Maglite - LED Replacements - EverLED vs. Diamond

[Amonra]

Re: Maglite - LED Replacements - EverLED vs. Diamo

unknownVT: im still practicing image posting so im not good at it. i just cant seem to use the right link. maybe you could suggest a better image host.

CY: that may be true but do you get 4 times the light output for 4 times (if not more)the price you pay for a mod ? not to mention runtime !!

" hey i just got a retina burning light but i can only use it for 10 minutes before it sucks the batteries bone dry or burns the skin off my hands" A fun light - OOOHHH YESSS, practical - dont thnik so.
I too like as much output as possible, hey im a flashaholic too you know. but looking at things from a different perspective: they are readily available ( you dont have to wait for months to get one ), very easy to use, relatively cheap to buy, last long on a set of batteries, and give off much more light than avrage joe needs on a daily basis, and you get a warranty too.

I think they strike a good balance in price vs output vs runtime which most mods will never achieve since they are biased towards highest possible output.

just my 2cents

ill go pay for my retina burning mod now /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
as i said: im a flashaholic too you know.

 

[Stainless]

Re: Maglite - LED Replacements - EverLED vs. Diamo

So, most users believe that the 3w Diamond is a worthwhile product?
(Probably not as bright as the stock incan. bulb, but not pitifully weak either?)

BTW: Is there more than one place to buy these?

 

[Amonra]

Re: Maglite - LED Replacements - EverLED vs. Diamo

stainless: have a look at the pics in this thread and you will see that it clearly easily beats the stock incan ( at least the krypton one ) dont think they are available elsewhere.

 

[ACMarina]

Re: Maglite - LED Replacements - EverLED vs. Diamo

I'd think it would depend on what light you're putting it in, wouldn't it? Given a set voltage, the LED would stay at brightness X while bulbs will increase in brightness?

 

[Stainless]

Re: Maglite - LED Replacements - EverLED vs. Diamo

Amonra:
I just tried the pics again - the first time they did not show up.
(I didn't know I had to wait for ImageShack/my dialup connection.)

ACMarina:
Good point. I'm looking to replace my GFs aging 2D Mag with something possibly brighter - but definately more reliable. I guess the maximum overall length is something else to ponder.

I assume that the multi-luxeon units are vastly brighter - but also MUCH more expensive. I'm hoping to see a review of Lite-Pro Tri Star Blazer before I decide.

 

[PlayboyJoeShmoe]

Re: Maglite - LED Replacements - EverLED vs. Diamo

Get an XM3 or several, run it/them on NiMH, and live happily ever after.

Or get a modded LUX3 done.

Or MAYBE you'll find the Diamond thing to be good. I would NOT get another Everled I think, based upon the two examples I own.

 

[cy]

Re: Maglite - LED Replacements - EverLED vs. Diamo

Ok, I'd better clarify about my statements concerning pititful output of My diamond and ledcorp luxeon converter.

My diamond with 2x D alk, it's puts out aprox. same as ARC AAA.

update: I just stuck in 8X AA to 2D 5mega adapter and diamond finally has come to life.

9.6Volts... the diamond converter likes higer voltage.

 

[Stainless]

Re: Maglite - LED Replacements - EverLED vs. Diamo

cy:
Your above post is mind boggeling - which model Diamond do you have - more to the point, what is the recommended input voltage for the model that you have?
I sure hope you don't produce any "magic smoke". /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/str.gif

 

[voodoogreg]

Re: Maglite - LED Replacements - EverLED vs. Diamo

[ QUOTE ]
Stainless said:
cy:
Your above post is mind boggeling - which model Diamond do you have - more to the point, what is the recommended input voltage for the model that you have?
I sure hope you don't produce any "magic smoke". /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/str.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Definately want to know too! I was bummed about no diamond 3W Lambertian for 2D mag's, but If I can get two carrier's filled with
nimh's and get a 2D mag i could brand cattle with /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
I would dig it. were does a f-aholic find these?. VDG

 

[UnknownVT]

Re: Maglite - LED Replacements - EverLED vs. Diamo

[ QUOTE ]
cy said:
Ok, I'd better clarify about my statements concerning pititful output of My diamond and ledcorp luxeon converter.

My diamond with 2x D alk, it's puts out aprox. same as ARC AAA.

update: I just stuck in 8X AA to 2D 5mega adapter and diamond finally has come to life.

9.6Volts... the diamond converter likes higer voltage.

[/ QUOTE ]

The dimness is NOT surprising at all.

The 3w Diamond uses a 3w Luxeon with DIRECT drive -
and most know 3V is inadequate to drive a 3w Luxeon without some regulation or step-up circuit.

Try any regular 5mm white LED (other than the MJLED type) with just 3 volts (eg: a single 2016 or 2032) and see how "pitiful" the brightness is.

