2 AAA MINI MAG MOD

What mod can I do to get much brighter output from the light? I'm looking for direct bulb replacement if possible. For myself, modding with available nichia's is an option.
My entire maintenance team is supplied with 2 aaa mini mag in a nylon holster with a Leatherman Wave. It's a great mechanic carry setup. Probably because I chose itjavascript:void(0)
Big Grin
I used the search and came up with solitaire mods and 2aa mods but, alas, no 2 aaa mods javascript:void(0)
Confused
Ya know, I was just using other carry lights (yesterday my ARC LS2 camejavascript:void(0)
Eek!) but I posted elsewhere that I had this fine belt setup and said to myself It'd be great to get more light for the mechanics so they don't borrow mine
These instant gremlins are a hoot!javascript:void(0)
Roll Eyes

If I could get them to work!!

Get yourself and your team Newbeam Opalec conversions and be done with it. Fully regulated output from 3 white Nichias. Take out reflector, take out bulb, put in Newbeam, put head back on...Ta Da!

Uh Sabby, they don't fit a (2)AAA mag. If they do, I be ordering one now!!. I'm also looking for a good mod. for the AAA's. So far I've shoved a 5mm green LED in one and a 8mm yellow in the other. The light output is actually less but they look cool! IF ARC makes the 2 AAA ard we'd be set!

Does Opalec have a conversion for AAA mini-mags? Cool

Me think Saaaby mis A.

Ok ok ok...how about (For about the same price as a Opalec) a plain 1 LED Arc AAA with lanyard? Not enough light?

Well then...I donno but I am sure somone else will

C'mon Saaby, I thought you would have the magic answer!
Yep Arc aaa not enough light.

Lightwave 2000??

Lightwave 2000 too big diameter. I had to look it up on led museum though.

A couple of weeks ago Frank Schwab has done an excellent job and searched the CPF for Minimag mods. He then has given us an example of what one could do with a good search as he has put all the links together in a new thread: Ultimate small Maglite mod summary

Couldn't you just stick a Nexstar 2AA lamp in your Minimag 2AAA? I don't know if the standard 2AAA bulb is any smaller, so you might have to drill out the reflector a bit, but it's still a pretty easy and low-cost mod. The brighter and whiter Nexstar lamp really does improve the Minimag a great deal. Of course you don't get the improved battery life and beam characteristics of an LED mod, but it is brighter.

John

I did just that threw in a nexstar and also, in another light the bulb from a 2aa mini mag. The nexstar was noticeably brighter. This may have to do until I hear from some of the other holics The general thought in the threads remuen gave was "toss the light away". 2 aaa mini mag fits too well on the carry to do that though.

hey since you put that nexstar in a 2aaa mag how was the brightness of it compared to the 2aa mag with a nexstar? they both the same brightness? if so that would make it really nice for such a small light. runtime will probably suffer to like 1.5 hrs or less on rechargables (650mah i use nothing less). but it would be worth it for ease of carrying in your pockets.

It is a bit of a pain to do but the Mini-Mag 2AAA can be modded to accept a Night Pearl screw based lamp. This is an overdriven Nichia 5mm LED in a base containing a tiny voltage booster.
File or sand the bottom of the reflector until it is .3" high, ream out the hole to accept the LED. Remove the Mag lamp holder/switch assembly. Create a bushing about .125" thick that the screw base will fit in but the small flange at the top of the bulb base will not fit through. It must be smaller in OD than the root diameter of the external threads on the battery tube. I used part of a 3/8" brass 2 part grommet. 3/8" ID thin wall tube would probably work too. Ream out the top of the battery tube as necessary for a loose fit of the lamp base below the bushing and file/sand off the anodizing on the top end for good contact. A wrap of tape around the lamp base below the bushing may be necessary to keep the side of the base from contacting the battery tube and turning on the lamp when it is supposed to be off.
That's it for the top end but we still need a bit more length in the battery tube to get the lamp base in.
Now for the hard part, take the battery tube cap and cut off the material above the threads. Deepen the hole for the spring and slots for the little sheet metal thing that provides the continuity from the cap to the tube. Carefully bend the little tabs on the sheet metal thing so they can still contact the smooth surface above the threads in the battery tube, without getting hopelessly crushed by the batteries or popping the spring out of it's hole. Can you tell this took me some trial and error?
The light works by the lense pushing the reflector against the bulb against the bushing against the battery tube for the negative contact and the battery spring pushing the batteries against the positive contact. Loosen the head and the batteries push the lamp up and break contact at the battery tube/bushing area.
After all this work and $7 for the Night Pearl lamp, you will have a light that is, to my eyes, about 30% brighter than my ARC AAA LE with similar beam size. The LED output is more even than with an incandescent lamp, but for brightness I'm sure the Nextstar lamp wins, certainly for the first 15-20 minutes of battery life.

I'm conducting a run time now and will post unless I fall asleep before. Will post runtime.
I'll test versus the Arc le.