Help M@g wow light.

[coronadrvr]

I have more maglites than i know what to do with and i want to build a 30 sec wow light. I dont care if it has a driver or not and it wont be one for long. I am just looking for ideas on what i can do to achieve this using minimal mula and also where to get the parts. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[rayman]

Then you can either go with a hotwire-Mag or a high-performance LED-Mag for example a single SST-90 or something like a triple XM-L.

rayman

 

[Pie]

Hello there!

I recently bought a triple XML T6 modified M@g off this forum. It has different modes and has a cool feature named by it's creator known as "Nuke Mode" which is like a wow light.

Triple XML T6 Driven at 4.6 amps= ~4000 Lumens.
Insanely Bright.

Good luck on your find.

 

[Quest4fire]

Knowing what you are willing to spend and resources already on hand (Rechargeable batteries, appropriate charger, etc.) would help us provide more useful info. Budget makes the difference between WOW and ho-hum.

 

[coronadrvr]

Knowing what you are willing to spend and resources already on hand (Rechargeable batteries, appropriate charger, etc.) would help us provide more useful info. Budget makes the difference between WOW and ho-hum.

I have a about 4 18650s and two chargers for them. I think i have 8 12000mah d's and a charger for them. I have 3 p7 leds laying around and 5 Xm-ls on the way. I Have 2 2dmags, 3 3d mags, a 4d mag, and 1d mag that i made at work to use as a host. I would like to keep under 100 doll hairs on whatever else i may need.


oh and any mag body mod i would need to do i can do at work.

 

[coronadrvr]

Hello there!

I recently bought a triple XML T6 modified M@g off this forum. It has different modes and has a cool feature named by it's creator known as "Nuke Mode" which is like a wow light.

Triple XML T6 Driven at 4.6 amps= ~4000 Lumens.
Insanely Bright.

Good luck on your find.

what sort do driver is that? Also idk if you know but if i were to have a multi emitter set up to i have to have a driver that puts out enough volts to wire them in series or do they get wired in parallel off the driver?

 

[alpg88]

to beat 4000l you need more than $100, and what you have is really wont do, (unless you install all leds you can in mag head, with no reflectors),
you need 150 w hotwire, 7-8000 lm. in 4d. pbly the cheapest.

 

[willieschmidt]

Build a Luminus Phlatlight (aka Phatlight) PT54 or PT120 aspherical and burn holes in black Styrofoam. Works for me. 4000+LM is possible with a Green PT120. Got my emitter on Ebay for $39.

 

[coronadrvr]

to beat 4000l you need more than $100, and what you have is really wont do, (unless you install all leds you can in mag head, with no reflectors),
you need 150 w hotwire, 7-8000 lm. in 4d. pbly the cheapest.

If you got some ideas let me know i could just draw out the project longer and save more money

 

[Lumencraft (Matt)]

I have a about 4 18650s and two chargers for them. I think i have 8 12000mah d's and a charger for them. I have 3 p7 leds laying around and 5 Xm-ls on the way. I Have 2 2dmags, 3 3d mags, a 4d mag, and 1d mag that i made at work to use as a host. I would like to keep under 100 doll hairs on whatever else i may need.


oh and any mag body mod i would need to do i can do at work.

Hi coronadrvr, Welcome to CPF.:D

This should be plenty to get you where you need to be.

what sort do driver is that? Also idk if you know but if i were to have a multi emitter set up to i have to have a driver that puts out enough volts to wire them in series or do they get wired in parallel off the driver?

The driver in the light he is talking about is a D2Flex, but these are no longer made. Any way a mod that drives the LEDs that far over spec would not be a good one for a first build, its maker is a long time member with a pretty good set of skills a lot of patience and a few tools.

to beat 4000l you need more than $100, and what you have is really wont do, (unless you install all leds you can in mag head, with no reflectors),
you need 150 w hotwire, 7-8000 lm. in 4d. pbly the cheapest.

I agree that beating the yard sweeper is not on the table, but getting a light that makes your hands tremble when you turn it on is doable with the parts he already has plus $100.



If I was in your position I would build a tripple. Using 3 P7s you could go direct drive, or you can use 3 of the XMLs if you regulate it ( the current may be too high with XML if not)

In either case you would have a light that output between 1500 and 2000+ lumens. Just so you have an idea a standard maglite outputs like 60 lumens or so I think.


Getting a heat sink will be the first challenge you would need to over come. What kind of tools do you have to work with?

Other than that your parts list is pretty simple. Some reflectors and a driver if you want multilevel brightness. A quality lens, and some PVC pipe for a sleeve.

I'm am not going to go into a long shpeel until you decide more precisely what you want, but once you thing you have it pinned down I can give a parts list and some instructions if you want.

