Terralux, Badboy, Madmax..

[Pydpiper]

I modded a Mini-Mag for my daughter with a Kroll and Super MJ LED. The output is pretty weak.
I would like to spend about $25 on something that will replace the MJ, and as hard as I tried I can not figure out the specs of the converter boards. Do those boards have LED's already?
I want to mod two Mini's, any recomendations?
Keep in mind these are for two kids (4-2).

 

[Illum]

i think the SMJLEds would still give you advantage...

You dont want to risk permanent eye damage if you toss a sammie from the sandwich shoppe in....

theres a reason why children's flashlights seems to have weaker beams than conventional commpercial grade lights...:touche:

 

[Pydpiper]

Thanks..
Either child looks directly into their lights, or mine. Both have access to all of my lights. They spend a great deal of time outdoors and not only need a better light but are oddly careful with them.
Do the sandwiches make that big of a difference?

 

[Tritium]

Thanks..
Either child looks directly into their lights, or mine. Both have access to all of my lights. They spend a great deal of time outdoors and not only need a better light but are oddly careful with them.
Do the sandwiches make that big of a difference?

SMJLED 12 to 14 lumens
Sandwich 3W Ubin Luxeon 90+ lumens or 5W Wbin Luxeon 150+ lumens

BIG difference.

Thurmond

 

[Pydpiper]

That is a big difference, I wasn't planning on going that bright..
I was hoping for something around 40 lumen or so. Battery life is still a factor seeing how they use their lights through out the day.
I can't help but think there is something in the middle of that road that will give decent output and still keep batteries for more than 20 minutes..

 

[Tritium]

A Luxeon 1 sandwich can be built that should fit the bill.


Thurmond

 

[Pydpiper]

Is that sold as a kit or do I have to order different pieces?
Would a link be too much to ask for? :candle:

Would these sandwiches be compatable with the new NiteIze multi level switch? Or would the variances in voltages cause problems?

 

[cave dave]

I would think you would be better off getting a Fenix L2p for the price once you factor in shipping charges. Just paypal Fenix-store.com, No other work required.

 

[greenLED]

Would a link be too much to ask for? :candle:

Here you go, Pyd. You can buy them pre-made, or cook your own (choose the BK assembly option).

For your kids, though, why not a Nite-Ize LED drop-in, and maybe an IQ switch to go with them. They're not terribly bright, the IQ is not terribly flawless, but they can play with the modes and get good runtimes. If you want something brighter, I'd go with the TerraLux TLE-5 ($25).

 

[chesterqw]

i vote for the L2p or something similar .

 

[Pydpiper]

Thanks Green!
The sandwiches from Wayne might be a bit over kill for what the kids need, and a bit over the budget I set aside for this particular project as well. I have been teetering on the edge of the Terralux TLE-5, I may give one a shot and if it works well and gives out a safe amount of light to maneuver around I will get a second one.
Are you saying I can use the TLE-5 with the new IQ switch, it is OK with those variances in voltages?
*EDIT* i just read that huge thread on the IQ, I am still unsure as to how well the IQ and TLE-5 work together..

I won't be able to switch her over to a Fenix at this point, her Mini Mag is Hot pink, much like everything else she picks out. A flashlight for them is a necessity, the get used outdoors almost every night, for more than just entertainment.
I love the fenix line, and it was certainly one of my first choices.

 

[leduk]

Also think of the TLE-20. Its cheaper. A little less light but very useable. Comes with converters for MiniMag AAA, MiniMag AA and any 2 cell PR base torch. I've got a couple and I'm happy with them. No fuss drop ins.

Cheers

 

[MattK]

The TerraLUX TLE-5 fits your bill exactly at ~50 lumens and it's also regulated.

Using the IQ switch with it will cause a small loss in output but it still functions perfectly. There's also the TerraLUX TCS-1 tailcap switch which is a very good, cost effective option.

There's also the TLE-20 with about 1/2 the ouput.

Both for sale on my site - don't forget that coupon code 'cpf2006' saves you an additional 5%.

Link to AA MiniMag TerraLUX Page

 

[AuroraLite]

Pydpiper,

I too would agree with Greenled and think that NiteIze(or better yet, Newbeam opalec) will be a great upgrade for the kids since they are not all together too bright to cause any eye damage and good enough to navigate around.

And within the budget, the Terralux TLE5(new model, not the old side-emitter one) will be a great option.

Personally, I will not rely too much on the product description on the lumens rating. For my own, I have a BBNG500 TX0H sandwich used along with a modded McR20 in my minimag, and according to Gransee's IS test, the similar setup for a Aleph2(BBNG500 TX1J, McR20 reflector) yields 40 lumens. So I would estimate my minimag will probably have similar output(a possible few % less due to lens difference).

However, the TLE5 from Terralux is visibly dimmer than the my minimag, so I would guesstimate from my experience that the output will more likely to be in the neighborhood of 30+ lumens (?).

Anyway, good luck with your mods and hope your kids will like their new lights.