Northern Lights
Flashlight Enthusiast
We have overlooked the obvious! Looking to overdrive we failed to recognize. Simplest modification is to change to another type of bulb. The factory original bulb puts out about 200 torch-lumens. The common upgrade was to substitute with the WA 1160 bulb. 376 Torch-lumens vs. 497 Torch-lumens, 1160 overdriven vs. 5761 at spec. So, why do we work so hard to go backwards? The WA 1160 or any WA bulbs for that matter are difficult to get. Welsh Allyn requires minimum orders. The Phillips 5761 is a projector bulb and is available in many web stores and in good brick and mortar camera shops! Costs less too.
Working with the specificationI realized because the Phillips but has a OEM specification of 6 Volts, yes, the Mag Charger is 6 Volts, and the 5761 is specified to output 765 bulb-lumens and just under 500 torch-lumens, (497 T-lumens),!!! The WA 1160 mod at best is only 376 Torch-lumens. The WA 1111 mod at best is only 572 torch-lumens!
Most who modify the venerable Mag Instrument Mag Charger start out with a simple bulb change to the Welsh Alyn 01160-u bulb. That bulb is made for 5 volts so when we put it onto the 6 volts of the Mag Charger we get an output of 579 bulb-lumens and that figures to 376 torch-lumens. The OEM puts out about 200 torch-lumens. Torch-lumens are figured out generally by using a formula that translates to multiplying the bulb out put by .65. That is the real world light. Over exaggerated claims are common on popular mod projects bulbs like the WA 1185 because people do not consider voltage drops from use and resistance and fail to realize what comes out is a fraction of the theoretical best and many people state the best and do not calculate what the mod really is doing up front.
Well, having said that the next step in the Mag Charger modding is usually giving it a better battery or even a higher voltage pack. The next voltage jump to 7.2 volts calls for the WA 1111 bulb as the next step in modding. That mod puts out 572 torch-lumens. Why the WA 1111 at all, it is hardly brighter than the 5761 on 6-volts and way less output if you drop the 5761 on the 7.2-volt batteries of the WA 1111 mod? Next a common mod is the WA 1185. On 10.8 volts, 9 cells the output generally is in the high 700s, the high 800a are reached when 10.8 volts gets to the bulb, that means 12 volts or 10 cells to get there. A very good alternative and the next step for brightness and burn time is the Phillips 5761. On 6 AA cells, 7.2 volts the output is nearly 900 torch-lumens. It beats the output of the WA 1185 but the best is part is that you can get 12 AA cells in that thing, high capacity cells with minimal boring, can be done by hand. More cells, 2700 mAh cells, means not only a brighter flashlight but much longer burn time. Using 10 AAs at 2700 mAh this light can run a 1185 at high 700's torch-lumens for 48 minutes or 12 AAs at 5400 mAh this light can run a 5761 at just under the 900 torch-lumens for 61 minutes.
Knowing this which would you build? No brainer, and aside from the numbers there are beam shots and experience on CPF that compares the two bulbs in operations. It looks to me the Phillips 5761 is the brightest solution for this light whether on the original battery pack or if you use common hot-wire solutions. We are not talking here about the flash-in-the-pan 100 watters, nice mods but not in the same practicality category.
With all of these bulbs it is recommended that the socket be insulated, simply placing a mica shield on it works. The 5761 is the same size as the Pelican 3854, ROP, in diameter, .377 in. To put it into a MC ream, light port, or hole whatever you like to use for nomenclature, can easily be enlarged by running a conical, spherical or cone shaped grinding stone on it until you get the bulb through it. The MC reflector is spun steel supported in a plastic housing. This housing can be insulated from the reflector and should be with higher output mods. The reflector can be popped out of the housing and put back in on top of 4 pads of fiberglass felt.
Working with the specificationI realized because the Phillips but has a OEM specification of 6 Volts, yes, the Mag Charger is 6 Volts, and the 5761 is specified to output 765 bulb-lumens and just under 500 torch-lumens, (497 T-lumens),!!! The WA 1160 mod at best is only 376 Torch-lumens. The WA 1111 mod at best is only 572 torch-lumens!
Most who modify the venerable Mag Instrument Mag Charger start out with a simple bulb change to the Welsh Alyn 01160-u bulb. That bulb is made for 5 volts so when we put it onto the 6 volts of the Mag Charger we get an output of 579 bulb-lumens and that figures to 376 torch-lumens. The OEM puts out about 200 torch-lumens. Torch-lumens are figured out generally by using a formula that translates to multiplying the bulb out put by .65. That is the real world light. Over exaggerated claims are common on popular mod projects bulbs like the WA 1185 because people do not consider voltage drops from use and resistance and fail to realize what comes out is a fraction of the theoretical best and many people state the best and do not calculate what the mod really is doing up front.
Well, having said that the next step in the Mag Charger modding is usually giving it a better battery or even a higher voltage pack. The next voltage jump to 7.2 volts calls for the WA 1111 bulb as the next step in modding. That mod puts out 572 torch-lumens. Why the WA 1111 at all, it is hardly brighter than the 5761 on 6-volts and way less output if you drop the 5761 on the 7.2-volt batteries of the WA 1111 mod? Next a common mod is the WA 1185. On 10.8 volts, 9 cells the output generally is in the high 700s, the high 800a are reached when 10.8 volts gets to the bulb, that means 12 volts or 10 cells to get there. A very good alternative and the next step for brightness and burn time is the Phillips 5761. On 6 AA cells, 7.2 volts the output is nearly 900 torch-lumens. It beats the output of the WA 1185 but the best is part is that you can get 12 AA cells in that thing, high capacity cells with minimal boring, can be done by hand. More cells, 2700 mAh cells, means not only a brighter flashlight but much longer burn time. Using 10 AAs at 2700 mAh this light can run a 1185 at high 700's torch-lumens for 48 minutes or 12 AAs at 5400 mAh this light can run a 5761 at just under the 900 torch-lumens for 61 minutes.
Knowing this which would you build? No brainer, and aside from the numbers there are beam shots and experience on CPF that compares the two bulbs in operations. It looks to me the Phillips 5761 is the brightest solution for this light whether on the original battery pack or if you use common hot-wire solutions. We are not talking here about the flash-in-the-pan 100 watters, nice mods but not in the same practicality category.
With all of these bulbs it is recommended that the socket be insulated, simply placing a mica shield on it works. The 5761 is the same size as the Pelican 3854, ROP, in diameter, .377 in. To put it into a MC ream, light port, or hole whatever you like to use for nomenclature, can easily be enlarged by running a conical, spherical or cone shaped grinding stone on it until you get the bulb through it. The MC reflector is spun steel supported in a plastic housing. This housing can be insulated from the reflector and should be with higher output mods. The reflector can be popped out of the housing and put back in on top of 4 pads of fiberglass felt.
