SuperMag (Mag74) received! Finally!! :)

just wanted to share that I too am finally a proud owner of one of these SuperMags everyone keeps hearing and boasting about! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

My Mag74 arrived this afternoon. Bill, thanks man!

It's a brand spankin' new 2D M*g, with a UCL lens, a new metal reflector (sorry, dont know the exact name for it), and it uses two 3-to-D batt holders of course, and last but not least, it came with the 1274 WA bulb, plus a spare 1274 for the tail end.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

This thing is freakin BRIGHT!! It kicks my C3 on fresh 123's. I had to play with the focussing, used 4 shims, but finally did get it right for my liking, so now it's "prefocussed" and I dont have to fiddle with twisting the bezel, etc.

Oh, did I fail to mention that this thing is bright?! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif I love the 2D form - not too big, not too small.

I love all my children, I mean.. flashlights... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif but i have to say my Mag74 is daddy's favorite for now. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif I still EDC my Aleph III + E2o... or my E1L... or my X5T... but when it comes to punching holes, no.. make that CRATERS... in the dark... I pull out my Mag74.

........... and I cant WAIT to get me a Mag85.... soon enough i tell myself... soon enough. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/broke.gif

Tks for reading....
be safe,
CQB

ps. if any of you read my previous posts explaining my need for a FL that has a huge & bright enough hotspot for throw BUT at the same time was still large enough to provide a good flood in close quarters... i think the Mag74 does all that! Thank YOU to whomever figured out how to make these sweet things!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Nice Mag, sure beats my stock 2D Mag

i pick up my 3D host in the way home from work and the build will take place around noon on the 8'th /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Shane

TorchBoy: thanks man! Heck, it beats my "3"D stock m*g too!

Hallis: Cool! I'm still new to all this, so are you building an 85? Or a 74? Or something else?

an 85, thanks to Gensing's Bi-Pin slug group buy. I just hope i have enough NiMH cells laying around /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Shane

I too enjoyed the Mag74, but I used 7 cells for 800 lumens. You might want to consider a 8AA-2D holder /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

SJACKAL: I would LOVE 800 lumens in a 2D form, great suggestion!! I will have to look into getting one of those 8AA-2D holders and 1 dummy AA too, right?

yeah i only want to add that charging my AAs (i have two sets to rotate b/t for my mag74) is a little bit of a drag... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon23.gif but oh well.... I'm still a happy camper! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Oh yeah, I forgot that you that you can overdrive using 7 cells with the 8AA to D. Great point! Make sure you load one dummy cell or you WILL blow the bulb with 8 cells.

The only disadvantage with the 8AA to D is the occasional tight fit and certain larger cells may not even fit at all. Try and experiment, it might work.

Incidentally yes you can run the 1185 on a 2D with an 8AA but it won't put out as much light as it does when overdriven with 9AAs in a 3D configuration. An overdriven 1274 on 7 cells will be seriously awesome. Go for that instead. The SuperMags - for all those times when you simply cannot afford to compromise /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

PS: Lazy people like me buy the Maha C777Plus2 (one of the most affordable pack chargers out there, you can do better, but they cost more) which is capable of charging 1-12 cells at one go. I hook up all the batteries in series, and since I have the appropriate cell adapters to charge D cells, I don't even need to remove them from the housings - pop them into the cradle and go! You can't do this with normal D-cell chargers, you need a pack-capable charger to play this trick. But it sure is convenient.

Oops did I entice you to spend more $$ /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Kev, the answer is "yes". /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Uh oh.... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/str.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

psssssst, the Maha can charge the entire 8AA to 2D adapter at one go. Remove the battery mag from the light, clip one of the Maha's alligator clips onto the positive terminal, one onto the negative...... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

(CQB)/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/twakfl.gif(me) /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/twakfl.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/twakfl.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/twakfl.gif

How bright is Mag74 with 6AA nihms? How long is the runtime?
I just wanna compare it with the combination of 6 Nihms with WA1111. Wouldn't it be as bright as Mag74 with 7Nihms?

Would someone please compare the runtime and brightness among these?

Joseph -

Well, the 1185 @ 3.15a yields an estimated runtime of 25 minutes + or - a few minutes depending on your batts.

So,
The 1111 @ 3.35a will have a little less runtime than that.
The 1274 @ 2.77a will have slightly more runtime than the 1185.

The 1274 (on 7) will be brighter than the 1111 (on 6)
The 1111 (on 6) will be brighter than the 1274 (on 6)

Hope that helps.

Thanks again Litho! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif Then what would be the best combination for 6 cells? I want it to run about 30 minutes though.. Please recommend me one!

I thought we had a sticky thread for all the different bulb/battery combos to refer you to, Joseph, but i can't find it. maybe someone can post the linky. Thanks!

There are an assortment of bulbs that will work on 6AA nimh
Carley 1057 @ 2.00a (about 50 minutes on 2100 nimh batts)
Carley 1499 @ 1.84a
Reflectalite GH24 @ 1.70a
are the three most talked about. You'll get recommendations for any of these bulbs...take your pick.

www.carleylamps.com
www.reflectalite.com

Wow thanks! Are these as bright as the 1111 or 1274 with 6 cells? How do you get them? I don't think Carleylamps will ship me just one bulb.. I also saw the Carley reflector.. Could it be used in Maglites?

Oh.. excuse the newbie.. I'm keeping on asking.. I hope my questions would not bother you. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Got my Mag 85 partially built

here it is against a fresh 4d Mag on the left the 3d Mag 85 on right...

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/huh.gif fear the stomping the '85 is dishing out....

I have a little text document I've put together using info from several threads but I'm not on that computer.

If I recall, the 1274 on 6 cells is like 550 lumens and on 7 cells is almost 900 lumens? Once you get used to the output from your 6 cell Mag74, it might be worth looking into getting an 8AA to 2D adapter and some lower capacity cells - some larger AA cells won't fit. Still, 550 lumens is nothing to kid around about. The brightest light I have is the Surge and it's nowhere near 500! Anyway, you can probably search for threads by Ginseng and find out.

A Mag74 on 7 cells is my current project. Waiting on the 8AA adapter and then need to come up with something for the reflector so I can run it more than 30 seconds at a time.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif

I did your research for you... Here you go...

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB14&Number=824014

Looks like you can upgrade keeping your 6AA configuration and use a WA1111 bulb and get about 60 percent MORE output. Of course at reduced bulb life.