Ok, what the heck is a SMJLED? (and mag mod questions)

[yalskey]

Quick question for a newb here.

What the heck is a SMJLED? Some kind of lamp / bulb for a maglight or something?

Sorry, I checked the CPF wiki first but nothing was there.

SIDE QUESTION: It seems like a lot of people on CPF are into modding their mag lights with all kinds of different parts. Is it really worth all those extra parts you have to buy? Why not just buy a light that is to your specs in the first place? Can anyone break down in an understandable way what the most common mods are for maglights?

 

[Ordin_Aryguy]

Don't hold me to this absolutely, but I'll venture a guess here...

SMJLED =
Surface Mount (how it mounts to the pc board)
J-leaded (the type of leads it has)
LED (obvious, I hope)


Ordin

 

[vortechs]

The original "SMJLED" is a nickname on CPF for a specific type of 5mm LED that has 4 dies instead of just one. This allows it to take more current than a normal 5mm LED (80ma vs 20ma) so it can be brighter than a normal 5mm LED, however it doesn't do well at over 100ma so it can't be driven too hard. The "SMJLED" was introduced to CPF by a member whose initials are "MJ" so it stands for Super MJ LED. It is probably a Wah Wang 4-die 5mm LED, but "MJ" has never confirmed that as far as I know.

The plain SMJLED (or Wah Wang 4-die LED) could be used to replace the bulb in an incandescent MiniMag flashlight (if you also replaced the reflector or enlarged the hole).

There was also a SMJLED PR-base bulb that included a voltage coverter and a SMJLED 4-die LED.

There are now other items that are being called SMJLED's as well, so it can be quite confusing.

Try searching on the term SMJLED or Wah Wang 4-die.

This thread is probably the best starting point: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=128865

 

[wwglen]

Super version of the LED offered by MJ.

MJ offered the MJLED and then after 2 (or was it three) he cam out with the super version (SMJLED).

MJLED was a high power (75-100mA) single die 5mm LED with handpicked Vf of about 3.0 - 3.2 volts.

The SMJLED was a high power (75-150mA) 4 die (I think) 5mm LED with a hand picked Vf of 2.9-3.1 volts.

wwglen

 

[vortechs]

SIDE QUESTION: It seems like a lot of people on CPF are into modding their mag lights with all kinds of different parts. Is it really worth all those extra parts you have to buy? Why not just buy a light that is to your specs in the first place? Can anyone break down in an understandable way what the most common mods are for maglights?

There are too many Mag Mods (modified Maglites) for me to summarize them, if I even knew all of them. You can't buy one from Maglite, so the only way to get one is to modify one yourself or buy one from somebody who modifies them (see the Custom B/S/T forum). Lots of newer members would rather just buy one from an experienced member who builds them and sells them in the B/S/T forum. The best incandescent Mag Mods (also called hotwires) are 10 times brighter than a stock light. If you are thinking about incandescent Mag Mods, I suggest reading the Incandescent forum for a while, but the ROP is a good starting point since it is an easy Mod (see http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=120462 ).

 

[abvidledUK]

See also

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=149755

 

[SEMIJim]

See also

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=149755

I've been following that thread, and just noticed something in the OP that I'd missed previously. The author states "Meg LED Drop in 3500 Lux About 119% brighter than SMJLED2, 84% brighter than WPR3." What's a "Meg LED Drop in?"

(Sorry, don't mean to hijack the thread.)

 

[NewBie]

Well, I'd point you to a testing thread I did on the SMJLED2 PR SS, later in the thread, others did some of their own testing and found the output drop with these, as well as the earlier ones, read it for yourself.:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=128801&highlight=SMJLED

 

[DonShock]

....... What's a "Meg LED Drop in?"........

Mag, Inc. has a new LED based bulb for 2 cell, 3 cell, and 4 cell lights (different ones for each size). It uses a 3 watt LED and provides roughly the same, or more, brightness as the incandescent bulbs with much longer runtimes and no risk of blowing the bulbs. You can purchase just the bulb for about $18 or a whole new Mag with the bulb already installed for about $35 at Walmart.

