Help me decide on a flashlight with D batteries

[Ronnald]

Hi guys, first of all, thank you for this great forum, very informative. Lots of great reviews.

I'm looking for an LED flashlight that uses alkaline D batteries (2 or 3 is perfect) with a good output and long battery life (more than 20 hours). I need it for outdoors, and it's nice to be water proof. Price less than $100.

The closest to what I'm looking for is the maglite 3D 3W.

Basically I'm looking for a more efficient maglite. I read that they have some problems with efficiency due to poor temperature control.

Thanks for the help,

Ron

 

[KiwiMark]

Hi guys, first of all, thank you for this great forum, very informative. Lots of great reviews.

I'm looking for an LED flashlight that uses alkaline D batteries (2 or 3 is perfect) with a good output and long battery life (more than 20 hours). I need it for outdoors, and it's nice to be water proof. Price less than $100.

The closest to what I'm looking for is the maglite 3D 3W.

Basically I'm looking for a more efficient maglite. I read that they have some problems with efficiency due to poor temperature control.

My suggestion would be to get an Incan Maglite (cheaper) then replace the bulb with a Malkoff emitter. Since you mention poor temperature control you obviously want something that has good temperature control. I have a Malkoff drop-in and I think it is very much a quality bit of engineering.

 

[mdocod]

The Malkoff certainly comes to mind.... It is really geared more for maximizing performance over runtime in the stock form though...

I would contact Gene over at MalkOffDevices and see if he would be willing to make you a 2-3 cell Mag D drop-in with a lower output driver. Something set to run the LED at around 1W would still give you about a hundred lumens, and that would extend runtime out to where you want it. I'm not sure if he does much custom stuff like that or not but I think it's worth a try.

 

[Ronnald]

The malkoff dropin will make the flashlight last about 6 hours with a much brighter light of course.

The 3D mag lasts about 22 hours, so I want comparable time with a little more light output.

If I don't have any other options I'll contact Gene to see if he can make me one that will last me longer (lower output).

But I'd rather have a commercial flashlight. Nothing competes with the mag 3D?

 

[alpg88]

yea can't go wrong with a maglite, for your needs 3d led sounds like a choice.
for outdoors you want a light that will take abuse, and cheap to replace, i've lost quite a few lights during camping, fishing, hunting..., now i know better not to use expencive lights (relatively expencive)

 

[mdocod]

Considering that at low drain rates, a D size alkaline actually delivers really impressive capacity for it's weight, there is a MAJOR lack of selection in D size lights. The Mag host and either a malkoff or doing some more custom work yourself are the most popular ways to get a decent D host LED.

This major gap in product offerings does have me wondering when the vacuum will be filled. If some company were offering a well built 2D light that made 50 lumens for 50+ hours regulated (very doable! With another 50 hours of steady dimming to boot!), it would be recommended as the standard go-to gift light, it would also probably be recommended as the standard go-to "first good light" for many situations where folks don't want to have to dive down the rabbit hole of fancy shmancy battery tech just to have a decent flashlight.

 

[rmteo]

The new (current) 2D M@G with the Rebel LED will run for 20+ hours on alkalines while putting out about 140 lumens.

 

[GPB]

I would also recomend the new MagLED. It's brighter and longer lasting than your current light, but has the same build quality and form factor that you obviously like. I have only seen the 2D but others here have reported that there is a new 3D as well.

 

[alpg88]

how do you tell apart between old led and new led?? assuming they are in a sealed package.

 

[rmteo]

how do you tell apart between old led and new led?? assuming they are in a sealed package.

This is the package for the old Led. The new ones do NOT have the graphic that is circled in red.

 

[alpg88]

This is the package for the old Led. The new ones do NOT have the graphic that is circled in red.

thanks a lot.

 

[bigchelis]

The new (current) 2D M@G with the Rebel LED will run for 20+ hours on alkalines while putting out about 140 lumens.

I am not sure if it is the same LED MrGman tested, but this is what has been confirmed as out the front lumens...............
Mag-LED 4D________________50__drop to 40 1 min____4XNiCads____________-------------------------------------,
Mag-LED 4D_______________80 no reflector__________4XNiCads____________-------------------------------------,


And here is what the Malkoff does
Malkoff Single for Mag__,__3 C cell Maglight,___________________205.6__,___3 sec_______,
Malkoff Single for Mag__,__3 C cell Maglight,___________________178.9__,__60 sec_______,

 

[rmteo]

The D M@Gs with Rebel LEDs are only available as a 2D (and possibly a 3D). Also, take a look at this:

Mag 2D Rebel vs. TK11 vs. Mag 3D Malkoff
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=224102

 

[Ronnald]

Thanks guys, I ended up buying the new mag 3D with the Rebel LEDs. I hope it's a little better than the first model.

Ron