adirondackdestroyer
Flashlight Enthusiast
- Joined
- Oct 31, 2005
- Messages
- 2,018
I know people sometimes want to see how much of a difference a Mag85 is compared to a plain old stock Maglite. I received my WA1185 bulbs today and charged up my cells so I could do a quick comparison for everyone. Here are the pics:
First pic = Stock 4C Maglite
Second Pic = 4C Mag85 (3x 18650)
The 4C Mag is rated at 122 lumens (Mag's specs), but I only got around 75-80 lumens out the front when the batteries were 100% fresh. I tested the light again after doing the beamshots and it had dimmed considerably.
The 4C Mag85 is right around 1,000 lumens according to my lightbox. The amount of light that comes out of this thing is incredible! If you're looking to build a VERY bright flashlight then it is a great choice. The 4C Setup costs around $115 for everything you would need, including the charger.
UPDATE 2/8
I've gotten a few PM's asking me about this light, so I thought I would update this post with more information in case a newbie stumbles on it. The following list is everything this light is made up with, and where I bought it from. I will also answer a few questions that someone might ask as well.
4C Maglite - I bought mine from Zbattery.com, but they are listed on the Walmart.com website, so you should be able to have it sent directly to your local Walmart for an even cheaper price.
Borofloat Lens - This light needs a glass lens because the bulb produces so much heat that it will melt a normal plastic Maglite lens. I bought mine from Flashlightlens.com. You will need the 52.1mmx2.0mm size.
Aluminum Reflector - Again as this light produces a lot of heat you're going to need a metal reflector. I bought mine from Fivemega in the Custom B/S/T forum. It is the "Dual Function Removable Cam Reflector". Mine is heavy stipple version, but now he only stocks medium orange peal or smooth. I recommend buying one with the 10.5mm bulb opening, as it will have less light lost, which results in more overall output.
WA01185 Bulb - The whole reason this light is so damn bright is because of the bulb. It is the WA01185, and I bought it from Litho123 in the Sell forum over at the CPFM. I'm using the potted version.
18650 Cells - This light uses 3 18650 cells to power up the bulb. I'm using the new protected button 18650 cells from AW, which are for sale over at the Dealer forum at the CPFM.
PVC Tubing - You're going to need some PVC tubing so that the 18650 cells don't move around inside of the light. A very nice CPFer gave me mine (thanks again Don!), but I would imagine this item can be purchased at your local Lowes/Homedepot. Just make sure to get a size that fits inside your 4C Mag pretty snug and has just enough room for a protected 18650 to get it while not getting stuck.
There you have it! Assemble all of those parts and WATCH OUT! The amount of light that comes out of this thing is downright jaw dropping if you have never seen a hotwire before.
I also wanted to add that I'm not resting my cells at all. I just let them cool down, and as soon as that is done I drop them in and fire it up! I'm not sure how this would work if you're using a bi-pin socket, but with the potted bulbs it works fine (no instaflash at all). I also had to cut the spring down 3 full notches down, as the spring applies way too much pressure when not cut. After cutting the spring you should bend the tip over so that it makes better contact with the bottom of the cell, and so that it won't dig into the bottom either.
If you have any questions feel free to ask away.
First pic = Stock 4C Maglite
Second Pic = 4C Mag85 (3x 18650)
The 4C Mag is rated at 122 lumens (Mag's specs), but I only got around 75-80 lumens out the front when the batteries were 100% fresh. I tested the light again after doing the beamshots and it had dimmed considerably.
The 4C Mag85 is right around 1,000 lumens according to my lightbox. The amount of light that comes out of this thing is incredible! If you're looking to build a VERY bright flashlight then it is a great choice. The 4C Setup costs around $115 for everything you would need, including the charger.
UPDATE 2/8
I've gotten a few PM's asking me about this light, so I thought I would update this post with more information in case a newbie stumbles on it. The following list is everything this light is made up with, and where I bought it from. I will also answer a few questions that someone might ask as well.
4C Maglite - I bought mine from Zbattery.com, but they are listed on the Walmart.com website, so you should be able to have it sent directly to your local Walmart for an even cheaper price.
Borofloat Lens - This light needs a glass lens because the bulb produces so much heat that it will melt a normal plastic Maglite lens. I bought mine from Flashlightlens.com. You will need the 52.1mmx2.0mm size.
Aluminum Reflector - Again as this light produces a lot of heat you're going to need a metal reflector. I bought mine from Fivemega in the Custom B/S/T forum. It is the "Dual Function Removable Cam Reflector". Mine is heavy stipple version, but now he only stocks medium orange peal or smooth. I recommend buying one with the 10.5mm bulb opening, as it will have less light lost, which results in more overall output.
WA01185 Bulb - The whole reason this light is so damn bright is because of the bulb. It is the WA01185, and I bought it from Litho123 in the Sell forum over at the CPFM. I'm using the potted version.
18650 Cells - This light uses 3 18650 cells to power up the bulb. I'm using the new protected button 18650 cells from AW, which are for sale over at the Dealer forum at the CPFM.
PVC Tubing - You're going to need some PVC tubing so that the 18650 cells don't move around inside of the light. A very nice CPFer gave me mine (thanks again Don!), but I would imagine this item can be purchased at your local Lowes/Homedepot. Just make sure to get a size that fits inside your 4C Mag pretty snug and has just enough room for a protected 18650 to get it while not getting stuck.
There you have it! Assemble all of those parts and WATCH OUT! The amount of light that comes out of this thing is downright jaw dropping if you have never seen a hotwire before.
I also wanted to add that I'm not resting my cells at all. I just let them cool down, and as soon as that is done I drop them in and fire it up! I'm not sure how this would work if you're using a bi-pin socket, but with the potted bulbs it works fine (no instaflash at all). I also had to cut the spring down 3 full notches down, as the spring applies way too much pressure when not cut. After cutting the spring you should bend the tip over so that it makes better contact with the bottom of the cell, and so that it won't dig into the bottom either.
If you have any questions feel free to ask away.
Last edited:
