MJLED drop-in for MiniMag 2AA

[Donovan]

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UnknownVT said:
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mykall said:
The photo shown in the instructions - hotlinked here:

seems to show the LED almost flush with the base.


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You don't want the MJLED to sit flush with the base!!! The 2.0 version needs to sit up about 1/8th an inch from the base.

 

[UnknownVT]

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wwglen said: I don't have measurements of the light output but based on my observations with the 2nd gen MJLEDs.
New AA Alklines. 60-65mA
New AA Lithiums. 130-135mA
They appear about twice as bright on lithiums.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thank you so much for the current measurements.

It does seem worthwhile using lithiums.

I have gotten AA alkalines for as low as 25cents each on sale -
what is a good available price for AA lithiums?

Like I've already said I am very pleased with my MJLED on plain alkalines - as the comparative beamshots show - it is at least in the similar ballpark as a good 1watt Luxeon.
So would the simple use of AA Lithiums push these pass the Luxeon?.... surely that's wishful thinking? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif

 

[UnknownVT]

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Donovan said:You don't want the MJLED to sit flush with the base!!! The 2.0 version needs to sit up about 1/8th an inch from the base.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thank you very much for that input - luckily mine sits where the crimp/flats won't go into the holes /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif - which is just about 1/8" showing - complete accident - just happened that way.

I just measured the legs on mine they are 7/16" which is shorter than mykall's 1/2" of leg - so he really shouldn't have any problems - just push a bit harder so that the legs go into the holes up to about the crimp/flats - which probably will leave about 1/8" showing.

 

[LightObsession]

I got my Energizer AA lithiums at SAM's club 12 for $20. That seems about as good as anything I've seen on line.

 

[wwglen]

My MJLED (On lithiums) is brighter tha my Cat Urine green 3-AA reactor. Much brighter spot and slightly brighter bounced off the cieling. Better side spill also.

It is NOT as bright as my Streamlight TL-2 LED or my XM-3 Clone.

IS about 2-3 times as bright as my Twintask 1-L modded with the 26K LEDs

Doesn't even come clost to my Q-III.

wwglen

 

[UnknownVT]

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LightObsession said:
I got my Energizer AA lithiums at SAM's club 12 for $20. That seems about as good as anything I've seen on line.

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Thanks for that - it's kind of what I suspected. On-line prices might be a bit better - but the shipping will kill you. So that's $1.67 per lithium AA compared to a 25cents per alkaline AA - the lithiums are some 6.67 times the price.


Here are some more images:
Kit:

strange the reflector showing blue since that's the backing plastic color -
it is probably just a photo phenomenon/accident -
be assured the reflector is all reflective silver.....

Extreme close-up of MJLED:

( /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif leg is red because I marked the + side for reference /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif )

Installed with about 1/8" protruding - pushed to where the crimp/flats hit the hole -

 

[mykall]

Lambda's own instructions suggests 3/8" - so perhaps the LED legs just aren't being pushed down/in far enough?


I know that I can't push them in any further/harder.
I've pushed hard enough to feel a spring depress and
come back up but it still won't stay in place. Maybe
I do need to file the ends a little thinner.

MB

 

[tvodrd]

I did 5 installs, and on all of them, I was able to force the stand off lugs into the switch. Two of them required I pull the LED back out abt 1/32" from flush to achieve optimum focus.

Larry

 

[junior]

Guess which light is currently my favorite light?

My mini mag with MJLED......... I have used a lot and have not seen any drop off in the lights power.....and im running Dorcy AA alks.

My Dorcy 2AA fell off from peak pretty fast....and now sits in my car as a back up.

I still cant believe that it only cost me 6bucks!!!!

I too was and still am smiling....

Hey unknown, my MJLED is not sitting flush as well, but it is not worring me it works just fine. I did cut one of my mjleds too short and am currently working on it to get it work. I just soldered some legs on, and need to file it down.

 

[Grubbster]

I too have one that is cut short but not too bad. I have ordered another from the sandwich shop. When I get it I am going to install it in my MM and take the other MJLED and solder it into a Dorcy 1AAA and see what I get. I don't know if there will be enough to drive it or not. Any opinions?

