NEW! TerraLUX MaxStar5 K2 5W U bin LED upgrade for 3-6 C or D cell Maglites TLE-6K2!

[DJ Q]

Re: NEW! TerraLUX MaxStar5 K2 5W U bin LED upgrade for 3-6 C or D cell Maglites TLE-6K2!

hey everyone...i'm a newbie and this is my first post...i've got a 6d mag and been lookin to soup it up for a while...it's mounted on mag brand mounts with a nite ize grip and clip...i just placed an order for the tle 6k2...will report soon with beam shots

 

[MattK]

Re: NEW! TerraLUX MaxStar5 K2 5W U bin LED upgrade for 3-6 C or D cell Maglites TLE-6K2!

Many of you have asked about using various battery configurations and voltage issues and I spoke with TerraLUX regarding this today.

They have tested the unit at up to 24V without a problem as the IC is designed to handle up to a 24V input so you should find it will work with quite high voltages.

NOW THAT SAID - the item is designed and sold for 4.5-9V MagLites and so if you're working outside of that specification you are on your own.

Let's make this very clear: Yes, high voltage Li-ion solutions will work but you are not warrantied for these applcations.

 

[qip]

Re: NEW! TerraLUX MaxStar5 K2 5W U bin LED upgrade for 3-6 C or D cell Maglites TLE-6K2!

any word on a seoul drop in from them

 

[MattK]

Re: NEW! TerraLUX MaxStar5 K2 5W U bin LED upgrade for 3-6 C or D cell Maglites TLE-6K2!

Nothing yet, I'll certainly keep you guys posted if anything changes.

Remeber the K2 stuff JUST came out. They're a volume mfr. and it genrally takes larger mfrs. longer to make changes than the small guys who just make a few hundred of anything at a time.

 

[FrogsInWinter]

Re: NEW! TerraLUX MaxStar5 K2 5W U bin LED upgrade for 3-6 C or D cell Maglites TLE-6K2!

Just put one these in a new 4C Mag-lite. I wasn't particularly blown away by the total light output. But I was pleasently surprised to see that when tightly focused, the center of the beam still stood out even with my Elektrolumens Little Friend on high right over it. But I'm sure Terralux would do well to make a Cree XR-E or SSC drop in.

 

[cfromc]

Re: NEW! TerraLUX MaxStar5 K2 5W U bin LED upgrade for 3-6 C or D cell Maglites TLE-6K2!

Just got mine last night. Thanks Battery Junction for the fast shipping. I noticed that the hot spot is a little larger than the original bulb and it is a "little" brighter, although I've had my batteries in a while (maybe 30 minutes) so the incan had probably already started dimming. I was considering replacing my reflector but I tried the hair spray trick a few days ago and it helped smooth out the incan a lot so I may just leave it. When I put the K2 in it smoothed out even more. I just ordered a UCL because my plastic one is scratched and smudged so I hope that will help even more. I will be running 16 lithium AA batteries as soon as I receive the adapter. They will run in parallel 4x4 so output s/b 6V still. If I knew I could go beyond 9V I would probably have done something different like 4 3.0-3.6V lithium D cells. Oh well, AAs are easy to find and available anywhere (and cheaper too). I hope to see a slight improvement from the UCL and the new batteries. Its not a barn burner but it is brighter than original and the run-time should totally kill the incan bulb's.

 

[MattK]

Re: NEW! TerraLUX MaxStar5 K2 5W U bin LED upgrade for 3-6 C or D cell Maglites TLE-6K2!

cfromc - Thanks for the kind remarks - we try very hard to maintain same/next day shipping.

Remember over 9V you're not under warranty so the serial adapters remain the best choice. It wasn't going to be brighter and would just run hotter under parallel as the resistors heat up against the high voltage load more quickly.

 

[cfromc]

Re: NEW! TerraLUX MaxStar5 K2 5W U bin LED upgrade for 3-6 C or D cell Maglites TLE-6K2!

Well, I received the adapters and after some slight tinkering they work OK. I'm running about 7.3V no load vs. 5.3V no load on my D cells. The incan bulb definitely seemed a little brighter with the new batteries but the LED did not. I guess I really didn't expect it to be since it is regulated (right?). I tried to accomplish two things with the LED upgrade: brighter and longer run-time. I achieved both (I'm assuming on the run-time) but I was really hoping for more brightness, but I not complaining. I did have the light on for a while twice and there was no heat coming off the head or the body of the light although the LED itself was hot. This is my general, check things out, look for things, etc. light so it does not need to be tactical bright, although it is pretty bright and close-range (semi-blinding), it needs to work when I push the button, even several months down the road and it needs to work after I drop it. Time will tell but I think I will use it more often than in the past because of the run-time improvement. Before it seemed like I was replacing batteries more than I was using the light. BTW, Matt, all those batteries I ordered came in handy all ready. I will definitely be ordering again.

