Best incan bulb for Minimag + Eneloops?

[flight777]

Looking for a good bright incandescent bulb replacement for a Minimag running Eneloops that won't or burn out in an hour. The stock bulb is just a bit too dim for me. I've read that the Streamlight TT 1L bulb can be used with a slight mod to the reflector. Has anyone tried this? How long do the bulbs last?

Side note: I tried to "upgrade" all of my family member's Minimags for Christmas last year with Brinkmann Nextar bulbs, Lithium AA's, and glass lenses. The difference in output was impressive, but sadly, the bulbs tend to burn out rather quickly. So I've backed off from the Lithium idea, hoping these Eneloops will be easier on bulbs and alot more economical in the long run. Thanks for your comments.

 

[apete2]

Ive had the same TT 1L bulb since April, and the light is used daily. Output is whiter and about double stock. I would get a glass lens, not for the bulb, but to prevent scratching

 

[Phaserburn]

flight, I posted a response to you on this topic. Maybe cut and paste it here?

 

[flight777]

flight, I posted a response to you on this topic. Maybe cut and paste it here?

Phaser, feel free to post your response here - great info for others as well. I figured it would be better if it came from you though. Thanks!

 

[Phaserburn]

There are a few tailcap switches floating around; I have a few and am not crazy about any of them to be honest. For an incan MM, I always return to the stock twist mechanism. No, the mineral glass is similar, but not the same as a UCL. The UCL has 99% light transmission through it; lets more lumens out. The TT1L bulb is brighter than the nexstar bulb, as it draws more current (1A, IIRC). Not sure about the bit size, I just tried a few until I got the right one. So far, the 1L/MM combo works fine for me. I don't like the beam artifacts, which is why I got the LDF (light diffusing film) on my UCL lens. Converts it to a very floody beam, which I like for this light.

 

[flight777]

Sounds good. So with this bulb, output should be somewhere in the neighborhood of 29 lumens - basically double the stock Minimag. Perhaps comparable to the Surefire E2o? That should be good enough for what I will be using it for.

I just tried the Brinkmann Nexstar bulb with Eneloops and it's pretty good, but seems a bit dull after using lithiums. But lithiums tend to burn these bulbs out fairly quickly. I've seen the Aurora Hotwire Kit with 120+ lumens but runtime is just too short for practical use and I really don't need that much kick anyway.

Where can I find one of these UDL-LDF lenses? I'm not sure if I need it, but it might be worth a try if not too expensive.

Also, what reflector options do I have for the Minimag? Does anybody still make an aluminum one? Thanks.