no idea why the instruction sheet sez it's not supposed to work.
"if the black plastic piece from which you removed the bulb has two holes beside the holes where the bulb came out, you have an older flashlight. To use the NewBeam(tm) LED module, you need to purchase a new Mini Maglite(r)"
i'm guessing that the two plug in plastic "tabs" on the NB unit don't fit in
the remaining tube sleeve. i'll have to look later.
Q: Why won't the NewBeam work in older Mini-Mags?
A: Mag Instruments changed the plastic parts of the Mini-Mag switch a few years ago. The older design used curved plastic projections to hold the front plastic part into the switch. Then they changed to a design which uses two round plastic pegs. We had to choose one, and of course we chose the new one. The NewBeam may function in older Mini-Mags, but it is not held in place well and is not recommended. http://www.opalec.com/support.html
Q: Why won't the NewBeam work in older Mini-Mags?
A: Mag Instruments changed the plastic parts of the Mini-Mag switch a few years ago. The older design used curved plastic projections to hold the front plastic part into the switch. Then they changed to a design which uses two round plastic pegs. We had to choose one, and of course we chose the new one. The NewBeam may function in older Mini-Mags, but it is not held in place well and is not recommended. http://www.opalec.com/support.html
the opalec newbeam kit rocks too, but they don't tell you anywhere i've seen, that if you have an old style mini-maglite, you can't use the product (old identified with two 'larger' than lamp-pin holes perpendicular to the lph, the new style is just two tiny lph). good thing i found a new-style mini-mag for 1/2 price.