Mini- Mag Terralux Cree kit- wimpy output?

[Offroad'Bent]

After reading this forum for a bit, I decided to take another look at my Mini-mag. I got a Terralux Cree drop-in (and back end clickie), which is supposed to emit over 70 lumens. I compared it with my unmodified Princeton Tec Apex, as I expected it to be similar to the Apex on high beam.

Not even close. I'd have to say that it's dimmer than the Apex Maxbright LED on low beam, and also dimmer than my unmodified EOS.

Has anybody else done a similar comparison? Could I have gotten a defective unit, or could I drive it with a 6V battery pack for more oomph?
Any other suggestions for getting over 100 lumens from this light head, with an external battery if needed?

My original intention was to do a mini-headlamp, like the dental one here, but I gave up on it- before I joined CPF.
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=155371

TIA

 

[Blue72]

After reading this forum for a bit, I decided to take another look at my Mini-mag. I got a Terralux Cree drop-in (and back end clickie), which is supposed to emit over 70 lumens. I compared it with my unmodified Princeton Tec Apex, as I expected it to be similar to the Apex on high beam.

Not even close. I'd have to say that it's dimmer than the Apex Maxbright LED on low beam, and also dimmer than my unmodified EOS.

Has anybody else done a similar comparison? Could I have gotten a defective unit, or could I drive it with a 6V battery pack for more oomph?
Any other suggestions for getting over 100 lumens from this light head, with an external battery if needed?

My original intention was to do a mini-headlamp, like the dental one here, but I gave up on it- before I joined CPF.
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=155371

TIA

Did you try it with a stock minimag tailcap, I know the clickies reduce output.

 

[Offroad'Bent]

Thanks for the tip. I tried connecting directly, and it's definitely got more power.

Anybody know how much voltage you can supply to this unit for maximum brightness? It doesn't have a heat sink, but is in an aluminum head.

 

[NeonLights]

No problems with my Terralux Cree MiniMag drop-in. I used to use Krolls on most of my LED equipped MiniMags, but have since moved back to the stock tailcaps in most cases because of various reliability issues. I did have some very mild flickering with mine, but I disassembled the light, used Caig Deoxit on all of the flashlight switch, tailcap, and battery contacts, and it worked perfectly again. I'm happy with it, my only complaint would be that I only get about one turn of the head before it comes off.

 

[Blue72]

Thanks for the tip. I tried connecting directly, and it's definitely got more power.

Anybody know how much voltage you can supply to this unit for maximum brightness? It doesn't have a heat sink, but is in an aluminum head.

Thats funny, I just sent terralux an email regarding this, because I want to use a 3.6v rechargeable single cell in a cut down minimag with the tle-5ex. No response yet.................

Does anyone know the answer.

 

[Offroad'Bent]

I tried running the light head without the Nightize clickie switch and upped the power to 4.5 volts, but not much increase in light.
Maybe it's just a poorly focused beam, but it's definitely no 70 lumens.
I'd guess 25 lumens maybe.

 

[nanotech17]

I tried running the light head without the Nightize clickie switch and upped the power to 4.5 volts, but not much increase in light.
Maybe it's just a poorly focused beam, but it's definitely no 70 lumens.
I'd guess 25 lumens maybe.

something is wrong with yours
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=178593

 

[Offroad'Bent]

something is wrong with yours
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=178593

It looks like I have a dud unit, or at least not the Cree unit.
After all the fiddling I did, it's too beat-up to return.
So, for the application I'm looking at (Removing the head and using it as a powerful micro-headlamp) am I best ordering another Terralux drop-in, or can anyone suggest another tiny Cree flashlight where I can use just the head with an external battery pack?

 

[nanotech17]

look for post #17 ( never harm to try )
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?p=2217544#post2217544

 

[Offroad'Bent]

Guess I could try, but I have solder on the contacts, a scuff on the gummy dome etc. If starting from scratch, what would the illuminati suggest? Any nice 75+ Lumen Cree lamps with tiny detachable heads?