Mag 85, Mag 74, Mag 11?

What are these, how bright are they, and how much do they cost?

These are Maglites...Either Std or Rechargeable that have been modded to run high powered Welch Alyn bulbs.
Batteries need to carefully selected to best power each type of lamp.

The Mag 85 is converted to use a Welch Alyn WA1185 lamp
The Mag 74 is converted to use a Welch Alyn WA1174 lamp
The Mag 11 is converted to use a Welch Alyn WA1111 lamp

They are not generally made as ready to buy lights and require numerous replacement parts such as bulb, bulb socket, aluminium reflector, glass lense, battery carrier and batteries.

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Tim.

They are pretty darned bright, although I'm not sure you couldn't get by about as well with something like a Streamlight TL-3 incandescent. Occasionally you will be able to find one of these converted mags on the sales forum for around $100, give or take a little. If you are a do-it-yourselfer you can hunt up all of the parts and build your own, which is what I did. Now that I have it, I don't use it much.

I've thought about building one of these varients, but the thought of trying to round up all the parts and getting NiMh batteries and a charger always puts me off. And the sort of "yeah, been there done that, time to move on" attitude from people who have built them is kinda perplexing and cause for thought too... :thinking:

You really have to build one. Sure once it's done it's a been there done that sorta thing but you need one as a flashaholic to impress friends and family.

About 900 out-the-front lumens fully regulated for 40 minutes or so in a 2+D Mag85R package and with an easy-charge external charging jack is an awesome light. I use mine all the time. If you carefully select the components, the Mag85R is a rock-em, sock'em light that will toast your toes. But expect to spend closer to $200 if you want to do it right.

I believe that Light-Edge sells completed Mag85s for about $115, and the complete kit (including charger) for about $145. See http://www.light-edge.com/products.asp?section=Super Mag&cat=20.

Hope this helps! I love my Mag85s - they're definitely an "impress your friends" kind of light. Good luck!

- FITP

Light Edge has been out for some time now....I agree they are an impress your friends and family type of light...I built one and gave to my brother and father for christmas....my brother who is a regular here knew exactly what it was... everyone else was clueless and had never heard of a Mag85 before...let me tell you...there was every gift imaginable at my families this Christmas, from PS3 to rare Beatle albums...BUT THE MAG85 WAS THE HIT....my brother lit his up right away and everyone in the fam...about 25 people were gathered around him...I was behind them looking on like a proud Papa :lolsign: ...he proceeded to "light up" houses clear down the block...it was a great sight....cant wait to get my Mag623 from Mad Maxabeam and bring it to the next get together and light newspapers on fire:lolsign: :lolsign: :laughing:

FlashInThePan said:

I believe that Light-Edge sells completed Mag85s for about $115, and the complete kit (including charger) for about $145. See http://www.light-edge.com/products.asp?section=Super%20Mag&cat=20.

Hope this helps! I love my Mag85s - they're definitely an "impress your friends" kind of light. Good luck!

- FITP

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choppers said:

cant wait to get my Mag623 from Mad Maxabeam and bring it to the next get together and light newspapers on fire:lolsign: :lolsign: :laughing:

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Oh my friend, you're in serious trouble. Cancel your Mag623 order, for once you get it, you'll never look at a Mag85 in the same way again. The Mag623 will ruin you forever, and make your Mag85's output seem like a Mini-Mag.

(Okay, that's not *entirely* true. But it will *definitely* replace your Mag85 as the "wow your friends" light, which means that your Mag85 will probably get significantly less use!)

- FITP

I have a host I could use for a Mag85. Anyone know what a decent cost for a parts kit with a KUI socket should run me in the B/S/T section?

FlashInThePan said:

Oh my friend, you're in serious trouble. Cancel your Mag623 order, for once you get it, you'll never look at a Mag85 in the same way again. The Mag623 will ruin you forever, and make your Mag85's output seem like a Mini-Mag.

