Easy LED mod for Mag 1D?

I recently purchased a Mag 1D (cutdown), and I just love the form factor and feel. It's the size that a Mag 2D ought to be, without the switch taking up so much room!

OK, all that aside...I am hoping to collect a few suggestions on how to best mod this unusual light into a long-running mod. I am not a machinist, nor am I particularly handy with a soldering iron, but options including drop-ins or relatively straightforward mods are welcome. If something like a Dorcy AAA step-up board could be used, I'd welcome some details about such ideas.

I've done a search on Mag 1d cutdowns, but not found too much of use, other than that Nite-Ize drop-ins at least work, even if not efficiently.

If you need a bit more detail, let me say again that I'd mostly want to take advantage of the D-cell's ability to outlast an AA, moreso than increased amperage/brightness. But if you have a brighter solution, I welcome it, too! My main desire is to remain with the 1-D format, rather than going for multi-cell carriers.

Thanks! There is power in collective thought!...-wholeflaffer

Re: Easy LED mod for Mag 1D

If money does not matter.
1 Maxflex Maxflex
1 Cree XR-E(Highest bin)
1 D lithium battery D lithium

The maxflex would be good to protect from overdischarge your lithium battery. This is what I would do.

Ooops...you did say easy. Sorry. :toilet:

Re: Easy LED mod for Mag 1D

I know you said you wanted to stay with D batteries but the simpliest mod I can think of would be a battery carrier with three AA's and the 3D mag drop in. Couldn't get easier than that.
Norm

Re: Easy LED mod for Mag 1D

Probably the easiest mod would be to drop in an original (4-die) SMJLED PR-base LED conversion bulb (Note: Not the newest, single-die version!). Although designed for two cells, the SMJLED PR will run with just one cell (resulting in much less brightness and much longer run-time). It's pretty bright with 2 cells (and very efficient), so you might find the light output with one cell to be entirely adequate for a long-runner. The current consumption with one cell is typically just 25 mA, so it'll run a long, LONG time on a D-cell.

Re: Easy LED mod for Mag 1D

Thanks, Folks!

Nitroz - I'm going to study that Maxflex site to see if I'm up to it!
Norm - always a possibility
Skibane - your idea definitely gets points for simplicity and meeting many of my goals

I'm always open to more ideas!

The coolest mod i've seen recently was one that was up for sale, used 3 Fenix circuits from L1Ps and a single D cell to power 3 Lux I. Very cool setup for a 1D mag. Not sure where to get the fenix circuits, or how tough it would be to put them in the head, but damn.

I used a 4AA carrier from Modamag for my old 1D, and ran 3 Lux III U-bins off it direct drive. It ate the batteries, but damn it put out some light.

Ok, I see that is exactly what you are NOT going for.

How about a Madmax lite converter powering a Cree XRE. That would drive the Cree at spec and a single D cell should be able to keep it lit for a long time. I don't know of a better way to get a lot of light for a long time than this setup.

Of course, this setup will last about 30 times less than the SMJLED setup described above, but it will also be a significant increase in output. I mean, do you REALLY need it to run for a month straight?

schiesz

If you have seen my 3D Maglite conversions, the same driver and heatsink will produce 500ma-600ma on 1 D battery. Then mate this with a luxeon III and you have a nice light in the neighborhood of 70 lumens that is still focusable. Also you could make it a 2 stage and set the low level around 150-200ma. I'd like to have one for myself, where did you get the cutdown body?

Thanks, Gene

Gene43 said:

I'd like to have one for myself, where did you get the cutdown body?

Click to expand...

Gene, I picked it up on the B/S/T forums here on CPF.