P90 or p91 in 2D cell mag aka 200 lumen 2D mag (or possibly 400+ lumens)

As some of you may know, I am on a quest to make really bright D cell lights. There is a twofold problem with this. 1 I only have a 4D mag and 2 I have little money

So, what some of you all are going to go do right now is take one of Mr. Bulk's 6AA batt holders, stick 6 NiMH AA's in it, and put a p90 hooked up to it. Does it light up? Bright? How does it compare to a p90 stuck in a 9p? Ok, for those of you with money to spare, stick a p91 hooked up to the 6AA's. I imagine if it doesn't blow right away it will blow fairly quickly.

How did I get the idea for these mods? Well, I checked Brocks webpage and saw that a p90 happens to be 7.3something volts UNDER load. The load is about 1.1 amps, fairly light for a NiMH AA, so 6 would put out around 7.2 volts, or about what the thing wants. So, try it. Now.

A p91 is 6.25 volts under a 2.35 amp load. 2.35 amps is getting up there for a 1600 mA NiMH AA, so I imagine there will be a bit of voltage drop. How much I don't know. I am thinking it would PROBABLY drop to around 6.5 volts, plus or minus some. That is why only those with a spare $20 or $25 to spare is going to do this. Hook it up to the NiMH's. Does it light? Is it brighter or as bright as a stock P91 on fresh batts? If it is brighter that means it is overdriving it and it will blow sooner. If it is just as bright or just slightly less, perfect. I doubt I'll be spending the $25 to get a p91 as it is "only" 200 lumens and I would have to buy a 2D mag to use it. I have a 300-500 lumen 4D mag, and sure I would LOVE to have a 200 lumen 2D mag with a 30-40 minute runtime, but it would end up costing me $40 not including batts (I have just enough that I could do it AND have batts in my 4d at the same time, but barely, and I'd have to pull them out of other stuff) and I'd end up likely needing to buy another 6 or 12 NiMHs bringing the total to $52 or so. Still, not bad for a 200 lumen rechargable flashlight with no operating cost

Anyway, someone try it. Now. You know you want to.

Spud

Oh yeah, forgot to mention, be careful. I don't know how much current the mag switch can take! I know it will be fine with the p90 as that is less current than my mr16 I am running. However, I don't know if the mag switch will take the 2.35 amps or not. Be careful or have a spare mag switch around.

Spud

Tater:

I've run a potted Carley 3.5 V 2.30 A T-1 1/2 bulb for a full battery charge in a Mag 3C with no problem.

I intend to test Mags before year end with potted bi-pin into PR base bulbs with currents of up to 3.45 A. (A Mag 3D driven by 4 @ 3000 mAh Sub C NiMHs with a W/A 4.70 V 3.45 A bulb potted by Carley into a PR base.)

I've found that 7 AA NiMHs drive a P91 much more satisfactorily than 6 in A DB flashlight with admittedly high resistance switch circuitry. I moved the head of the P91 DB6AA Aragorn made for me to a DB8AA for this reason.

I can tell you that 4 @ 2000 mAh 4/5 A NiMHs drive a P61 brightly in a 9P with 2 @ A19 spacers. Next week I'll expect to be able to tell you how well a 9P with 6 A19's and 6 2450-2700 mAh A NiMHs drives a P91 and an N2.

Sweet. Looks like we both want to do the same sort of stuff Difference is, you have the money to do it ;-) I heard somebody emailed mag and got told that the switch could handle something like 1.5 amps or so. I don't know, it was in a post quite a while ago. That would (probably) be cheaper than buying a p90 or p91. Back to the welch allen and carley sites to check out some 6-7 volt bulbs. It is a shame the 2 inch reflector doesn't work. If it is cheap ($5 or less, wait, I can't get it anyway, there is a high minimum order) I might get one. I bet it wouldn't be too bad to make it work. It would be awesome to do 200 or so lumens in a 2d mag.