 

[coronadrvr]

Hi coronadrvr, Welcome to CPF.:D

This should be plenty to get you where you need to be.



The driver in the light he is talking about is a D2Flex, but these are no longer made. Any way a mod that drives the LEDs that far over spec would not be a good one for a first build, its maker is a long time member with a pretty good set of skills a lot of patience and a few tools.



I agree that beating the yard sweeper is not on the table, but getting a light that makes your hands tremble when you turn it on is doable with the parts he already has plus $100.



If I was in your position I would build a tripple. Using 3 P7s you could go direct drive, or you can use 3 of the XMLs if you regulate it ( the current may be too high with XML if not)

In either case you would have a light that output between 1500 and 2000+ lumens. Just so you have an idea a standard maglite outputs like 60 lumens or so I think.


Getting a heat sink will be the first challenge you would need to over come. What kind of tools do you have to work with?

Other than that your parts list is pretty simple. Some reflectors and a driver if you want multilevel brightness. A quality lens, and some PVC pipe for a sleeve.

I'm am not going to go into a long shpeel until you decide more precisely what you want, but once you thing you have it pinned down I can give a parts list and some instructions if you want.

Thanks for the warm welcome and the input!

I was leaning towards the 3 xml set up myself. I bought the 5 xmls thinking of putting 4 in one mag and 1 with an aspheric in another. I work at a place called iowa metal spinners and i work on a hand spinning lathe but in the tooling department i have access to a mill and several regular metal lathes and plenty of other goodies. I could make a heatsink myself. already set aside some scrap for the multi emitter sink.

As for what i want i wouldnt mind maybe 3 modes . The normal hi med low none of that strobe/sos nonsense. i would like it to me med. throw but bright as hell ;-). 2000lm would be a good staring point for me because all i have owned so far is a dd single p7 mag, p4 mag my buddy got me off cpf marketplace, and an xml china light off ebay claimed 1300lm i just got that made me want more...

 

[alpg88]

I agree that beating the yard sweeper is not on the table, but getting a light that makes your hands tremble when you turn it on is doable with the parts he already has plus $100.

.

3 years ago i would agree, but by todays standarts 2000lm is not a wow light.especially with small all flood reflectors.

to OP>
for real wow hotwire light (can't pull 5-6000lm out of mags with even 4 xm-ls, but easy achevable with 15v 150W bulb) you'd need, 4 x26650 cells $11 each,
fm g6.35 socket $24
mettal reflector with at least 1\2" opening. and glass lens like this
and you'd also need to mod original switch for high current, you'll be pulling 12 amps or so.

i build one a while ago, love it, not selling, i used 2,5 head, it gives you more throw than regular 2"head, there are also 3" heads sold by fm, those will throw even more, ppl really go wow when i turn it on, 6000lm with a reach of 400-500 yards looks very impressive.

 

[Lumencraft (Matt)]

Thanks for the warm welcome and the input!

I was leaning towards the 3 xml set up myself. I bought the 5 xmls thinking of putting 4 in one mag and 1 with an aspheric in another. I work at a place called iowa metal spinners and i work on a hand spinning lathe but in the tooling department i have access to a mill and several regular metal lathes and plenty of other goodies. I could make a heatsink myself. already set aside some scrap for the multi emitter sink.

As for what i want i wouldnt mind maybe 3 modes . The normal hi med low none of that strobe/sos nonsense. i would like it to me med. throw but bright as hell ;-). 2000lm would be a good staring point for me because all i have owned so far is a dd single p7 mag, p4 mag my buddy got me off cpf marketplace, and an xml china light off ebay claimed 1300lm i just got that made me want more...

Sweet man, I'd say since you have the lathe you've got it made.

The heat sinks I use for projects like this are just a simple flat top sink that sits in the head, but also extends into the neck.

Here are some pics if you want to get an idea.

Here is a good lens (the 52.1mm for mag). I prefer the boro vs UCL because with multi emitter setups you can end up with little rings or marks on the UCL coating.

Finally the driver. This driver will give 3 mode at 2.8 each, but you have to use it in a very special way.

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?201392-Poorman-Mutli-Lux-setup-method

The one in the first picture is how it would be for yours.

If you decide to go that way there are a few other things you need to know but this gives you an idea.

Since you have a lathe/mill at your disposal there is a fairly cheap solution for the reflectors as well.

You could take some of these and cut them to size. If you use 14mm stars they would sit under the reflector base ( you'd have to trim a little off the bottom) and just cut out fore the wires. You also have to trim a bit off the tops because they are too long and too big around, but it works if you just take it slow so you dont chip the finish.