They also have some 2AA and 3AA MiniMags with the LEDs also. But this is not a drop in bulb. The entire MiniMag was redesigned. They run about $23 and $28 at Walmart.

 

[SEMIJim]

Well, I'd point you to a testing thread I did on the SMJLED2 PR SS, later in the thread, others did some of their own testing and found the output drop with these, as well as the earlier ones, read it for yourself.:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=128801&highlight=SMJLED

Thanks for the refererence and all the investigative work you did, NewBie! Wow, that was some investigation.

In LED 2 Cell PR Drop Ins under $10, WPR3 vrs SMJLED2, carbine15 does a quick-n-dirty beam shot and run-time comparison between the old and new SMJLEDs.

Ah, I see you found that thread, NewBie

Executive summary: Comparied to the old SMJLED (4-die version), the new SMJLED sucks.

And it would appear a vendor has claimed they sell nothing but the (older) 4-die version, when, in fact, at least two CPF members have gone on record as having received single-die versions from them? Not good

 

[SEMIJim]

Mag, Inc. has a new LED based bulb for 2 cell, 3 cell, and 4 cell lights (different ones for each size). It uses a 3 watt LED and provides roughly the same, or more, brightness as the incandescent bulbs with much longer runtimes and no risk of blowing the bulbs. You can purchase just the bulb for about $18 or a whole new Mag with the bulb already installed for about $35 at Walmart.

Wal*Mart has the Mag LED bulbs, you say? If so, maybe I'll head over there and get me one. I have two 2D MagLights. I'd like to save them, rather than outright replace them with "new tech" and, ultimately, end-up discarding them.

I've got some kind of LED bulb a friend gave me in one of the two 2D Mags. Dunno what it is. I'll have to pull it out and see. It definitely throws a blue-ish tint, that I know. ISTR him telling me it wasn't very expensive.

They also have some 2AA and 3AA MiniMags with the LEDs also. But this is not a drop in bulb. The entire MiniMag was redesigned. They run about $23 and $28 at Walmart.

I've two 2AA MiniMags, as well. I haven't yet decided what I'm going to do with/about them.

 

[NewBie]

Thanks for the refererence and all the investigative work you did, NewBie! Wow, that was some investigation.

In LED 2 Cell PR Drop Ins under $10, WPR3 vrs SMJLED2, carbine15 does a quick-n-dirty beam shot and run-time comparison between the old and new SMJLEDs.

Ah, I see you found that thread, NewBie

Executive summary: Comparied to the old SMJLED (4-die version), the new SMJLED sucks.

And it would appear a vendor has claimed they sell nothing but the (older) 4-die version, when, in fact, at least two CPF members have gone on record as having received single-die versions from them? Not good

If you take a look, the old four die part has some major issues also:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showpost.php?p=1662916&postcount=199

Click on the link for the four die version, and you can see how the phopshor fries black:
http://img157.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p10302812pe1.jpg

 

[NewBie]

Thanks for the refererence and all the investigative work you did, NewBie! Wow, that was some investigation.

In LED 2 Cell PR Drop Ins under $10, WPR3 vrs SMJLED2, carbine15 does a quick-n-dirty beam shot and run-time comparison between the old and new SMJLEDs.

Ah, I see you found that thread, NewBie

Executive summary: Comparied to the old SMJLED (4-die version), the new SMJLED sucks.

And it would appear a vendor has claimed they sell nothing but the (older) 4-die version, when, in fact, at least two CPF members have gone on record as having received single-die versions from them? Not good

If you take a look, the old four die part has some major issues also:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showpost.php?p=1662916&postcount=199

Click on the link for the four die version, and you can see how the phopshor fries black:
http://img157.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p10302812pe1.jpg

 

[SEMIJim]

If you take a look, the old four die part has some major issues also:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showpost.php?p=1662916&postcount=199

Click on the link for the four die version, and you can see how the phopshor fries black:
http://img157.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p10302812pe1.jpg

Yes, I noted that when I read the thread. (But good that you pointed it out, for those disinclined to wade through it.) Nonetheless: The old 4-die version is definitely better than the newer 1-die version, no?

