4C & 6C Maglite LED mods

[vicv]

Yeah, AA eneloops in sleeves are a great way to go for C cell Mags, eneloop makes adapters, but you can 3D print your own or make some out of rolled up news paper and some Scotch tape.

BTW - AA cells tend to run about 1/2 mm longer than C cells, so you might find that you need to compress the spring more when you are getting the tail cap screwed on.

Running 2X protected 18650's or 21700's with a 6 cell bulb or LED drop in is another option, but you will need to 3D print or otherwise fabricate your own adapters.

Ya I made my adapters on a mini lathe out of Delrin. Works great. Your printed adapters are nice too. 2x21700 are the right length in a 3c. Just need to take up windage again.

 

[IMA SOL MAN]

Could probably use drilled to cell size spools.

 

[G Man]

Yeah, AA eneloops in sleeves are a great way to go for C cell Mags, eneloop makes adapters, but you can 3D print your own or make some out of rolled up news paper and some Scotch tape.

BTW - AA cells tend to run about 1/2 mm longer than C cells, so you might find that you need to compress the spring more when you are getting the tail cap screwed on.

Running 2X protected 18650's or 21700's with a 6 cell bulb or LED drop in is another option, but you will need to 3D print or otherwise fabricate your own adapters.

I've got lots of Panasonic 18650s (green and red) and lots of AA Eneloops. Which option would give me the longest run time?

 

[alpg88]

18650 for sure will give you better runtimes, for a C tube, li ion is about 3x power density compared to nimh,

 

[xxo]

I've got lots of Panasonic 18650s (green and red) and lots of AA Eneloops. Which option would give me the longest run time?

18650's with over 2600 mAh will give longer run times, but you need protected cells for safety.

 

[G Man]

18650's with over 2600 mAh will give longer run times, but you need protected cells for safety.

So, none of my 18650s are protected as all my flashlights that use them have protection circuits. Either I used the AAs or I'll need to buy protected cells. Would it better at this point to buy protected 21700s? I just found another C cell Maglite (3 cell) in a tool box that I thought was lost. Now I've got 3 lights to convert. I believe each one of these could use a couple 21700s with the same output, just a different form factor of flashlight body and adapters needed. If I go this route, can you recommend the best cells for this application?

 

[vicv]

Personally, unless you are unable to keep an eye on things, I think protection, circuits on batteries are unnecessary. I have only ever had one protected Battery, I ended up removing the protection circuit to get it working better. When the light starts to go dim, it's time to charge the cells. As far as 21700, they are all pretty good. Anyone Samsung or Sanyo or LG will be fine. Nice thing about this form factor is you do not need to take up any length. As two of these will be the same length as three C's. So all you need to do is make something that will keep them centered. I believe I used some plastic tubing from a Kids toy that was going to be thrown out. It was just something sitting around.
Your 4C and 6C lights will make things more difficult. Which is why I suggested AA in the commercial adapters. That it will still give you 2000mah. which will give you multiple hours of runtime. How much runtime do you really need? I mean, if you just want to buy batteries, obviously go to town, I completely get that. Also sticking with nimh, voltage will stay the same

 

[xxo]

So, none of my 18650s are protected as all my flashlights that use them have protection circuits. Either I used the AAs or I'll need to buy protected cells. Would it better at this point to buy protected 21700s? I just found another C cell Maglite (3 cell) in a tool box that I thought was lost. Now I've got 3 lights to convert. I believe each one of these could use a couple 21700s with the same output, just a different form factor of flashlight body and adapters needed. If I go this route, can you recommend the best cells for this application?

I think protected 21700's are the way to go if you don't already have protected 18650's. Protected 21700's (the ones without the built in USB charger) are just right the right length for running two in a 3C light; you just need to wrap them with some electrical tape in the middle so they don't rattle and you will need to use a 6 cell bulb or LED drop-in.

In a 4 or 6C cell Mag you can also run a pair of protected 21700's (with or without the built in charger), but you will need an adapter to make contact length wise.

 

[G Man]

Are there any led bulbs to fit the old 3C Maglites that can handle more than two 21700s? Assuming of course that I'll be using a glass lens and aluminum reflector.

 

[vicv]

Are there any led bulbs to fit the old 3C Maglites that can handle more than two 21700s? Assuming of course that I'll be using a glass lens and aluminum reflector.

The glass lens and aluminium reflector is a necessity for high power incans. More than 10w. Don't need it for led. I mean you can, but the way you wrote that looks like you thought it was an important caveat.

