What's the closest thing in LED to my old MagLite D cell flashlight?

Hello there, I'm an ignorant newcomer. Alas not a light enthusiast.

My standard flashlights are MagLite 3 and 4 D cells- one in each car, two or three around the house. Say six total.


I find that I only use them a half dozen times in a year. Check out noises, light up changing a tire, midnight household emergencies, light when the power goes off, look for lost stuff in the woods at night...

They work fine, but LED technology seems like it's finally gotten to where they ought to be upgraded or replaced.
Better light and no annual battery replacement.

One thing I like about them is their big solid clubby nature. They will break out car windows or crack a dangerous animal hard if necessary, and I insist on keeping that capability.

I get the idea that the various LED bulb replacements don't really provide all that much oomph in the light department, and I'm still stuck with alkalines.

So- what's a ball bat style LED light that won't break the bank and uses those good for 5 years of sitting batteries?

I may be better off just getting an LED replacement bulb and some of those gang adapters that put 3 aa batteries into a D size package. But that's still going to be $30 or so per flashlight and for a little more I might be able to get a better light that's purpose built.

What do you suggest?

You have two good options.

Your best, most expensive option is to get Malkoff Devices LED conversions for your lights. These will absolutely maximize the useful light, durability, and reliability of your lights.

A less expensive option would be to just buy LED Maglights. Maglight makes a good, durable, reasonably priced product that you are already happy with.

While I understand and appreciate your priorities, do not rely on anything made of aluminum to break automobile glass. It is harder and stronger than it appears. Get some hardened steel or carbide glass break hammers to keep in your cars.

Regarding batteries, D cells will provide more capacity than AA to D converters. Get some Tenergy Centura D cells and a good smart charger (I am currently using a Titanium Innovations charger). At about $8/cell, they may seem a little pricey, but for about 4x the cost of alkaline you get a cell that can be recharged 1000+ times, lasts about as long as alkaline between charges, does not leak, does not develop memory, and holds its charge well. Leaking cells have been about the only thing that has ruined any of my Maglights, so protect your investment in lights with good low self discharge NiMH cells. Make sure you get Centuras if you go with Tenergy, since their other NiMH cells are not low self discharge.

I'm not going to disagree with anything that BillSWPA wrote, but I know nothing of the D cells he recommended3 so I won't comment on them.

The problem with the incan bulbs, is the terrible run-times.
There are some 2D cell LED lights that have what are called PR2 bulbs in them. I put one in one of my 3D mags and it didn't burn out. Those lights can be had for about $2 each. I'd pick one up for each 3 cell mag I have and swap them in. Even if they don't throw more light, it'll increase the run-time about 8 times. There are some led replacements for the 4 cell lights for about $5.
You might continue to use D cells in those lights, even if the cells leak, you can usually clean them and continue to use them.

If you get a new 3D mag, you'll be amazed at the difference between it and your incans.

Regarding batteries. I see that 4 eneloop AA-D adapters can be had at battery junction for about $10. A D cell has up to 8000ma, whereas an AA NiMH has about 2500ma. So as Bill mentioned the D's have more capacity.

You might consider getting some AA eneloops/duraloops some adapters and a 4 pack of energizer AA lithiums for each light. Run the lights on the duraloops and recharge them once a year, and keep the lithiums as back-ups. They have a 15 year shelf life.

Be sure to get a charger that you can plug into the cigar lighter of the car for extended power outages.

If by chance you find that a 3-C cell light works for you (for dispatching wild animals) then you can create a plastic sleeve out of a plastic bottle as a spacer and stack the light with 3 eneloops. as they are almost identical in length.

Terralux makes a reasonable dropin for a Maglite. I've got both a Malkoff and Terralux dropins in a couple of Maglites and the Terralux is more useful. The hotspot isn't so bright and doesn't blind you if you are using it close up.

I prefer the Terralux upgrade over a brand new Maglite led because the spill is wider (more useful for walking around). However the newer ones throw just as far as a Malkoff dropin in but with a smaller hotspot.

Whichever way you go, you will be amazed at how much better LEDs are over incan bulbs.

BillSWPA said:

Your best, most expensive option is to get Malkoff Devices LED conversions for your lights.

A less expensive option would be to just buy LED Maglights.

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This. The Malkoff is going to nudge the $50 mark, but it will make your Mag as tough as it can be made (if you're not so worried about price, the XM-L version is 50% brighter than a car headlight, that one's ~$80.) The cheaper option is the Maglite LED PRO, itself $30, but it's more than twice as bright than your current incan Mags, with better, linear runtime.

