How many lumens does a MAG-LITE 4D LED bulb produce?

cleetus03

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I was wondering if anyone knew the specific lumen output from a stock mag-lite 4d led?
 

Erasmus

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EDIT : I'm sorry, I didn't read you're looking for the LED bulb lumens, I thought we were talking about incandescent bulb lumens...
 
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Marduke

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122.1 lumen (Source : http://www.maglite.com/lampspecs_dcell.asp ). That is before optical loss, and it's higher with the stock plastic reflector and plastic lens. If you use an alu reflector and a UCL lens, the final output will be higher.

Two errors there. That chart is incan, not LED. Also, that chart is grossly incorrect. Those figures should be about half those values. MagLite used to post the correct figures, but then several years ago all their lumen figures magically doubled overnight without any changes to the lights or bulbs themselves.
 

Gunner12

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Approximations from FlashlightReviews says 60 lumen out the front.

Swapping in a current gen LED will double that or more(not too much more though).

:welcome:
 

smg

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122.1 lumen (Source : http://www.maglite.com/lampspecs_dcell.asp ). That is before optical loss, and it's higher with the stock plastic reflector and plastic lens. If you use an alu reflector and a UCL lens, the final output will be higher.
Huh? Did you claim that the output is higher with the stock plastic reflector and plastic lens than before the optical losses? Maybe I have a comprehension problem? :eek:
 

smg

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Oh! I'm sorry :) Yes, I can understand that the loss is higher with the stock setup.
 

MrGman

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I have measured 50 lumens from the LED directly with no reflector or lens in front of it in the integration sphere at work. That's it. IS is calibrated. I measured 2 different samples of the same LED type. One was in a 4D one was in a 4C unit, using alkalines, using nicads, didn't matter. 50 big whopping lumens. Subtract from that what you get with the reflector and lens losses. The reason I measured it that way is because the opening in the IS is only 1 inch diameter and can't get all the light from the lens portal into the IS portal.

I measured the Elektrolumens ??? whatever the heck its called model that is rated at 150 lumens; at 140 lumens from the LED directly as well. The IS and meter is calibrated annually.
 

Black Rose

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I have measured 50 lumens from the LED directly with no reflector or lens in front of it in the integration sphere at work. That's it.
That's sad.

I've got a 2xAA Rayovac Sportsman Xtreme with a 1 watt Luxeon I in it that is rated at 45 lumens, and it's only a $20 light.
 
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Erasmus

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Sorry for the error guys, I thought he was talking about incan bulb and not LED bulb. I should take more time to read carefully ;)
 

grrickar

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I may be crazy, but my 3D cell Maglite runs pretty close in brightness to my Surefire G2 Nitrolon I just got. The LED is certainly whiter than the incandescent light, but the Mag looks a bit brighter to me.

If the SF G2 is advertised at 65 lumens, is it possible the Mag is putting out 70? I have read that the LED modules in the Mag will dim due to thermal regulation, but just snapping both lights on and shining them at a wall from 10ft the Mag seems brighter. I got both for free, so I'm not partial to either. :)

I would like a bright LED drop in that would work with the plastic body and Lexan window that gives good runtime. The Surefire one only ups the ante to 80 lumens and costs as much as the light. The BOG and Malkoff devices are much brighter, and have decent runtime but I am being told heat will be a big issue.

I plan to go to Lowes and get one of the 150 lumen TF lights they sell for $30 :)

I like what I read about these higher end flashlights, but if the wife ever found out I spent more than $50 on a flashlight she'd likely have men in a white truck take me away in a straightjacket LOL
 

Gunner12

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The Maglite probably has a brighter(and narrower) hotspot, and that's why it seems brighter.

Malkoff does have the M60L and M60LL drop-in that should work fine in a Polymer light.

You can buy some light from DX. There are some with really good performance under $50. How does over 100 meter of throe sound?
 

mighty82

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I may be crazy, but my 3D cell Maglite runs pretty close in brightness to my Surefire G2 Nitrolon I just got. The LED is certainly whiter than the incandescent light, but the Mag looks a bit brighter to me.

If the SF G2 is advertised at 65 lumens, is it possible the Mag is putting out 70? I have read that the LED modules in the Mag will dim due to thermal regulation, but just snapping both lights on and shining them at a wall from 10ft the Mag seems brighter. I got both for free, so I'm not partial to either. :)

I would like a bright LED drop in that would work with the plastic body and Lexan window that gives good runtime. The Surefire one only ups the ante to 80 lumens and costs as much as the light. The BOG and Malkoff devices are much brighter, and have decent runtime but I am being told heat will be a big issue.

I plan to go to Lowes and get one of the 150 lumen TF lights they sell for $30 :)

I like what I read about these higher end flashlights, but if the wife ever found out I spent more than $50 on a flashlight she'd likely have men in a white truck take me away in a straightjacket LOL
It's almost impossible comparing the brightness just by looking at the beams on a wall. One of them could have more throw than the other without having more output. Shining them at the roof and looking at which of them lights up the room the most is a better way of comparing total output.
 

MrGman

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I may be crazy, but my 3D cell Maglite runs pretty close in brightness to my Surefire G2 Nitrolon I just got. The LED is certainly whiter than the incandescent light, but the Mag looks a bit brighter to me.

If the SF G2 is advertised at 65 lumens, is it possible the Mag is putting out 70? I have read that the LED modules in the Mag will dim due to thermal regulation, but just snapping both lights on and shining them at a wall from 10ft the Mag seems brighter. I got both for free, so I'm not partial to either. :)

I would like a bright LED drop in that would work with the plastic body and Lexan window that gives good runtime. The Surefire one only ups the ante to 80 lumens and costs as much as the light. The BOG and Malkoff devices are much brighter, and have decent runtime but I am being told heat will be a big issue.

I plan to go to Lowes and get one of the 150 lumen TF lights they sell for $30 :)

I like what I read about these higher end flashlights, but if the wife ever found out I spent more than $50 on a flashlight she'd likely have men in a white truck take me away in a straightjacket LOL

don't feel too bad when I tell you that the 65 lumen SF xenon tube only puts out about 50 lumens as well with fresh batteries and dims pretty quick there after. don't confuse the brightness of the hot spot of the maglight with the overall light of the surefire either and don't confuse the color temperature of the white hotspot of the LED as being brighter than the ugly yellow light of a xenon tube. Those are not indicators of which puts out more light. I can show you a 600 lumen incandescent light that you will swear is dimmer than 225 lumens of whiter light from an LED.

Go with the Malkoff M60 in an Aluminum bodied flashlight and be happy.
 
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