Am I asking too much from minim*g dropin upgrade....?

Please someone who have tried most of them should be able to answer this.....

I tried $5 nite-ize upgrade.... Hoohum.....

1. Last long time on set of batteries... (good)
2. output is not really useable. (good if your eyes are adjusted, but to work in dark area during the day - its still pretty much useless.)

2nd.... I tried the 4 die WahWang leds drop in mod.<edit> not smled - its 4 die WahWang leds.
1. Last long time on set of batteries... (good). Same as above.
2. output is still not really useable. (good if your eyes are adjusted, but to work in dark area during the day - its still pretty much useless.) Hmmmmm may be i did something wrong.?


Now... I dont think I will spend the kind of $ the sammies are demanding. Am I asking way too much ? IMO - $10 mini mag upgrade should not cost more than another $10 since you CAN buy some nice working lights for 10 bucks but !!! Am I crazy for thinking this way or any1 else have been thru and done this before?

I will never buy a minimag upgrade (even frim MAG) that cost more than Mini mag itself. Isn't the Fenix costs less than that and gives you much better construction and workable lights? ( I dont own any.... Thinking about it tho!! :touche::touche

Come one and come all....I want your thoughs and opins..... Speak up and let me hearya!!

Newbie.

I've ordered a Nite Ize upgrade, but in red.

The only upgrade I plan on doing outside of that with a minimag is waiting til August when Mag releases their own version of the minimag LED.

Consequently, you couldn't/can't buy an upgrade for the minimag from Mag even if you wanted to as they're not going to be making upgrade modules for the minimags, only C-D sized lights in the 2-4 cell variety.

You need to check out the Dummy Reference Guide to Minimag modding:

http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=83903

schiesz

bright light --> short runtime
long runtime --> weak light

what do You prefer?

PS: still the mm is way beyond everything else when it comes to handling, its in the knurling. The Fenix (and others) is plain bad in here, as it is slippery. (I own L1T and L2P, Triton and use them regularly, my MMs are just shelf queens, technically outdated)

Upgrading quite often will be an expensive business. You've paid for the original components - which you then throw away - and then you've got to get something better specially made to fit in the same space.
Worse still, the upgrades are usually made as small runs - so you miss out on the economies of scale. (and you're paying twice for assembly, packaging, distribution etc.)

It sounds like you want a bright luxeon upgrade, in which case you're quite right. You won't get anywhere near what you want for $10. Put your MiniMag by your bedside (where you'll probably find it's now too bright in the middle of the night when you just want to find something...) and get something else for around $40.
Both the upgrades which you have actually offer very good value for money in terms of getting significantly more (and better quality) light out of your existing MiniMag for about $5.

If you're looking for value for money there are a couple of other offerings out there very similar to the Fenixes but a bit cheaper (the HuntLight https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/123090 or the elusive Liteflux spring to mind). All mass produced in China from components picked to work together from the start = best "bang for buck".

Historically I think that a lot of the Minimag upgrades started when no-one was making lights of that size commercially with that kind of light output. Then it would have been easier to use a widely available (cheap in the US) body and upgrade it rather than make something from scratch to hold a new light engine. Take a look at the situation with upgrades to the bigger Mags now. Even now you won't find the sort of lights you've heard of on CPF in your local shops.

The expensive upgrades will continue to exist because;
- a lot of people aren't aware of the new brands (or trust a well known name more)
- some people, as Yellow said, just like the shape and finish of the Maglites
- some people will always enjoy upgrading something from standard (like cars)
- there is a certain, perverse delight to be had in producing a MiniMag (which everyone knows) and surprising onlookers with the amount of light coming out of it... (https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/121223 is an extreme example)

Just my thoughts.

Don

I've tried the Nite-Izes drop-ins and was immediately put out by it. Gave it to my dad straight away!

Now with the drop-ins from The Sandwich Shoppe, there's nothing like it! Especially when it's being used in the miniminimini Maglite that I like calling the 3[M]iniMag. My setup for it is

Bad Boy NexGen 750mA TW0J Lux.III
1/2 AA Li-Ion
20mm IMS reflector
UCL
Kroll

Very Bright for it's size and is the one I reach for and EDC 10 times out of 10!

CHC said:

I've tried the Nite-Izes drop-ins and was immediately put out by it. Gave it to my dad straight away!

Click to expand...

I'm personally just looking to upgrade from a red Infinity. Having seen beamshots of Nite Ize in the red led configuration in another thread, I'd say it's gonna be one hell of an upgrade even if it has a few artifacts. My Infinity has plenty of artifacts to spare.

Take a look at the UltraFire 602a

It's a clone of the Fenix L1P. Runs on a single AA cell, puts out a decent amount of light (just as bright as the Fenix) but runtime is a little shorter, just use NiMHs for guilt free lumens Also its easy to mod the clickie switch to a 2-stage click/twist switch.

