Are D-cell lites obsolete?

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Flashlight Enthusiast
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I have about 4 of these big MagLites, 2D, 3D, several 4D versions... haven't used any in about a year.

Now none of them are incans. All are 3W LEDs, and one has one of these dim NiteIze conversions that supposedly can run forever.

Yet I EDC a Fenix 2AA, of these original Cree versions, and use it all the time, in addition to a 4AA headlight. No room for MagLite.

One thing it excels at is throw. If I found myself in the woods, I think I would want that. It will penetrate farther than anything else I have. Maybe better run time.

I am also heavily into NiMH and have Lithiums to back me up. All my other devices work on AA, too. (Radio, GPS, etc.)

Thought about upgrading to one of these cool new jazzed up LEDs but couldn't justify the cost given the low usage....

So to me, unless full size Mags are made very very bright, they aren't worth it. I keep them hoping for the future. Elektrolumens maybe? The pics of that 3-LED unit were very impressive, next to standard MagLED.
 
Use of them as hosts for Cree mods combined with Aspherical lenses and you have some incredible throwing lights for very reasonable prices.


Karl
 
I dropped in the OEM 3 Watt LEDs in all my Maglites. I've got (5) 3-D cells and (2) 3-C Cell maglites and I think that more manufacturers should make high performance flashlights based on these bigger cells. I'm talking about serious run times and beam throw. My 3 watt Maglites still can throw a beam all the way to the back of my property (100 yards) better than any of the CR123 5 watt flashlights and run for 14 hours easily on one set of NiMh 10000 mA Tenergy D-cell battery.

I am still waiting for my Terralux TLE-6EXB drop-ins to arrive. But the bottom line is that I believe D cell flashlights are the next big move for the LED Flashlight makers to exploit. D cell primaries are dirt cheap at under $1 and they certainly have far more watt/hr capacity then any CR123s.

I would love to see some big beasts with multiple light levels and 300 to 500 lumens with focusable beams in the near future with 10 hour run time that I can just go to Targets and buy off the shelf. Not a modified one. I live in a hurricane zone and having long run times and a bright light is a must. All of these cr123 based lamps are sweet for their size, but rarely do they run for more than 1 or 2 hours on high, something like 80 to 140 lumens, yet the maglites can, and are dirt cheap.
 
Maybe it's the terrain that I am in, I just don't ever encounter myself needing 100m+ throw.

Another 2D lite that just seats on the shelf is the StreamLight TwinTask. I was and still am impressed with it (great for reading in dark) , just don't use it due to other lites.
 
D-cell flashlights are still fine for keeping in yer' car or truck.


But, at least for me, they rarely get used anymore.



I have so many lights now which are better. :kiss:

_
 
I like having my big (comparatively) 2D and 6D mags for emergencies, hand someone a big hefty flashlight in a storm, and they feel more comfortable. I'll keep my "tiny" little lights for myself.
 
As a matter of fact, I have a bunch of new D cells sitting around here. I've about decided that several 2D Mag LEDs would make good use of them as emergency lights to scatter around.

Now if I could just find a really good sale on 2D Mag LEDs.....
 
Obsolete? IMHO No... so long as there is a need for capacity (run-time). If smaller cells eventually approach that level mAh capacity, while D cells stop increasing proportionally, then yes I could see hints of obsolescence. I have a 4D mag-Xenon and it runs forever (practically). Part of that however stems from the fact that the light is too darn huge (and therefore impractical) to be used on a regular basis.
 
Last edited:
Stereodude said:
Not unless we've run out of people to persuade with them through gentle physical contact. :whistle:

However, lights like this are obsolete IMHO. 8D's? :popcorn:
Click to expand...

Well that 8D light is actually a lantern, so that's a little different.

I still enjoy D-cell lights, but I consider them to be in a category of their own. Obviously you don't stick them in your pants pocket and carry them around. I would have no problem with a nice D-cell setup using a new Q5. It's big, but it's also bright and lasts for awhile.
 
Not obsolete, but the only place I really use anything bigger than 2C is around the house.

I used a 4D and a 3D M*gled to change out ceiling fans the other night. First time I've really used them since installing the drop ins!

I use AA stuff the most with CR123 second.
 
D-cell lights are nowhere near obsolete in my opinion. The runtimes are one reason. Just ask anyone who's been through an extended power outage. Given 2 lights of similar output, a D-cell light will last much longer than an AA or AAA light. I have a couple 4D Mags modded with 20, and 32 LED conversions that will run constantly for over 3 weeks before the batteries are totally dead. Not that there aren't lights with smaller batteries that couldn't have impressive runtimes, but D-cells are just essentially larger fuel tanks for the LEDs.

Also, it's much harder to misplace or lose a D-cell light than a smaller light.
 
I use a 3-D one when taking the trash or recycling out. We're in a very urban environment, and I have been harrassed for change in the middle of the night, just taking the trash out. One night, I think I avoided being mugged because I had the 3-D'er out ready to swing at some vermin crack afficionado that was giving me lip.

Also, last week we had a power outtage at the grand-rents while I was over. Brought the m*g 2d from the car in, candled it at the ceiling. If it had been out all night, that thing woulda still been chugging in the AM without a second thought. My EDC is usually a SureFire E2D...and as luck would have it, my batts were on their last legs, and I had just given the 2-pack spare 123's in the glove compartment to one of my students a few days earlier. I still had enough juice to walk around the property to make sure the outtage wasn't on their land, but it was yellowing fast. The m*g I was SURE, with it's 2 big ole D's, would be good overnight without even second thoughts.

I think for longevity "Worst-Case Scenario" disaster preparedness, a 2/3/4D with reasonably modern LED would be a must-have in any house. Seriously, there's a lot of Amp-hours in them, and a low-draw LED means you've got weeks of -usable- light. I still roll with 123 lights on EDC and in my work bag, but for non-mobile lights, like one in a closet for emergencies, or in a glove compartment, the D's have the legs you just may need.

just my 2 cents.
 
:bow: D
I'm a disciple of em'!
Everyone has made great comments and raised good points so far in this thread.
 
There are still many people who will pick the 6D M@g over a small light that can produce much more light. If there was a power outage or I need a light in an emergency I would reach for a D-cell light before getting my SureFire out. Eventhough I know that my SureFires will light up when I hit the button, in prolonged use I only have a limited number of 123a cells and D cells will last all night with a regular incan and a couple of weeks with a NiteIze LED (50 hours for 2D cell and 165 for 6D).:twothumbs
 
I really like mine. I've got a 2D Elektro Lumens Hyper-Blaster with NiMHs in it all the time. We've also had two Blaster-1D lights built for everyday use and outages. I ran one of the 1Ds for a solid week on one alkaline before it really started to dim.

Probably lots of folks think they're fossils but when I look at the LEDs and drivers we have available now I see cool lights that couldn't even exist a few years ago.
 
I just got a great deal on a 3D Mag, patiently waiting for a Malkoff!!! I also have 2 Lightwave 4000's as well, they last a good long time too.
 
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