I am newly addicted to this flashlight fascination. But like many, I try and read constantly (mostly here at CPF and at the circuitous route the links here take me).
So I cannot remember all I read, and of course I can't even be sure of WHAT I have read.....brain overload...which is easy to get with a small brain like mine.
Anyway, a few weeks back, in my early days of becoming a flashaholic
, I had bought a Maglite LED "Upgrade Module". I actually made a mistake and got the module that said "2 cell" (C or D), when my light is a 3 cell (C).
Having had no prior experiences with over-driven LED lights, I figured I'd take a chance (very soon after, I had tried three 6 volt cells in an Inova X03 - doubling voltage - and two of them in an Ultrafire C3 - more than doubling recommended voltage - with no damage...but for very short durations).
Anyway, at the time I figured if the Mag upgrade failed, I wouldn't ruin the light like I might have with the C3 Cree or the Inova....just the emitter. With Walmart receipt in hand, I gave it a shot. Worked perfectly. Still using it, and no problems at all so far. And unlike with the C3 and Inova with "too much voltage", the Maglite has been run for significant amounts of time - not hours, but practical amounts of time like 15-20 minutes or so. (I can always put back one of the original bulbs if necesary...came with two and one still rides in the tail cap).
As far as throw goes, it is my most powerful LED light.
But then I read here (or maybe more accurately THOUGHT I READ HERE about how the Nite Ize upgrade was superior to Mag's own. So yesterday I happened to notice in Walmart that they had the Nite Ize upgrade for 2-6 cell C or D cell Maglite for less than half of what I paid for the Mag drop in.
Now maybe it's because the light i have is a 3 cell light and the Mag drop in is rated for a 2 cell light while the Nite Ize is rated 2-6 cells (pretty wide spread!):sigh:
But bottom line is that the Mag drop in is so far brighter and better focused that they are not comparable in any way.
I even tried the Nite Ize in an old Garrity 4 cell light. No difference...same dim output. (Funny that it fit in the old Garrity as well a an old Rayovac three cell light while the Mag "bulb" only fit in the Mag light).
Did I get a defective emitter? Or did my memory fail me and I never actually did read that the Nite Ize was the better unit?
BTW, i had bought a Nite Ize drop in for a 2 cell Mini Mag a while ago...it is one of those 3 led pin modules. It doesn't even throw a beam at all. And is so blue it seems more like something to add or change color rather than illuminate anything.
I did keep it in the light in case I wanted something I figured would run for a month on 2 AA cells....with such low output I figured it couldn't possibly draw any current. (Yes, I realize I can be wrong about that, just like everything else at this point).
I also have a Mini Mag 3AA cell LED (factory unit) and it is quite strong. Just a bit of an odd shape - long and skinny. But a perfect glove box light to go along with my Brinkman Maxfire (that I like a lot - only incan light I've bought since getting bit by this bug - I did however do the "famous?" Eveready 2AA conversion to the three C123 with the Xenon bulb - It seems to have a bit broader flood (and maybe a little less throw) than the 2 cell Brinkman, but the overall quality does not stand up to the $20 Brinkman. I like the rubber shroud and clicky on the Brinkman...guess it's just personal preference. Still...for $10 in parts and five minutes of labor, it is a neat trick! (and no, I did NOT spray paint it black....lol).
Anyway, sorry for getting off topic..so easy to do when you are so new to all this as I am, so again..my apologies.
.My original question was; did I remember wrong? - thinking that I read here that the Nite Ize maglite drop in was a better unit than the Mag drop in? Or maybe they make a different model? As I said, the Nite Ize was less than half the price (I think about $8 while the Mag was really quite expensive....I think $18 - about as much as the complete light (with incan bulbs).
Any answers, thoughts, input appreciated. I hope not to stay "unenlightened" forever! LOL
Peace,
D.
So I cannot remember all I read, and of course I can't even be sure of WHAT I have read.....brain overload...which is easy to get with a small brain like mine.
Anyway, a few weeks back, in my early days of becoming a flashaholic
, I had bought a Maglite LED "Upgrade Module". I actually made a mistake and got the module that said "2 cell" (C or D), when my light is a 3 cell (C). Having had no prior experiences with over-driven LED lights, I figured I'd take a chance (very soon after, I had tried three 6 volt cells in an Inova X03 - doubling voltage - and two of them in an Ultrafire C3 - more than doubling recommended voltage - with no damage...but for very short durations).
Anyway, at the time I figured if the Mag upgrade failed, I wouldn't ruin the light like I might have with the C3 Cree or the Inova....just the emitter. With Walmart receipt in hand, I gave it a shot. Worked perfectly. Still using it, and no problems at all so far. And unlike with the C3 and Inova with "too much voltage", the Maglite has been run for significant amounts of time - not hours, but practical amounts of time like 15-20 minutes or so. (I can always put back one of the original bulbs if necesary...came with two and one still rides in the tail cap).
As far as throw goes, it is my most powerful LED light.
But then I read here (or maybe more accurately THOUGHT I READ HERE about how the Nite Ize upgrade was superior to Mag's own. So yesterday I happened to notice in Walmart that they had the Nite Ize upgrade for 2-6 cell C or D cell Maglite for less than half of what I paid for the Mag drop in.
Now maybe it's because the light i have is a 3 cell light and the Mag drop in is rated for a 2 cell light while the Nite Ize is rated 2-6 cells (pretty wide spread!):sigh:
But bottom line is that the Mag drop in is so far brighter and better focused that they are not comparable in any way.
I even tried the Nite Ize in an old Garrity 4 cell light. No difference...same dim output. (Funny that it fit in the old Garrity as well a an old Rayovac three cell light while the Mag "bulb" only fit in the Mag light).
Did I get a defective emitter? Or did my memory fail me and I never actually did read that the Nite Ize was the better unit?
BTW, i had bought a Nite Ize drop in for a 2 cell Mini Mag a while ago...it is one of those 3 led pin modules. It doesn't even throw a beam at all. And is so blue it seems more like something to add or change color rather than illuminate anything.
I did keep it in the light in case I wanted something I figured would run for a month on 2 AA cells....with such low output I figured it couldn't possibly draw any current. (Yes, I realize I can be wrong about that, just like everything else at this point).
I also have a Mini Mag 3AA cell LED (factory unit) and it is quite strong. Just a bit of an odd shape - long and skinny. But a perfect glove box light to go along with my Brinkman Maxfire (that I like a lot - only incan light I've bought since getting bit by this bug - I did however do the "famous?" Eveready 2AA conversion to the three C123 with the Xenon bulb - It seems to have a bit broader flood (and maybe a little less throw) than the 2 cell Brinkman, but the overall quality does not stand up to the $20 Brinkman. I like the rubber shroud and clicky on the Brinkman...guess it's just personal preference. Still...for $10 in parts and five minutes of labor, it is a neat trick! (and no, I did NOT spray paint it black....lol).
Anyway, sorry for getting off topic..so easy to do when you are so new to all this as I am, so again..my apologies.
.My original question was; did I remember wrong? - thinking that I read here that the Nite Ize maglite drop in was a better unit than the Mag drop in? Or maybe they make a different model? As I said, the Nite Ize was less than half the price (I think about $8 while the Mag was really quite expensive....I think $18 - about as much as the complete light (with incan bulbs).
Any answers, thoughts, input appreciated. I hope not to stay "unenlightened" forever! LOL
Peace,
D.