The batteries are something of a question mark, since an in-car light should ideally use lithium primaries, but there is no such beast in D cell format. Rechargeables can work so long as you mind temperature; interior temps in the summer sun can get high enough to damage them (but this is still preferable to alkalines swelling/leaking.) Be sure to store your light somewhere out of even indirect sunlight.

StarHalo said:

The batteries are something of a question mark, since an in-car light should ideally use lithium primaries, but there is no such beast in D cell format.

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Batteryjunction sell AA to D cell converters under both the Eneloop and Titanium Innovations brand. They look like they're from the same mould, just different colours. Only gives you the capacity of a single AA, but for occasional use some L91's should be fine.

Jash said:

Only gives you the capacity of a single AA, but for occasional use some L91's should be fine.

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The Titanium model comes in series and parallel; the parallel version will keep the voltage the same but multiply the capacity. Only catch is the price; a pair of $10 holders and a pack of Energizer Lithiums would cost about as much as the drop-in..

I have several of the old Mag clubs. But my solution is to leave them where they have been for 30 years as backup lights, and buy new inexpensive & compact LED flashlights with 300-1000 lumens. (A 2D incandescent is around 10 lumens) .
I now can, for instance, carry a Cree XML U3 1000 lumen led light in one hand, blinding an attacker with the strobe, and still have the mag club in the other hand, in case I cant outrun a stunned blind man.
Seriously, IMHO, I have no use for huge 2,3, or 4D cell flashlight anymore. A stronger younger attacker would take it away and whack ME with it. In 30 years I've never used one as a hammer or battering ram. There is no reason for a Mag light not to catch up with the 1000+ lumen times. They make a quality, time-tested, durable product, who's main purpose is to light things up.
How about something real simple like a Mini-Mag with a 14500 battery & 300 lumen bulb already?

For someone who states that they are "not a light enthuisast" I would suggest keeping it simple and avoiding cost and complexity.
If the existing D cell Maglights are in good working order then I would keep them and simply fit good qaulity LED retrofit bulbs, not anything that requires modification or special skill to fit, just a drop in bulb.
In the unlikely event of the LED bulb failing, then you still have the spare incandescent bulb in the tail cap.

For lights that see little use I would use standard alkaline D cells, the lower current draw of the LED will greatly extend the run time.
For lights that see only limited use I dont think that the cost and complication of rechargeables is worth it.

Alkaline cells kept in a car should be replaced every year as the extremes of temperature reduce the shelf life. Those kept in a light in a heated or conditioned home are OK for 2 or 3 years.
And if the worst happens and a bad leak happens, you are only out a relatively cheap light, the rather expensive LED bulb can be re used in another light.

I added two TerraLux MiniStar 5s to my 6D MLs, instead of ditching them. While they still use alkaleaks, you get much longer runtimes for about the same amount (140LM?) of light as the incan. bulbs, but with much less heat.

If I need to hand out a light in an emergency, those are the loaners.

They double as effective clubs, as well.

Chris

StarHalo said:

The Titanium model comes in series and parallel; the parallel version will keep the voltage the same but multiply the capacity. Only catch is the price; a pair of $10 holders and a pack of Energizer Lithiums would cost about as much as the drop-in..

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My mistake. I meant Tenergy and my memory only had Titanium Innovations.

Still, those Titanium Innovations adapters running 3 AA's in parallel would give plenty of juice. I've nearly bought some several times, but the cost keeps me away. It'd be $40 just for one Maglite. I use the single AA Eneloop adapters and they work fine.

Keeps your light, light.

Jash said:

My mistake. I meant Tenergy and my memory only had Titanium Innovations.

Still, those Titanium Innovations adapters running 3 AA's in parallel would give plenty of juice. I've nearly bought some several times, but the cost keeps me away. It'd be $40 just for one Maglite. I use the single AA Eneloop adapters and they work fine.

Keeps your light, light.

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Consider the fact that you'll have 12 AA batteries that you'll have to match and balance and keep an eye on as you use the light.

Even with good chargers, that's a handful.

Chris

broadgage said:

For someone who states that they are "not a light enthuisast" I would suggest keeping it simple and avoiding cost and complexity.
If the existing D cell Maglights are in good working order then I would keep them and simply fit good qaulity LED retrofit bulbs, not anything that requires modification or special skill to fit, just a drop in bulb.
In the unlikely event of the LED bulb failing, then you still have the spare incandescent bulb in the tail cap.

.

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I bought one of those Rayovac LED Upgrade for 3-4 cell flashlights and lanterns. 40 lumens, I was not particularly impressed. Actually not impressed at all.
4V6LED-1T
6v 0.13A 0.8 watt.

