Unique Maglite mod - suggestions needed

[jd_oc]

I'm mainly an LED guy, but I'm looking to build a Maglite incan with high heat output as the primary goal. The other goal is to keep costs to a minimum.

Things that are important:
1) Lumens/Heat output 1-2 ft in front of flashlight
2) Total cost (including batteries) kept to a minimum.

Things that are NOT important:
1) run time
2) weatherproofing
3) throw
4) size (within reason, a 6D maglite would be ok, but that's as big as I'd go)
5) weight (within reason)

With this in mind, I think a 623 bulb would be best, and I will get an aluminum reflector from kaidomain. I won't run any glass lens on the front (it will be open for max heat/UV transfer).

My questions are, what is the best size Maglite to buy/use? I would prefer to run a stock body (non-bored) to keep costs down, and I think getting a NiMh pack is the cheapest route? I think I'll need a higher amp switch too, any ideas? Besides the bulb and previously mentioned parts, is there anything else I'll need?

I'm hoping for 4,000 lumens / 100 watts of power for under $150 due to my unique (cheap) requirements. Possible?

 

[Kestrel]

I'm most definitely not a Mag mod expert, but for a first build I'd try something simple & less expensive, just so you know what works for you and what doesn't - maybe a 3D is a usable size for you but a 4D would end up being too long & heavy, for example. As soon as I handled a 3D Mag85, I knew that 2D ROPs were more my style. :)

If you wanted a 623 or something, how about just buying one that someone put up for sale - you could score a good deal if you're not in a rush. :shrug:

My two lumens,

Edit: You cite 'cheap', I don't know if I'd want anything like the awesome 623 'built-on-the-cheap'. To paraphrase the old CPF saying: good, inexpensive, bright - pick any two.

Edit # 2:

I won't run any glass lens on the front (it will be open for max heat/UV transfer).

Um, I wouldn't recommend this. A bulb can 'blow' for any reason, contact with water, defect in the glass bulb envelope, etc. High gas pressures + superheated glass shards + no eye protection / face shields = zero, repeat, zero, fun

 

[UberLumens]

Do you want heat or light? two tools made for that may be better than one made to do both.

If your after heat get a heat gun or hairdryer and use a flashlight to see

 

[jd_oc]

UberLumens,

I want heat, but it has to be battery operated (no plugs), if you have a better suggestion on how to make concentrated heat without resorting to chemical ignition (i.e., blow torches, etc) I'm all ears.

 

[UberLumens]

hmm the no chemical/fuel is a tough one,

how about a peliter chip, like thoes USB powered mini fridges, should be battery able and with some homework im sure can heat what you need

but i can see why you thought of a nice high power incan now

 

[jd_oc]

UberLumens - I like your 'out of the box' thinking, but from what I understand peltier chips have poor power density, and the peak temperature difference is only on the order of 150 deg or so. I'm looking for 'projected' heat hot enough to light paper, etc on fire.

 

[jd_oc]

Kestrel - I do have a stock Mag 3D. What would you recommend for a starter build, with max heat in mind? What battery pack to fit stock body, and what bulb/switch?

 

[alpg88]

I'm hoping for 4,000 lumens / 100 watts of power for under $150 due to my unique (cheap) requirements. Possible?

you need 12v 100w mr16 (using reflectored bulb will eliminate the need for mettal reflector, and high temp aligned socket, like kui, or aw soft start. )
2 glass lens (or 1 if you can find 4mm thick lens) mineral glass lens are $1,75 at z battery, borofloat will be a bit better cuz it is stronger, but it cost $6 and up a piece.
some mr16 come with glass build in, if you find a way to tighten mr16, you wont need extra glass.
for 100w and keep original switch (10 amp is about the limit for stock switch), and no borring out the body you need 4d with 12aa adapter
12 elite1700 or titanium 1800 cells.
or li ion 26500, 4 or 5 of them, they have larger capacity. and can handle 10 or so amps. but they are 20 a piece
and that is it.
mr16 $5, battery holder $40, elites, another $40-50. or li ions
glass$3
simple high temp socket $3-5.
cut off the tower, solder socket wires to the switch, load holder with 12 elites, install mr16 and 2 pieces of glass, and you're set.

100w mr16 or any other 100w bulb will produce plenty of heat, you will feel it at 1-2 feet in front of the light,

i,ve build many mags leds and hot wire, mr16 way is the cheapest and the easiest.

 

[jd_oc]

Thanks alpg88! This is exactly the help I'm looking for. But I'm a bit of a noob when it comes to maglites (I just now had to look up what part the 'tower' was ;)

I have a few follow-up questions:
1) will the mr16 have the right diameter for the maglite?
2) Is the 2 glass lenses to get the right thickness, i.e., they would be stacked to replace plastic lens?
3) Is there a website to order the high temp socket?
4) Is there instuctions anywhere on how to cut the tower?

Sorry for so many questions...

Note: already edited out 2 previous questions I found the answers to :)

 

[mrartillery]

To paraphrase the old CPF saying: good, inexpensive, bright - pick any two.

