My second Maglite P7 mod

[rayman]

I just finished my second Maglite single P7 mod. The first one didn't want to work right but this time I used the driver board from 'Der Wichtel' and now it works fine .



I used this parts for my mod:

- 2D Maglite
- SSC P7 DSWOJ emitter
- DHS heatsink HAIII
- driver board from 'Der Wichtel'
- mdocod 6AA>2D battery adapter
- 6 Eneloops
- M*g MOP Cam/Camless Aluminum Reflector 52mm/15mm
- UCL® Lens
- some teflon wire
- Alumina Adhesive
- Arctic Alumina

The first step was to modify the cklicky module to get some space for the driver board and the heatsink. I use a dremel and afterwards some fine sandpaper to smoothen it.
After that I soldered the driver board with some teflon wire to the cklicky module.

Now I only had to glue the emitter on the heatsink and solder he wires from the driver board to the emitter. After reading the instructions on the Artic Silver website it was very easy to use he Alumina Adhesive. So no problems with glueing the emitter on the heatsink. Now only solder the wires on the emitter and put the heatsink in my Maglite. I don't know but somehow the heatsink didn't fit in my Maglite. But after I used some sandpaper to take a little bit of the anodizing off it just fits fine in the Maglite. I put some Arctic Alumina around the heatsink and put it in the Maglite.

The last think to do was to get the Eneloops in the battery adapter and put it also in the Maglite. That's where I found another minor problem. It was very hard to screw on the tailcape. So I used the dremel and shortened the spring a little bit.

So I think that's enough for the writing here are some pictures of my Maglite P7 mod:



the driver board




the modified spring


I will modify the black Maglite to use it as a bikelight.

Beamshots will follow.

Regards,
rayman

[Essexman]

Great write up, really it's a tutorial!

Just one thing, you may want to cover up the bare wires+driver to stop them touching the inside of the maglite and shorting out?

You could use electrical tape or maybe a large bit of heat shrink tube.

Ant idea of the current draw on the 6AA's?

So what are you going to build next?

[Scattergun]

The inside of the Mag tube is anodized, so a short could only happen if the wires touched the retainer-ring for the switchassembly. Not that big of a chance, but still I´d isolate the wires as suggested.

[Al Combs]

Looks nice. Are you stuck in high mode? If so, that's not to bad. If you have a DMM, check the current at the tailcap. You need Excel to see this but here's a post with some good data on that regulator. He got 80.8% efficiency on high @ 7.5 volts. For 6*eneloops, the relevant data is 1.64 amps on high, 876 ma on medium and 209 ma on low. P7's are so bright, you might easily mistake the 876 ma (400 lumen) mode for high.

[rayman]

Great write up, really it's a tutorial!

Just one thing, you may want to cover up the bare wires+driver to stop them touching the inside of the maglite and shorting out?

You could use electrical tape or maybe a large bit of heat shrink tube.

Ant idea of the current draw on the 6AA's?

So what are you going to build next?

The current should be 2.8A. I'm thinking of building a Tri-P7 Mag but don't really know right now because I have lots of parts for another single P7 Mag left .

Looks nice. Are you stuck in high mode? If so, that's not to bad. If you have a DMM, check the current at the tailcap. You need Excel to see this but here's a post with some good data on that regulator. He got 80.8% efficiency on high @ 7.5 volts. For 6*eneloops, the relevant data is 1.64 amps on high, 876 ma on medium and 209 ma on low. P7's are so bright, you might easily mistake the 876 ma (400 lumen) mode for high.

I think so too that it's just the medium mode because it's only a little bit brighter than my Jet-III Pro. I already wrote KD a message that my driver board is broke so I hope they answer fast.

rayman

[Packhorse]

I had the same problem with my reflector except mine was worse as I used a 3.6mm lens. I just dremeled it down and its perfect.
Someone else mounted the lens on a drill and used a file.
Picking up a mini lathe today so now that stuff will be easy

[rayman]

I had the same problem with my reflector except mine was worse as I used a 3.6mm lens. I just dremeled it down and its perfect.
Someone else mounted the lens on a drill and used a file.
Picking up a mini lathe today so now that stuff will be easy

I think I'll try it tomorrow with a dremel and sandpaper.

rayman

[Black Rose]

I was roaming around a local B&M store today looking at their D mags and was wondering if a 2D Mag would be sufficient for modding.

This thread answers that question

Nice work.

[rayman]

I have some questions.

As I see this mod as a tutorial I'm about to mod my next Maglite.

It will also be a 2D Maglite. But this time I'll use 0,65mm teflon wire. The 1mm was somehow hard to handle.
I also want a driver with only one mode to get all out of the P7. So which driver board would you recommend me?

And I don't know which P7 to use, ether the DSW0J or the CSX0I. But I think I'll buy me the DSW0J.

rayman

[Dudu]

With the DSW0J, you'll have more lumens out of your M*g !!

[rayman]

Today I modified the reflector so that there is no gap between the bezel and the head. I used three sheets of sandpaper and it took me three hours but it is totally worth it . Pictures are in the first post. No I only what on the driver board.

rayman

[phantom23]

'Rayman' I have one question. I made almost the same Mag (2D, blue, CSWOI). I always thought that red wire (in driver board) is positive, black is - and P7 leg with hole is +. Or I was wrong or I have bad LED because all I saw was a short blink of one wire inside P7...

[spencer]

The one with the hole is negative. Hope you didn't fry your LED.