So why should the 3w Diamond be any different?

Using 9.6V with the 3w Diamond is risky - because that is way too high -
remember the 3w Diamond is basically direct drive and should be used within the specs of a 3w Luxeon
which is Vf typical 3.70V, and Vf max = 4.47V....
So you were using more than DOUBLE the Vf Max - you're lucky it hasn't fried.....

The 3w Diamond is supposed to be for 3 D or C batteries.....

3 Watt LED bulb replacement fits Maglite® 3 cell at QualityItemsOnLine.com
and
Luxeon-3-watt-led Specs PDF file

 

[cy]

Re: Maglite - LED Replacements - EverLED vs. Diamo

Thanks for the info, didn't know diamond was DD. I've been running diamond mostly with 2x lithium C cells at 6V. that was still pretty dimm. better but pretty dim.

running at 6V and still dim is not following a DD 3watt. must be a pretty high vf luxeon.

running at 9.6V with 8X AA nmh seems to make the diamond act like a normal 3watt. which follows suit with a super high vf 3watt. seems pretty happy with setup. I'm running it this way until it croaks /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

DD a 3watt with 2x D alk would be 3.1V, which will light up a TWOK bright. diamond must use a resistor or a very high vf lux.

 

[UnknownVT]

LED economics

I do realize that there are good reasons for upgrading to LED from the standard incandescent in the larger D and C MagLites

One of which is obviously runtime......

But does this really work out to be more economical too?

Take the very popular everLED which costs $39.95 -
and using their own comparison of runtimes -

The everLED is shown to have something like 3x the runtime over the standard Krypton bulb ......

I can get alkaline D-cells at on average of 70cents each on sale (as low as 50cents sometimes)

So in a 3D-cell MagLite for one set of batteries using the everLED one needs 3x sets in the Krypton - that's a $4.20 difference for every everLED battery change -
so to recover the $40 of the everLED - one needs to go through something like 9.5 sets of batteries in the everLED - or 256 hours of use.
Or at 50cents each - that's 13.33 sets or 360 hours of use -

anyone done that yet? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[LightObsession]

Re: LED economics

I think that the higher run time at a higher output level, not just the longer rund time, is the major attraction. Not the economics.

 

[Vairman]

Re: LED economics

The math changes if you are running 3-d's with 6 aa's. Plus you need to factor in the cost of the "stock" bulbs. My mag is nearly 25 years old and I know its eaten at least 6 stock bulbs and a few more since I started overdriving them . Besides, you can't use rational economic thought with this hobby. If you did you would only need 2-3 cheap .99 lights.

 

[UnknownVT]

Re: LED economics

[ QUOTE ]
Vairman said:
The math changes if you are running 3-d's with 6 aa's. Plus you need to factor in the cost of the "stock" bulbs. My mag is nearly 25 years old and I know its eaten at least 6 stock bulbs and a few more since I started overdriving them . Besides, you can't use rational economic thought with this hobby. If you did you would only need 2-3 cheap .99 lights.

[/ QUOTE ]
and
[ QUOTE ]
LightObsession said:
I think that the higher run time at a higher output level, not just the longer rund time, is the major attraction. Not the economics.

[/ QUOTE ]

Seems that my attempt at humor has failed quite miserably.

Do forgive me -
please carry on /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Amonra]

Re: LED economics

You are lucky to get batteries at such good prices but i dont think the rest of the world is lucky enough to get them too.

Here i pay about 10$ for 3 D batteries apart from the Eco tax we have to pay on them. Just remember that not everyone lives in the USA

 

[MichiganMan]

Re: LED economics

So am I seeing that the lambertians are focus-able? I had read on http://www.theledlight.com/ledbulbs.html and elsewhere that they weren't. I was looking for the runtime and regulation and I just ordered one, choosing a lambertian because it otherwise looked preferable to the SE. But am I seeing that they can be focused too? My intended host will be a M*g 3D

 

[Stainless]

Re: LED economics

[ QUOTE ]
UnknownVT said:

Seems that my attempt at humor has failed quite miserably.

Do forgive me -
please carry on /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

I think it's funny - almost anytime economics and flashahol are mixed. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/broke.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[UnknownVT]

Re: LED economics

Anyone tried the Tektite LPR-3 (for 3 cell MagLites)?

(they only have side-emitter versions)

How does it compare to the everLED and Diamonds?

There are also
LPR-2 for 2 cells
and LPR-113 for 4 cells

 

[Grubbster]

Re: LED economics

I have one of tektite bulbs for a two cell light. I really like the dome over the LED which helps prevent damage to the side emmiter. They work well but they do not have the flexibility of the EverLED which can be used with a variety of cell numbers. Price is right though.