Lithium AA in 2AA Mini Mag.....

[JasonC8301]

is this possible?

I will be using the Brnikmann Nextstar lamps in the 2AA mini mag and read somwhere about lithiums being used as the power source.

What are the benefits of using the lithiums in the mini mag? Longer run time? brighter light? both?

thanks
Jason

 

[Dennis]

For what it's worth...

I have blown two OEM bulbs in a MiniMag AA using Lithiums. Don't know about the Nexstar.

Dennis.

 

[Gandalf]

I have lithiums in a few of my many Mini Mags, and the Nexstar lamps in all of them, and I've never had one blow. But I don't use these lights all that often, or for very long. If I know I'm going to need a light for awhile, I go get a nicer one...like one I can hold in my mouth, and/or that puts out more light. I like the PT 40 over the Minimag, of course; it's great for geting into smal places and holding in your mouth.

 

[txwest]

I have the lithiums in a MiniMag & an EverReady clone with Nexstar bulbs. They seem brighter than with akalines. Like Gandorf, I don't use them much or long. Sort of a last resort light. That's why I went with the lithiums. May not even be turned on for long periods. TX

 

[Tesla]

I have a Mini-mag/Nexstar bulb/lithium battery setup and have not encountered any problems thus far with blown bulbs. I really can't tell much, if any, brightness difference with new alkalines vs. lithiums, but that changes as the batteries are used...the lithiums stay brighter longer & don't dim as noticeably in cold weather (my Mini-mag setup is backpacking dedicated).

 

[JasonC8301]

Thanks, my mag-lite is a back-up and not used for long periods of time. I'll get some lithiums for the mag-lite.

My main light is still the Streamlight 4AA.

Thanks again!

 

[Drakonchik]

I also use several Mag 2AAs with lithiums powering NexStar bulbs. Lithiums give you more light I think than Duracell Ultras. I have used them for hours biking in the cold with no noticeable dimming or blown bulbs.

If you run this set-up at room temperature you may notice the head of the flashlight getting warm. Whether this means the thing would melt if you stuck it under a pillow I couldn't tell you.

The beam of a Mag2AA/NexStar/Lithium flashlight, by the way, is much like the Mag2AA original, rings and all, except: way more powerful, and capable of narrow spotlighting which both eliminates the center "dead zone" and gives you a beam approximately 6ft wide at 90ft.

Turns a crap beam into a fairly decent one.

 

[kz1000s1]

Yes, brighter and longer. Well worth trying.

I have a MiniMag with a Radio Shack Krypton bulb and Energizer lithium batteries. The bulb has lasted for 6 months and only went out because it was dropped on concrete twice. The filament broke and there was no blackening on the glass. Still on it's first set of lithiums, though it's only been used as a backup light most of the time. It's brighter and has a longer throw than my Surefire E1 that replaced it. I haven't tried the nexstar bulb.

Another mod that works well is to take a small nylon washer and place it around the bulb on top of the switch. Play with the washer thickness to shim out the reflector the correct amount so that the beam is at tight focus as soon as the light turns on. This is much more convenient than turning on the light, then having to search for the focus you want everytime, which for me is always full tightness.

Also I have another MiniMag with a single 5mm Nichia LED and lithiums that has been in nightly use since last July, sometimes for 30 minutes at a time for reading. Hasn't dimmed a bit, and is also brighter than with alkalines. The beam looks the same as an Arc AAA. Another benefit is the lighter weight of the lithiums.

 

[JimM]

I have lithiums in my minimag with Inretech adapter with good results.
Jim

 

[Drakonchik]

"Another mod that works well is to take a small nylon washer and place it around the bulb on top of the switch. Play with the washer thickness to shim out the reflector the correct amount so that the beam is at tight focus as soon as the light turns on. This is much more convenient than turning on the light, then having to search for the focus you want everytime, which for me is always full tightness."

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Good idea. I tried it on my Mag 2AA NexStar mod running lithium batteries, and it works. But the washer will rattle unless the reflector is pressing it against the bulb platform. If you unscrew the head a little too far--you get a rattle. No big deal unless, like me, you use the flashlight on your bicycle.

So I cooked up another way to do this. I found a rubber plumbing washer in a "Home Washer Assortment" made by Danco and sold at Lowes Hardware (UPC#0 3715580817 5). The washer is 11/16" dia. and 5/32" thick, as measured, and has no hole. I drilled a hole in the center of the washer big enough (and then some) to let the NexStar bulb poke through. Then I installed the washer behind the reflector, jamming it down so that the edge of the washer presses against the threads inside the head of the flashlight. I re-assembled the flashlight to find out what focus/beam I would get. It was too wide, so I took the washer out, sanded the thickness down some, tried it in the flashlight, and did this again and again until the focus was just right--ie, super tight as soon as you turn it on. The washer thickness I ended up with was about 7/64".

Result: perfect spotlight, and no rattle, because the washer is lodged against the inside the walls of the head.

It sounds like work, but actually it was real easy. Rubber is easy to drill and sand, way easier than nylon, and you can get the thickness just where you want it. Maybe you can even find a rubber washer that specs out right to begin with, at a specialty fastener store or plumbers.

The only concern I have is that the rubber may slow down heat dissipation, leading to burnout. I'll post again if this happens.

 

[Drakonchik]

I have an update on how to modify the Maglite 2AA w/NexStar bulb to get an immediate spotlight when you turn on the head.

A plumbing faucet washer known as the "3/8M Flat Washer" will spacer out the reflector just right so that as soon as you turn on the head you get a cat-eye shaped spotlight. When you turn the head a little more, you'll have an even more intense spotlight with a symetrical, nebulous corona. I found two different brands of the washer, which vary slightly in thickness.

The washer hole gives the bulb plenty of clearance and the outside diameter of the washer is such that it requires minimal force to install.

To install, you either 1) remove the head and tap the washer down inside the head, past the threads, until it sits flat against the back of the reflector, or 2) take off the bezel, reflector, and lens, place the washer against the recess in the head, and screw everything back on.

There is a slightly larger washer known as the "3/8L Flat Washer" (by Danco, UPC#0 3715535068 1), which also works but it must be forced down the threads. The resulting beam bypasses the cat-eye and immediately goes to the intense-spotlight + symetrical-nebulous-corona type beam.

Sorry, I was unable to obtain the UPC# for the "3/8M Flat Washer" from my local plumber, but I get the impression they are common.