surefire thread; its in the threads of interest sticky in the incan forum.

 

[EscapeVelocity]

Thanks. Looks like 1 amp draw from the 5 cell xenon under normal usage. 180 Lumens @ 7.5v

3854 Lo is 290 Lumens @ 6v 2 amp draw

 

[darkknightlight]

Awesome! Where did you end up finding info about the over driven 5 cell mag bulb?

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

 

[EscapeVelocity]

Awesome! Where did you end up finding info about the over driven 5 cell mag bulb?

I found a thread here which had some info I had seen elsewhere, but it's just MagLite bulb specs. With the 6 NiMH batteries Ill be at 7.2v or possibly up to 8.4v but with resistance loss in the spring and elsewhere in the flashlight of about 1.2v or so, brings it back down within bulb spec. Not so much overdriving the bulb, as driving the bulb to spec....whereas normal design by MagLite is to underdrive the bulbs for longevity. At least that is what my reading has led me to believe.

 

[darkknightlight]

I found a thread here which had some info I had seen elsewhere, but it's just MagLite bulb specs. With the 6 NiMH batteries Ill be at 7.2v or possibly up to 8.4v but with resistance loss in the spring and elsewhere in the flashlight of about 1.2v or so, brings it back down within bulb spec. Not so much overdriving the bulb, as driving the bulb to spec....whereas normal design by MagLite is to underdrive the bulbs for longevity. At least that is what my reading has led me to believe.

Yes, there is a lot of cummulative system resistance between the maglite spring and switch assembly, but 1.2 volts worth at only a 1 amp draw seems really high. If the draw was closer to ten amps, then I could definitely see that much of a voltage drop due to the total system resistance. In fact, I believe LuxLuthor has a thread in the incan threads of interest section about how to measure voltage in a maglite that discusses this.

The other thing to consider is that while the nominal voltage of a nimh cell is 1.2 volts, they actually come off the charger at 1.48 volts. In any case, if it took 6 cells to drive a 5 cell bulb to spec, that same 5 cell bulb on five actual cells would be really yellow I think. Also, that would mean that each bulb would have to be spec'd one cell lower; a 3 cell would be spec'd to run off of two cells and so on. I have read that Maglite bulbs are designed around the 1.2 volt per cell nominal range.

There are a couple of threads somewhere discussing the use of 14 gauge speaker wire to bridge the distance between the top of the battery spring and the contact point in the tailcap, thereby decreasing total system resistance.

EDIT: Yikes! I take it back. It sounds like that much of a voltage drop due to total system resistance can happen at lower draws than I thought (more like 3 amps). Looks like I have more reading and learning to do. Sorry for the confusion!

 

[EscapeVelocity]

Thanks for the reply and details. Yes, I saw that LuxLuthor (great nom de plume) thread....it's where I picked up the quick and dirty round about number from. And yes the NiMH come off of charge around 1.5 (or 1.4 is what I used for my example). Im thinking the 5 Cell Xenon in a 6 Cell Mag is a good and easy mod. I have no idea how MagLite spec'd design with regards to the bulbs produced for their flashlights though. Could be they already have this stuff figured into the design. And I did see that speaker wire mod for reducing the substantial resistance in the big tailcap steel spring. Dont know that lll get the soldering gun out though. But thanks for bringing it up.

 

[EscapeVelocity]

I might return the ebay special reverse polarity 6v-3.2v LED PR bulb. I reversed the batteries in the 3D MagLite and inserted the bulb, but nothing. Any suggestions?

 

[darkknightlight]

I might return the ebay special reverse polarity 6v-3.2v LED PR bulb. I reversed the batteries in the 3D MagLite and inserted the bulb, but nothing. Any suggestions?

Did you alter the tail spring and switch positive contact point at all? If I am understanding you correctly, the led pr bulb is designed to be run with the batteries backwards in the light? If so, there is a good chance that the positive end of the battery is not making contact with the tailspring and the negative end of the battery not making contact with bottom metal contact of the maglite switch.