Spud

PS, perhaps i should start naming the threads Spud and Lemlux since we are the main ones posting on this BRIGHT incandescent mod threads

This bulb looks good. http://www.walamp.com/detail.asp?partnumber=01274

7.2 volts, 2.77 amps, 553 lumens. Now THAT would be a HECK of a mag. Except for the fact that the AA's wouldn't put out that much voltage at that huge current

So, how about http://www.walamp.com/detail.asp?partnumber=01295 that instead? It is rated 6 volts, 3.35 amps. 3.35 amps is around a 2C load, and under a 2C load a NiMH should give around 1.1 volts, so it would still overdrive the bulb. Rerated to 6.6 volts the lamp gives 650 lumens and a life of 32 hours. This seems like a good bulb. It would only last about 20 minutes, but hey, it would be rechargable, and put out nearly 30% MORE light than an M6 for the same amount of time in ABOUT the same size package, FOR FREE! Bulbs would be cheaper, etc.... Sounds like about the perfect small light. Anyone else think so? Now if only I could get this lamp and a corresponding reflector...

Also the carley 852 is rated 6 volts, 3.3 amps, about 500 lumens, but only a 20 hour bulb life. Still, if they are cheap (which I doubt) it would still make a GREAT light

Spud

If anyone is serious about getting those bulbs but the min order seems excessive and wouldn't mind going halves or splitting with me, I'm interested in this adventure too.

Tater:

I don't intend to organize another W/A group buy, but you might find this RFQ email I sent to W/A today interesting:

[mailto:[email protected]]

Hi, Ms. Kilmore:

I expect to order some or all of the following items in the next few weeks. I am including some part numbers with the prices you quoted for last order and some items that I didn't previously enquire on for pricing.

My interest in W/A standard products is currently limited to T-2 1/4 bi-pin bulbs and ceramic sockets and to MR11 lamp-reflector assemblies.

Question: I have determined that Carley Lamps is willing to ceramically pot not only their bulbs, but also W/A bulbs into PR bases. Is W/A able to perform this service on W/A S-based bulbs? If so, what would the charge per bulb be and what would a minimum quantity order for PR base potting be?

Please requote each of the following. (I'm copying some hobbyist correspondents with comments as to how these might be used. Note to CPF'ers: I haven't driven a regular Mag polycarbonate reflector with more than 11 watts yet)

1.) #01307 4.80 V 1.10 A 5.28 Watt 104 Lumen 20-hour T-2 1/4 Lamp
(In June you quoted 1-19 price of $1.63 & 20-49 pcs.$1.55 ea.)
(Overdrives to about 140 Lumen in engergizer DB8AA with fresh alkalines.)

2.) #01319 4.80 V 1.92 9.22 Watt 204 Lumen 35-hour A T-2 1/4 Lamp
(In June you quoted 1-19 price of $1.70 & 20-49 pcs. $1.61 ea.)
(Works well in Underwater Kinetics 4D lights with rechargeables.
(Works OK in serial DB6AA with 5 NiMH's.
(Works nicely potted in PR base with 4 rechargeable D's or sub-C's)
(Works well in a DB4AA with 2 123's and a 34 mm spacer in each barrel)

3.) #01183 4.70 V 3.85 A 18.10 Watt 411 Lumen 75-hour T-2 1/4 Lamp
please quote the 1-19 unit prices
(Should work well in Underwater Kinetics 4D lights with rechargeables
(Will work well potted in PR base in Minty Top Lite with 2 parallel banks of 4D rechargeables.
(should work well potted in PR base in Mag 3D driven by 4 Sub C's)
(Should work well potted in PR base in Mag 4D with rechargeable D's)

4.) #01160 5.00 V 3.45 A 17.25 Watt 327 Lumen 550-hour 100-hour T-2 1/4 Lamp
please quote the 1-19 unit prices
(Should work well in Mag Charger with 1/2 D batteries)
(Should work nicely ceramic ally potted in a PR base in a rechargeable Mag 5C or 5D)

5.) 01116 6.00 V 1.35 A 8.10 Watt 163 Lumen 50-hour T-2 1/4 Lamp
please quote the 1-19 unit prices
(Should work well in DB8AA serial / parallel with 3 Alkalines cells plus one 123 and a 17 mm spacer in each barrel.)
(Should work well in a DB6AA serial / parallel with 1 alkaline cell plus two 123's and a 34 mm spacer in each barrel.)

