Best Battery for TLE-300M-EX?

I just bought the TLE-300M-EX module for my 6-cell Maglite, and was wondering if I can use "regular" D-cells or if I need to buy another kind for it to work. What's the best option and how much does it cost? Thanks.

Alkalines should be fine... alternatively you could use NiMH rechargeables.

In smaller lights, alkalines sometimes have to little capacity and to high internal resistance. But with 6D cells this shouldn't be a problem.

edit: well, looked a bit more at the description of this drop-in, esp. total power consumption.. using this with alkalines in a 6D maglite is way better than using it in a 4D... but NiMH still would be a better option.

What about a 4D? Also can it be run with 8 aa nimh, 2 aa's in a d cell converter making 4 d cells.

Jash said:

What about a 4D? Also can it be run with 8 aa nimh, 2 aa's in a d cell converter making 4 d cells.

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You mean run by 4D with alkalines? Runtime would probably be quite bad. But frankly I don't get it.. Batterjunction says it needs 6-24V, but states that a 4D maglite will work... with 4 NiMHs that's only 4.8V.

Is your second sentence a question? Running with 8 AA NiMHs would be within specs. But you might consider a Fenix TK40 as an alternative... $145 shipped from 4sevens (with CPF8 discount)

I have a Terralux TLE-300M-EX in my 4 D cell Maglite. I've never done any long time run tests on it so I don't know how long it will last when in high mode. I generally use it in medium and low modes more often.

Right now I'm using 4 alkaline Duracell D cells because I got a whole bunch of them for free. When I burn through them all then I'll probably get some NiMh Accupower Evolution D cells since they get rave reviews here in CPF. I asked if there were any performance advantages (increased light output) to using the NiMh D cells rather than the alkalines and others here with the exact same 4 D Maglite and TLE-300-M-EX drop in as mine reported that they did not notice any difference at all.

He's probably busy at the SHOT show right now, but Battery Junction's MattK gave me a wealth of information on the TLE-300M-EX since he has the same set up in his 4 D cell Maglite. He has a lot of hands on experience with it, maybe more so than anyone else in CPF based on who answered my battery questions about it. He was the only one that actually experimented with using different type of batteries or at least he was the only one that said so publicly.

I have a Malkoff P7 dropin placed in my new red Maglite 5D, a Malkoff 2-3D XP-G in the purple 3D.
Now I want a suitable dropin to my purple 2D with Fivemega's 6AA to 2D converter. Then I think Terralux TLE-300M-EX would be a good choice. Especially because of the possibility of lower modes. Using 700lm mode I understand runtime will be rather short with 6AA, and therefore I think the lower modes will be good and adequate for many occations.

But I have a question: I have used Terralux TLE-6EX 2-3D dropin to as well Maglite 2D and 3D using D batteries. It's not bad but compared to Malkoff dropins the heatsinking is much worse and therefore the brightness during continious run dropped much more than what is mentioned of TLE-300M-EX.
700lm initial and then stable 600lm means around 14% drop of brightness. According to my tests TLE-6EX dropin had 30-40% drop within half an hour continious run.

This seems to show that TLE-300M-EX have a much better heatsinking than TLE-6EX dropins?

Regards, Patric

Swedpat said:

This seems to show that TLE-300M-EX have a much better heatsinking than TLE-6EX dropins?

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Yes. The TLE-6EX just replaces the existing Maglite bulb. It mounts inside the existing stock Maglite bulb holder and switch assembly that, since it's made from plastic, has zero heat sinking properties. Just like with the Maglite Luxeon III LED lights and drop in bulb upgrades, none of the TL-6EX's heat is transmitted away from the LED to the body of the light and thus it overheats quickly.

The TLE-300M-EX also mounts to the existing stock Maglite bulb holder and switch assembly, but it also has a large diameter round flat aluminum "puck" on the bottom of the drop-in assembly (remember that it has three LEDs versus the TLE-6EX's one) that mounts flush to the Maglite's aluminum body tube and head. That contact between the aluminum "puck" and the aluminum Maglite parts does a great job of transferring the heat from the three LEDs to the exterior of the Maglite.

