All the information is out there on some thread I found a couple of nights ago. Now I can't find it again. It turns out that lemlux, perhaps six months ago, made a special order with Patty at Carley Lamps for something they called an 808. It wasn't in a PR base, so the potted it for him for $1.65 per bulb. Total cost: $7.89 per bulb, no minimum. The potted 808 would then fit it the Mag 2C with 12 volts worth of SF 123s. Evidently when all connected, the voltage drops to about 9.4 volts, underdriving slightly the 808, which is rated at 9.6v, 1.2A, 285 lumens. That means about 11 watts are consumed, and his experience was that the Mag 2C could take that much heat but not much more.
Now, all of this info is taken from the notes I took reading that thread and from my memory. Some of it may be in the thread I quoted (or the thread may contradict what you read here; sorry). If you feel like doing some searching you could try all posts by lemlux that also have "Patty" or "808" or "carley." As I recall, the good stuff was about September or October last year . . . unless I'm confusing it with an Arc set of threads I have been chasing.
My apologies that I can't be of more help. Well, actually I could, but I just can't bring myself to do all that searching again. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Now, the nice thing is that lemlux has done all the ground work. He proposes a cheap alternative, not just to the M3, but to the M4. He has determined that the configuration will work well. He's gotten Patty up to speed. She knows what we're up to and is evidently quite helpful. I believe that she even browses CPF and occasionally posts.
Back to the original mod. I tested the 3 x 123 with the KPR-112 tonight. Nice throw, although the M3 I ordered hasn't come yet, so I have nothing comparable to check it against. That bright spot, with its hole that just won't go away, bugs me though. I put two layers of WriteRight on the lens. That got rid of the hole, but gave me a mottled looking corona. Had to take it off. The thing to do is to sputter some clear Krylon spray on the reflector. I've never done it, but I have read about it
here.
For me there's room for both of these mods -- the 285 lumen M4-like beast with the 808, and the ~100 lumen (I'm guessing) M3-like little beast with the KR-112. I suspect I'll use both. The cost, I figure is about $20 and $30, respectively. I wouldn't have even considered this without your post, ginseng, the ideas of the others here and the great pictures.