[rayman]

'Rayman' I have one question. I made almost the same Mag (2D, blue, CSWOI). I always thought that red wire (in driver board) is positive, black is - and P7 leg with hole is +. Or I was wrong or I have bad LED because all I saw was a short blink of one wire inside P7...

I look at this thread when I was soldering my P7. So I hope you didn't damage your P7. And if you broke your emitter just keep on trying. I tried solderign a single contact for hours and I hadn't any sucess. And then somebody told me to use flux and now it's very easy.

rayman

[phantom23]

Hope you didn't fry your LED.

I didn't (I'm lucky guy). I rewired it and... hoooly sh.it, it is bright. Very bright! And beautiful SWO... I don't care about donut hole right now (I use Mag SMO reflector).

[rayman]

Just finished my second Maglite P7 mod. The new driver board of 'Der Wichtel' works so much better. I reallly like my Maglite now .

rayman

[Essexman]

Hey nice mod - Again.

You got there before me, I'm thinking of making a mag 2D with the same set up.

How is this driver better than the first one you used ??
Have you any idea of the current draw at the tail cap and /or the current to the emitter.
So many questions....and of course, beamshots please ?

[rayman]

Hey nice mod - Again.

You got there before me, I'm thinking of making a mag 2D with the same set up.

How is this driver better than the first one you used ??
Have you any idea of the current draw at the tail cap and /or the current to the emitter.
So many questions....and of course, beamshots please ?

The driver from 'Der Wichtel' is a single mode driver but it doesn't get hot as the KD driver does. You have adjust the current with a poti on your own using a multimeter but because of 'Der Wichtel's description it's quite easy. I used the KD Super Ouput driver before. I bought two and both didn't work right. If you want multiple modes just ask 'Der Wichtel' he also sells PWM-dimmer which can be programmed like you want you only have to ask him .

Beamshots are follow tomorrow .

rayman

[Changchung]

Nice and clean job...

[Aircraft800]

The driver from 'Der Wichtel' is a single mode driver but it doesn't get hot as the KD driver does. You have adjust the current with a poti on your own using a multimeter but because of 'Der Wichtel's description it's quite easy. I used the KD Super Ouput driver before. I bought two and both didn't work right. If you want multiple modes just ask 'Der Wichtel' he also sells PWM-dimmer which can be programmed like you want you only have to ask him .

Beamshots are follow tomorrow .

rayman

What was your KD Buck driver doing wrong? When my 2 Li-Ion's are fully charged (8.4V) the driver will go to low after a few minutes, but when the batteries are used a bit, it works fine. It seems like the driver doesn't like voltages above 8V or so. I'd love to try out the 'Der Wichtel' buck driver, but it is not quite small enough for the M*g C bodies.

[Sicrall]

sorry

[Sicrall]

hi!

a very nice lamp-mod!!!
can you tell me, how long do the batteries in the lamp?
can i use the lamp for 2 hours with the same "batterypack" ?

greets,
sicrall

[rayman]

Sure if you don't drive it at 2.8A. Driven at 2.8A the runtime with the 6 Eneloops is more than one hour.

rayman

[metalmania]

rayman, does it become hot after an hour, if so how hot?

[rayman]

I never used it an hour long but I wouldn't leave it on for an hour without additional cooling. I used my Maglite P7 bikelight for 1,5h and it worked just fine. But riding my bike it had additional cooling because of the airflow and the cooler outside temperature.

rayman

[metalmania]

I'm planning to make one, but powered by 2 x 18650 since i already have those batteries around. As for the bike light, i also notice my light also runs cooler perched up on the handle bar due to cool air flow.

Rayman, is the cost of building a Mag2D P7 is the same as getting a Fenix TK30, coz over here it is..just wondering. Maglite2D P7 is not as popular here coz of that.

Well what ever it is i'm going for it and a Mag4D Triple P7 next, running on 4 x 18650, not sure if its enough to power up 3 X P7..any advise?

[rayman]

I didn't thought of that when I built it. I think the P7 Maglite was more expensive . But I really like something that I built myself .

Think 4x 18650 will be fine but you'll need a good driver. Don't know if this driver will work for 3x P7 just ask 'Der Wichtel'. As I assume you'll use his heatsink-reflector-combination .

rayman

[LonghunterCO]

How much is the driverboard in U.S.dollars?


-nice build.

[metalmania]

rayman, since its easier to go for the kit,i'll go for it...i dont need to worry about compatibility and fitting. Currency exchange is a killer

Just want to ask everyone here if their Maglite are of different quality now a days. I have one old Maglite 2d "Made In USA" stamped on it and the quality is way better than my Maglite 4d "Pattern In USA".

The "G" font is different finishing is different and even the dent where the switch button is slightly larger.

I noticed Maglite 2d SSC P7 has a better throw than the Tri P7...is this correct? The Tri P7 could be a killer bike light. Tropical forest is a hazardous place at night, could use the extra flood.

LonghunterCO - The price is ad below

Price:
Single Mode : 20 Euro
Version A (4-mode): 25 Euro
Version B (6-mode): 25 Euro

Shipping: Europe 3.40€, rest of the world 6€.
For registered mail add 2.05€

1 EUR = 1.43270 USD According To XE.COM on the 3rd Jan 2010

Hope this helps

[aurum]

I noticed Maglite 2d SSC P7 has a better throw than the Tri P7...is this correct?

Thats correct ....