ElectronGuru
Flashaholic
One of my favorite Maglite upgrades is also one of the oldest and one of the easiest. Given to me (literally) by Niteowl shortly after my arrival on CPF, this venerable mod seems to have new uses every time I turn around. Here is a primer on the basics of the setup, followed by two cool examples, one LED and one incan.
Here is the complete before and after. Start with a Maglite 2C and 1) replace both C batteries with three CR123As (or IMR16340's), 2) shorten the spring, and 3) add a tube wrapped in a pair of gaskets.
The result is more voltage (3 -> 9 (10+ with IMRs)) and less weight (and capacity)
First get the right tube and gaskets. This one is 7/8" (outside diameter), cut to 4" long, with gaskets just tight and thick enough to hold the tube in place.
Everything stays centered and snug, without being difficult to remove. When they're thick enough, the gaskets have a tendency to roll down when inserted, so role them toward the top before installation.
Then comes the tricky part, shortening the spring. New ones are cheap, so messing up isn't a big deal. Its also very easy to convert a light back and forth and move the mod parts between different lights. Bolt cutter your way through or get two pairs of pliers. Put them on either side of the breaking point, then bend back and forth until the pot metal gives up and seperates. Leave about 2/1/2 turns and then center the last half turn so it makes broad contact across the smaller (-) on the new cells.
Then you're ready to load er up. Here's a fun incan configuration (incan-tation?). 3xIMR16340 + Fivemega bipin adaptor + WA1331 bulb. Result: about 800-900 lumens of near white color (vs 200-300 for the original 2003 version). This just in, 1331 bulbs are marked for death.
Here's a fun LED config. An exotic TerraLUX (if there can be such a thing) that normally requires longer/heavier Mags to function.
:devil:
Here is the complete before and after. Start with a Maglite 2C and 1) replace both C batteries with three CR123As (or IMR16340's), 2) shorten the spring, and 3) add a tube wrapped in a pair of gaskets.
The result is more voltage (3 -> 9 (10+ with IMRs)) and less weight (and capacity)
First get the right tube and gaskets. This one is 7/8" (outside diameter), cut to 4" long, with gaskets just tight and thick enough to hold the tube in place.
Everything stays centered and snug, without being difficult to remove. When they're thick enough, the gaskets have a tendency to roll down when inserted, so role them toward the top before installation.
Then comes the tricky part, shortening the spring. New ones are cheap, so messing up isn't a big deal. Its also very easy to convert a light back and forth and move the mod parts between different lights. Bolt cutter your way through or get two pairs of pliers. Put them on either side of the breaking point, then bend back and forth until the pot metal gives up and seperates. Leave about 2/1/2 turns and then center the last half turn so it makes broad contact across the smaller (-) on the new cells.
Then you're ready to load er up. Here's a fun incan configuration (incan-tation?). 3xIMR16340 + Fivemega bipin adaptor + WA1331 bulb. Result: about 800-900 lumens of near white color (vs 200-300 for the original 2003 version). This just in, 1331 bulbs are marked for death.
Here's a fun LED config. An exotic TerraLUX (if there can be such a thing) that normally requires longer/heavier Mags to function.
:devil:
Last edited:
