Floody mag AA upgrade?

Jarl

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jan 11, 2007
Messages
1,745
Location
Southern UK
I've got an E0, a fenix l2d and I want to do something interesting with my mini mag. Since the l2d is quite spotty (smooth reflector), I'm looking for a moderately high power flood upgrade for my MM, which I can give to people who ask for a flashlight without fear of them saying "how does this work??", and also something I can run my alkalines in with no problems from excessive current draw. Also, I want to give it a new lease of life, as I've had it so long, it'd be cruel to throw it away. I'm not looking for a super power upgrade like the 5EX; after all, I'll be using any alkalines I accumulate in it.

I am looking for regulated (flat or as near to flat as can be), floody light with no/little defined hotspot, but nothing I've seen comes close. The flood is most important, then regulation. Bear in mind I have an E0, so don't recommend silly low power ;)

Any recommendations? (sorry if this has been done to death, but the search function really doesn't work for MM, and since everyone says m@g or m*g, that doesn't help much either....)
 

Marduke

Flashaholic
Joined
Jun 19, 2007
Messages
10,110
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Huntsville, AL
The NiteIze 3LED dropin makes a good loaner light. Sufficiently bright for most circumstances, and all flood. Also low power enough to work well with alkalines, and only costs $5. If you want to spend a few dollars more, you can even get it with a IQ switch for less than $10 in a combo pack

If you go too high of power, the light won't work well with alkalines again.
 

linterno

Enlightened
Joined
Dec 19, 2007
Messages
348
I am looking for regulated (flat or as near to flat as can be), floody light with no/little defined hotspot, but nothing I've seen comes close. The flood is most important, then regulation. Bear in mind I have an E0, so don't recommend silly low power ;)
Go for this not flat but floody and small.
 

a4d

Enlightened
Joined
Dec 2, 2007
Messages
359
Location
here and there
I have a nite ize 3 led mini mag. I love it for working on trucks at school. When in the tight spaces in these big rigs, and under the engine looking up at the crank and such it's perfect. Not to bright so it reflects to where you can't see, just perfect.
 

Paul6ppca

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jun 8, 2006
Messages
1,291
Location
RI
I put a SMJLED,with scotch tape(opaque) to diffuse.It is an ultimate runtime and perfect flood light! Brighter than stock bulb.Super easy mod.
 

kramer5150

Flashaholic
Joined
Sep 6, 2005
Messages
6,328
Location
Palo Alto, CA
Second vote for the nite-ize 3LED, its all flood, no usable throw beyond ~15 feet (give/take). Only thing is it looses some degree of water resistance. Not sure exactly why, but I think its the new reflector, doesn't compress the bezel gasket enough against the lens. I had mine up on the roof the other night fixing some roof shingles in the rain and noticed the lens inside fogging up. Before the mod, I used to give it to my kids to play with in the bath tub during bath time and it never leaked.
 

OceanView

Enlightened
Joined
Nov 12, 2006
Messages
416
The NiteIze 3LED dropin makes a good loaner light.
+1 on the NiteIze. All flood, which will probably pleasantly surprise most non-flashaholics who are used to ugly incan beams, and the MM still works the same as a normal MM. No modes or UI to fiddle with. Runs a good long time. And cheap enough that you won't be too upset when your non-flasholic friend inevitably loses it.
 

gunga

Flashaholic
Joined
Nov 29, 2006
Messages
8,080
Location
Vancouver, BC, Canada
Put in an SMJ upgrade (with boost circuit) from either the Sandwich SHoppe or Lighthound.

Then use a stipple Khatod reflector from Photon Fanatic. Should give you 15+ hours of very nice smooth flood and is a lot nicer than the Nite-ize 3 led (tho it's also pricier).
 
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