My Maglite 3D is freakin' awesome! (Full build details)

[KiwiMark]

A while ago I picked up a 2nd hand Mag 3D for a good price, but didn't have an immediate use for it. I have 4 ROPs in 2D bodies and 1 ROP in a 6D as well as a 4D hotwire (64458 & 5 x IMR 26500) and an Elephant II.

But now my Alan B Programmable Regulated Drivers have arrived and I have put one in my 3D Maglite.


My build:
Starting point - Maglite 3D torch.

Modifications:
Removed plastic lens and replaced it with a Borafloat lens

Removed plastic lens and replaced it with an Aluminium OP reflector

Removed Maglite switch and replaced it with an Alan B Programmable Regulated Driver.

Installed an Osram 64430 bulb.

Inserted 3 x Kaidomain 32600 unprotected Li-ion cells.

Swapped the tailcap spring for a Kaidomain golden shorty spring.


Details:
The driver is computer programmable and is currently set to provide a maximum of 10V to the bulb. The driver will power off when the battery voltage drops below 9.8V at which time the batteries will not have much power left, but they will not be dangerously low in their voltage. This means that the bulb will briefly be direct driven at the end, but not for long and I would doubt that is would be noticeable. The medium output would be at 6.5V and the basic mode output at 5V, the minimum is set to 3V.

If I lockout the light (5 clicks) it can still be used in basic mode (click to turn on, click to turn off) - I only have it set to 5V so it is a little underdriven making it a bit yellow/orange but fairly safe for someone else to use.

If I hold the button down from off the torch comes on at minimum output which is 3V - this can be used to see, but is very orange. I wouldn't bother programming the minimum to any lower than this.

If I click 3 times it goes to medium (halfway between min and max) which is 6.5V - at this level the colour isn't bad and it is quite bright. This would be running at about 40 Watts. This isn't a bad level to use and would allow a reasonable run time.

If I double click it goes to maximum which is 10V - at this level the light is fairly white and VERY bright. Shining it at a white wall at close range makes it a bit hard on the eyes looking at the hotspot. Lux's measured amps at 10V with one of these bulbs is 7.7A which means this 35W bulb is running at 77 Watts.

Run time:
I estimate the batteries to hold about 55 Watt hours of power when fully charged. This means that on maximum output the run time would be somewhere close to 40 minutes, over 30 minutes at least. On the medium output it should run for more than an hour (80 minutes theoretically). Overall this seems pretty good considering the output I am getting.

Performance:
According to Lux's Destructive Incan Bulb Tests - the WA1111 outputs 96 Lux at 1M on 8 Volts (any more than 8V risks :poof:) and the WA1185 generates 117 Lux at 1M from 11.6V (Over 12V risks :poof:). The Osram 64430 that I am using produces 223 Lux at 1M when run at 10V and doesn't :poof: till 11V. So compared to a Mag11 or Mag85 I am getting a lot more light output with over double the Lux of a Mag11 and almost double that of the Mag85. I could use the torch at medium output and in theory the bulb would last for over 1000 hours, obviously running at maximum (10V) will severely shorten the life of the bulb and I might expect around 8 hours of bulb life at that level. I have 1 bulb in the torch and 6 spares - so I don't need to put another order through to svetila in any great hurry.

Negatives:
The KD reflector isn't all that great - the focus for this big bulb is not exactly pin-point. Obviously this torch would throw much better with a 2.5" or 3" throw master head from fivemega - but they aren't cheap and would make the torch look different. Currently the torch looks like any other Mag 3D unless you look into the head at the bulb. I might get a modamag MOP reflector with a .5" ream for a better beam and less gap around the bulb.

The other negative is the price - most of the build doesn't cost all that much, but the driver is a bit pricey at $107 with Kiu socket - unfortunately without that driver this torch would be hard to power from Li-ion cells - 2 cells is not that impressive and 3 cells is :poof: The only way to do it cheaper and have it still good would be to use the JimmyM regulated driver instead - more work but less cost.

Overall:
This torch is more a flooder than a thrower, but at maximum there are so many Lumens coming out the front it can throw its floody beam for a decent distance and light up an area like you wouldn't believe. The UI on Alan B's driver is really nice to use - from off you can click to either maximum or memory (depending on options chosen when programming) or hold for minimum or triple click for medium. From 'on' you can double click for max, triple click for medium or hold to ramp (release & hold again to ramp the other way). With low voltage cut off programmed in it is fairly safe to use unprotected Li-ions which is good for the KD cells because their protected cells struggle at 3.5A and immediately cut off above that (I can't use their protected D cells with the 3854-H bulb), also the unprotected cells are cheaper.

 

[KiwiMark]

It has occurred to my that the 'lockout mode' is pretty useful and can be used several ways:
1. to disable the flashlight.
2. to put it into a basic mode with less/no overdriving.
3. to turn the light into a simple on/off mode light (I could choose 8V for nice overdrive without huge output and have basic mode just do that).

 

[Mjolnir]

Wow, that light definitely requires beamshots...:candle:

How well do the KD cells handle the 7 amp load? I would think that they would sag a fair amount, but since it is regulated you might not gain much by switching to IMR cells.

Hopefully some manufacturer will make IMR D cells in the near future...

 

[KiwiMark]

Wow, that light definitely requires beamshots...:candle:

How well do the KD cells handle the 7 amp load? I would think that they would sag a fair amount, but since it is regulated you might not gain much by switching to IMR cells.

Hopefully some manufacturer will make IMR D cells in the near future...

