Mag LED Question

GPB

Enlightened
Joined
Mar 5, 2008
Messages
597
Location
42.58 N 70.84 W
I have a 3D Mag with a Mag LED and I also have a 4D incan Mag. I am thinking of picking up a Terralux LED drop in. I hardly ever use the 4d light so I'm not sure about getting an upgrade for that, but it doesn't make sense to have 2 LED's for the 3 Cell, and still have an incan in the 4 cell.

So...I got to thinking...what if I put the MAG LED ( designed for the 3 cell light ) into the 4 Cell light. Would it work, would it die prematurely, would it be brighter than it is now ? Has anyone done this ? I'll be using primary alkaline batteries

Thanks guys
 

Photon Joe

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Mar 5, 2006
Messages
138
K mart sells a replacement led "bulb" that will work with anywhere from 2 to 6 cells
that is about $4 cheaper than the MAG brand and will fit in most any flashlight , not just MAGS.
I went that route and it is a bit brighter than the MAG brand too.
 
Last edited:

Gunner12

Flashaholic
Joined
Dec 18, 2006
Messages
10,063
Location
Bay Area, CA
I don't think it was designed to work on a 4 cell light. I'd upgrade it to a Seoul and keep it for the longer runtime it provides once the driver drops the output due to heat.

You should keep the 4D and look into Hotwire Mods. Before long(and after some money and work) you should be able to start fires with your flashlight.
 

jzmtl

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Dec 4, 2006
Messages
3,123
Location
Montreal, Canada
Consider mag's own drop in is specific to 2, 3, 4 cell light, and the circuit board is a little different in each, I would not try to put a 3 cell module in 4 cell light.
 

CampingLED

Enlightened
Joined
Nov 13, 2007
Messages
612
Location
South Africa
Keep your 4D as-is for a couple of months and then decide on a nice mod to do with it. I am close to the point to mod my modded Maglights that were specifically purchased for mods. In the mean time remove the Lux LED on the 3D MagLED and replace it with a SSC P4 U-bin LED to get at least double brightness for the same current drawn. Some nice threads here on CPF and I can look for them if you are interested.
 

Flashlight Aficionado

Enlightened
Joined
Jul 12, 2006
Messages
834
Are the Mag LED as easy to modify as the incan Mags? As in ROP, Mag85 type of mods.

It's harder and harder to find the incan versions and was wondering if I should grab an incan version now, before they go extinct.
 

Marduke

Flashaholic
Joined
Jun 19, 2007
Messages
10,110
Location
Huntsville, AL
You could fashion a heavy 1D spacer out of something like a solid chunk of steel (copper is too expensive) and place it last in the battery tube. Then use the old 3-cell Mag dropin. Plenty bright for a nighttime prowler light, with that extra thumping power if needed.

Are the Mag LED as easy to modify as the incan Mags? As in ROP, Mag85 type of mods.

It's harder and harder to find the incan versions and was wondering if I should grab an incan version now, before they go extinct.


The LED and incan versions are absolutely identical.
 

Gunner12

Flashaholic
Joined
Dec 18, 2006
Messages
10,063
Location
Bay Area, CA
The MagLED C and D models are the exact same as the incan Mags, except that they have a LED module instead of the Incan bulb. They might even have the backup Incan bulb in the tail.
 

GPB

Enlightened
Joined
Mar 5, 2008
Messages
597
Location
42.58 N 70.84 W
Well I ordered the Terralux drop in for the 3 cell. After I've used that for a week or so, I'll probably put the MagLED into the 4 cell light and see how it handles the extra voltage. I was going to get some AA to D adapters and run rechargeables in the 4 cell light as 4 rechargeables is pretty close to 3 alkalines, but figured that was too much hassle for a light that will get very little use. I'll report back in a while on how the 3 cell Mag LED handles being used in a 4 cell light.
 

