Question about LED Mini Maglite AA operation with aftermarket push-button tail cap….

[corneileous]

Hey guys, I guess I'll find out Sunday when it arrives but since I accidentally bought an aftermarket push-button tail cap for a AA Mini Maglite instead of for the AAA Mini Maglite that I have, I decided to go ahead and just buy me a new LED AA mini-mag pro so that I wouldn't have to return the tail cap I ordered by mistake and just use it with the new flashlight.

BTW, I have the right push-button tail cap on its way for the little mini-mag…lol.

Anywho, being that this new flashlight has the dual brightness feature where if you twist the head on, off and then back on again, you get the lower power mode so will I still be able to do the same thing with the new tail cap being that in order to use the button, you have to twist the head to the desired beam focus and leave it there.

Thanks.

 

[Robin24k]

Hey guys, I guess I'll find out Sunday when it arrives but since I accidentally bought an aftermarket push-button tail cap for a AA Mini Maglite instead of for the AAA Mini Maglite that I have, I decided to go ahead and just buy me a new LED AA mini-mag pro so that I wouldn't have to return the tail cap I ordered by mistake and just use it with the new flashlight.

BTW, I have the right push-button tail cap on its way for the little mini-mag…lol.

Anywho, being that this new flashlight has the dual brightness feature where if you twist the head on, off and then back on again, you get the lower power mode so will I still be able to do the same thing with the new tail cap being that in order to use the button, you have to twist the head to the desired beam focus and leave it there.

Thanks.

Twisting the head is just turning off the light, so it's no different than clicking the switch. You can get to low mode by half-pressing your new switch twice.

 

[corneileous]

Twisting the head is just turning off the light, so it's no different than clicking the switch. You can get to low mode by half-pressing your new switch twice.

That's kind of what I figured but I wasn't sure. I figured I'd go ahead and ask this question just in case it wasn't gonna work so that I could go ahead and cancel the order.

I've had these Maglites in the past, but out of the ones that I've actually put the aftermarket push button tail cap on, they weren't the fancy one like this one, that basically has the high and low mode on it.

Thank you for your reply.

 

[aznsx]

That's kind of what I figured but I wasn't sure. I figured I'd go ahead and ask this question just in case it wasn't gonna work so that I could go ahead and cancel the order.

I've had these Maglites in the past, but out of the ones that I've actually put the aftermarket push button tail cap on, they weren't the fancy one like this one, that basically has the high and low mode on it.

Thank you for your reply.

Man, I really took great satisfaction after putting a tailswitch on an old, mint AA MM that was wasting away in a closet, after having suffered with using them for years without it. Mine is a backwards (aka: reverse) rather than normal (aka: forward) switch which I would prefer, but I love it anyway! And yeah, I don't have to screw up the focus to turn it on/off now (or equally important, use both hands)🙂 I also put an LED module in it just so I'd use it more. I wrapped a bit of Teflon tape on the head threads so reduce accidental turning. I should just bypass the factory 'switch' and eliminate its contact resistance and ensure it doesn't interfere with optimal focus for the occasion, but I'd rather not mess with it further.

The stuff I used is from LITT, and I'm wondering what you're using......

 

[Monocrom]

Over the years, I've used a couple of Aftermarket tailcaps on my 2AA Mini-Mags. No issues at all, other than the buttons felt cheaply constructed. (But worked as advertised.) Honestly though, I only used them on single output Mini-Mag models. With those, worked out well.

 

[corneileous]

Man, I really took great satisfaction after putting a tailswitch on an old, mint AA MM that was wasting away in a closet, after having suffered with using them for years without it. Mine is a backwards (aka: reverse) rather than normal (aka: forward) switch which I would prefer, but I love it anyway! And yeah, I don't have to screw up the focus to turn it on/off now (or equally important, use both hands)🙂 I also put an LED module in it just so I'd use it more. I wrapped a bit of Teflon tape on the head threads so reduce accidental turning. I should just bypass the factory 'switch' and eliminate its contact resistance and ensure it doesn't interfere with optimal focus for the occasion, but I'd rather not mess with it further.

The stuff I used is from LITT, and I'm wondering what you're using......

Yeah, I don't know why Maglite designed these flashlights like that and certainly why they still continue to make them like that because it is a pain. I don't know anyone who's ever been able to turn one of these on one-handed. That, and they're easy to turn on by mistake.

I have a fairly old AAA mini Mag incandescent that had been rolling around in my mom's junk drawer for who knows how many years and after upgrading it to a Litt Industries 130 lumen LED, I started carrying it in the front pocket of my overalls when I go to work but three times now, I've accidentally turned the dang thing on by mistake and had to put new batteries in it…lol.

That's a good idea about the Teflon tape on the threads of the barrel where the head screws on to keep it from turning. I probably never woulda thought of that.

But yeah like I said, the LED upgrade I bought for the little AAA MagLite is from Litt Indistries and after going back and looking at it, the new tailswitch is made by that same company. The tail switch I bought originally as a mistake which will now be for my new MiniMag Pro AA is made by LiteXpress.

 

[Monocrom]

Feels like a previous Lifetime ago, but when I got a serious interest in EDCing a flashlight; I bought two. Inova X5 LED model, and a 2AA inca. Mini-Maglite. Ironically the Mini was brighter, with better throw. Used to carry it in my back-pocket next to my wallet to keep it vertical at all times. Seemed like a great solution.... Until my co-workers at my then office job kept pointing out that the flashlight was on in my pocket.

Happened a handful of times until I decided to use the included belt-pouch. Threaded the pouch through my belt. Rested it right up against a belt-loop. Bottom of the pouch tucked into my back-pocket. Yes, the light rode higher up than I liked. Yes, it was obvious to everyone I had a flashlight on me. But zero accidental activation from then on.... Of course shortly afterwards I bought an inca. SureFire C2 in black and carried that in my left front-pocket, of my pants.

 

[RWT1405]

I first carried the AA Mini-Mag in 1984

I received as a present, from a friend, during Paramedic school

I ALWAYS carried it in a holster (I found the leather ones were best) and very, very rarely had one turn itself on in the holster, as such I never understood anyone pocket carrying them

I stopped carrying the Mini-Mags in 1995, when I discovered the SureFire 6P's and 9P's

I did continue to give out Mini-Mags as presents (excellent for "non-flashlight" folks), and added various "push-button tail caps" on many, usually with good results (I do remember a few failing, but replacements solved the problem/s)

Good luck with your Mini-Mag!

 

[corneileous]

Well, I got my tail switch cap in and it works great. The button works great with the high/low setting. Now I'll just have to try the teflon tape idea to kinda lock the head in place on the barrel.

 

[tech25]

I cut the bottom off of the nylon holsters and melted the end. I found it functioned as the leather open bottom holsters and rarely had it turn on accidentally.