Maglight 2D cell LED Mod questions??

[banana_clip]

Has anyone used the 2D cell Maglight LED mod? Is it easy to install and is it much brighter?

Brightguy has them for $17.95 and I'm thinking about getting one, just want to know if its worth it.

Thanks....

 

[JamisonM]

Are you talking about the official maglite drop-in? There's a review of them at flashlightreviews.com. They're not the latest and greatest nor the best of the best, but they are definitely a step up from the stock bulb.

 

[SafetyBob]

If you really want a significant upgrade with next to no work on your part, then get the malkoff D drop-in. You will never regret that purchase....ever.

Much more expensive than 17 bucks, but in return you will get a state of the art led you simply drop in your flashlight and the results.....you have done in one minute most of us are trying to do with significantly more money out the door for all the goodies to build these mods up.

Bob E.

 

[ChopsLED]

If you really want a significant upgrade with next to no work on your part, then get the malkoff D drop-in. You will never regret that purchase....ever.

Much more expensive than 17 bucks, but in return you will get a state of the art led you simply drop in your flashlight and the results.....you have done in one minute most of us are trying to do with significantly more money out the door for all the goodies to build these mods up.

Bob E.

It's not that quick and easy of a mod from what I've read. You have to pull the reflector out and cut off that blue cam barrel used for the focusing in order for the Malkoff to fit.

Please correct me if I'm wrong though.

 

[Marduke]

It's not that quick and easy of a mod from what I've read. You have to pull the reflector out and cut off that blue cam barrel used for the focusing in order for the Malkoff to fit.

Please correct me if I'm wrong though.

That's easy, or just buy an aluminum camless reflector from Kai, either smooth or MOP

 

[ChopsLED]

MOP?! As in textured? If so, what is the point behind the textured reflactors over the smooth (OEM) ones?

 

[banana_clip]

Thanks for the replys ....I will check out the malkoff D drop in mod too..

 

[Marduke]

MOP?! As in textured? If so, what is the point behind the textured reflactors over the smooth (OEM) ones?

Smooth gives you maximum throw, but it can have a good number of artifacts in the beam. Textured (stipple, orange peel, faceted, etc.) will reduce the throw a bit, and make the beam more floody, but it will remove the artifacts. A really good reflector with a medium/heavy orange peel will even nearly remove the famous "donut hole" of a Mag on wide focus.

 

[SafetyBob]

There is a wonderful tutorial here somewhere that shows one of our CPF members using a regular pair of scissors cutting off the shaft of the reflector. You can do it too, just take your time and only cut off about a sixteenth of an inch at a time, go in a circle and take a very small bite out of it at a time. I find if I angle the scissors kind of down and away from me they cut better.

With the Malkoff dropin all you do is unscrew the old bulb out, then push the Malkoff drop-in down into the flashlight tube flush with the top of the tube, grab your #2 star screw driver, gently tighten the screw which will wedge the drop-in into your flashlight securely and you are 99% done. Install your head and see how you like the old reflector.....it will give a very nice throw.

If you want more spill, then get out your Krylon Gloss clear, hold the reflector about 20 to 24 inches directly below the spray can and give it about 3 or 4 short 1 second bursts which will coat the reflector with a highly stippled surface. Let that dry, then install in flashlight and test.

If it isn't enough throw and way to much spill, get the reflector out and respray this time 6 inches away at about 45 degrees downward, spray light bursts while rotating the reflector for even coverage.

What I have started doing at this point is that I go for a light orange peel. It will take about 4 minutes to do but rotate and spray and as you get more clear on the reflector it eventually will almost start flooding the reflector as you will see the stipple go from small drops to bigger drops, then it will all start to flood together. Just take your time and keep lightly spraying, stop for a few moments if needed, then keep adding more. What I have gotten is that great throw that I want with very good spill without loosing the throw and most of the nasty stuff (think doughnut) is gone too.

On the wife's flashlight, she has lots of spill because she won't be using it for search and rescue, just stuff around the house. That's all she needs. If she needs search power, she knows to come get my flashlight (with the Malkoff drop-in).

You can do this.......no problem.

Bob E.

 

[ChopsLED]

Smooth gives you maximum throw, but it can have a good number of artifacts in the beam. Textured (stipple, orange peel, faceted, etc.) will reduce the throw a bit, and make the beam more floody, but it will remove the artifacts. A really good reflector with a medium/heavy orange peel will even nearly remove the famous "donut hole" of a Mag on wide focus.

Thanks for the explination Marduke. I'll have to look into that with my Maglite 5D. It seems to have a larger than normal "donut", maybe because it's an ex-police flashlight! LOL :lolsign: