Is newest MagCharger bulb visibly better than older model?

[Howecollc]

I have been pondering this lately. The owner’s manual for my MagCharger is from 1996; it gives the bulb’s specs as 11 watts at 6 volts and 30,000 candlepower. Somewhere around 2002, Mag changed the MC bulb to a 90 degree angle narrow filament variety and upped the candlepower rating to 40,000. This is probably the bulb most people have in their lights right now. At some recent date, they changed the specs on the bulb again, quoting 8.4 watts at 6 volts and 51,700 candlepower in the new owner’s manuals. I haven’t purchased one of these newest bulbs, as I have lots of stock of the “post-2002 model” still sitting around.

I just dug up a new, un-opened “pre-2002” long filament bulb I had sitting around and current tested it to see if was 11 watts as stated in the owner’s manual. It pulled 1.76 amps at 6.1 volts under load. The newer “2002 model” pulled 1.68 amps at 6.1 volts from the same battery stick. That puts the “pre-2002” at 10.74 watts and the “post-2002” at 10.25 watts.

Has anyone tested the current draw of the newest style bulb to verify that it is indeed 8.4 watts? Is this new bulb visibly brighter or whiter than the older bulb? Does it have a tighter or more round hot-spot? Is it somewhat over-driven compared to the older bulbs, and hence the lower wattage yet higher output?

While on the subject; does anyone know if the owner’s manual for the MC until just recently was listing the wattage of the bulb as 10 watts, or were they still quoting it as 11 watts but with 40,000 candlepower instead of 30,000? And a question for the true MagCharger enthusiast; what were the specs listed for the bulb when the MC first came out in 1982? I was carrying around 6 volt lanterns back then.

 

[ANDREAS FERRARI]

You raise some good questions! I can't seem to find the owners manual from the MC I bought last summer(maybe because I'm :drunk:).CPF member Northern Lights knows more about MC's than anyone here-maybe he can chime in? To be honest I never ran my MC with the stock bulb.As soon as I bought it I installed a Phillips 5761(thanks for the advice NL).What a flame thrower!!! I would like to see a LED match it in throw/spill/and color rendering!!! :nana::nana::nana: $85.00 for a MC-$3.00 for a 5761 bulb and you have a light that will give a $2300 PH50 a run for it's money.OK-a PH50 will kick the snot out of it-but name another light that can give it a shot at that price!

 

[Howecollc]

So far, what's kept me from putting a WA1160 or anything like that in my MC is the fact that I can't locate any mica heat shields. Litho123 doesn't have any, and I've tried to locate some material locally, but honestly don't know enough about mica to know what to get. I've even dis-assembled one of my MCs just to make sure that I would be able to put an FM ceramic slug in it, but haven't been willing to spend the $40 on it yet.

Are you using a heat shield? I've seen pictures of other people's lights with the plastic slug melted, and wondered at what point the plastic would become melted enough to cause the metallic bi-pin holders within to lose their alignment or gripping ability.

 

[ANDREAS FERRARI]

I don't use a heat shield-I inserted the bulb all the way in and than I pulled it out about 1mm to allow air to pass between the bulb and the base.I also have never ran it for a extended period like other members.Apparently simple fiberglass sheets you can get at any automobile supply store will do just fine.Simply cut out a piece the size of a dime and poke 2 holes in it to allow the pins to pass through .I have to ask Howecollc-some of the questions you have asked and the reply to questions you have answered make me believe you know a lot more about lights than someone who has been a member for less than 5 months!?!?!What's up with that???

 

[325addict]

I also measured the current of my MC lamp: 1.66A with a fresh battery. I didn't measure voltage of it, due to the PTC-nature of a Tungsten-lamp, the current will only vary slightly under minor voltage-differences.
6 * 1,66 = fairly exactly 10 Watts.

A Mica-washer used to insulate power-transistors can be used for this purpose I think. Radio shack will have them. A TO-220 washer should be larger enough, and costs peanuts.


Timmo.