2D mag++

My shiny new mag-lite:


...never even switched on the poor thing. My associates Mr. reamer & Mr. center lathe welcomed the newcomer.



Yep, you guessed right, 8aa. Two sets of four batteries in parallel (4.8V nominal).


I was a bit annoyed about the fact that regulated means led, at least in modified lights. (I have this theory that it is because most off-the-shelf converters can't drive such loads.) There is almost no regulated incandescent lights. (I know about HIDs & SF A2 etc.) So I built a boost-converter which I integrated into stock mag-lite switch. Finally whole converter was encased in epoxy. (No shown in pictures.)



Lo and behold, it is actually working. Picture is taken with mesuring equipment connected.



Results about the measurements were quite good. Chip manufacturer gives 80% typical efficiency.

It actually works, and these weren't just pictures about my failed attempt to create light. I didn't bother to take beam shots, since you all should have seen a 6D maglites first seconds with new alkalines in action.



I'm driving a 6-cell Magnum Star Xe-bulb at 7.30 volts. I chose this one because standard maglite handles it well. (No need for aluminium reflector etc.) Secondly, when it blows it can be replaced with a WhiteStar or MagnumStar bulb on the road.

If anyone has an idea what voltage the bulb is rated for, let me know. And it's not a CarleyLamps Xenon Star, or their specifications are quite open-minded. These take about 150mA more current than Carleys ratings at specified voltage. I tested several bulbs, so at least a batch is effected, not just one bulb.

Those Ansmann 2.7Ah cells drive the light quite nicely. Just four cells can power the light well past one hour. Then my patience caught up with me. So far I haven't even dreamt of measuring the run time with 8 cells.

So this is what you get when you think about 6D+ performance in 2D form factor. Cheers.

Nice work man. Oh how i wish i had a lathe.......DAMN.

Welcome to CPF!

Great mod, :goodjob: I haven't had a chance to mod a single light yet.
You should try your hands on the Mag85 mods, I hear they are very bright.

someone has made a hotdriver. HOwever, it was a bit costly.

wow nice !!!

nice to know another whom DIY their own mag .... like me, though not as pretty as yrs, but it works, can la .....

Mine : http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=151922

Gunner12 - its fun to mod, though also very sad when things don go as plan, but its a good exprience, if u can, try.

many of us here will be able to share with u ...

happy modding

WOW! The things you can achieve with a good lathe!

Hi folks.

My mag++ connections had som problems in the part in the tail cap. Batteries weren't depleting equally. Also the design wasn't with any finesse. umm... Actually it was quite poorly designed, as you probably noticed from the pictures. (I just wanted it running fast.) Anyway I decided to rebuild the part from solid block of PVC.

And so it begins. (With a solid block, naturally.) Diameter is now 45mm.



Trying how it fits.



After lathe, something had to be done in order to make the batteries go inside the block... To the flying machine! ...err..


I took this one with flash on. Quite funny to actually to able to see how chips form.


Firs holes were milled 14mm in diameter, then broadened to 15mm to accept AA-sized cells.


After the part was completed, I attached a couple of springs in it and voiá.



When placed in mag it works like a charm. Now my mag++ should be finished... yeah, right. Anyway this is what I should have done in the beginning, but (insert explanation here). Using the same principle it seems that battery adapters would be quite easy to produce with decent quality.

Oh, and if you wonder why one of four "arms" were broken off. In the light there is a stick glued in its place. The theory is that it, combined with this adapter, will stop batteries from rotating and/or turning. It wasn't broken accidentaly. :laughing: (btw, my theory works, wheee)

Nimhpwr
Thanks for the ongoing story.
Do you have links to a source for the schematics / parts for your driver circuit?
I am toying with the idea of a regulated M6 of my own making.....
Thanks a lot!

ICUDoc said:

Nimhpwr
Thanks for the ongoing story.
Do you have links to a source for the schematics / parts for your driver circuit?
I am toying with the idea of a regulated M6 of my own making.....
Thanks a lot!

Click to expand...

Hi,

Schematics can be found in the el-cheapo thread in post number 8. Converters are electrically identical.

Just measured the runtime with cheap 2500mAh (rated) 1900mAh (measured) cells to be some 2 hours 10 minutes. Voltage at the bulb was 7.40V. So it's actually usable light with little to none wow-factor in it.

Nice mod!

Thanks for the link!