Question about building an edc incan light

elseis66

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I was plaing with my old G2 the other night and realized that I much prefer the light from an incan light. I have decided to put together an incan light that will run off of either RC123 or 18650 or maybe even AA's. I was thinking about using a Solorforce L2 or L2r host and was wondering if anyone made a cheaper incan P60 drop in like DX and was wanting to buy several of them to have on hand for when they burn out. Would really like one that will run off of low enough voltage so I can run my Energizer AA NIMAH rechargables in it. If there is not a low voltage incan drop I would like to buy some protected RC123a or an 18650 to run it with. I would buy AW brand batteries but can someone tell me what the best charger to buy is that is not too expensive? Another alternitave would be a 2 or 3 C cell mag modded for ore power so can someone post a link for a simple mag mod. I get too confused when trying to sift through the mag mod links myself. Thanks for reading my post and sorry for the newb questions.
 

Linger

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Now a few people may join in this thread and post that they edc incan. My FYI is, the challenge with incan edc is that run-time is a fraction of what a comparably bright led will give you.
An option may be a FiveMega Sunlight module, select which module as they fit either G2.5 or G4 bulbs; G2.5 may have more lower voltage options and cheaper bulbs. Though the DX drop-ins are mighty cheap.

Incan's really need voltage to be reasonable. Atleast 6.v, and performance just gets better with higher voltage. So if you want to EDC the L2 (p60 format) you're really shooting for high quality lithium cells (cheap batteries die unexpectedly).

Priorities for a light, pick one:
Bright - or - Run time - or - Cheap/small/accessible battery
You may sometimes pick two, but never three.

Best,
Linger
(My next camping trip I may take a lipo soft battery pack and plug a mr11 right into the battery, 3s (11.1v)500mah pack will do more then 10 minutes with a JC5607 (~4Amp draw, declining with voltage sag))
 
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elseis66

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Also was wondering if it is possible to simply replace a stock maglite lamp with a halogen lamp without changing anything else. If I did this would energizer C or D rechargables make enough voltage to push halogen and will they have decent rum time, like 40 min or so
 

325addict

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An incan EDC... well, an EDC needs to be SMALL, isn't it?

NOTHING beats the Surefire E1E with a Lumens Factory 3.6V lamp in it. I use the 50 Lumen variant for this. It runs for 45 minutes or so on one protected AW R123A 750mAh. I can tell you: it is mighty bright for it's size, and by far my favorite incan EDC. Others (like the C3 Centurion with P90 lamp assembly) may be brighter, but they simply are too large to EDC.

What lamp do you now have in your Mag? I suppose it's the standard lamp, sold in packs of two ("white star")?
Then, just try the "Mag Num Star" lamps by Maglite. These are incredible, compared to the standard lamp. They are sold in a 1-piece blister, and cost twice the money TWO standard lamps cost, so you may expect something, and... you GET something!!

I use the 5-cell Mag Num Star in a 2D Mag, with a Mdocod "2D to 6AA" adapter. I put in six AA NiMH cells (2700mAh) and this will run for more than 2 hours. The lamp MUST be overdriven quite severely, but until now (several charges on it) it is still alive, not blackening etc etc.


Just enjoy the incans while still available ;)

Timmo.
 

elseis66

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I guess I miss spoke when I title post "EDC" I am wanting a powerful incan light to walk the dog with every night and play with outside at night. I play with my flashlights every night just in the yard and such. If I buy a conversion kit that will convert a 2d or 2c mag into AA's so I can use NIMAH rechargables will the total voltage be 1.5v X however many AA's are in the light or just a total of 1.5v regardless of how many AA's are in it. Was also wondering the same for C and D cells. For exanple if you have a 2d maglite running alkalines is your voltage 3v or just 1.5v? Can you push a 6V lamp with a 4d mag running Alkalines?
 

maxspeeds

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I consider an EDC a light that needs atleast 1 hour of runtime, preferably 2. With that said, I find my E2e with MN02 an ideal incan EDC with a runtime of 2.5 hours on 2x123 primaries.
 

jcvjcvjcvjcv

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I guess I miss spoke when I title post "EDC" I am wanting a powerful incan light to walk the dog with every night and play with outside at night. I play with my flashlights every night just in the yard and such. If I buy a conversion kit that will convert a 2d or 2c mag into AA's so I can use NIMAH rechargables will the total voltage be 1.5v X however many AA's are in the light or just a total of 1.5v regardless of how many AA's are in it. Was also wondering the same for C and D cells. For exanple if you have a 2d maglite running alkalines is your voltage 3v or just 1.5v? Can you push a 6V lamp with a 4d mag running Alkalines?

Ah...

Most of ust see EDC as all-day carry. From breakfast to bedtime.
 

325addict

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When putting in a 6AA -> 2D adapter, and you load it with six NiMH AAs, you will have a total of 6X 1.2V = 7.2V :devil:

As alkaline batteries will sag quite fast, the "6-cell" lamp has not been designed to take 9V (=6X 1.5V from alkalines) but more like 6X 1.2V = 7.2V

I use the FIVE-cell Mag Num Star with this setup, which will overdrive the lamp quite severely. It will have a design voltage of around 5X 1.2V = 6V so with 7.2V it is 20% overdriven.