The light and the 2-stage mod will set you back less than a tektite luxeon drop in for your minimag...

http://www.qualitychinagoods.com/ultrafirereg-1xaa-flashlight-602a-regulated-p-440.html

I ordered the terralux tle-5 about three weeks ago. Reading about all the other upgrades I wasn't really sure what to go with, and didn't want a new light at the time. I went with the tle-5 because it looked brighter than the others and cost wasn't too bad.

This is my first led, and I am hooked. I couldn't believe how much brighter it was than the bulb. I got lucky I think in that it is very white, maybe just a slight blue tint. I've probably spent $12 on bulbs over the years for it, and now won't ever have to again.

I'd really like to try making one of those sammies, but I need to read a lot more before I try that.

I agree though, that you can probably buy a light that will give you the same or better output for nearly the same money as a good upgrade will cost. It will be interesting to see Mags own led version too.

It is kinda fun though to take something you've had for over ten years and make it a lot more useful.

I bought the terralux switch too, and really like having the focus set when you turn it on. It's worked good so far and I've used it quite a bit.

I would like to try a red upgrade too, but haven't decided between the terralux or nite-ize or something else yet.

Check out what Lambda has to offer; great price and his drop in makes the std. MM look sick.
I didn't know what to do with several MM that sort of got lost in the dust of other mods and buys so I tried his SMJLED and it is great.

Karl

This handles better than the MM, about the same physical size, 60-65 lumens and for the price, $19.49, the best value vs. light output. Been compared vary favorably in these threads to the name brands mentioned above. It has become one of my favorites, replaced the mm and mm upgrades and I use it in the daytime like you. My run time is about 3 hours on good batteries, there is a run time test, links to specs and specs in these threads too.

http://www.qualitychinagoods.com/ul...ight-p-433.html

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/115863

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/117846

If I need lots of light and an hour run time I go to:

http://www.qualitychinagoods.com/golstonreg-2xlir123a-waterproof-rechargeable-recommended-p-409.html

Look at these LOOOONG discussions, happy group here:
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/103057

Another vote for the Terralux TLE-5 upgrade. Bought one of these last month, and they seem to have improved the throw from earlier models (i.e. more defined hotspot), while maintaining excellent sidespill. Based on my measurements, it has about ~1/2 half the total output of my Fenix L2T, with ~ 2/3 of it's throw. Not bad for the cost.

Edit: the Ultrafire 601A from Dae is clearly the best deal out there - output is much closer to my Fenix L2T, although sidespill area is less than the minimag+TLE5. Also, I find the aluminium casing on the ultrafire a bit thin and light compared to the mag - but certainly your best way to spend $20, overall.

I think the SMJLED (as mentioned by Savamuki above) can be part of your answer. However, the best version SMJLED is the SMJLED PR bulb which means you just put the MM aside and get yourself a PR bulb type small light.

Get the SMJLED PR bulb (on sale now for $6.66 here) and put it in ANY 2 cell PR bulb flashlight, and you will be astonished by the amount of light it puts out (even with many 1W lux lights) and how long it runs. It works particularly well with 2xAA lights with faceted or textured reflectors, including the 87 cent Wal Mart 2AA light and many similar cheap lights. It will run about 20 hours on a set of alky AAs.

You can also make yourself a custom CR123 pocket light with it for 87 cents without too much trouble.

Just my 2 cents...

The SMJLED as already mentioned is one that performs better than the Nite-Ize and the TerraLux TLE-5 in my opinion. I've seen the SMJLED from others and did own the Nite-Ize and TerraLux TLE-5.

But after seeing first hand the output and performance of the sammies from a get together—I was SOLD! That's why for my Mini Maglites I've "upped the ante" with what I posted in post #6.

Enjoy!

CHC said:

Now with the drop-ins from The Sandwich Shoppe, there's nothing like it! Especially when it's being used in the miniminimini Maglite that I like calling the 3[M]iniMag. My setup for it is

Bad Boy NexGen 750mA TW0J Lux.III
1/2 AA Li-Ion
20mm IMS reflector
UCL
Kroll

Very Bright for it's size and is the one I reach for and EDC 10 times out of 10!

Click to expand...

Pretty nice setup you got there.

Thanks NewBie! :wave:

Which makes me wonder if I too should order something similar.

There're still seven sets of NG750 UX1L sandwich kit available, should I just take the plunge and grab one? CHC what do you think?

Indeed yazkaz. While I don't know much about the "bin codes" and all, seeing how these little "pills" from The Sandwich Shoppe performs is what really impressed me into getting it.

Hope you find what you're looking for and Enjoy!

Something I haven't seen mentioned about the drop in sandwich upgrades is that they give you the ability to swap out heads very cheaply. You can replace a reflector head with a head containing different optics or for a perfectly uniform flood for close work, a head with just a flat plastic lens. The original reflector is great if you just open it up a little to fit the led.

for me, i am waiting for the minimag led to come out.

and also, lamba's soli drop in(smjled? for solitaire) .