7 Amps is only 1.5C - not all that heavy a load. It wouldn't be until the voltage sags below 3.33V per cell that the light falls out of regulation and I have the cut-off set to 9.8V so I get pretty much full overdriven whiteness until the light cuts out. Then I recharge.

If I went with IMR 26500 cells then I only have 2.3Ah instead of 5Ah - that would provide less than 1/2 of the run time.

 

[KiwiMark]

Wow, that light definitely requires beamshots...:candle:

Hmmm, that would be tricky - the brightness and colour would be hard to convey in a photo with my limited skills at showing things like that. It would need another beam beside it to give a comparison and most of my other beams would be pretty dim compared to the 10V 64430. I would also need a suitable wall to shine the beams on and to set up the camera on a tripod.

I'll see what I can do once I have my Elephant II monster (210 Watts regulated into a 64458 and a 3" throwmaster head) all finished (just waiting on a longer extension tube from fivemega).

 

[ANDREAS FERRARI]

I'm running the same bulb and batteries with Alan's reg. in a 2D Mag.
My regulator is set to vari-setting to ramp up and down between 6v-9.7v by simply holding down the switch.
If your having trouble focusing the beam it's probably because the legs on the Kiu socket are a little too long.
I haven't gotten around to shortening them on my 64430 yet but will soon.
If you attempt this let me know how much you removed.

And yes-this light is awesome!

 

[KiwiMark]

If you attempt this let me know how much you removed.

I removed a LOT - I am using 2 collars that come with the AW switch and that is all. i.e. not the hex nut things that come in short, medium & long - just the little brass collars. Any less and the socket would be sitting directly on the aluminium sled. I tested with the shortest hex nuts - but the focus was at its best with the head not really screwed on as far as I liked.

 

[Mjolnir]

Hmmm, that would be tricky - the brightness and colour would be hard to convey in a photo with my limited skills at showing things like that. It would need another beam beside it to give a comparison and most of my other beams would be pretty dim compared to the 10V 64430. I would also need a suitable wall to shine the beams on and to set up the camera on a tripod.

I'll see what I can do once I have my Elephant II monster (210 Watts regulated into a 64458 and a 3" throwmaster head) all finished (just waiting on a longer extension tube from fivemega).

They don't need to be on a wall; outdoor beamshots would probably be better for such a bright light. I think it would be neat to see how much brighter this is than one of your ROPs.

 

[parisot]

any updates on this? I would really like to see some beamshots of this light

 

[KiwiMark]

any updates on this? I would really like to see some beamshots of this light

I will have to find somewhere to take them and some time to do it - I am not too sure when I will get the chance. I'll wait till my 210W Elephant II is going so that I can get beam shots of both at once.

 

[LuxLuthor]

Nice job and writeup, especially listing all the links in first thread. Is the deal with those springs that they are softer? I wonder how their resistance compares...they don't say anything about it.

I think I got those cells back in July and they arrived with black shrink....were yours also?

 

[KiwiMark]

Nice job and writeup, especially listing all the links in first thread. Is the deal with those springs that they are softer? I wonder how their resistance compares...they don't say anything about it.

I think I got those cells back in July and they arrived with black shrink....were yours also?

I think the springs may be harder - but they are shorter. I don't know about the resistance - but I don't think it matters on the regulated lights because you are regulating the voltage down anyway.

Yes the cells have the black shrink wrap - I had 4 but I have ordered some more because with 3 in this build I have none spare for my 3854-H. I wish AW would offer this size (and 1/2 D) in Unprotected, Protected & IMR - I am sure his protected cells would work up to a higher current draw and I have a lot of faith in the quality of his cells. But so far these KD cells have done fine.

 

[LuxLuthor]

I think the springs may be harder - but they are shorter. I don't know about the resistance - but I don't think it matters on the regulated lights because you are regulating the voltage down anyway.

Yes the cells have the black shrink wrap - I had 4 but I have ordered some more because with 3 in this build I have none spare for my 3854-H. I wish AW would offer this size (and 1/2 D) in Unprotected, Protected & IMR - I am sure his protected cells would work up to a higher current draw and I have a lot of faith in the quality of his cells. But so far these KD cells have done fine.

OK, cool. BTW, on the spring issue, I just shorten the stock spring by cutting off loops with dremel blade and sand edge so not sharp.

 

[KiwiMark]

OK, cool. BTW, on the spring issue, I just shorten the stock spring by cutting off loops with dremel blade and sand edge so not sharp.

With the KD golden shorty spring it is also a good idea to blunt the end - that little sucker is rather sharp and can scratch up the bottom battery pretty good. I use the file on my Leatherman Wave to smooth the end of the spring.

 

[Alan B]

Nice writeup and nice light. :twothumbs

 

[ZardHex]

+1 for outdoor beamshots...loooong distance if possible :devil:

 

[KiwiMark]

Nice writeup and nice light. :twothumbs

Thanks Alan!

+1 for outdoor beamshots...loooong distance if possible :devil:

I'll try to get some pics done at some point - but I don't think I'll be looking at long distance with my 3D. Using a large Osram bulb and a standard Mag head just won't create a long range thrower. If you want to throw a long way with these bulbs then I think the only options that would work well would be fivemega's throwmaster heads. My Elephant II has a 3" throwmaster head and it should be able to throw a decent distance.

Where some throwers may be able to put a nice tight spot on a tree 50 metres away I think my Mag 3D will be able to brightly light up that whole tree with ease! The phrase 'wall of light' comes to mind.