To increase the thermal conductivity of my TLE-300M-EX, I used an entire tube of Arctic Silver 5 thermal paste and coated the entire top surface of my Maglite's body tube and head where they meet the aluminum "puck." That did a super job of keeping my TLE-300M-EX nice and cool. The top portion of my Maglite gets nice and warm, indicating that the heat is being drawn away from the three LEDs.

Here's a photo of the back side of the TLE-300M-EX that shows the large, black aluminum "puck" that transfers heat from the three LEDs to the aluminum Maglite body and head:

http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/theshorelinemarket_2091_545969212

The photo is from the Battery Junction website.

It can also be seen in this photo from the Terralux website:

http://www.terraluxcorp.com/terralux/Products/Portable/Upgrades/TLE300MEX/tabid/86/Default.aspx

Thanks Locoboy5150 for the answer,

That does mean TLE-300M-EX with the "aluminum puck" actually works like Malkoff dropins to transfer away the heat from the LED.
With some of my Malkoff's I had the problem that the dropin wanted to glide up though screwed firmly (I think it was greasy on the inside of Maglite tube). This problem I solved by placing a piece of aluminum foil around it. I guess that will also contribute like thermal paste to transfer away the heat.

Regards, Patric

I don't have any hands on experience with any of the Malkoff Maglite drop in upgrades, but from the photos I've seen of their installation in other peoples' Maglites, yes that black aluminum "puck" on the back of the Terralux TLE-300M-EX serves the same purpose - conduct heat away from the LEDs. You have to transfer that heat away from the LEDs in order to increase their life and to ensure that they put out the most amount of light as possible, things that the original Luxeon III LED Maglites (I don't know about the newer Rebel LED Maglites because I don't have one) and the other Terralux single LED drop ins like the TLE-6EX do not do at all.

i was looking for a different way to power my 300m, i found d cell size lithiums, they are really expensive but the runtime looks to be enormous so actually end up cheaper, means you can also run your terralux in a 3 cell light. havnt bought em yet but just a thought, lithiums would also be good to have for the long shelf life if its an emergency light and they wont leak..

Just to add a note, I got hold of a terralux tle-300m-ex to run in a Mag 3D with a 5 cell 1/2D 3500mAh Nimh battery pack and charger. Was a package deal from Battery Junction. To get an idea on runtime and relative brightness levels, I tested the current on high-med-low with the battery pack fresh off the charger. (measured 6.9V) : high = 2.4amp, med = 1.1amp, low = 0.1amp (110 milliamps).

Assuming minimal voltage drop; that is 16.5 watts on high, 7.5 watts on med, and 0.75 watts on low. (runtime = about an hour and a half on high, three hours on medium, and thirty hours on low)

(This thing putting out 5 watts per led on high is pretty nice!) The battery pack sells for $25 by itself, but of course a special charger is needed.

by the way... haha??! (i can't believe some of these smilies) What's this supposed to mean? wacking my sisters stuffed pony back when i was like 5.
(Just wanted to be the first one to use it)

seatrue said:

What's this supposed to mean?

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"Beating a dead horse."

I know "beating a dead horse", that came to mind right after i posted my comment - actually. First impression was that it wasn't a dead animal :sick2: it looked to me more like a "beating My Little Pony". (no pun intended of course)

I liked the mentioned idea of using thermal compound. check

Is anyone here that uses the light with rechargeable lithium D batteries?

or another way to get the most out of it?

Got terralux for maglite. With the head of maglite it wont work but if i put the led alone on the body of maglite it works. Maybe a problem with the head of maglite?
I have the model with the letter D on head.

Edit:
Yes my maglite has the letter D but the head wont make the led-unit to work. I put another head and my maglite works. Very bright.