LED Conversion for 2AAA MiniMag

[Zelandeth]

OK, this is my first foray into the actual field of flashlight modification. LEDs were always devices which fascinated me, but until I bought a small white LED flashlight a few months ago, I'd never really though of using them for an actual light source.

Now however, I'm sold on the idea.
I Like me 2AAA MiniMag - other than two points:
1. It eats batteries for breakfast.
2. Bulbs are expensive and when treated gently, don't seem to last five minutes. Drop the light from anything above waist height onto a hard surface and kiss the bulb goodbye. Which given that the darn thing likes to roll off tables happens regularly.

Sounds like something just crying out for a decent LED conversion to me.

I've found innumerable examples of a 2AA MiniMag having been fitted with anything up to 3LEDs, but I haven't managed to actually find any examples of a 2AAA MiniMag mod. Likely I've just missed it, and it's staring me in the face, but if not, I'll have to ask for help in figuring out how to get a decent LED package in there...

Keep up the good work,

Later,

Zel.

 

[txwest]

I haven't researched it, but I think the Techass LED will fit the 2 AAA minimag. TX

 

[BentHeadTX]

txwest may be onto something!
I have a Luxeon Star equipped 2AA maglight and it rox for what I use it for. As far as 2 AAA lights, it gets a bit harder to do. TX might have solved your problem, the triple 5mm LED conversion should work for a 2AAA Maglight. You should be able to file down the size of the drop in module as it does not include any curcuits to damage. Just file down the board to fit the stock diameters and you should be fine.

 

[Zelandeth]

Right, where would I go about finding something such as the mentioned triple LED package?

The light generally gets used fairly lightly, finding car door locks in the dark (in all weathers), finding the way around teh house at night (and rolling off the bedside table when I try to find it, which is when I lose the most bulbs), and anything else I need protable light for. When I can't find the miniscule Cybalite that is, which has the main problem of being too darn small, and getting lost all the time.
That doesn't mean that I wouldn't *like* an LS based mod for it, but as you say, at this size (16mm diameter, tapering down to 11 after 4mm, by 9mm depth, that's the size of the stock reflector unit anyway), implementation of that kind of device becomes tricky to impossible. White LS emitters are a bit on the expensive side as I remeber as well, and battery life would be a bit of an issue there as well, as AAA cells aren't the best. Not sure if these measurements are of use for finding something, but as the light was in pieces (bulb replacement and general seal maintenance), I thought I'd put them up.

later,

Zel.

 

[Roy]

Techassociates Magmaled is a single white led that is designed as a dropin modification for a AA Minimag. It has been found to also fit in the AAA minimag! Two things, the edges of the "pill" may need to smoothed out so that the "pill" doesn't stick in the head and the bottom of the reflector may need to be sanded down to get a tight focus. Other than those two things it works really well in the AAA Minimag!

 

[Zelandeth]

Thanks, after a bit of searching around the forums, I found a link to the page selling that product. Think that's the one to go for. Will just have to find out current exchange rates, and the cost of overseas shipping (Shouldn't logically be too much on something that size and weight...), then will buy it as my financial situation allows....now the worst part. Waiting.

Incindentally, 2 days after changing the incan bulb in the MiniMag, darn thing rolled off the desk, and *pop* went yet another bulb....ARGH! This is ridiculous. Will have to buy the MagmaLed now because I'm out of incan bulb replacements, and i refuse to buy another pack which cost more £s than the number of hours they last.

Later, thanks for the input, really helped. Could have searched around for ages without finding anything otherwise. You guys really seem to know your stuff.

Zel.

(Now all I need is a good line to put here.)

 

[Roy]

Currently doing a runtime plot for the Magmaled mounted in a AAA Minimag! The point at which the measured output of the photocell dropped by 50% took about 10.5 hours! The light is still chugging away....should finish sometime tomorrow.

 

[Monsters_Inc]

Zel - I empathise with you on the bulb thing. But even if you hadn't had it rolled off tables so many times, I don't believe the bulbs last too long anyways.

The original bulb on my MiniMag lasted 2 and a half battery changes. And I don't recall having subjected the light to drops or knocks. I don't know if that's a dodgy example or just the way they are...

 

[EMPOWERTORCH]

I've LED modded a number of torches. Hs the minimag got a wire-ended bulb? Depending on the size of the bulb, a 3mm LED should fit into this torch nicely. For the sort of use you put your torch to, direct driving the LED should not cause it harm, as you're not burning it for hours on end! If you can get a 5mm in, the Toshiba TOS Bright LED's are good. These are available from Maplin Electronics.
I'm not sure if thy have a branch up there.

 

[Roy]

Just posted the runtime plot for the MagmaLED mounted in a AAA Minimag over in the "LED" Forum. Search for "Run-Time Plot - MagmaLED-AAA"

 

[Zelandeth]

Right, that runtime graph has pretty much decided for me that I will be getting that "pill" Should save me a fair bit in batteries as well.

This light does get subjected to a fair amount of knocks and bangs, between the fact that I'm about the most clumsy crature on the planet, and can drop anything if it isn't actually glued to my hands...(don't even mention superglue and my car's heater controls.). On the same subject, it does get used for pretty extended periods when I'm working on the car, which is why I didn't just go for my own direct-drive solution.

 

[EMPOWERTORCH]

Even on direct drive, the LED is going to last 100s of times longer than a filament bulb, and at 85p (about $1.10) its not exactly going to break the bank. The LED will still operate for thousands of hours on 3 volts. Battery resistance will often limit the current flow anyway. It would be interesting though to hear from people who have and use direct drive LED torches. The problem is that several years of heavy usage would have to be monitored to see how the LED is ageing!
Maybe I will be able to monitor some of the direct drive torches I have produced...

 

[Klaus]

For a cheap 2AAA mod just drill out the reflector a bit to accommodate a 5mm Nichia and use 3 pcs 2/3 AA Nimhs cells - runs nice.

Klaus

 

[Zelandeth]

Well, I'm just waiting for the cash to become avaliable to order the MagmaLed module now. I'd like to do this in a nice tidy proefessional way, and prices aside, I don't like blowing up LEDs. Seem to have found a cheap source of red, green an orange standard 5mm ones though, as they seem to be littering the floor of my university corriders across the whole 2nd and 3rd floors...can't grumble at free LEDs.

Well, I'll go now...I'm rambling way off topic...

Zel.