Solitaire Question

Happy Holidays Everyone!

My wife was cleaning out the garage and found a old Maglight Solitaire I had given her years ago. Its in good conditon and is hanging on my water bottle at work.

Is there an LED replacement out there? I'm looking for a cheap and easy drop in replacement.

Thanks,

kelmo

check out led-replacement.com

They have the lowest prices on LED drop-ins. For a Luxeon replacement, you'd have to contact LED_ASAP, he makes Luxeon pills for the Soli - not an easy task!

Another option would be to do your own mod using a 3 or 5 mm LED. Check the mods section on flashlightreviews.com

What you're looking for is the Tektite LT-3 from:
LED Replacement
It's going to run you $23.95 + shipping.

I have a Solitaire with this drop-in mod. It's OK. However, a wiser choice would be to spend just a few more $$ and buy something that will last forever. The "regular strength" Peak Matterhorn is the same size as a modified Solitaire, is infinitely better in construction, and is only $29.95 + shipping. You can also "upgrade" the little devil whenever you get the urge, buying different heads and tails. Check them out at:
Peak

easier link for you
http://www.flashlightreviews.com/mods/solitaire2.htm

if you want to get your hands a little dirty, this mod is great. But the MN21 battery provides very poor runtime (only good for about 20 minutes). I've done a very similar thing but got an AAA sized li-ion (rechargable lithium) cell from forum member AW which keeps my solitaire running for about 6 hours.
AW's sale thread here - http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=97268&highlight=aw+aaa
Using the Li-ion also removes the need to buy the spring, and the resitor is put where the spare bulb goes.

An SMJLED or a 35K led would probably get you some killer brigtness.

If you don't want the hastle, buy an ARC AAA - http://www.arcflashlight.com/ - it'll perform much better than a solitaire with a teklite drop in, plus adds you better protection from scratching (HA3)

As someone who owns the ARC AAA-P, Solitaire with Tektite LT-3, and Peak Matterhorn, if forced to choose only one, it would be the Matterhorn. Why?

1. ARC is the smallest, but it loses because:

a) my ARC's "super-hard" anodizing scratched right away when I pulled off the pocket clip. That's tough???

b) The ARC's knurling is very aggressive - it's so "grippy" that it takes an extreme amount of force to pull it out of the little pocket on the side of my Nite-Ize cell phone pouch - whereas the Matterhorn and Solitaire go in and out much easier. I don't like it as a keychain light, because the aggressive knurling scratches up anything plastic, such as remote control, keys, mini compass, etc.

c) although the ARC AAA-P is a wee bit brighter than the Matterhorn, the color sux. Bright purplish hot-spot, surrounded by a sickly green-yellow corona. The Matterhorn is a very pleasing white.

d) The ARC AAA-P is $5 more WITH an 8 week backlog.

Both the ARC AAA-P and the Matterhorn are superior to the Solitaire/LT-3 combo. Don't get me wrong, I am not an ARC hater. The AAA-P is a cool little device, and a 1/2" smaller than either of the others. It is also a "cult classic". I just think the Matterhorn is a better "overall" package for what it does.

I gotta agree on you on the Nichia LED colors :green:
That said, I don't care that much about beam colors as they're not critical in my applications. :nana:

Thanks for the input. The light is left on my desk which is in a high traffic area for the office I work in. We get alot of "outsiders" wandering about. So I didn't want anything of great value left in the open. So I shall just leave the Solitaire in its stock form.

As for the Arc comments, I own both old and new premium models. It would be a waste to leave one on my desk strapped to a water bottle. I just received 2 yesterday! The finish on this batch is shall we say not what I expected. The anodizing is not uniform and spotty on the bezel top. I received a few the 1st week they were shipped and the finish on those was top notch, equivelent to the original Arcs. One of the units is not quite as bright but the beam has very little blue, and is still much brighter than the original Arcs. Gee, did I just hijack my own thread?

As for the Matterhorn, I'm sure it is a great light but I'm a Arcophile.

Cheers

A few comment's since I have messed with soli mod's as a way to learn about LED's. I only use the Li ion batt's now too, resistored in the tail also. These seam to last a good long time. I too wonder why i bother,, own both peaks and arc's (ditto on the workmanship on the new arc, not terrible but no where near smooth, clean, and finished as well as the peaks)

I like modules,, but for what they are i don't know why there so pricey, for
what is in them. If they were ten buck's i would try one, but at 24.00 even i can't justify that, especially when there are complete light's for a few more dollars. VDG