6.) #01315 6.27 V 1.42 A 8.90 Watt 178 Lumen 125-hour T-2 1.4 Lamp
(In June you quoted $7.18 @ for 1 -19)
(Works well in DB4AA with 3 @ 123's in each barrel
(Works well in a DB8AA serial with 7 rechargeables and a dummy
(Works well potted in a PR base in a Mag 3D with 7 AA rechargeables
(Works well potted in a PR base in a Mag 4D with 6 Sub -C's)

7.) #01148 6.30 V 1.95 A 12.29 Watt 264 Lumen 140-hour T-2 1/4 Lamp
(In June you quoted $5.76 @ for 1 -19)
(Runs bright in a DB4AA with 3 123's in each barrel.
(Should be bright driven by 6 sub C's in a Carley reflector.)
(Bulb is so long that it won't focus in most applications.)

8.) #01111 6.0 V 3.35 A 20.10 Watt 465 Lumen 100-hour T-2 1/4 Lamp
(In June you quoted 1-19 pcs. $2.10 ea., 20-49 pcs. $1.98 ea.)
(Works nicely in Mag Charger)
(Will work nicely driven by 6 NiMH D cells

9.) #01274 7.20 V 2.77 A 19.94 Watt 553 Lumen 40-hour T-2 1/4 Lamp
(In June you quoted $2.12 @ for 1 -19)
(Should provide the maximum output in a Mag 2D if potted and driven by 4 @ 123's.)
Should work nicely driven by 6 rechargeable sub C's or D's

10.) #01278 9.0 V 1.10 A 9.90 Watt 244 Lumen 25-hour T-2 1/4 Lamp
(In June you quoted $2.04 @ for 1 -19)
(Works nicely in DB6AA parallel driven by 3 @ 123's and an alkaline in each barrel.)

11.) #01171 9.6 V 1.33 A 12.77 Watt 314 Lumen 30-hour T-2 1/4 Lamp
(In June you quoted $2.08 @ for 1 -19)
(Should work well in a parallel DB6AA with 4 123's and a 17 mm spacer in each barrel.)

11.) #920502-1 Socket for T-2 1/4 bulbs
(In June you quoted 1-19 pcs. $4.35 ea., 20-49 pcs. $4.08 ea.)

12.) #920504-2 Socket for T-2 1/4 bulbs
(In June you quoted 1-19 pcs. $6.15 ea.)

13.) #8211-006 12.00 V 1.17 Amp 14.04 Watt 289 Lumen 200-hour MR11 lamp assembly with 6 degree beam.

14.) #8211-004 12.00 V 1.67 Amp 20.04 Watt 314 Lumen 2000-hour MR11 lamp assembly with 9 degree beam.

Thanks for your updated quote.

Hey, if you can get Osram Decostar IRC bulbs in AU, check out the post I just made in BST. If you could get those bulbs and ship them, IF we do this deal I could pay you with a couple of the carley or W/A bulbs It would be a decent trade, hard to get bulbs for hard to get bulbs.

Edit:

Unless a group buy gets organized though I cannot do that because they have a $100 minimum order. I would be hard pressed to afford even 4 bulbs since they are all around $7 or $8 each. If a group buy DOES get organized though... Then I am more than willing to trade. If people ARE interested in these particular bulbs I have posted, please let me know, I might even be willing to organize the buy on these bulbs (if nobody else would do it).

I'm also interested in some bulbs in the next group buy.

Well, got an email from mag today, they said they don't know what current the switches will fail at as they "only" test them up to 2 amps. So that means I am in no danger on my 20 watt mod. A p90 will work fine, and a p91 SHOULD work since they are tested up to 2 amps and p91 is 2.35 amps. Now all I need is a heat resistant glass lense (I don't have a lense at all on my mag for fear of melting it) and a p91. If it weren't for that pesky money issue I'd buy a p91.

But yeah, looks like we are pretty good to go on at least a 200 lumen 2D mag

Spud

Tater:

Mag's mag charger tempered soda glass lenses are rated to 600 degrees F and fit regular mags. Bright Guy sells them for $2.95 @.

Bright Guy also sells replacement Polycarbonate Mag Reflectors for $2.50 @ for when you discover the melting point.

Yeah, but since I don't need to order anythign ELSE from brightguy (I sure would love to, but can't afford it, you all know how that goes) that $3 lense becomes about $7 after shipping. Of course I could always order 3 of them and make them around $4 each. I'll have to check into cheaper sources of just a single lense.

The reflector might come in handy, but I doubt I'll be doing much without an integrated reflector (as in surefire L/A's or MR16's). I know there wouldn't be anywhere around this town that would have just lense's, but I'll check around and see if I can find soembody with lower shipping.

Spud