Need help modding 3-D mag light.

[Saiga]

I've been reading here how cool a mag light can be after a new emiter and aspheric lens is put in it. I have a 3 ( could be 4) D mag around here somewhere, and am hoping for some solid, nuts & bolts advice on what to do, where to buy,prices,etc. Thanks.....

 

[CharlieHo]

I'm gonna try one of these in my 3D lite for sng's
http://batteryjunction.com/tle-6exb.html

 

[Saiga]

thanks charlie, that looks like it may be the way to go. i just googled "aspheric lens" and after wading through miles of un-useful stuff, i found some helpful things, like where to get the lens,what size lens,and what o ring size to get to fill in a gap that will apparantly be there. I keep reading that a "malkof" drop-in is best, but so much on these threads are just off-hand references,rather than direct instructions. still hoping a forum guru or two will chime in. now i'm gonna go hunt down that mag-light !!

 

[Phaetos]

You been around long enough Saiga that you should know where the Homemade and Modified Section is.

 

[LukeA]

thanks charlie, that looks like it may be the way to go. i just googled "aspheric lens" and after wading through miles of un-useful stuff, i found some helpful things, like where to get the lens,what size lens,and what o ring size to get to fill in a gap that will apparantly be there. I keep reading that a "malkof" drop-in is best, but so much on these threads are just off-hand references,rather than direct instructions. still hoping a forum guru or two will chime in. now i'm gonna go hunt down that mag-light !!

The Malkoff isn't really the best. A Cree on some sort of heatsink will be the most effective.

 

[davidra]

Hey, mess around with 150 lumens if you want....or you can turn the same 3D mag into a 1500 lumen beast...all you need is:

an aluminum relector
A 5mega bipin adaptor
an 1185 bulb or two (you can also get that from 5mega)
a piece of PVC that's 3/4 " inside diameter
3 AW 18650's (which you should have anyway)
the ability to rebend a tailcap spring

And you'll have a Mag85 that will blow the doors off any LED light made. I've got a number of LED lights, but if I wanted something to play with in a Mag mod, and had a 3D laying around, that's where I'd go. I've got two of them and they are fun. And you get guilt-free lumens.....

 

[LukeA]

Hey, mess around with 150 lumens if you want....or you can turn the same 3D mag into a 1500 lumen beast...all you need is:

an aluminum relector
A 5mega bipin adaptor
an 1185 bulb or two (you can also get that from 5mega)
a piece of PVC that's 3/4 " inside diameter
3 AW 18650's (which you should have anyway)
the ability to rebend a tailcap spring

And you'll have a Mag85 that will blow the doors off any LED light made. I've got a number of LED lights, but if I wanted something to play with in a Mag mod, and had a 3D laying around, that's where I'd go. I've got two of them and they are fun. And you get guilt-free lumens.....

Except for the bulb. How long do those last? Not to mention the ~10% efficiency.

 

[davidra]

Depends on what you want it for. For wow factor, stuck to a 3D mag host, it's the top of the heap. I finally blew one of my old potted bulbs after a couple of hours of use. Now that you can get easily available bipin adaptors, I suspect the bulbs will last significantly longer....but if you're going on a weekend camping expedition, I sure wouldn't carry it....but then again, I wouldn't carry anything in a 3D host for that purpose. It sure will light up the back yard when the dogs are after something, and it throws as well as the dedicated Q5 throwers; it's better in bad weather, and as much as I like my LED lights, there's a place for a handheld light that's as bright as a spotlight. At least at my house.

 

[Alan B]

The Malkoff isn't really the best. A Cree on some sort of heatsink will be the most effective.

I have not seen anything better in a single-LED drop-in for the M*g for heatsinking capability or high output and retaining the focussing than the Malkoff Devices drop-in. The Terralux units are good and popular but do not have the heatsink or light output of the Malkoff.

The SSC LED used in the Malkoff is a Cree die with different phosphor and lens. It works better with a reflector (than the standard Cree) as it puts more light into the reflector and less into the direct spill. The Malkoff Devices unit also has a very good heatsink design and maintains the focussing ability of the M*g.

-- Alan