Are there better PR2 bulbs?

Looks like the drop in bulb and rechargeable Ds are the way to go, thanks! It was close, because the new Maglite LED Pros are only about $35, but bulbs are only about 7.

(I think Maglite is missing a market not selling an upgrade kit.)

I figure since I'm having to change the alkalines out annually , it's no extra trouble to throw the rechargeables on the charger overnight once a year.

As to bulbs, the Malkoff appears to be no longer available. Terralux 140 lumens look like the thing for the 3 cells. For the 4s, I see they make a 1000 lumen one

http://www.fleabay.com/sch/i.html?_...rralux+4+6&_nkw=maglite+terralux+4+6&_sacat=0

but it's much more expensive. Are they reliable?

Hi, let me try a more pragmatic approach from what You said: "One thing I like about them is their big solid clubby nature. They will break out car windows or crack a dangerous animal hard if necessary, and I insist on keeping that capability." "So- what's a ball bat style LED light that won't break the bank and uses those good for 5 years of sitting batteries?" - Instantly there is just one single answer that comes to my mind: behold the Thrunite Catapult V3, this is one sturdy beast of a high intensity 900 lumen torch and once these 390 gr. with 185mm length and its 58 mm head are in Your hands You will never look back. It´s good for breaking coconuts or everything else. As there is an upgrade version around the XM-l T6 led should be available for about 119 usd or in a pack with 2 protected rechargeable 18650´s at 144 usd (Amazon). It also works on 4 (or 2) CR123 which have that 10 Years shelf-life. Before doing any kind of upgrade, please check out some videos on Youtube and than reward Yourself with one of these. I´m absolutely positive You will be amazed and love it fo the next 20 years. My second recommendation would go for the multifunctional Fenix TK30, very versatile as it may also be use with two or just 1 18650 battery or 2 (4) CR123, best would be to get them both

For what your looking to do all you need is these inexpensive TerraLux replacement LED's for a MagLite and you'll be set. Keep an eye on your D cell batteries everyone now and then. I've done this to 5 or 6 MagLites and Im very happy with them. I haven't changed a battery since installing the TerraLux because they run for a long time.

That ThruNight is awesome!! More light than I need, though, maybe. I'll check it out.

I have never had a flashlight run out of electricity, because I use them not so much and I replace the batteries every year. But after a while the Alkalines leak and swell, don't they? I haven't had this problem since I replace annually. My thinking is that by using modern batteries like the lithium ion D cells, I will avoid the buying of new batteries and the swell up problem.

hc3 said:

My thinking is that by using modern batteries like the lithium ion D cells, I will avoid the buying of new batteries and the swell up problem.

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NiMH cells are the rechargeables found on store shelves and are for use in pretty much anything, Li-ions are like the cells found in laptop computers, they have high/odd voltages and can only be used in devices specifically built to accept them.

hc3 said:

That ThruNight is awesome!! More light than I need, though, maybe. I'll check it out.

I have never had a flashlight run out of electricity, because I use them not so much and I replace the batteries every year. But after a while the Alkalines leak and swell, don't they? I haven't had this problem since I replace annually. My thinking is that by using modern batteries like the lithium ion D cells, I will avoid the buying of new batteries and the swell up problem.

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I have had a few kids toys get ruined by leaking alkies, (probably stored with dead batteries for years) and others that didn't get ruined when alkies leaked. Not too long ago, I found a lost 3D maglight that had a set of Duracells in it that hadn't leaked, and the batteries were dated 2008! They still held a charge.

I recall one night light that I tossed because the contacts were too damaged to clean after some alkaleaks got to it. My wife used it for book reading at night, killed the batteries, left it, and used a different light. I don't know how long it was before I discovered it.

Just saying

Before most of your times as far as flashlight went you had the old eveready plastics that they just about gave away for you to buy batteries, the .MIL Angle Head, the camp lantern with at 1.5lb box battery and maybe a pen light or two to choose from...if you really spent some $$$ you could get one of those long chrome 3-4 cell metal jobs and thats just about it...then Maglite come into being and set the flashlight world on its ear...since then there has been an EXPLOSION of LED, ION, INCAN and whatever else technology out there...

The average C or D cell MagLite is something like 35-65 lumens...I've got 5 of them...a $10 TerraLux drop in to them to 140+ and made them relevant again...sure I'm getting into my Surefires now and looking at some higher end things but the Maglites came back to life after a $50 trip to Amazon and the Brown Truck delivery...do yourself a favor...make yer MagLites relevant again...LED DROP IN's are the way to go...besides...I cant imagine beating an intruder to death with a 6P...a 3 D cell MagLite...another story altogether...