Just BECAUSE it is overdriven so much, it is very bright indeed. It draws 1.0A from this 7.2V "battery" so it will comfortably run for 2+ hours.

This is a very easy mod, your 2D Mag will turn into a monster :whistle:
From 2X D cells, you will have only 3V indeed (and only when completely NEW) so the difference with 7.2V is not so hard to imagine...

To get a better, more smoothed beam, you could very well replace that SMO stock reflector with a MOP reflector sold by Litho123.
Due to the smaller glass-envelope of these Mag Num Star lamps, the reflector fits exactly. And MAN, does this make a DIFFERENCE in beam quality !! :party: :party:

Timmo.
 

jcvjcvjcvjcv

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@325addict: :wave: I'll be visiting your city this week

I've used a 5 cell MagLite Krypton bulb in a MagLite 2D with home-made 6AA adapter with 6 GP 1600 mAh AA's. Well, both bulbs were gone before the batteries were empty. So I never tried again to use 5D bulbs with 6 Nimh's. But it was quite bright :)
 

computernut

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Canada, eh?
I guess I miss spoke when I title post "EDC" I am wanting a powerful incan light to walk the dog with every night and play with outside at night. I play with my flashlights every night just in the yard and such. If I buy a conversion kit that will convert a 2d or 2c mag into AA's so I can use NIMAH rechargables will the total voltage be 1.5v X however many AA's are in the light or just a total of 1.5v regardless of how many AA's are in it. Was also wondering the same for C and D cells. For exanple if you have a 2d maglite running alkalines is your voltage 3v or just 1.5v? Can you push a 6V lamp with a 4d mag running Alkalines?

My dog-walking light is a G3 with aluminum bezel (ie. G3L) with a Lumens Factory SR-9 lamp assembly. I run it with 2xAW17500 cells and just top it off when I get home. It's supposed to last 60 minutes but I've never ran it down to see, I usually only use it 30-45 minutes per night. I believe the Pila IBC charger is the best but I use a high-end R/C charger. If you get a 9P you can get it bored for 2x18500 cells so you'll get more runtime or use a brighter bulb.
 

kelmo

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Welcome to CPF!!!

I have an M2 in my backpack. My casual carry around the town light is an E2D. My house light is an E1e. My goof off light is a 12ZM. My truck light sports an M6. Yeah, I'm a Incan-man.

I don't have any tech advice to add, just moral support to a fellow hotwire guy/gal!

kelmo
 

alpg88

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Also was wondering if it is possible to simply replace a stock maglite lamp with a halogen lamp without changing anything else. If I did this would energizer C or D rechargables make enough voltage to push halogen and will they have decent rum time, like 40 min or so
yes, radio shack sells 5.2v 850ma halogen bulb. you use it in 4 c\d maglite, or any other 4 cells light.
it will be a bit brighter and whiter, but it wont make a huge difference.
 

Brigadier

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I guess I miss spoke when I title post "EDC" I am wanting a powerful incan light to walk the dog with every night and play with outside at night. I play with my flashlights every night just in the yard and such. If I buy a conversion kit that will convert a 2d or 2c mag into AA's so I can use NIMAH rechargables will the total voltage be 1.5v X however many AA's are in the light or just a total of 1.5v regardless of how many AA's are in it. Was also wondering the same for C and D cells. For exanple if you have a 2d maglite running alkalines is your voltage 3v or just 1.5v? Can you push a 6V lamp with a 4d mag running Alkalines?


For a non-'pocketable' walking the dog light, with plenty of throw, I would go this route:

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/posts/3441243&postcount=19

And if you need more run time, use the SR-9L bulb and the clicky tailswitch.
 

325addict

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@ jcv^4: ;)

You probably used the standard "white star" bulbs, that just look like any olive-shaped bulb?
I can tell you: these are nothing special. They just can't handle rechargeable batteries, which is even stated on the blister!
They can't even hold the "right" number of cells very long, so overdriving them really kills them.
The Mag Num Star bulbs are completely different. They are rugged, can take some overdriving as I noticed and are much brighter.

My setup with the 2D and 6X NiMH Varta 2700mAh batteries has several hours on it, and is still alive & kickin' !

These bulbs cost four times as much or even more per piece than the standard bulbs, and can best (read: cheapest) be bought at Display electronics.

You will be in Amstelveen this week? Why not visiting Korenbloemlaan 5 then ;)
If you plan to visit me: just send me a PM...

Timmo.
 

jcvjcvjcvjcv

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Yes I did [use the White Start bulbs].

Yeah, the Xenon bulbs are more expensive. I remember when I ordered one at a local shop I was stunned they were €7,50 a piece. And the worst things was that the store owner forgot that I wanted a 6D bulb so he ordered 2D, 3D, 4D and 5D bulbs for his inventory with the idea that 6D's never sold, :laughing:

Do you happen to know if the 3D Magnum star bulbs will tolerate 4 AA's?

Display electronics seems to only have the 2D, 3D and 4D bulbs. A real shame, they have good prices for the spare bulbs.

Yeah, I'll be in Amstelveen this week. Thanks for the invite :twothumbs, but I'll have to disappoint you I'm afraid :sigh:
 
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