 

[EscapeVelocity]

Did you alter the tail spring and switch positive contact point at all? If I am understanding you correctly, the led pr bulb is designed to be run with the batteries backwards in the light? If so, there is a good chance that the positive end of the battery is not making contact with the tailspring and the negative end of the battery not making contact with bottom metal contact of the maglite switch.

Yes. That is what Im thinking as well. Dont know that Im interested in investing to much time and energy to make it work though.

 

[EscapeVelocity]

So I was at KMart looking at their floating lanterns and noticed that they had 4 Craftsman Variable Power LED PR Upgrade Bulbs on the rack. I liked the one I got on ebay so much (better than the Nite Ize 1 Watt and TerraLUX 1F), I decided to buy them all as they have been discontinued. However when I got home, I tried one out in the 3D MagLite and was disappointed, so I checked it against the one I got on ebay and it was very different beam characteristics. So I compared them and they are not the same bulb. The ebay one seems to be much better quality build, and the LED emitter is not the same...being larger on the ebay Craftsman bulb. I will be returning the 4 back to KMart.

The Nite Ize 1 watt is available at Lowe's Brick & Mortar, and is my recommendation. The TerraLUX 1F seems to be the same bulb but is only available online...and is getting harder to find.

 

[EscapeVelocity]

My 4 MOP and 1 SMO Aluminum (screw on cammed) reflectors arrived finally! They do improve the beam quality on the LEDs, but on the Xenon bulb in the 5D it is kind of spikey.

I got one SMO for throw purposes with the Xenons and ROP bulbs that Im playing with in the 5D (currently running 6 LSD NiMH Tenergy Centuras in a 1" PVC pipe).

I also have a TerraLUX TLE-310M-EX on the way.

Hopefully I will have time to do a big test with beamshots for everyone next Monday or Tuesday.

 

[FILIPPO]

My 4 MOP and 1 SMO Aluminum (screw on cammed) reflectors arrived finally! They do improve the beam quality on the LEDs, but on the Xenon bulb in the 5D it is kind of spikey.

I got one SMO for throw purposes with the Xenons and ROP bulbs that Im playing with in the 5D (currently running 6 LSD NiMH Tenergy Centuras in a 1" PVC pipe).

I also have a TerraLUX TLE-310M-EX on the way.

Hopefully I will have time to do a big test with beamshots for everyone next Monday or Tuesday.

I have a mag 6D with genuine Xenon magnum bulb running on litho's allu. MOP reflector ... This really can give you a PERFECT round beam shape.. Maybe the best beam shape i have ever seen on a maglite...

With more powerfull bulbs you can't obtain this becouse of the size of the filament..

 

[Freax]

know what a great replacement for bottled graphite is?

lead/graphite from a carpenters pencil

I've been using the graphite that you can get from a bottle, never again! its far too fine and bunches up then falls out of the thread.

The carpenters pencil graphite works great on torch threads for making the thread either a bit smoother or a lot smoother, even thicker.

Own a Maglite C and twisted the tailcap on only to have your ears bleed from the high pitched squeal? Put a little graphite on it!

It also makes the mini mag twisting action the same way, slightly thick like 15w-40 or thick like 20w50 or molasses, so you can fine tune a lot easier and prevent any premature turn-ons in your pocket.

I just got my carpenters pencil and scraped some of it off into the thread, running perpendicular to the thread groove, then put the tailcap or head back on and gauge how much more I need.

For a mini mag at least it makes it feel like a million dollars, even though it already is, a 1980s mini, built the way they used to make them.

Only use as much as you need though, graphite is conductive!.

 

[darkangel55555]

know what a great replacement for bottled graphite is?

lead/graphite from a carpenters pencil

I've been using the graphite that you can get from a bottle, never again! its far too fine and bunches up then falls out of the thread.

The carpenters pencil graphite works great on torch threads for making the thread either a bit smoother or a lot smoother, even thicker.

Own a Maglite C and twisted the tailcap on only to have your ears bleed from the high pitched squeal? Put a little graphite on it!

It also makes the mini mag twisting action the same way, slightly thick like 15w-40 or thick like 20w50 or molasses, so you can fine tune a lot easier and prevent any premature turn-ons in your pocket.

