Physical design change to Mag LED upgrades

I just noticed this tonight. It looks like Mag has revised the mechanical design of their LED upgrades. I'm not sure why they did this, but it looks like it will make them less capable of being used in other flashlights. They used to have a flat bottom. Now the plastic protrudes around the bottom contact causing the contact to be recessed. :thinking:

Here's a picture of a "new" one and a old one. The new one is on the right.



Out of the 13 of these upgrades I have (most still new in the package), 3 have this concave bottom (a 2 cell, 3 cell, and 4 cell).

Looks like a determined person with a Dremel tool could grind it down pretty quick. I think it's just poor quality control rather than a design change.

Ah... reminds me of the bad old days, standing around at 4:30 listening to some necktie saying: "I don't care. Ship it."

I'd just flux that bottom and flow on a blob of solder to make a nub.

NA8 said:

I think it's just poor quality control rather than a design change.

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I highly doubt that. The new ones have a different texture to the plastic, and they have 2 holes in the bottom part of the plastic that the old design doesn't have. They also have a molded angled part that tapers down to the sunk in bottom metal contact.

how does it make a connection for circuit?

Stereodude said:

I highly doubt that. The new ones have a different texture to the plastic, and they have 2 holes in the bottom part of the plastic that the old design doesn't have. They also have a molded angled part that tapers down to the sunk in bottom metal contact.

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I'd think they second sourced the plastic part and thought it was "good enough". Not exactly the QC most people think of, but it's usually considered a "quality" issue.

OTOH, We shouldn't underestimate the deviousness of the bored engineer.

Seems so, even the plastic piece is sloped toward the center.

qip said:

how does it make a connection for circuit?

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The spring loaded contact in the socket in the Mag has a slight conical shape to it that allows its it to make contact despite the raised tapered plastic ring around the contact.

I wonder if they redesigned more than just the base? My supplier recently had a $4/module price drop. I'd be curious to see run charts for the old vs the new, as well as some lux numbers.

I'm gonna say that change was deliberate, just by looking at it it's not like the plastic just happened to be longer by accident.

I love how everyone bashes mag for not being up to date, but i've NEVER had a QC issue with any of my mags.

Is it really an issue if they can't be used in other lights? There are plenty of more up to date mag drop-ins you could use instead, and many of them could be made to work in another light.

scottaw said:

Is it really an issue if they can't be used in other lights? There are plenty of more up to date mag drop-ins you could use instead, and many of them could be made to work in another light.

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I think the dremel/solder blob quick fixes would get around such a design issue fairly easily... as for why use a MAG-LED drop in any other light? because we can LOL I just fitted one of the older variants to a modded (enlarged PR socket) 3C MAG-clone (it's original host is being scheduled for aP7 fit-out)... I suppose the old adage of 'waste not want not' applies here somewhere :twothumbs


Funnily enough that LED 3C Mag-clone is my new favourite EDC (whilst on duty), perhaps it's appeal will wear off when I upgrade one of the other lights in my collection... or maybe purchase yet another?

scottaw said:

There are plenty of more up to date mag drop-ins you could use instead, and many of them could be made to work in another light.

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If you stick a SSC U bin with a low forward voltage (like the H bin) the Mag drop-ins are still very good.

My 4 D cell Mag upgraded with an USX0H SSC has a lot of output. It's second only to my Dereelight CL1H v3 3SD Q5 (1.2A) in pure output and ahead of a Regalight WT1 v2 and Tiablo A8 Q5.

Stereodude said:

I just noticed this tonight. It looks like Mag has revised the mechanical design of their LED upgrades. I'm not sure why they did this, but it looks like it will make them less capable of being used in other flashlights.

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Most design changes Mag makes are to increase manufacturability or decrease production costs. They don't typically makes changes just to reduce compatibility with other manufacturers.

There are a lot of negative things people can say about Mag, particularly about their litigiousness and slow technology adaptation. But their manufacturing processes are excellent and continuously improved. To the best of my knowledge, Mag has never raised prices on any product they make, despite years of inflation. They have done this by simply getting more and more efficient in manufacturing.

Is the barrel diameter of the drop-in the same?

It looks slightly smaller in diameter, maybe it's just the photograph, maybe it's just be being hopeful.

I have this ancient 4-D maglight that the current drop-in is too large in the barrel, and if this is narrower it just might fit!

Double_A said:

Is the barrel diameter of the drop-in the same?

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I don't know. It seemed to fit about the same in the Mag I tried it in. I will check with my calipers when I get home.

Double_A said:

I have this ancient 4-D maglight that the current drop-in is too large in the barrel, and if this is narrower it just might fit!

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If you contact Mag about this, maybe they will send you a new 4D?

why not just epoxy a magnet into the void?

can the "version" be determined in the store without opening the package?

watt4 said:

can the "version" be determined in the store without opening the package?

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Sure, look at the bottom of the drop-in through the clear plastic packaging.

The + contact is inset for reverse polarity protection. Many people, myself included, use the Mag module in other flashlights, leaving the bulb holder off and using the batteries to hold the module in place. With the new modules, only the battery anode can reach the + contact.