 

[MattK]

Re: NEW! TerraLUX MaxStar5 K2 5W U bin LED upgrade for 3-6 C or D cell Maglites TLE-6K2!

The DC-DC regulation primarily reduces the input voltage supplied to the correct voltage for the LED - that's what allows a single drop-in to work in anything from 3-6 cell lights which is why brightness over 4.5V should be unchanged.

The LED cannot be run higher/hotter because of thermal concerns for both the LED and the stock, plastic, reflector and lense.

 

[DJ Q]

Re: NEW! TerraLUX MaxStar5 K2 5W U bin LED upgrade for 3-6 C or D cell Maglites TLE-6K2!

Matt-
I just got my Maxstar5 in the mail to day. I was excited all day at work to come home and upgrade my mag, but when I installed it, the Maxstar5 DID NOT WORK. I tried it first in my 6D, and then my dad's 3D...but no luck...I'll be calling tomorrow morning.
-Q

 

[MattK]

Re: NEW! TerraLUX MaxStar5 K2 5W U bin LED upgrade for 3-6 C or D cell Maglites TLE-6K2!

DJ-Q - Sorry to hear that but please try making it tighter - really tight. That solves about 99% of the problems.

 

[KROMATICS]

Is this brighter than the MagLED drop-ins? On paper it sounds like it would be but...

 

[MattK]

Re: NEW! TerraLUX MaxStar5 K2 5W U bin LED upgrade for 3-6 C or D cell Maglites TLE-6K2!

In a 3 cell with FRESH batteries the difference is neglible at first because the Mag is running flat out and unregulated. About 10 minutes in the Mag starts to suffer heatsoak and the battery voltage drops and output is down almost 50% (see FLR review).

With the TLE-6K2 it's fully regulated and not prone to heat soaking (K2 vs LIII) so you get that same level of output for 10-20 hours depending on how many cells you have (assuming D cell light).

In a 4-6 cell light it should be brighter - luxeon lottery rules apply as usual.

 

[DJ Q]

Re: NEW! TerraLUX MaxStar5 K2 5W U bin LED upgrade for 3-6 C or D cell Maglites TLE-6K2!

Matt-
Thanks for the advice. Tightening it made it work...i had bricks of excrement for a minute...thanks for the prompt delivery...

 

[MattK]

Re: NEW! TerraLUX MaxStar5 K2 5W U bin LED upgrade for 3-6 C or D cell Maglites TLE-6K2!

Hi DJ - My pleasure.

 

[qip]

Nothing yet, I'll certainly keep you guys posted if anything changes.

Remeber the K2 stuff JUST came out. They're a volume mfr. and it genrally takes larger mfrs. longer to make changes than the small guys who just make a few hundred of anything at a time.

i cant believe its only been 5 days since this post :lolsign: ....i want my seoul drop in now :mecry:


as for my current maxstar from what im reading is it really only giving me 70-80 lumens at 400ma in 3dmag terralux better make a seoul running regulated 900ma at least

 

[MattK]

Re: NEW! TerraLUX MaxStar5 K2 5W U bin LED upgrade for 3-6 C or D cell Maglites TLE-6K2!

Coming Soon: TerraLUX MiniStar5 SSC P4 U bin LED upgrade for 3-6 C/D cell Maglites TLE-6E! 100-150+ lumens.

 

[DJ Q]

Re: NEW! TerraLUX MaxStar5 K2 5W U bin LED upgrade for 3-6 C or D cell Maglites TLE-6K2!

with a maxstar5 in my mag 6d, i had a huge donut hole. will the ministar have the same problem?

 

[MattK]

Re: NEW! TerraLUX MaxStar5 K2 5W U bin LED upgrade for 3-6 C or D cell Maglites TLE-6K2!

That's a product of the Mag reflector so if you go to a WIDE spill you will have a hole.

 

[qip]

i cant believe its only been 5 days since this post :lolsign: ....i want my seoul drop in now :mecry:


as for my current maxstar from what im reading is it really only giving me 70-80 lumens at 400ma in 3dmag terralux better make a seoul running regulated 900ma at least

yeah i think the next day after that post i couldnt wait so i modded my maxstar w/seoul after seeing engrpaul's pics ,it seemed easy enough to do so i tried it....now after reading and learning a bit more past month i think that the 900ma i wanted would be too much heat but a regulated 5-600 would probably be just right