Maglite Solitaire - Incandescent - Do you still use them?

Vemice

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Jun 18, 2017
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All this talk made me want one. I have had several Maglites (still have a 3D Incan) but never owned the Solitaire.
Really like it so far.
3g94dYsl.jpg
 

Grijon

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Finally replaced the bulb in mine and she's back in service for reading before bed. I'm looking forward to seeing how long this bulb lasts exclusively on NiMH.
 

Grijon

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Have over two hours of total runtime on this bulb with NiHM, which I think is already longer than what I got for the bulb with the lithium primary.

Now using it as a low-lumen navigation light in the house in the dark, and am extremely pleased with it in this role.
 

bykfixer

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That was the original intention of the Solitaire. A wee bit of light when none was around. But the world is a lot brighter, even after dark so they don't seem so useful anymore.
I find them to be ideal for close up inspection work of shiney objects while the lights are on. Gun barrels, flashlight barrels, dating old coins etc.

Glad to know nihm don't mean premature "poof".…… :thumbsup:
 

greenpondmike

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Still using mine. The chrome stuff on the reflector is almost gone revealing the blue plastic. It now has an almost clean ring free beam. The spot can be reduced real small and the spill is still good and bright.
Maybe that is the key to a ring free beam that most (including me) have been looking for. Mine just wore off, but if you have a bigger mag with a good reflector and still have the old scratched up one- maybe try to peel that chrome stuff off and try it out. That blue plastic behind the chrome works well on my solitaire.
 

Chicken Drumstick

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Are there any "drop in" led modules/bulbs for the incan solitares? I know they are super cheap anyway, but I would actually use mine more if I could turn it into a ~10-ish lumen E01 of sorts haha. Drop in sort of like Nite-ize had/has for the 2AA incan mags?
I've tried a couple, albeit must be 5 years ago. They where horrid blue tint. The head doesn't screw down fully anymore and they were hardly any brighter. Converted mine back to incan then have a proper Mag 37 lumen one to accompany it! :D
 

Burgess

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Prior to my LED days . . . . .
(cue the Harp mood music here)


When my flashlight world revolved around
my D-cell Mag-Lites, I would carry a Solitaire
around my neck. So that I'd never hafta' change
a burned-out PR-3 bulb in the DARK ! ! !

How times have changed . . . . .


lovecpf
_
 

desert.snake

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I got 4 used ones from the local market the day before yesterday. I have already given 2 pieces, I will keep 2 for myself. Quite pleasant light at night considering its purpose it is well thought out - it does not destroy night vision. At first I didn't like that it was necessary to make 1 full rotation of the head in order to focus the beam to a point, but at night I realized why this was necessary. At first we see a large hole in the ray, but this is when our vision has not adapted to the darkness, so it can be somewhat annoying. In complete darkness, or when you wake up and turn it on, this very hole does not irritate your eyes and you can see enough, then you can calmly focus beam when you need it.

I checked, it works on my eneloop lite AAA for about 50 minutes, then I stop, because the light is too dim.

All these irregularities in the beam do not bother at all, much more unpleasant - changes in the color temperature over the beam cross section in LEDs







 
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Katherine Alicia

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I boughtmy first one of these last night (what collection would be complete without one?) I also bought a load of spare bulbs for it, this will make a fun little project for me, DC-Fix equiv will likely be the first thing done. I have several 2xAA mag bulbs that I can hopefully make work with a 14500.
it`ll be interasting to see if there`s any dead space in there that can be used as well, or if I can get a TIR in there or maybe a Metal reflector and glass lens?
Much better than watching TV :D
 

Yates

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Jan 10, 2021
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Solitaire is the best replacement for a candle when getting up during the night.

No need for anything bright, or fumbling with a LED light to get it into low.


The Thrunite Ti3_NW is a very good alternative, but more than double the price.
 

Katherine Alicia

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My Solitaire arrived today and I have to be honest it`s nowhere near as "bad" as I thought it would be after reading this thread, Yes the beam patterns look like something Saturn would be proud of but if you unscrew the top a bit more it goes into a Dandilion shape, and with some DC-Fix it`s a perfectly usable light. :)
 

Tasky

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I do keep thinking I should get a Solitaire myself, along with a AA Mini Mag, but can't help thinking it's just the rose-tinted specs of 90s nostalgia and that I'll be hideously disappointed by them.
 

ampdude

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USA
There's nothing wrong with the Solitaire for a really LOW lumen light. I kind of consider it a spy light, for digging around a dark place when you don't want anyone outside to realize you're there. And a great night light to keep your night vision. I was just digging through some AA batteries purging the leaked ones and came across an old copper colored Solitaire in the corner of the case with no bulb. I think I was experimenting with a 3mm LED in it a long time ago and then tossed it in there and forgot about it. I'll have to dig through my bulbs and get this one working again. It even has the old mag pocket clip on it.
 
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junkman

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Dec 19, 2019
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So has anyone noticed any problems with bulb life and NiMH rechargeables in the solitaire?
 

vicv

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Mar 22, 2013
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Southern Ontario
I have not. I'm on my original bulb. Use for a couple minutes every night. Had it for maybe 5 years. Always top up the cell. Still going strong. I think the bulb is so under driven and it's such low power but it will last just about indefinitely
 
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