Im new and need some direction please.. about MAG 1D's

[beanexample]

Hello to all
Thank you beforehand for giving me some direction

I have some MAG 1 d questions and perhaps someone can direct me to the right source

A short background
I am a 30 year professional firefighter working both urban and rural interfaces
We are issued 2/3MAG LED Ds as personal carry lights
We are issued Alkaline D and AA cell batteries (for our handhelds)... usually good quality

I am looking for a 1 d mag that has the "best most powerful beam" ( and I understand the limitations of this) available utilizing the alkaline batteries that we are issued. Run time can be 1-2 hrs max... but should run for a min of 45 min

I carry the MAD 2d led in my turnout pants but it is just a little too long. Obviously there are many many lights but this is the one easily available to us with batteries that are supplied and kept on the engines. I realize peformance with alkalines is minimized
We carry other lights on the engines but these are what are issued free to us

Can anyone make a suggestion

thankyou

 

[dano]

Hello to all
Thank you beforehand for giving me some direction

I have some MAG 1 d questions and perhaps someone can direct me to the right source

A short background
I am a 30 year professional firefighter working both urban and rural interfaces
We are issued 2/3MAG LED Ds as personal carry lights
We are issued Alkaline D and AA cell batteries (for our handhelds)... usually good quality

I am looking for a 1 d mag that has the "best most powerful beam" ( and I understand the limitations of this) available utilizing the alkaline batteries that we are issued. Run time can be 1-2 hrs max... but should run for a min of 45 min

I carry the MAD 2d led in my turnout pants but it is just a little too long. Obviously there are many many lights but this is the one easily available to us with batteries that are supplied and kept on the engines. I realize peformance with alkalines is minimized
We carry other lights on the engines but these are what are issued free to us

Can anyone make a suggestion

thankyou

There's no such Mag model that uses a 1D sized body, unless you get a custom made/lathed down D size body. Using 1, 1.5volt alkaline battery, you won't get a great deal of light, either LED or incan..

 

[malojie]

hey

check out will quiles, he has mod a few mags for me...1st class work http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=239209&page=9

 

[PCC]

A possible alternative would be to get a 3 D Mag cut down to 1 D size then use a 3 AA to D adapter. That would give you the voltage you need to drive the LED but run times would be drastically shortened. I don't know if this combination would reach 45 minutes. If you have the older MagLED that is based on the PR flange bulb (look for a Luxeon LED, about a quarter inch diameter clear plastic lens surrounded by a black plastic ring) then you can try substituting a 4D MagLED drop-in module and you should get slightly longer run times but a slight reduction in light output. The Nite-Ize PR flange drop-in for 2-6 cells would increase run times, too. In terms of brightness, the 3D MagLED module would be brighter initially but as the module heats up and the driver reduces the current to the LED to stabilize the temp the Nite-Ize would be brighter. This happens within the first ten minutes of use.

 

[PCC]

Forgot to add: the newer MagLED lights have a deeper reflector and the LED is a tiny little clear plastic lens of less than 1/8" surrounded by a white rectangular white piece surrounded by white followed by a silver ring. This is a Rebel LED and your options are really limited if you have one of these. You can still do the cut-down and 3AA adapter idea but I don't know what the run times would be.

 

[tundratrader]

I am new to firefighting but I do know that there are many newer lighter and brighter alternatives to maglites. Many outfits use pelican recoil lights, uke aa's or streamlights. They area 1/4 the size of a mag and 4 times brighter. All are designed to work on aa alkalines. They are not that expensive and would be a good departmental upgrade. Not to far you can go with the maglites that isnt experimental. The mag 1D is a custom mod that would cost more than some of these other lights. The above lights are designed for firefighting.
Zach

 

[Hack On Wheels]

beanexample, would you be open to investing in a rechargeable battery setup?

 

[beanexample]

Thank You for the replies

I have many flashlights.. streamlites, pelicans etc.. both recharge and non..... many of the smaller hi quality lights..our helmets are equipped with command 20 headlamps (excellent product) and our turnout jackets get the mil spec streamlight right angle light.. excellent run time.. minimal beam output

I like the maglites.. because of durability etc.. and yes I understand the 1D is custom

I was also wrong about the runtime and misspoke.. rarely do we leave our personal lights on for very long.. usually no more than 15 minute worst case scenario (as long as a SCBA bottle lasts)...

batteries are an issue.. when you are out on the fireline for several days a rechargeable wouldn't work.. you sleep in the black and dont see a 110v outlet for several days to up to two weeks (worst case usually is two weeks gone).. and rechargeables go dead just when you need them//
And the county gives us an unlimited supply of D and AA batteries.. good quality alkaline.

thanks again

 

[Locoboy5150]

And the county gives us an unlimited supply of D and AA batteries.. good quality alkaline.

