Is there a good drop in for AA Mag

[NotSoBrightBob]

I've done some modding to my torches with replaceable heads and bezels and such but wondering if I can find a thread on the most popular upgrades to the venerable AA Maglite that I have so many laying around. I prefer to stay with the cheap throwaway AA's so I'm not expecting alot but looking for maybe a tail cap clicky like the Nite Ize product and a possible drop in LED.

Sorry but my search for AA Maglite mods turned up thousands of hits.

Thanks for the help

Bob

 

[DM51]

Please take care to post in the correct sub-forum. I'm moving this to the LED section.

 

[Badger_Girl]

I have several LED drop ins for my 2AA mini mags. I got them all from Battery Junction and Lighthound.

I have some of each and they are all decent at their intended purpose. The 3x 5mm LED ones are low output, and pretty blueish. The 1w ones are medium output, and the terralux cree drop ins (TLE-5EX) are pretty high output (relatively).

You can get them all on ebay too...just search for "mini mag"

Nite-ize and TerraLux make all the ones I have bought...I am happy with them.

 

[NotSoBrightBob]

Please take care to post in the correct sub-forum. I'm moving this to the LED section.

Sorry DM. I assumed since my AA Maglite was an incan I should post in the incan forum. My bad and I learned something. Thanks.

 

[Sgt. LED]

SMJLED Kit and a Kroll Clicky perhaps?

Maybe you are after brightness instead of runtime?

 

[ZMZ67]

The TerraLUX TLE-5EX with the CREE is reasonably bright.The older TLE-5 with the luxeon is decent too but output is much lower.I don't like the Nite-Ize tailswitch but TerraLUX has a reverse clicky that is very inexpensive and works well.The downside with these is a lack of heatsinking but they are fine for moderate use.

Links:http://www.batteryjunction.com/tle-5k2.html

http://www.batteryjunction.com/tcs-1.html

 

[Badger_Girl]

Bob,

Sent you a PM. I have a few misc extra mini mag upgrades...I'd be more than happy to send some your way.

 

[Marduke]

Mag upgrade thread
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=193434

 

[SirVette]

I used the ArcMania Super MJ LED upgrade (module) for Mini Mag 2AA in a modded light (first) & it turned out great.


Maglite LED and incan mods and drop-ins, Overview
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=193434

Under Minimag(2AAA): is the Terralux TLE-20 which also fits Mini Mag 2AA.

 

[jabe1]

I have the terralux extreme and a TCS-1 tailcap switch, makes for a decent light, but keep in mind that this makes a $40 mini-mag (including host). For a small ammount more, you can have a Fenix L2D!

 

[hyperloop]

I have the terralux extreme and a TCS-1 tailcap switch, makes for a decent light, but keep in mind that this makes a $40 mini-mag (including host). For a small ammount more, you can have a Fenix L2D!

+1 for the above

I have been toying and wavering about modding my 2xAA minimag for the longest time, all it has is the Nite Ize 3 x 5mm LEDs and its output is so low as compared to any of my other LEDs including the 9-LED showerhead light that runs on 3 x AAA in a carrier tray.

As rightly pointed out, the cost of the mods would allow you to get a fair number of alternatives, ranging from budget lights off the well known budget lights site(s) to a Fenix 2xAA.

I'm probably going to mod the 2 x AA in the end for the simple reason that it was the best light i owned (at that time) and people don't expect a minimag to have much output, seeing how cheapo showerhead lights are popping up everywhere. I'm thinking of going extreme and either cuttin it down or doing an aurora hotwire and run it off 14500s for that 'wow' factor.

 

[Zenster]

I have the terralux extreme and a TCS-1 tailcap switch, makes for a decent light, but keep in mind that this makes a $40 mini-mag (including host). For a small ammount more, you can have a Fenix L2D!

Ain't that the truth.
I upgraded three Mini-Mags with Terralux drop-ins before I noticed that I could have simply bought L2D's, a better light in every way (then I bought 2 L2D's).
My three upgraded Mini-Mags are sitting in a drawer waiting for some of my non-flashaholic friends to ask to borrow a light. They ain't gettin' my "good stuff", so the Mini-Mags will end up taking a bullet for the rest of my collection. :naughty:

 

[Coaster]

I'd recommend the SMJLED Kit while you can grab one on sale from LightHound for $7. It makes a regular mini-mag a little more usable while still having decent runtime. It's much better than the 3 led night eyes kits IMHO.

I just upgraded my old mini-mags to use as emergency lights / loaners. If you want a light to actually use fairly often I'd do some research and spend just a little more for something much nicer.

I'll hand out my mini-mags but you can pry my d10 from my cold dead hands :thumbsup:

 

[SirVette]

ArcMania Super MJ LED upgrade for Mini Maglight
Better light output & some have reported runtimes of 24 hrs.

Another good topic
http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?p=2650725




Terralux TLE-20 is now available for $10. http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?p=2650725

 

[NotSoBrightBob]

Thanks everyone for the info. I agree a $20 drop in for a $10 light probably doesn't make what you can get these days for $30. But I just have to pimp one of these out. I believe the mini mag is still the most popular and most recognized small light to the non-flashaholic crowd, who probably also think they are "high end". So the immature kid in me just wants to outshine the others, that's it, max brightness, run time doesn't matter as I will have another light with me.

Childish yes..Fun yes..

Thanks for the education

Bob