As for me: I think that if I'm going to upgrade my 2D Mags, I'll spend a few bucks more and go for Mag's LED upgrades.

 

[AndyTiedye]

There doesn't appear to be any difference between the LED version of the Maglite and a Maglite with a Mag LED module.

(Not so with the MiniMagLED, which is a whole new flashlight)

 

[LEDninja]

2 Very important threads that answer your question:

SMJLED confusion explained
http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=128865

Dummy Reference Guide to Minimag Modding(many pix)
http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=83903&highlight=dummy+reference

You can buy just the LED here. You will have to drill our the mag reflector yourself.
http://theledguy.chainreactionweb.com/product_info.php?cPath=48_52_82&products_id=754
Installation instrucrions here.
http://home.mchsi.com/~lambda_lights/smjled.htm

You can buy the LED with boost circuit & reflector here.
http://theledguy.chainreactionweb.com/product_info.php?cPath=48_52_82&products_id=940

 

[ace0001a]

I've bought many of the SMJLED bulbs and they all work fine for me. Sure there maybe long term issues with them as reported by Newbie, but in practical use, I believe they will work well and last long. Most of the time when guys here tests things, it's usually to extremes. If you just put your flashlights through regular usage, these bulbs shouldn't give you any problems. I personally don't run my flashlights several hours at a time. Normal usuage can be anywhere from a minute to maybe an hour or two at most in my opinion. And to be fair, there are more sides to a story as report here:

http://customlightfactory.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=69

So if you got some standard 2C/D Maglites or cheapy flashlights, SMJLED and related bulbs are a good and cheap upgrade. You can get them at The Sandwich Shoppe--a top notch flashlight hobbyist online store.

You can also buy a newer version of them here:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Power-LED-bulbs...yZ106987QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I picked up a couple of those too and they've been working fine in my 2D Dorcy and Maglites...

 

[SEMIJim]

And to be fair, there are more sides to a story as report here:

http://customlightfactory.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=69

Not quite the same test as described in the thread referenced here, was it? By his own admission, he turned the flashlight off to replace batteries, so they wouldn't die. But they did run down, did they not? They weren't supplying a limitless (effectively) amount of current at a constant 2.8 VDC, were they?

Nonetheless, my issue isn't that, per se, but the fact that it seems clear the "new" SMJLED isn't as good as the "old" SMJLED. We're had at least three different members here on CPF demonstrate that, if memory serves?

 

[Bearcat]

I do not think that there is any debate that the new single die version is not as good as the older 4-die version, because it has a shorter run-time and the LED life apparently is not as long. It is easy for me to understand that a LED is not put under constant current during normal use and should last longer than one being subjected to a constant current in a test.

My interest in all this at this point and time is which of the newer versions is better and what type of batteries do the least amount of harm to the LED. I think that the newer versions are bargains for what they do for the small amount of money they cost. I am not in the minority when I say that I can not Mod and there is need for a PR Based LEDs for our older flashlights.

 

[ace0001a]

In terms of brightness as determined by shining them at a wall, the WPR3 bulbs appear to be among the brightest SMJ-Type bulbs I have. They also have a warmer tint, which I am finding to be my preference when compared an LED that has an overly blue or purple tint to it. Don't get me worng, I still The original 4-die SMJLED bulb but I just wished their tint wasn't so blue/purple. But heck, at the price those bulbs cost I wouldn't even worry exactly about which ones are which. It's not like you're dropping $20 to $40 dollars on them as many LED PR dropin bulbs can cost.

Again, I don't think you can go wrong with the ones they sell at Sandwich Shoppe:

http://theledguy.chainreactionweb.com/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=bulb&x=0&y=0

Or I highly recommend the ones from ROOSTRFISH on Ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Power-LED-bulbs...yZ106987QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem