Modifying 2C cell Maglite

LEDBE
:welcome: from a fellow Londoner :D

Im abit confused, do you want to mod your 2C with a Cree (R2,Q5 or MCE)
or a SSC P7 ?
What kind of batteries are you thinking of using with the 2C Mag ?

For the heatsink, try member H22, he sells different heatsinks for different
emitters (Cree, SSC, and P7)
You can find them here

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=203235


For the lens, try Flashlightlens.com or Kaidomain.com


Depending on the type and number of batteries you use, you may need
a driver board
 
I just did my first with a 2 D maglite. First two things to consider is what emitter you want and what battery type to want to power it with. Do you want direct drive or a regulated light?

Some things I needed to buy to get going where arctic alumina to epoxy the led to heatsink, thermal compound for the heatsink to body, 22 to 26 gauge teflon wire (Sandwich Shoppe). All the soldering equiment you need. You can use the stock reflector and lens if you want or get better replacements.

Start a folder for favorites for mag mods and do your research. For me, the making of it was the most fun. I'm going to give it away so I have an excuse to make another slightly more complicated one.

good luck:grin2:
 
Hey fellow Londoner :thumbsup:

Oh dear God!!! You just said a load of stuff I didn't understand there :duh2:

Not sure of the type of Cree or SSC - I'll be budget constrained at this stage so I'm open to suggestions. Just want to have a play around with modding a torch and see where it takes me - I have a motorbike and would like to do some lighting mods on that and build something for my mountain bike too

Would prefer to stick to a resistor set up as opposed to a driver one at this stage - again for simplicity and cost

Batteries??? No idea. What are the budget options?
 
dirtech said:
I just did my first with a 2 D maglite. First two things to consider is what emitter you want and what battery type to want to power it with. Do you want direct drive or a regulated light?

Some things I needed to buy to get going where arctic alumina to epoxy the led to heatsink, thermal compound for the heatsink to body, 22 to 26 gauge teflon wire (Sandwich Shoppe). All the soldering equiment you need. You can use the stock reflector and lens if you want or get better replacements.

Start a folder for favorites for mag mods and do your research. For me, the making of it was the most fun. I'm going to give it away so I have an excuse to make another slightly more complicated one.

good luck:grin2:
Click to expand...

Thanks

Would like an emitter that offers most punch/£ (or whatever the local currency is where you guys are :grin2:)

Not too sure on battery type - excuse my ignorance but couldn't I use standard batteries? Looking for a direct drive set up

Thanks
 
:welcome:

I just put together a 2C Mag myself. There is a MagC version of the H22A heatsinks shdwkeeper pointed to. Your MagLite has to be post 2001 production. The serial number starts with the letter 'C' in the newer version. The old MagLite has a larger I.D. so the heatsink is too small. Also you need the ones that are HAIII anodized so the LED won't short out. Sometimes you have to sand the inside of the MagLite to make it fit. FlashlightLens has a 52.1mm x1.90mm UCL cover glass with 99% transmission.

Regular alkaline batteries will work in a 3D MagLite but they just don't have enough voltage in a 2 cell MagC. You can use 3*4/5thSubC NiMH. They are an exact fit in a 2C Mag. I bought an IMR26650 instead. If you're only using 1 battery it's safe to take the sleeve off. Otherwise the battery tube needs boring out. I liked the idea that the IMR's don't self-discharge like the NiMH will if you leave it sitting around. Since they are only 65mm long instead of 100mm, you have to make up the extra distance. I made a spacer from a couple of 1" diameter washers, a 2" bolt and 3 nuts. A single nut goes against the washer by the head of the screw. The other 2 go on either side of the second washer. The 2 washers were adjusted about 30mm apart. The extra length of screw just dangles inside the tailcap spring.

If you're going to make it direct drive, make sure you buy the J binned emitters. And stick with the NiMH batteries. I would recommend using a regulator though. I bought a PhotonFanatic DSVNI P7. The I bin has a voltage range of 3.25-3.5 volts. Mine read 3.28 volts across the LED @ 2.82 amps. I figure a 4.2 volt battery would have easily blown the LED without a regulator. I did it on the cheap using a pair of AMC7135 1,400ma regulators from DX wired in series. A pair of these boards is only $3.57. This NetKidz post shows how. I found it in this StefanFS P7 MagLite tutorial which is definitely worth a look. This same regulator will work on a Cree XR-E or an SSC-P4. Just remove a chip or cut the legs if you don't have any solder wick or a solder sucker. With three chips it regulates @ 1,050 ma.
 
Ok ok ok - still way too complicated for my little brain :confused:

To keep things as simple as possible, I'm going to go for a direct drive and a NiMH battery

Which emitter is a "J binned"?

Sorry for lack of knowledge guys. I'll be fine putting all of this together once I've narrowed down all the options.... so many choices!!!
 
Last edited:
Right then, looked at the CREE website and looks like a J binned ;) MCE 000JE3 would be the one I'd go for

That and 3*4/5thSubC NiMH batteries

How's that so far?