If you do order those illumination supply also sells the driver I mentioned.

If you dont want to do it like that there are good reflectors you can buy, but you would then have to come up with a way to mount them.

MCR 20 Joker would work.
http://theledguy.chainreactionweb.com/index.php?cPath=48_50_64

These would take a big chunk out of your budget though at over 3x the price.

 

[coronadrvr]

3 years ago i would agree, but by todays standarts 2000lm is not a wow light.especially with small all flood reflectors.

to OP>
for real wow hotwire light (can't pull 5-6000lm out of mags with even 4 xm-ls, but easy achevable with 15v 150W bulb) you'd need, 4 x26650 cells $11 each,
fm g6.35 socket $24
mettal reflector with at least 1\2" opening. and glass lens like this
and you'd also need to mod original switch for high current, you'll be pulling 12 amps or so.

i build one a while ago, love it, not selling, i used 2,5 head, it gives you more throw than regular 2"head, there are also 3" heads sold by fm, those will throw even more, ppl really go wow when i turn it on, 6000lm with a reach of 400-500 yards looks very impressive.

Thanks i may give this a shot next with my 4d!

ps where can i get sucha buib. Local store?

 

[coronadrvr]

Sweet man, I'd say since you have the lathe you've got it made.

The heat sinks I use for projects like this are just a simple flat top sink that sits in the head, but also extends into the neck.

Here are some pics if you want to get an idea.

Here is a good lens (the 52.1mm for mag). I prefer the boro vs UCL because with multi emitter setups you can end up with little rings or marks on the UCL coating.

Finally the driver. This driver will give 3 mode at 2.8 each, but you have to use it in a very special way.

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?201392-Poorman-Mutli-Lux-setup-method

The one in the first picture is how it would be for yours.

If you decide to go that way there are a few other things you need to know but this gives you an idea.

Since you have a lathe/mill at your disposal there is a fairly cheap solution for the reflectors as well.

You could take some of these and cut them to size. If you use 14mm stars they would sit under the reflector base ( you'd have to trim a little off the bottom) and just cut out fore the wires. You also have to trim a bit off the tops because they are too long and too big around, but it works if you just take it slow so you dont chip the finish.

If you do order those illumination supply also sells the driver I mentioned.

If you dont want to do it like that there are good reflectors you can buy, but you would then have to come up with a way to mount them.

MCR 20 Joker would work.
http://theledguy.chainreactionweb.com/index.php?cPath=48_50_64

These would take a big chunk out of your budget though at over 3x the price.

Awsome! Already ordered the rest that i need using ur links. thanks for the tips i will keep you posted on the progress and i have a feeling after this i wont be able to stop. ;-)

 

[Lumencraft (Matt)]

Ok great, keep us informed.

There is one other thing that is vital when using the driver I mentioned with a multilux set up. You need to heat sin the driver very well or the current will fall like a rock. When I do these I put a 1/2 thick copper bar on each side of it using arctic sliver epoxy. If the sinking on the driver is good enough this mod is hard to beat, but if not its very disappointing.

 

[cdrake261]

I still don't know how that flashlight can get 4k lumens at 4.6amp draw....I figure my xm-l triple at 3amps would put out 2400 lumens and 5amps putting out 3k lumens.

 

[LEDninja]

:welcome:

KISS for the 1st Mod.

LED
How To Mod a Maglite P7 - 38 PICS
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?238641-How-To-Mod-a-Maglite-P7-38-PICS

Hotwire
Hotwire How-To: The ROP and the Mag 11
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?259443-Hotwire-How-To-The-ROP-and-the-Mag-11

LED Drop in Flood
Budget Showerhead drop-in for Mag. Fusion 36, now available in warm.
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?277748-Budget-Showerhead-Mag-Drop-in.

LED Drop in spot/spill
malkoffdevices,
TerraLUX TLE-300M

 

[coronadrvr]

I still don't know how that flashlight can get 4k lumens at 4.6amp draw....I figure my xm-l triple at 3amps would put out 2400 lumens and 5amps putting out 3k lumens.

i dont expect it to.

 

[coronadrvr]

:welcome:

KISS for the 1st Mod.

LED
How To Mod a Maglite P7 - 38 PICS
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?238641-How-To-Mod-a-Maglite-P7-38-PICS

Hotwire
Hotwire How-To: The ROP and the Mag 11
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?259443-Hotwire-How-To-The-ROP-and-the-Mag-11

LED Drop in Flood
Budget Showerhead drop-in for Mag. Fusion 36, now available in warm.
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?277748-Budget-Showerhead-Mag-Drop-in.

LED Drop in spot/spill
malkoffdevices,
TerraLUX TLE-300M

thank you very much:naughty: