magmini on lithium for car

[mbiraman]

I recently bought a Quark AA to replace my magmini and am very happy with it . Yesterday i read in the "light for your car" post someone mentioning putting LIions in their mag mini so it got me thinking again and searching for the latest magmini modding and i couldn't find anything recent ( most 2 yrs old). So my question is two part , what is the latest , best dropin for the magmini and can you use lithium batteries in it .

 

[USM0083]

For runtime: http://www.lighthound.com/ArcMania-...for-Mini-Maglight-Flashlight-SMJLED_p_83.html or http://www.lighthound.com/Terralux-TLE-20-Universal-LED-Lighting-Kit_p_2149.html

I have the TLE-20 in a AAA mini as a backup light in my work bag.

For output: http://www.lighthound.com/TerraLUX-...t-bulb-for-MiniMagLite-Flashlight_p_2143.html

The problem with the TLE-5 is that the prongs are susceptible to twisting and snapping, and the LED doesn't have good heatsinking.

 

[Fichtenelch]

I'm just building a cree q5 r2 in a mag mini, got an ofc heatsink and wait for a 14mm driver from the sandwich shop.
Basically you can just use a dummy aa-cell, put one 14500 in and dd any led you want...a tailswitch is also an upgrade you might think about.

 

[mbiraman]

I'm just building a cree q5 r2 in a mag mini, got an ofc heatsink and wait for a 14mm driver from the sandwich shop.
Basically you can just use a dummy aa-cell, put one 14500 in and dd any led you want...a tailswitch is also an upgrade you might think about.

I'm fairly new to the high tech light world so some acronyms ???
ofc ? , name of company?
dummy aa cell? would be what?
dd?
I have a tail switch because i dropped in a Nite ez ( 3 led ) and it came with the tail piece. I didn't notice much more light from this upgrade.
Does the use of i lithium give you more light or just better working in cold temps?

 

[Marduke]

I think you are confused. For in car, you want to use lithium PRIMARIES, not Li-Ion cells.

 

[mbiraman]

Yup, still learning. I guess i'm trying to figure out whether its worthwhile modding the mag mini or just buy a new light for the truck.

 

[FlashKat]

I suggest buying a new light, and install lithium primary batteries. Also read up on the different lights, since there are so many to choose from.

Yup, still learning. I guess i'm trying to figure out whether its worthwhile modding the mag mini or just buy a new light for the truck.

 

[NeonLights]

I've got a AA MiniMag with Energizer lithium primaries and an LED drop-in in the glove box of each of our five cars. I used to keep a standard incan MiniMag with alkalines in all our cars, but lost 3 or 4 to battery leaks. I don't get too fancy with the drop-ins, as they favor runtime over output, I have 2x123 incans (mostly SF G2's) in the cars if I need a lot of output. Most of the MiniMag drop-ins are the lower end Terraluxe or Nite-Ize products.

 

[Fichtenelch]

I'm fairly new to the high tech light world so some acronyms ???
ofc ? , name of company?
dummy aa cell? would be what?
dd?
I have a tail switch because i dropped in a Nite ez ( 3 led ) and it came with the tail piece. I didn't notice much more light from this upgrade.
Does the use of i lithium give you more light or just better working in cold temps?

OFC Heatsinks (OFC = Oxygen Free Copper) are sold in the CPF's Custom & Mod B/S/T area of the forum, basically just a piece of copper where you put the led on. dummy aa-cell is just a piece of metal that replaces a battery, call it spacer. dd = direct driver, so just connect the bat to the led, in series to the switch
Why should you prefer normal lithium primaries to li-ion rechargables? Normal li-ions should also last pretty long if you don't use them, or am i wrong?

 

[Linger]

I have the newer 2xAA Mag (with multi-mode and Rebel led) in my g/f's car. Decent output, moon-mode for extended run-times, stobe if she were needing to attract attention.
Lithium primaries, even mass marketed brands like energizer, make sense in it.

My point being, lithium could mean 1.5v or 3.7v, the former being a peace of mind power source for a stock light.

 

[mbiraman]

OFC Heatsinks (OFC = Oxygen Free Copper) are sold in the CPF's Custom & Mod B/S/T area of the forum, basically just a piece of copper where you put the led on. dummy aa-cell is just a piece of metal that replaces a battery, call it spacer. dd = direct driver, so just connect the bat to the led, in series to the switch
Why should you prefer normal lithium primaries to li-ion rechargables? Normal li-ions should also last pretty long if you don't use them, or am i wrong?

Oh, i'm not preferring anything. I'm just trying to make use of my old magmini in a way that makes sense for the truck, ie, using cold resistant batteries and not spending much $$ on modding as i'd be further ahead then just to buy another new light.

 

[jhellwig]

A terraLUX drop in led and lithiums would be good. Be carefull of the terralux dropin though makes alot of heat enough to bread glass lenses.

 

[Glasstream15]

Nitecore dropins in minimags with Energizer AA Lithiums in both cars. Batteries should have 10+ year shelf life, even in the extreme conditions of the car interior.

 

[Linger]

Nitecore dropins

You meant NiteIze, right?

 

[Glasstream15]

Whatever the cheap ones are

 

[mbiraman]

I've already put a niteIze ( 3 bulb ) in the mini and i have to say i wasn't impressed at all. Its about equal to the LOW setting on my Quark AA so i'm back here searching. I found the modding area here on the site and now have allot of info,,too much info. I may end up just getting a couple of DX's as there cheap but i'll have to look into that more. It seems a shame to not do something with the mini tho. I could get a higher end drop in for it but the shipping to my place is even more than the unit so it ends up being almost $60 Can. and i can get another quark AA for $72 can so not sure what to do. There is a part of me feels like modding the mini out tho. I can see it now. I start trolling the thrift stores for old mini's to frankenstein.

 

[mbiraman]

discovered lighthound, there may be hope for the magmini yet