Lighthound mini-mag TL-3 hotwire

[Chrontius]

http://www.lighthound.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=2011

Has anyone used this? Is it a good value, and does it work? Well?

Just revisited the bad old days - putting in my Nite-Ize 3 LED mag conversion, and the stock bulb. Was incredibly impressed by how bright my Inova X5 was in comparison to the stock bulb - I could barely see the light at all, using new Ni-MH or newish alkalines, in a room with 2x60 watt Reveal bulbs in a ceiling fan fixture. Contrast this to the Cree Terralux dropin and my Surefire E2, which were absolutely unambiguous whether the light was on or not. But the Terralux isn't that impressive any more, though it throws fairly well, and it won't work reliably with my Ni-MH batteries.

I'm also correct in assuming that the 7.4 volts from the 14500 batteries would fry an IQ switch, I think...

 

[LEDninja]

Instructions and review:
http://flashlightreviews.com/reviews/auroralite_hotwire.htm

The IQ switch only works at 3V. You cannot use it for the auroralite_hotwire.

Also with 2 lithium batteries you need to take precautions to make sure they are balanced. Don't try to run the light once it starts to dim significantly. And use protected cells.
http://flashlightreviews.com/features/123burst.htm

http://www.lighthound.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=2011
http://www.lighthound.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=2510
http://www.lighthound.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1296
http://www.lighthound.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=2463
The battery charger I linked to will charge 14500 & 10440 batteries without the need for mucking about with spacers.

Nite-Ize 3 LED ~8 lumens
http://flashlightreviews.com/reviews/niteize_mag3led.htm
Terralux TLE-5EX ~50-60 lumens (My estimate 2X the K 2 reviewed)
http://flashlightreviews.com/reviews/terralux_ms2e.htm
Auroralite_hotwire ~180 lumens

Thanks for that info. I guess I won't be buying one of them.

But the Terralux ..... won't work reliably with my Ni-MH batteries.

 

[TigerhawkT3]

I have used that kit. I found it to be a good value, and it does work well. It can put holes in newspaper and ignite a match.

The only problem is that it's often out of stock.

 

[wjf2000]

I built one of these. It is extremely bright for a mini mag, but the run time is like 20 minutes. To me this light is novelty and I never use it unless I am just playing with it. If you want an extremely bright mini mag then make one. If you want a reliable, usefull and efficient light, then save the $70 it costs to make this and spend it on a Fenix P3d or Surefire g2l or one of a dozen of other lights.

 

[Chrontius]

Disclaimer on the Terralux: only one of my Ni-MH batteries slides freely into the Maglite. The other is difficult to get in, and even harder to get out - this could be preventing a good connection between the cells, and I didn't putz around much with the stock bulb and the rechargeables. Could be a voltage problem, but probably it was mechanical - technical taps tended to fix the problem briefly.