I'd then need to make sure I get the right heat sink and I'm another step closer

:thinking:
 
J3004 said:
img2265rv3.jpg
Click to expand...

very nice... is that reflector the one that a popular site sells as a P7 reflector?

If not what kind of reflector is it?

Are you using an MC-E with it?

I've been intersted in using an MC-E with this reflector... but didn't know how the beam would be?
 
linners said:
Right then, looked at the CREE website and looks like a J binned ;) MCE 000JE3 would be the one I'd go for:thinking:
Click to expand...

Well, almost... You mentioned Cree in your first post. But I was distracted by the P7 link. A J binned Cree MC-E is only 320 lumens @ 350ma. That's only 557 lumens at full power. If you want to go with an MC-E you want the M bin. The M bin is a minimum of 430 lumens @ 350ma, 748 lumens at full power or 34% more output than a J bin. I think the confusion is the J reference as far as SSC P7's go relates to voltage, not output. It might be helpful if you took a look at the manufacturer docs to see what it all means. SSC's P7 page is java script, so you have to navigate to the link you want. Emitter specs describes the characteristics of the LED while P7 series binning & labeling explains what the numbers mean. You should read them both. Here are Cree's Data Sheet and Binning & Labeling pdf's. Both of these pdf's inexplicably have the CRI (Color Rendition Index) charts in B&W. Here's a CPF link to explain the colors.

If you really want an MC-E you need a different heatsink than what H22A is selling. Britelumens is the only one I know of selling MagC heatsinks for the MC-E. Well that's apart from custom modding. The bad news is MC-E's have an even lower Vf than the P7's. BTW, V sub f stands for forward voltage. So why is it backwards? Dunno. The real meaning of it is if you want direct drive, stick with the P7.

It's a lot to take in all at once. But learning is part of the fun of a new hobby. Hang in there.
 
The more I read, the less I know.....

Sorry for the early confusion as I thought the CREE was the be-all-and-end-all of emitters. I know I know :ohgeez:

Help a noob out even further and put a shopping list together of what I'd need for this simple :confused: project considering the P7, directly driven and 4/5thSubC NiMH battery option. I'll take whatever output I get from it. With a little practice with further projects and I suspect a lot of trial and error, I'll figure it out as I go along

Thanks again :thumbsup:
 
I think shdwkeeper's tutorial you mentioned in your first post is pretty thorough as far as what you need goes. The only thing I would have said different is I don't think that direct driving an 'I' binned P7 LED is a good idea. You need a 'J' binned P7 LED, a heatsink, wire, batteries, Arctic Alumina compound and Arctic Alumina epoxy. That's pretty much it. It's really not that difficult.

Britelumens sells a kit of sorts with 'J' binned emitters. A heatsink/LED combo at a decent price. I checked the website in his sigline and they appear to be in stock at the moment. They also sell textured reflectors if you decide you want one.
 
jar3ds said:
very nice... is that reflector the one that a popular site sells as a P7 reflector?

If not what kind of reflector is it?

Are you using an MC-E with it?

I've been intersted in using an MC-E with this reflector... but didn't know how the beam would be?
Click to expand...

the reflector is the cheap one from DX, yes.
 
linners said:
Hey fellow Londoner :thumbsup:

Oh dear God!!! You just said a load of stuff I didn't understand there :duh2:

Not sure of the type of Cree or SSC - I'll be budget constrained at this stage so I'm open to suggestions. Just want to have a play around with modding a torch and see where it takes me - I have a motorbike and would like to do some lighting mods on that and build something for my mountain bike too

Would prefer to stick to a resistor set up as opposed to a driver one at this stage - again for simplicity and cost

Batteries??? No idea. What are the budget options?
Click to expand...


Hi there from just up the road! :wave:

Is this your first Mag mod?

IF you want to keep it really simple for the first mod you can click on the link below (in my sig line) to my old tutorial. A SSC P4 and a micropuck can run on std batts no problem.

Once you have made that then work your way up to something more powerful with more exotic batts.

WARNING - this can be very addictive, just ask TX101 :sssh:

Let us know how you get on.
 
Al Combs said:
I think shdwkeeper's tutorial you mentioned in your first post is pretty thorough as far as what you need goes. The only thing I would have said different is I don't think that direct driving an 'I' binned P7 LED is a good idea. You need a 'J' binned P7 LED, a heatsink, wire, batteries, Arctic Alumina compound and Arctic Alumina epoxy. That's pretty much it. It's really not that difficult.

Britelumens sells a kit of sorts with 'J' binned emitters. A heatsink/LED combo at a decent price. I checked the website in his sigline and they appear to be in stock at the moment. They also sell textured reflectors if you decide you want one.
Click to expand...

:cool: - thanks again
 
Not led, but the easiest mod you can do to get great lumens is an ROP.

all you need are C Li-on batteries and the bulb.

and you MIGHT want to get the metal reflector and glass window, if you dont want to melt your current ones.

Crenshaw
 
No, the spring isn't modified.

Runtime is about 40 minutes with 2000mah batteries.

Note: this are 4/5 sub-c Cells.
 
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