 

[junior]

good idea grubster, am not sure that 1AAA will able to run it. Maybe a AAA lithium. I was thinking about runing my cut too short mjled on a mag solitare.

 

[UnknownVT]

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junior said:
good idea grubster, am not sure that 1AAA will able to run it. Maybe a AAA lithium. I was thinking about runing my cut too short mjled on a mag solitare.

[/ QUOTE ]

Grubbster's idea looks possible - since the Dorcy 1AAA has a step up circuit to drive the LED at something higher than 3V -

whereas an unmodified Solitaire probably would not work at all, since a single AAA would have only 1.5V far below the required Vf....

 

[junior]

Thanks for the info unknown!

I really like your reviews

 

[UnknownVT]

Many thanks for the kind words.

I don't do anything special, or use any specialist equipment for these comparisons.

I make do with stuff that most people already have -
digital camera, flatbed scanner, and a sheet of regular letter sized paper with a "+" marked on it....... that's it.

Oh, sorry for the JugShots - plastic frosted juice jug /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif, and a protractor.

For the other flashlights compared - I pick those that I think are the obvious ones or the closest that I have - and try to include a "benchmark" that most people are familiar with.

As they say - if I can do it, anyone can /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I am really pleased with the MJLED mod MiniMag - still running really fine on regular alkalines - I really don't think it justifies having to use Lithiums, even if they probably will be better - but 6.7x better?

So....

I am now looking for a clickie tail-switch for the MJLED MiniMag -
any recommendations please?

 

[rdshores]

Knoll Tailcap Switch from the Sandwich Shoppe HERE

 

[junior]

i think the reason why i like your reviews unknown is that you use a lot of lights and upgrades that many can afford and find.

When somebody reviews a light that is over 100bucks i really cant enjoy the review for i cant afford some of those lights.

Anyhow, how about a kroll from the sandwich shoppe? Niteize will also be coming out with a minimag momentary switch this year i believe...

 

[UnknownVT]

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junior said:
i think the reason why i like your reviews unknown is that you use a lot of lights and upgrades that many can afford and find.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thank you again....

- this one's even easier -
because those are the types of lights I buy!

I greedily absorb CPF opinions, and when there is a good concenus on a light and it appeals to me - I investigate ...

However I always bear in mind that LED lights are still somewhat in their infancy - so better things are still to come -
and also there are lots of more than adequate and functional flashlights for under $4 around -
and most non-flashaholics regard the $8-9 MiniMag as up-market -
so that's kind of tempers my judgement.

 

[Pajamas]

Hey guys,

Is this the link everyone is talking about? I want to buy some more MJLEDs 2nd batch (the brighter one).

MJ Cutdown High-power 5mm LED at the Sandwhich Shoppe.

Anyone know how much the shipping is?

Thanks!

 

[Jon_L]

Besides having a breakthrough product, Kevin himself is super conscientious and well organized. It really shows when a vendor cares about his customers and I'm really appreciative.

Jon

 

[bjn70]

I installed mine today- here is my experience. I had an older MM that I wanted to install it in but I discovered that it had been damaged by leaking alkalines so I bought 2 new MM's at Target this morning.

I measured 3/8" below the bottom of the crimps and cut there. The leads bottomed out before the crimps reached the plastic housing of the switch so I had to trim them a bit more. This is easy enough so I would recommend cutting them a bit long and using trial and error until it fits right. With the LED inserted so that the crimped flats touch the plastic, I installed my drilled reflector and tried it out. When the light first comes on it is at wide focus and it takes almost a full turn of the bezel to reach tightest focus. I could modify it a bit more so that it would be closest to optimum focus when it comes on but I'll save that for later. The beam was real good and smooth, the led appeared to be fairly well centered, no artifacts, nice color very close to white.

Remember I said I bought a pair of MM's this morning- so I put batteries in the remaining stock one for comparison purposes. Remember this is running both on the new Duracell alkalines that they came with. So here's the comparison... with both focused to their tightest point, the brightest parts of the spots appeared to be about the same. The stock MM is very yellow while the MJLED looks nice and white. The beam of the MM is very ugly- blotchy, oval shaped, has little holes in it, etc. The beam of the MJLED is very smooth.

The next step will be to get some lithium AA's to try with it.