PhantomPhoton

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jan 15, 2007
Messages
3,116
Location
NV
Well I ordered the Terralux drop in for the 3 cell. After I've used that for a week or so, I'll probably put the MagLED into the 4 cell light and see how it handles the extra voltage. I was going to get some AA to D adapters and run rechargeables in the 4 cell light as 4 rechargeables is pretty close to 3 alkalines, but figured that was too much hassle for a light that will get very little use. I'll report back in a while on how the 3 cell Mag LED handles being used in a 4 cell light.

I'm not brave enough to try putting the 3-cell M@g LED dropin into a 4 cell light. Let us know if it blows up! :D

I have to disagree a bit about 4 rechargeables being the same a 3 alkalines.
The open circuit on freshly charge rechargibles is ~ 1.4v.
Alkaline cells also have pretty pronounced voltage sag, whereas NiMh rechargeables really don't sag below 1.2V until they're dead. It is close, and not as pronounced when working with realatively low currents like anything used by M@g, but as the load on the cell goes up it becomes something to note.
 

CampingLED

Enlightened
Joined
Nov 13, 2007
Messages
612
Location
South Africa
Here is another link with a Cree mod.
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/144141

There was another link that I cannot find now. This was the one that I did as per that link.
1) Lift the emitter as per the other two links.
2) Also open the MagLED by sliding the bottom part out.
3) Solder two thin stripped wires to the internal contacts and insert it into the housing again.
4) Glue the SSC P4 from the top, ensuring that it is well isolated from the casing and solder the wires (that now comes from the inside) to the SSC P4.
5) Cut the excess parts off for a neat looking mod.
 

hyperloop

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Aug 5, 2007
Messages
2,878
Location
$INGAPORE
Hi all, I too own a 3D M@g with a stock 3W LED drop in, i was surfing kaidomain and saw an upgrade to Cree Q5 drop in module that requires me purchasing a new reflector and the drop in module (would prob get a std glass lens for that as well, not borofloat).

My question for the experts here would be:

1. Is it appreciably brighter than the stock 3W drop in?

2. In the event that i decide in the future to do an ROP mod on my 3D, is a stock glass lens able to withstand the heat?

Thanks a lot
 

GPB

Enlightened
Joined
Mar 5, 2008
Messages
597
Location
42.58 N 70.84 W
I placed the order late yesterday and I just got an email that says it'll be here tomorrow.

Way to go Battery Junction !!!

I was already impressed with the way Battery Junction handled the early Terralux 2/3 Cell drop in problems, and now to get an online order in 2 days makes me even more convinced I ordered from the right place.
 

shomie911

Enlightened
Joined
Jul 26, 2008
Messages
850
Hi all, I too own a 3D M@g with a stock 3W LED drop in, i was surfing kaidomain and saw an upgrade to Cree Q5 drop in module that requires me purchasing a new reflector and the drop in module (would prob get a std glass lens for that as well, not borofloat).

My question for the experts here would be:

1. Is it appreciably brighter than the stock 3W drop in?

2. In the event that i decide in the future to do an ROP mod on my 3D, is a stock glass lens able to withstand the heat?

Thanks a lot

The Kaidomain drop-in was meant for use with an aspherical lens. I tried mine with a cut down reflector and it had a donut hole and looked pretty bad.

But in with the aspherical lens, it throws for miles.
 

PhantomPhoton

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jan 15, 2007
Messages
3,116
Location
NV
Hi all, I too own a 3D M@g with a stock 3W LED drop in, i was surfing kaidomain and saw an upgrade to Cree Q5 drop in module that requires me purchasing a new reflector and the drop in module (would prob get a std glass lens for that as well, not borofloat).

My question for the experts here would be:

1. Is it appreciably brighter than the stock 3W drop in?

2. In the event that i decide in the future to do an ROP mod on my 3D, is a stock glass lens able to withstand the heat?

Thanks a lot

It will be brighter than the 3W dropin, especially if you're going to use it for extended amounts of time. The stock 3W dims as it heats up. But as already stated the beam will be rather bad and you'll need a reflector mod. I'd go with an aspheric or buy a Malkoff dropin.

The "stock" window is cruddy plastic. A borofloat is the safest glass to use with hotwire mods. However I believe a UCL window can be used. I wouldn't risk a cheap window from the depths of the web. It's worth the $7.
 
Top