 

[xxo]

Are there any led bulbs to fit the old 3C Maglites that can handle more than two 21700s? Assuming of course that I'll be using a glass lens and aluminum reflector.

They make them for 18V drill battery lights, but most are probably no brighter than the little 2 to 6 cell Firefly drop-in Lumencrfaft has and you can only fit 2 21700's in a 3 cell light anyway, though you could get up to 4 in a 6 C cell Mag.

 

[alpg88]

I tried 14.4 bulb in maglite, was not impressed, but it actually did damage stock reflector close to the bulb, Firefly will not fit C head.

 

[letschat7]

I just put a glass lense and one of those weird Mexican bulbs in mine with fresh Rayovacs. It outperforms a Surefire 9P initially.

 

[mrfixitman]

Good evening fellow Flashaholics!

I apologize in advance for my question that I'm sure has been asked ad nauseum. The searches I did were unsuccessful and I'm quite illiterate when it comes to modifying. The most I've done is drop a couple Malkoff units into old Surfires.

I just dug out my old standby lights from decades past, 4 C cell and a 6 C cell incan Maglites. Please give an old dog a bone with some simple drop in parts that will get these old beauties up and running again.

I did find the nifty glass reflectors from Flashlightlens and the lenses and reflectors from Kaidomain. Any advise on those would be appreciated, such as UCL Borofoat vs regular Borofloat vs multilayer AR... and op vs polished reflectors.

Which drop in led would work with these lights and is there a simple tube spacer mod that will allow me to use the 18650 batteries I have and regularly charge for many of my other lights? If not, I can certainly get a box of alkaline C cells to run these.

Thanks in advance for any help. It's been a few years since I visited and I'm sure much has change.

26650's drop in with no modification. I don't know what bulb type your lights take but I soldered up a bulb with 22 gauge brass that fit in the two pin holes. 6.4vdc using two A123 cells in a 3C. You might be able to get 3 cells in a 4C maybe 5 in a 6 cell. 3.2v per cell. I got 4 in a 4D cell light I have bulbs that go to 24vdc so 12.8 vdc is only half voltage. I use the same bulb in my 3C mag two A123 26650's for 6.2vdc. Throws a bright beam. I have seen these A123 for 50cents each in quantity. 4 bank charger is 10 bucks I think. These batteries put out 200 amps in a dead short so be careful. If you nick a cell it can be a potential short as the case is positive right up the the negative contact. I put a bolt in the spring and reduce or stretch the spring as needed. I flip the spring and take out the anodization in the cap. On some models you might have to put a bump of solder on the positive most battery to make contact on some lights.

 

[mrfixitman]

You're welcome ... and I have a bunch of those little blue free lights too, haha. They're actually pretty bright.

Here are a few of my 2C lights that I upgraded. I think I figured it up once that I had about $60 into one, if I got a good deal on a used Maglite from ebay, and then a good deal on the LED, and then the kai aluminum reflector & glass lens. Very worth it, to me. I carry one in each vehicle, and keep a few around the house & garage.

If I don't actually use the ones in the vehicles very much, I only charge those Tenergy LSD cells once or twice a year, and could get by with less than that if I wanted to, but I like to keep them topped off.

View attachment 51615

In 2C lights one 26650 fits for 3.2vdc. No mod need other than stretching the spring.

 

[letschat7]

In 2C lights one 26650 fits for 3.2vdc. No mod need other than stretching the spring.

Too bad you can't use a Malkoff with that.

 

[alpg88]

This is perfect D to 18650 adapter, If you do not put 3/4 pipe inside, it is perfect adapter for C or 26XXX cells, No need to cut anything. I never used a123 cells, but every other 26xxx and C size fit perfectly, with no alteration to 1" pvc.

 

[alpg88]

^^^ what i said above does not work for all 26xxx, i have tried 26350 from acebeam it would not fit, however orange imr cells fit just fine

 

[lumen aeternum]

This is perfect D to 18650 adapter, If you do not put 3/4 pipe inside, it is perfect adapter for C or 26XXX cells, No need to cut anything. I never used a123 cells, but every other 26xxx and C size fit perfectly, with no alteration to 1" pvc.

So its 1" PVC with 3/4" PVC on the inside? Why did you put a slit in the inner sleeve?

 

[vicv]

So its 1" PVC with 3/4" PVC on the inside? Why did you put a slit in the inner sleeve?

Because 26xxx cells are 26mm wide. 3/4 pvc is only 25mm wide