(Okay, that's not *entirely* true. But it will *definitely* replace your Mag85 as the "wow your friends" light, which means that your Mag85 will probably get significantly less use!)

- FITP

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Oh, FlashInThePan... You are so right. My ROP was WOW! Until I Built a Mag85. Then the Mag85 fell to my Mag138. Now they all pale in comparison to my 185 Watt Mag458. An ROP is just a really good flashlight now.

Now even the mighty Mag623 is just "yeah. I guess it's kinda bright"

If I can just find someone to tri-bore a 4D for me, I'll build a 330 watter.

blake711 said:

I have a host I could use for a Mag85. Anyone know what a decent cost for a parts kit with a KUI socket should run me in the B/S/T section?

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Your most likley not going to find a kit. Light-edge used to sell them but they have been out for a long time. You will have to buy the parts separatley from multiple people on the forum here.

choppers said:

You will have to buy the parts separatley from multiple people on the forum here.

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You know if someone had a little ambition and a little free time, they could assemble kits and sell them to the rest of us. Figure in a little profit per kit to compensate for all the trouble. And say, oh I don't know, a 10% royalty to me for the idea.

The "kit" is not all that tough. It's best to wait for FiveMega or someone to offer a bored body so you can use larger A-diameter batteries. But a regular Mag 3D just needs:
1) 9AA battery holder, such as from FiveMega or Modamag (B/S/T)
2) Kiu ceramic socket kit or one of FiveMega's drop-in bi-pin adaptors. (B/S/T)
3) Boro window (Flashlightlens.com)
4) 9 AA batteries (See SiverFoxes thread to see what works best).
5) Metal reflector (FiveMega or Sandwich Shoppe or others)

Lots of other ways to make it better, but those are the basics.

Nightstalker - Check out the Borealis. It's about 1,000 lumens out the front end and with different reflectors you select a flood light, a thrower or somthing in between that I like best. Comes with a great battery holder (9 AA's) that you can recharge the batteries in without taking them out of the holder. Run time before dimming is about 50 minutes with the new Nimh 2900mAh AA's that are becomming available. The Ultra Stinger is a good light but why drive when you can fly.

02Scuba said:

Nightstalker - Check out the Borealis. It's about 1,000 lumens out the front end and with different reflectors you select a flood light, a thrower or somthing in between that I like best. Comes with a great battery holder (9 AA's) that you can recharge the batteries in without taking them out of the holder. Run time before dimming is about 50 minutes with the new Nimh 2900mAh AA's that are becomming available. The Ultra Stinger is a good light but why drive when you can fly.

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The Borealis is basically a Mag85. Allthough is has a lot of extra things done to it to yield the higher output. Alot of fine tuning and detail work you could say.

The basics are the same however, WA-1185 bulb, KIU socket, Fivemega battery holder, you get the idea.

I don't have one and am not affiliated with him so I can't personally vouch for the performance of the light, but the guy who runs this website fabricates his own flashlights by hand and apparently does an excellent job.

http://www.blackbearflashlights.com/

I did the math last night, and for just about the same price doing-it-yourself, he'll send one out with high quality parts and within a couple of days.

If you get one, let me know what you think. If you don't like it, I'll buy it from you!
Joe

Is it voltage you are going for because 1 GOOD D cell recharger will give up to I have heard 25,000 mah but I know at least 10 Ah.

It's voltage and the ability to maintain voltage under load. A lot of the high-capacity cells can't maintain their voltage under a heavy load. Mag85s generally need 9 NiMH cells, which is pretty big if you're using D cells. You can use 8 1/2D NiMH high-current cells which maintain their voltage so well that they often blow the bulb if you use 9 cells. I think you can get 8 1/2D cells in a 5D Mag body.

swampgator said:

You know if someone had a little ambition and a little free time, they could assemble kits and sell them to the rest of us. Figure in a little profit per kit to compensate for all the trouble. And say, oh I don't know, a 10% royalty to me for the idea.

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Check with Litho123, I think he might have most of the parts needed.