My thoughts exactly, if you want something powerful enough to start fires, its gonna cost you some money. :poke:

 

[kramer5150]

you need 12v 100w mr16 (using reflectored bulb will eliminate the need for mettal reflector, and high temp aligned socket, like kui, or aw soft start. )
2 glass lens (or 1 if you can find 4mm thick lens) mineral glass lens are $1,75 at z battery, borofloat will be a bit better cuz it is stronger, but it cost $6 and up a piece.
for 100w and keep original switch (10 amp is about the limit for stock switch), and no borring out the body you need 4d with 12aa adapter
12 elite1700 or titanium 1800 cells.
and that is it.
mr16 $5, battery holder $40, elites, another $40-50.
glass$3
simple high temp socket $3-5.
cut off the tower, solder socket wires to the switch, load holder with 12 elites, install mr16 and 2 pieces of glass, and you're set.

100w mr16 or any other 100w bulb will produce plenty of heat, you will feel it at 1-2 feet in front of the light,

i,ve build many mags leds and hot wire, mr16 way is the cheapest and the easiest.

x2... I just finished an MR16 build (20W) and even it gets pretty hot.

 

[alpg88]

^^^:twothumbs

 

[Chrontius]

Nice Polaris, Kramer. What kind of PR-bipin adapter did you use?

 

[357mag1]

x2... I just finished an MR16 build (20W) and even it gets pretty hot.

Great!!! That looks awesome and now you got me thinking I need one.
Did you use Fivemega's 5.3 socket?

 

[novice]

I've just started delving into simple mag mods and am really enjoying using FM's 5.3 socket in a 4D m*g with FM's 12AA-to-4D adapter (running 9 Sanyo eneloops & 3 dummy spacers for ~11.7v) with MR16s. My 3D m*g is a permanent host for the Malkoff drop-in (which will actually run on 'heavy-duty' D cells, BTW). The nice thing about the 12 volt MR16 is that it comes in so many different flavors, and if you shop around online, you can get them for pretty cheap. 10w, 20w, 35w, 50w, 55w, 60w, 65w, 71w, 75w, 80w, etc..., with most of them available in 10 or 12 degree, 24 degree, 35 or 38 degree, or even 60 degree beam spread. The night before last I walked the dog with a 50w 12 degree spot (surprisingly good throw), and tonight I used a 50w 38 degree flood (a 'poor man's Malkoff M60-MCE' - sort of). One of my completely subjective criteria has me usually spending no more than $4 a bulb, most of which have a life of 2000-5000 hours. I just placed an order today for a few 75w bulbs, to see how those will work.
2 of the areas I know nothing about are whether/how much these bulbs can be overdriven, what temperatures are produced, and what the various runtimes are, depending which bulbs you are using, and how many AA cells you are using. If the redoubtable Lex Luthor - whose 'destructive incan bulb tests' I am so in awe of and am indebted to - were willing to do some of the same testing on MR16 bulbs, I would send him some bulbs, and encourage others to do the same.

 

[jcvjcvjcvjcv]

Nice Polaris, Kramer. What kind of PR-bipin adapter did you use?

using reflectored bulb will eliminate the need for mettal reflector, and high temp aligned socket, like kui

:popcorn:

 

[alpg88]

2 of the areas I know nothing about are whether/how much these bulbs can be overdriven, what temperatures are produced, and what the various runtimes are, depending which bulbs you are using, and how many AA cells you are using. .

you can overdrive them pretty hard, i tried 5 18650 (over 20v) with 20w mr16, it worked great. but the light was too long, i run 4 cells, great results.
runtime depends on cells, their number and chemistry.
eneloops have 2ah capacity at 1.2v,
18650's nave capacity between 1.2ah to 2,4ah.

20w12w mr16 draws about 2 amps. 50w about 5 amps...ect.

so if you running 12 eneloops, with 20w bulb you should get about 45min to an hour.

100w 12v bulb running on 12 elites 1700 will give you about 10 min or so runtime.

eneloops are fine up to 4amps, they can do more, but i wouldn't recommend it,
elites1700 or titanium 1800 AA's can handle 10 amp draw.

every cell has limitation on amps they can reliably supply, observe those limits.

 

[Norm]

Why are you looking at bulbs to produce heat, why not make an element from nichrome wire? You'll get far more heat and less light.
Think electric radiator.

 

[broadgage]

If you require both light and heat, from an MR16 lamp, be certain to get the right sort.
MR16 come in 2 main types, those with dichroic coated glass reflectors, and those with metal reflectors (sometimes a metal coating on glass)

Lamps with a dichroic coated reflector wont be suitable in this application. The purpose of the coating is to reflect ONLY the light into the beam, the heat is radiated in straight lines, and therefore largely emitted from the rear of the lamp.
Dichroic lamps are often marked "coolbeam" or "reduced heat"

The type of lamp with a metal reflector should be fine, most use a metal coating on glass, some use an aluminium reflector, either should be fine.