Noob - Malkoff Drop-in for 4D Maglite

[Akhenaten]

I have an incandescent 4D Maglite, serial number starting with "D".

I am considering getting a Malkoff drop-in LED Module. I am aware that I need to trim the reflector, or buy one of their pre-modified refectors.

Is there anything else I need to be aware of before I try this?

Other mods you might suggest?

Can anyone offer an opinion on the Malkoff drop-in modules?

At the moment Malkoff is out of stock. Any good alternatives?

I am hoping to achieve increased light, increased durability, and "To Hell and Back Reliability."

Thank you for your help.

 

[JamisonM]

Nope, not really. Gene's drop-ins are just that. All you have to do is cut the cam off your reflector or buy one from him that's already had it removed. It really is the only high power drop-in available that I can think of unless you mod your maglite yourself or find someone to do it for you. There are countless ways that maglites have been modded. It's about what you're trying to achieve and how much you're willing to spend. Anyway, BigWaffles did some runtime tests on a whole swarm of light including a 4D maglite. He ran them with alkalines, NiMH, and also tested the standard 4D with the stock incandescent bulb and with Gene's drop-in. Here's the link. Needless to say, I think you'll be happy with Gene's drop-in.

 

[tjhabak]

For a cheap floody light, you could try a Fusion 36 drop-in available on EBay. The new TerraLUX triple XP-G drop-in is pretty nice, for about the price of a Malkoff, and a good bit brighter, but the Malkoff is probably the best quality, although I've never had problems with the TerraLUX products.

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[notrefined]

While they're pretty good at keeping their website updates, it isn't real-time. Call Gene and ask him when he expects to have some ready before you decide to try an inferior product 😉

 

[deadrx7conv]

It depends on how much light you want, and what you want for run time.

For some, the 140lm Terralux TLE6ex 'bulb' replacement is excellent with an exceptionally long run time. And, you can still leave the PR bulb in the tail cap spring as a spare.

Terralux also has different LED upgrades: TLE300MEX, TLE300MEXS, TLE310MEX...

Fusion-36 is about 400lm. If you want some floody light, get the Fusion-36 off of ebay.

I have both the Malkoff and the 'early' version(SSC P4) of the TLE6EX(newer uses Rebel) and they both work perfectly.

I hope that Malkoff adds the XML as an option for their D and C Maglite upgrades.

 

[Itinifni]

I have a number of D Maglites with various levels of upgrades Terralux TLE 6 EX, TLE 300m EX and EX S and a recent Malkoff. I also have the TLE 310 on the way.

It all depends on what you want (and want to spend). The TLE 6 EX is a simple replacement for the bulb. The beam quality will be slightly imporved (due to no filiment), somewhat brighter and still focusable. It's very simple to install, fairly cheap and run time is incredible. I been using them in several lights for a couple of years without any problems.

The TLE 300M EX is easy to install and very bright. The light is no longer focusable and projects a large flood of light, no real spot or spill. Good for medium distances. The EX-S is single mode and the EX is three mode. Run time is ok on high, I get at least 3 hours or more in a 5 cell with NiMH batteries, the multi mode can obviously go much longer. A little thermal paste where the module contacts the head and body will help with heat. I gave two of these to a couple of State Trooper friends for their Mag Chargers, after more than a year they're both still going strong. I think that says enough about durability.

I installed a Malkoff in a 4 D a couple of months ago. Very bright but not as bright as the TLE 300 overall, more of a thrower. Build quality is without question! As is, you can drop it right in simply cut the cam off the stock reflector. Light is still focusable and much brighter than stock. You can also OP the reflector yourself if you want to smooth out the beam a bit. Since I already have several floody Mags I decided to build a thrower with the Malkoff. I cut the switch down as short as possible and set the Malkoff as deep into the body as possible. I then bought a couple of deep reflectors for the Mag Rebel LED lights and cut the cams off them. I OPd one and left the other SMO. It's a tight fit but worked out fine. With the SMO reflector the beam is an incredibly tight spot, just what I was trying for.

I forgot to mention, there is a link on Malkoff site to receive an email when out of stock items become available. I clicked that, entered my email address and was notified a few short days later. I ordered right away before it went out of stock again.

I'll try adding a couple of pictures below, I have mixed results at times.

 

[alpg88]

yea, i have tle300 as well, mine is an old type, 1 mode, xr-e leds, and tight lens, throws quite far imo. have it for 3 years or so, still works as new.
the thing i like about it, it works fine with up to 20v, i used it with 12 aa, in 4d the draw was around 1A iirc, with 4d alkalines around 2a, max that D cells can give when fesh, ran it also on 4x 18650, the best cell config. draws around 700ma, with good cells around 4 hours runtime,

 

[tjhabak]

Check out the new TLE310. Just wrote about them in another thread. They're Sharp!

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[lumen aeternum]

Terralux now has a 1000 Lumen LED that runs on alkaline

Malkoff has a 700 Lumen but uses NiMH. Any other differences? I suppose both have the same beam pattern?

How can I maximize flood with either of these?

 

[alpg88]

oh, the awesome world of marketing.
you should read their claims a bit different.

it has 1000lm theoreticly, on paper, if you use correct cells, capable of supplying enough current to get it up to 1000lm. but it is also capable of working with alkaline cells. same as malkoffs, but malkoff tells you how it is, you want 700lm, you need nimh cells, malkoff can also work on alkalines, but it wont be 700lm.

beam patterns are totaly different, malkoff is single xml, teralux tripple xpg. posters that had this drop in, said it is floody as it is, malkoff otoh uses big reflector, and can be focused tight, unlike terralux fixed focus.

also malkoff puts real otf lumens, terralux, otoh, isn't saying anything, but we know better, it pbly has same or less lumens otf.

 

[lumen aeternum]

Good point about lumens being related to which type of battery.

Terralux "can be used with alkaline, NiCad, NiMH or rechargeable Li-ion batteries."

Has anyone measured using the different types?

I don't have a problem with it being floody; thats really what I want. In fact I have a Fusion 36 "showerhead" on the way.

 

[StorminMatt]

Speaking of Malkoff vs the others, these are some good points. For instance, their 2C/2D drop-ins are only rated at 240 lumens. But you know what? In the same 2C/2D light, I would put them up against a Fusion shower head or a similarly (or somewhat more highly) rated Terralux drop-in any day! They just seem to be a much higher quality product. Of course, maybe I should get a Fusion to compare. I should also mention that the Malkoff drop-ins have something else you can't get with ANY other LED options for a Mag (including the LED Mags from the factory). And that's proper heatsinking. Only the Malkoff drop-ins place the LED on a proper pill that is in thermal contact with the body of the light. This can make a HUGE difference in terms of how the light will really perform in the long run.