What's the absolute cheapest 3AA to 1D adapter out there?

I want to bring some new life into my Mag 2D. I'd like to put 6AA alkalines in it with a 5-cell Krypton bulb. What's the cheapest adapter I can buy? I've seen Fivemega's stuff but that's way overkill for what I'm looking for.

Aventrade's 4AA adapters are only about $5, they are parallel, so you can use anywhere from 1-4 cells...

http://www.aventrade.com/baad.html


I have been thinking of trying these in my 3D MAG /w Terralux TLE-6EXB since I have so many NiMH AA's laying around.

LITEmania has some available available over on the Marketplace.
#16. 3AA to 1D Battery Holder ( series connection ) : 3$ each : unlimited

bimemrboy318 said:

I want to bring some new life into my Mag 2D. I'd like to put 6AA alkalines in it with a 5-cell Krypton bulb. What's the cheapest adapter I can buy? I've seen Fivemega's stuff but that's way overkill for what I'm looking for.

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Done this myself, tried the 4-cell krypton as well, but if you can get your hands on an Energizer HPR71 (6v 10w, made for the "Dolphin Rechageable") you will just about get the giggles. Not sure if it will melt anything, but wow.

This is in an area I was thinking of. I got a 2D LED Mag. Can I just use these converter's and stick 6 AA's in it? Or is there some mystical math floating around here that I need to ponder for a few years to make it work?

To use the 2D LED module you would need the parallel adapters (to maintain 2 x cell voltage).
The 2D LED module will with 6 AAs in series.

A common/lowish cost LED upgrade with 2 x series 3AA/D is to use the Terralux 6EX LED drop-in, which (unlike the Mag 2D LED) will run off 6 AAs, and has about twice the output of the 2D Mag LED.

If you want to 'upgrade' to a 5 cell Xenon/Krypton incan. bulb (as the OP did), then you would need the series adapters (for 6 times cell voltage). This is slightly overdriving the cell, (and so shortening its life) but this does mean a whiter and brighter output.
This also opens up the potential for much bigger and better incan. upgrades (ROP, 5761 etc), although for these you need a better adapter, and other upgrades.

Phaetos said:

This is in an area I was thinking of. I got a 2D LED Mag. Can I just use these converter's and stick 6 AA's in it? Or is there some mystical math floating around here that I need to ponder for a few years to make it work?

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You'll kill your mag-led module... Anyway, Mag-Led 2D has a 35h flat regulation (at 50% brightness after thermal drop) on 2D alkaline... No need for rechargeable in this light. Then a looooooooooooong diminishing, still bright enough moon mode for over 150h!

I wasn't really considering rechargeables, just looking to get all my lights to use one common cell. Almost everything else is AA, except for that Mag. I have some junker lights that run off D's also, but I think I'm gonna trash 'em. So, what would I need to convert it to run off AA?

Phaetos said:

I wasn't really considering rechargeables, just looking to get all my lights to use one common cell. Almost everything else is AA, except for that Mag. I have some junker lights that run off D's also, but I think I'm gonna trash 'em. So, what would I need to convert it to run off AA?

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Many of us have been looking for 3AA to 1D adapters (from a US supplier) for a long time...

Good luck in your search and if you find anything, let us know.

WildChild said:

You'll kill your mag-led module... Anyway, Mag-Led 2D has a 35h flat regulation (at 50% brightness after thermal drop) on 2D alkaline... No need for rechargeable in this light. Then a looooooooooooong diminishing, still bright enough moon mode for over 150h!

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If it's a parallel AA to D adapter instead of a series adapter it will be fine.

Anyone have any numbers/first hand experience with how "Bad" the 3aa-1d adapters from LITEmania are as far as lumens lost/runtime lost goes? I'm using one in a ROP and it seems pretty bright with no thermal danger, but I have nothing to compare it to. Going to order a few of them for a Mag85 till I can get a good FM adapter.

jeremyison05 said:

Anyone have any numbers/first hand experience with how "Bad" the 3aa-1d adapters from LITEmania are as far as lumens lost/runtime lost goes? I'm using one in a ROP and it seems pretty bright with no thermal danger, but I have nothing to compare it to. Going to order a few of them for a Mag85 till I can get a good FM adapter.

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Do you have a link to pics or information about the LITEmania 3AA to 1D adapters? I assume they're series?

h2xblive said:

Do you have a link to pics or information about the LITEmania 3AA to 1D adapters? I assume they're series?

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Yes they are series. And there is a picture in post #30 in my link above.

jeremyison05 said:

Anyone have any numbers/first hand experience with how "Bad" the 3aa-1d adapters from LITEmania are as far as lumens lost/runtime lost goes? I'm using one in a ROP and it seems pretty bright with no thermal danger, but I have nothing to compare it to. Going to order a few of them for a Mag85 till I can get a good FM adapter.

Click to expand...

According to my lightbox readings, with a ROP low, (< 2A current) there is little difference in output between the LITEmania adapters and the FM one - less than 10% difference in output, so no more than 30 lumens difference.

However with ROP high (4A current) the difference is at least 20%, so well over 100 lumens difference.

Using good AAs also makes a difference, changing from Uniross Hybrios to Eneloops made about the same difference, as the adapters, so doing both was a big jump - the ROP high output doubled!

I have the litemania 3AA to D. The ROP bulbs work great in 6 or 7 combos. I am not sure that the stock mag will take the heat.

If memory serves, wasn't the 6V dolphin halogen a 9 watt bulb?
Didn't they stop making them a few years ago?
The ROP LOW bulb would be a good fit for 6 rechargeables.

The ROP LOW bulb can be had in 2 voltages so the best fit for all those throwaway alky cells would be the Pelican 3854 LOW bulb (6 volt) and not the Pelican 3853 LOW bulb that's matched for the higher voltage from rechargeable NiMH cells.

LumenHound said:

If memory serves, wasn't the 6V dolphin halogen a 9 watt bulb?
Didn't they stop making them a few years ago?

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No, 10w. It's the HPR71, and is still available in Australia in hardware stores that sell the Rechargeable Dolphin. For a price - they're rather dear.

Although the HPR71 (claimed 10w) and the 3854L (claimed 11w) give similar performance, the HPR71 physically resembles the 3854H.

The HPR71 is made in Germany.

Just want to moderate expectations on the HPR71, and put it into perspective.

The 3854L is 11w, and Pelican claims 290 lumens at the rated 6v.
The HPR71 is 10w, and Philips claims 210 lumens at the rated 6v.

So my earlier claim that the performance is similar must be taken with a grain of salt. I need to charge my batteries and do some resistance fixes!

The HPR71 is still impressive, though. Made by Philips Germany.

I have a 4D mag-lite with a TerraLux MiniStar5 TLE-6EX drop-in. I see that the Adventrade 4AA's to D conversion sleeves are parallel. I plan to always use either lithium or alkaline batteries. Would those Adventrade 4AA to D conversion units (would need 4) work OK with my 4D mag-lite & drop-in? If not are there any other 3AA to D or 4AA to D units that I should consider.

i see that litemania has some cheap $3 3AA-->1D Adapters.

I have a unbored Mag85 wiith 1185 bulb. Will three of these adapters work running series 9AA cells?