Hi, I would like to upgrade my ten years old Maglite 5D. ?
sounds great, there hundreds of possibilities, does it have D as first character of the serial???
I'm thinking about having five NiMH D cells, 12 amp-hour. I would like to have high power bulb but I only can think of xenon bulb from Maglite. I would like to have halogen if can, I don't really want to change the bulb socket.?
5 cells wont run any half decent bulb, nowadays 5d needs to be really bright to justify its weight and bulk. nowadays small pocket lights make a lot more light than unmodified mag 5d.
you might use rop bulb, wa 111, wa 1185...ect, you'll need a pr to bi pin socket, for some bulbs. but you will need to change your stock plastic reflector for aluminium, and plastic lens to glass, or better yet borosilicate glass, without it you cant really run anything half serious.
for anything really serious you'll need to mod the switch and install aligned bipin socket, made of aluminium, and possibly change to switch itself to deal with higher current, original switch handles 10amps max.
that is if you want to keep it hot wire, for leds there are another hundred ways to mod a mag.
I also would like to mod something that you can charge batteries without take them out of flashlight just like Magcharger.
Anyone have idea/suggestion about this?
there is a way to install charging port in tailcap, but it has its minuses, the port will have power all the time, short it, or drop in water, and your cells will short. you can install a diode, but you limiting yourself to dumb\timed charger, smart ones need to "see" the battery. however you can add a reed switch to the circuit, but you'll need a magnet every time you charge it.
or you can just buy a magcharger, and be done with it, it'll pbly cost as much as getting new cells, reflector, glass, adapters....ect.
p.s. totaly forgot about mr16 bulbs, i build few mr16 lights, it is cheaper option. 5x26650 cells and 75w mr16 bulb (preferably spot), and glass lens (actually 2 2mm lenes to take up room of reflector), will turn your old mag into "holly sh...t" light