If it's alkalines or nothing as far as batteries go, then I would strongly suggest asking people's opinions for light performance using alkalines and how much the performance of their recommended light decreases when using them versus NiMh or other rechargeable batteries. With some lights, their highest settings won't put out the lumens to their fullest potential with alkaline batteries. Thus, you may be paying for a light output that you'll never get to actually use.

The Fenix TK40 is that way for example. It will operate with alkalines, but the turbo mode will only be about as bright as the high mode. Thus, you're paying for 630 lumens of light but never actually using them.

 

[Mjolnir]

batteries are an issue.. when you are out on the fireline for several days a rechargeable wouldn't work.. you sleep in the black and dont see a 110v outlet for several days to up to two weeks (worst case usually is two weeks gone).. and rechargeables go dead just when you need them//
And the county gives us an unlimited supply of D and AA batteries.. good quality alkaline.

thanks again

There really is no such thing as a "good quality alkaline." Most of the alkaline cells are similar, and are not for moderate to high drain applications. Simply put, you really won't be able to get much brightness out of alkaline cells, unless you have an LED powered by 3 D cells, which of course won't fit in a 1D light.

 

[abladeafficionado]

Eneloops will eliminate the dead rechargeable behavior you're used to.
A good set of eneloops will outperform alkalines any day and will be a small initial investment but will pay dividends in time.

 

[lctorana]

Terralux or Malkoff bulb upgrade in the existing 2D host?

 

[Jackscrj]

My opinion is that a 1d mag or such is not practical and a time waster

just my $0.02 hope you find something to work
what is the depth of the pocket

 

[beanexample]

A 2d mag fits our pockets but makes the velcro bulge and sometimes falls out when you are crawling around.... which sucks,, but we carry a minimum of three lights.. our helmet light, our turnout coat light, and a personal handlight.... the engines get streamlight boxes under each seat.... these work great on t/cs.. stand up by themselves ,and have flashing rear leds ... and are always charged

The engines themselves are rolling light wagons.. as one would expect.. with sodium vapor scene lights, hi intensity LED scene lights, and halogen headlights, and HID spots.. so whenever you are in their light spread a flashlight is unnecessary

Some flashlights work way better than others in different conditions, smoke, water fog, etc.. and the "color" seems to me to be more important than output ( obviously it needs to be bright enough to see to the limit of what you can see with a BA mask on)
For searching the sky is the limit...

and yes.. there are many alternatives

Ive already done the malkof conversion in two of my lights... it is very well made, easy to install, great customer service but it did not appear to be very much brighter than the current mag led.. but the jury is out until I use them for awhile and I haven't tried them in a smoke filled room yet

Im just having some "fun" with what we are issued.. we get the mags by the case and they hand them out as wanted... I liked the tungsten caps I put on the lights for breaking windows, which is nice because it saves time from having to get another tool into my hand

Ive been looking at the custom builders on here and thought it might be nice to try one .. space in my turnout pockets is a premium and only things that are absolutely necessary can be there.. weight, durability, multi use capability are all a factor.. and so is cost.. a well equipped fire turnout with just your personal equipment can run over 3k.. so using what is issued is important.. a one d would allow me to carry another price of webbing which I always seem to need but dont have room for

I had hoped someone on here might be using a 1d with alaklines and might have an opinion... useful or waste of time (as some have already commented)

I realize the limitations in akalines.. which is akin to a stock vw vs a viper... there is no comparison.. while I could use higher quality batteries the cost would be prohibitive in the long run and be a logistic concern... we have what we have and I should work within the limitations of what is freely issued and kept on the engines and the fireground... when we go to wildland fires where a command structure is in place we get cases of alkalines doled out.. and when in quarters we have free access to them

It has been my experience good alkalines dont leak and provide fairly constant power for the first hour.. crappy alkalines leak and die a fast death
We have duracells and kodak photo batteries issued..
I would never use rayocrap.. they leak all the time (apples to apples baseline batteries)... firestuff get used hard.. and even durable products get tortured.. batteries get left in devices and the devices sit in the sun and or extreme heat.. cheap ones explode very fast .. rarely do we have a leaking issue with quality alkalines

thank you for the comments