I just got my carpenters pencil and scraped some of it off into the thread, running perpendicular to the thread groove, then put the tailcap or head back on and gauge how much more I need.

For a mini mag at least it makes it feel like a million dollars, even though it already is, a 1980s mini, built the way they used to make them.

Only use as much as you need though, graphite is conductive!.

Is there a noticeable difference in the graphite lubricity between different hardness pencils? I'm not familiar with carpenter pencils but presumably they would readily substitute with a softer pencil from a drawing set.

I would guess that the softer pencils, lacking as high a clay content, therefore being "purer" graphite, would be better among them. Personally, I use bottled graphite powder (remember not to inhale!).

 

[Freax]

Is there a noticeable difference in the graphite lubricity between different hardness pencils? I'm not familiar with carpenter pencils but presumably they would readily substitute with a softer pencil from a drawing set.

I would guess that the softer pencils, lacking as high a clay content, therefore being "purer" graphite, would be better among them. Personally, I use bottled graphite powder (remember not to inhale!).

No no no , You need the thicker harder graphite so the graphite doesn't push out of the threads when you first tighten it back up.

If you screw up and put too much on, so much that its too hard to twist on, just run the torch threads under the tap, or get a tissue and wet it and rub off the graphite and try again.

The stuff in the bottle is too light and too fine, its a dust, you don't want dust, it will make the threads smooth but not luxuriously smooth.

If you put a lot of it onto a steel anvil, and then hit the steel anvil with a hammer which is also got its head coated in the same graphite, and then hit the hammer onto the anvil, it will deaden the action of the hammer and deaden the sound, that is in essence what it does to the threads, it deadens the action of the threads coming together and cling clanging like a couple of steel balls hitting each other, and insted replaces it with a softer more dead sensation.

Its really quite nice.

I think what it is, there is an addition of some kind of bonding stuff in the graphite. You need a RED oval shaped carpenters pencil that is good for marking on wood, nothing too hard and nothing too soft.

Thats why I went away from the bottled graphite powder, it was so light and so low in friction that it just fell right out of the thread on the first tightening up and it all ended up on the negative battery terminal and inside where the globe is and around the reflector.

This stuff from these pencils though doesn't move much if at all from the threads.

 

[ThrowerLover]

I recently bought this Perlens long range lens upgrade off of ebay for my old 4 D cell, non D-prefix Maglite ($19.85 with shipping). Search for it on ebay using "long range lens upgrade". It also works in my 2 & 3 D cell lights, but I've since put Fusion Showerheads in those. There is also a version for the MagLED and the MiniMag. The older Mags need to have an LED upgrade. Mine has the Terralux TLE-6EX.



This is how it's promoted on the ebay page: "Used in the Maglite this lens focuses to a projected image of the LED die which is approximately 4 degrees square (6.6m at 100m range). All of the LED output which directly strikes the rear of the lens is focused. Extraneous light which strikes the flashlight reflector forms a halo away from the focused beam."

I don't have a great place to take a beam shot (there are some on the ebay page), but might be able to this weekend while on a turkey hunt. From what I've been able to see so far, the hotspot and range are definitely improved. As he states, it does result in the square-die image being projected. I assume it will work with higher quality LED upgrades like the Malkoff. If so, this thing would be a stunnah! And he's not kidding about the halo. It's unusual because it's fairly well defined. It might annoy some folks, but doesn't bother me. The only disadvantage I can see so far is that the lens sticks out past the bezel, so it won't headstand now. A strike bezel would solve that problem, but even I'm not willing to drop another twenty-five bucks on this light.

My opinion is that if you have an older Mag that you've upgraded with an LED, you'll want to try this thing, but I'm posting mostly because I'm curious to see if anyone else has bought it and has an opinion to offer. BTW, I ordered one for a MiniMag also, but when I went to carefully clean all of the gunk (adhesive) that Terralux had carelessly applied to the dome of their older version, the LED stopped working. I'm not certain I want to spend another $17 on an LED upgrade for a MiniMag, but it is the wife's favorite task light (it's purple) and I already spent the $10 for the new lens. For now, I just put the old incan bulb back in it.