New member w/MagLite quetion

[trapn1]

Hello all, New here this is my firts post also new to lights in general I used to think they were just to lite up the dark! My question I bought a used Maglite at a flea market this morning ($5.00) and when I installed batteries it didn't work looked at the lamp and it was a bi-pin lamp. Someone on EDCForums told me it was a MagCharger because it had 2 silver rings around the body near the head. Is the lamp a special one for this flashlight? Where can I find a battery pack and charger for this. I looked on the "Bay and all they had were complete units with prices from $75.-90.00 Wow! Any help you can give me would be appreciated. I assume regular D cells will not power this lamp? Maybe the bulb is not burned out. Thanks for your attention. George BTW this is a great site.

 

[Gunner12]

Regualr D cells will not power the light. The Magcharger is the only one in the Maglite company to use a bi pin bulb. The Magchargers uses a 6v battery pack. I think you can build one yourself but that might not be easy. I think you'll need 5 1/2 D rechargeable cells and somehow connect the battery(with the right polarity) to the contact rings.

$5 magcharger? wow, that's cheap, but It didn't come with batteries or charger.

:welcome:

 

[Marduke]

I usually don't say this, but since you don't have the batteries or charger, you may be better off selling here on CPF to someone else who does, and you can take the money and buy something complete. You might even be able to manage a trade for something else from someone else who wants a magcharger body. And :welcome:

 

[sysadmn]

Google "magcharger battery pack" or "magcharger replacement battery" for sites like: http://www.batterycountry.com/ShopSite/flashlights.html
When you find one that's reasonable ($30 + shipping or so), call their tech support and ask which charger they recommend.

 

[TxShooter]

Most public safety supply houses like Fox International, Gall's, or Chief Supply stock replacement bulbs, batteries, and charging cradles. The MagCharger and Streamlight SL-20X (non-LED version) take the same battery, and you can often find generic ones in the $10 range, vs. $30 for the factory branded ones.

Remove the tailcap and look under the spring. The spare bulb might still be there, wrapped in a piece of foam. The SL-20X will light up (albeit dimly) with 3D cells in an emergency, and I can't see why a MagCharger with a good bulb wouldn't do the same.

 

[Flash Harry]

Welcome to the money-pit!

Your MagCharger could turn out to be a pretty good investment. Mostly because you don't have to keep buying new batteries. The stock output is respectable, the parts are cheap if you live in the US and it can be modded. Do a quick search here and you will find much to help you down the road to flashaholism.