Maglite led upgrade

How does one go about doing this?

 
 
'Voltage of an 18650 is slightly higher than 2 C cells, so use at your own risk.'

Couldn't you just solder in a resistor?
 
3D printed adapters and protected cells are the best option. I would not recommend the Maglite 2C adapter as it lacks reverse polarity protection - put a cell in backwards and you will blow the LED.

Some of my adapters I printed for my 4D cell ML300:

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2 and 3 cell LED Mags run best on single Li-ion cells which is safer than running multiple Li-ions (protected cells are a must).

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It was bright compared to inc. 3C, but today it is pretty dim. I had several maglites that came with these from the factoy, (otherwise it was ordinary inc maglite), all had this dull body, all used one of the first luxeon led. I ripped one apart, it has a pretty poor heat path. it was not sold for long, few years at best, Are you sure yours was actually made by a maglite co. did it have a maglite logo there, cuz there was dozens of third party drop ins on the market, still are.
Well, nowadays, even the Sun looks dim by comparison to what's out there. And, oh yes; mine are definitely official Maglite drop-ins. They were sold through a Brick & Mortar shop, brand new, still sealed in Maglite blister packs. But even by the standards of back then, they were very bright. None had a dull finish on the outside of the drop-in. Both were shiny chrome in color.
 
3D printed adapters and protected cells are the best option. I would not recommend the Maglite 2C adapter as it lacks reverse polarity protection - put a cell in backwards and you will blow the LED.

I don't see any difference from the 3D printed adapter sleeve I linked and your own, how does yours differ in design, both can use protected cells no? 🤔
 
I don't see any difference from the 3D printed adapter sleeve I linked and your own, how does yours differ in design, both can use protected cells no? 🤔
Mine has mechanical reverse polarity protection - if you put a cell in backwards, it won't make contact (the button top needs to be facing forwards to make contact). I'm not too familiar with the design you linked to, but apparently, it uses a paper clip for the positive contact and most of mine use brass screws/nuts.
 
I would think reverse polarity will not kill a stock magled, i tried installing batteries backwards with 2aa and 2aaa, on purpose, as well as powering rebel module from a 2d mag backwards, none suffered any damage.
 
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Mine has mechanical reverse polarity protection - if you put a cell in backwards, it won't make contact (the button top needs to be facing forwards to make contact). I'm not too familiar with the design you linked to, but apparently, it uses a paper clip for the positive contact and most of mine use brass screws/nuts.

Ah yes I recall CPF member Illum suggesting a recessed contact point back in 2009 (as a means of mechanical reverse polarity protection), a simple but clever solution 👍


I don't own a 3D printer but could foresee a PVC plumbing supplies solution...
 
Ah yes I recall CPF member Illum suggesting a recessed contact point back in 2009 (as a means of mechanical reverse polarity protection), a simple but clever solution 👍


I don't own a 3D printer but could foresee a PVC plumbing supplies solution...
Recessed contacts are nothing new, Mag used them in their C & D cell incan lights (I don't remember if incan Mini Mags had recessed contacts?) even though polarity generally dose not matter with incan bulbs.

Before I got into 3D printing, I used to make adapters out of everything from PVC to rolled up newspaper, it's just a matter of coming up with something to fill the space and make contact.
 
I'm would think reverse polarity will kill a stock magled, i tried installing batteries backwards with 2aa and 2aaa, on purpose, as well as powering rebel module from a 2d mag backwards, none suffered any damage.
Have you tried it with a ML25 or ML50 using Mag's 18650 adapter?
 
Have you tried it with a ML25 or ML50 using Mag's 18650 adapter?
no. do not have any of those, but I just tried with new mag tac 2, 2xcr123, no issues either.
I honestly do not think mag would skip on RPP, they sell lights for average person, sticking batteries in reverse isn't such a rare thing. if all of those burned out, it would be huge reputational damage, especially since it is very cheap to prevent.

I do not not have any printed adapters, i use pvc pipes, 1 inch for d to c/26xxx cells, or 3/4 inside of 1 inch for d to 18650, the fit is perfect, but you got to cut 3/4 pipe along so it can be put into 1 inch. i have not tried a 3/4 in a C mag, it looks like it should work either as is, or with minor adjustments.
I do have a 3d printer i design and print things, but 3d printing is a slow process, prints often fail, i do not think it worth it since much simple solution is available, i design and print snap in holders for all my headlamps, those you can not make any other way, those kind of things worth time and failed prints, thou once you get a hang of it, dial in proper speed, temp....., fails are not as common.
 
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Now that i think of it, the led itself will not fail from reverse voltage, the driver?. depends what is it made of, resistors, ceramic caps, coils, thermistors, diodes, and some other parts, do not care about polarity, as in they wont burn out, so as long as you kiss, and use those kinds of parts, reverse voltage is no issue.
HAs anyone actually burned a Maglite by reversing cells? or heard of anyone do it? i did not.
 
Now that i think of it, the led itself will not fail from reverse voltage, the driver?. depends what is it made of, resistors, ceramic caps, coils, thermistors, diodes, and some other parts, do not care about polarity, as in they wont burn out, so as long as you kiss, and use those kinds of parts, reverse voltage is no issue.
HAs anyone actually burned a Maglite by reversing cells? or heard of anyone do it? i did not.
I have. That's why I use reverse polarity protection in my 3d printed adapters.
 
Wow, that s some bad luck you got, i jut tried to kill 4 different maglites that way, no luck.

But in any case reverse protection would not hurt, whether needed or not.
 
Wow, that s some bad luck you got, i jut tried to kill 4 different maglites that way, no luck.

But in any case reverse protection would not hurt, whether needed or not.
Did you use a Li-ion adapter?
 
no, i fed them with stock batteries backwards.
would it make a difference if it was a cell in adapter?
 
Feeding them regular batteries backwards just shows that Mag's recessed positive contact/reverse polarity protection works. You need a adapter or something that will bypass the mechanical polarity protection by making positive contact. You need to put the Li-ion cell in the adapter backwards (if their is no reverse polarity protection built into the adapter) and the positive contact needs to contact the spring - this normally won't make contact in any of the C or D cell Mags except for the ML25 and ML50 - the two lights Mag makes their 18650 adapter for.
 
minis do not have that recessed positive, nether does magtac, rebel module from 2d was even easier to test, it is removed from a light, I connected 3v supply the correct way then a reverse, several times.
Pretty sure all made good positive contact.
But you know what, you made me wonder, now i have to buy ml25 and try it.
 
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