Maglite upgrade options

Hi,

I've got an old 3D cell Maglite, which is near enough indestructible, but also a bit poor compared with even a 2AA cheapy LED lamp from Tesco.

I'm interested in dropping an LED upgrade into it. What's the flavour of the month? I'm in the UK, so I need to find something that can be supplied here, either by a local firm or someone who ships internationally at good rates. If the thing came with a new reflector and lense, that'd be a plus, as the old Mag ones are looking a little tired.

I've got to be honest and say that it needs to be a drop in unit. Whilst I can solder and mess around with power tools in the shed, I'm doing enough other things the hard way!

I'm looking to spend as little as possible, and definately not more than £20. That seems to be the point where I'd be as well off ordering a whole cheap lamp from Dealextreme.

You are about 2 years too late. Ever since Maglite and everyone else started making LED torches the LED upgrade market has been going downhill.

Almost too late.
Maglite had a 3W LED upgrade which coverts a stock Maglite to a 1st gen MagLED. Discontinued by Maglite but still listed at amazon.co.uk.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000IXAJG4/

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complete list of all LED PR flange drop-in bulbs. Note the list had not been updated since 2008.
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/178595

I kind of get that feeling

I've found a few people selling the Terralux TLE-6EX for the 3 cell maglites. Is the hype about them being better than the Maglite upgrade kits correct?

for £20 you don't got much options, TLE-6EX is 1 option.
i have first generation of leds mag used to retrofit incandescent lights, well original bulb is brighter, than lux3 led.
new rebel leds are a lot better, maglite made as led from the start, that is.
if you can get 2d rebel mag, get it, it will be brighter than your 3d mag, and will be just as durable,
dx lamps, otoh aren't known for reliability and quality. it might work for a while, ti might even work long time but it has a much bigger chance to crap out on you than a maglite

Hmm. It's beginning to sound like I'd be as well off just leaving the mag as is? The TerraLux units don't have a great reputation, and if there's isn't a huge increase in brightness, I might as well just leave it be.

Perhaps I'll try and get my hands on something like the Malkoff kit. To me, if you're going to carry a HUGE lamp, it needs to be seriously bright to make up for the hassle of carrying it.

How bright is the Night-ize LED Drop in?

Check this thread in the budget forum. It's a 36-led showerhead. Yes most would think that sounds too cheap, but it's getting really good reviews there. $23 shipped.
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/277748

Hi Tron :welcome: from a fellow Brit.

There is a good budget drop in for your old M@g's it is available on ebay - it is called a Fusion 36 and if I remember correctly is costs about £16 shipped from Hong Kong. There is a great thread on here, but I can't find a link at the moment.... Try using the google search above. (edit Haha too slow - thats the one!)

Good luck - Pete.

tron said:

Hmm. It's beginning to sound like I'd be as well off just leaving the mag as is? The TerraLux units don't have a great reputation, and if there's isn't a huge increase in brightness, I might as well just leave it be.

Perhaps I'll try and get my hands on something like the Malkoff kit. To me, if you're going to carry a HUGE lamp, it needs to be seriously bright to make up for the hassle of carrying it.

Click to expand...

some units do have reputation, i have tle300 for 2 years now, huge improvement over stock bulb, night and day. it never failed, i dropped it in a stream, i took it apart, dried it up, and it works as good as new. (if i hadn't put in glass lens, it wouldn't even get wet, lens broke when it hit the rocks.)
but it is $70.
as for malkoff, good luck finding one, hopefully he restocks soon, but at least since new year he's all sold out.

btw tle 300 cost as much as maloff xp-g, but tle is brigter, 200+lm vs 600-700lm.

CarpentryHero said:

How bright is the Night-ize LED Drop in?

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For the small-dome Nite-Ize drop-ins, about 40-50 lumens. It has a flatter brightness curve than the MagLED modules because the MagLED modules cut power as the thing heats up and there's no heatsinking in the MagLite bulb towers to help keep them cool. The MagLED starts off brighter but dims after about 20 minutes to less than the Nite-Ize small dome ones.

The cheaper large dome drop-ins make about 20 lumens but will run forever and a day.

These may not help, but just in case...

When they first came out, I bought one of the MagLite drop-ins. I'm still using two of them and they are, honestly, very satisfactory.

I recently bought one of Gene Malkoff's 2C drop-ins. Whoa! Very bright, long runtime, better-than-Pentagon build quality. I don't know if you can purchase from Gene cost effectively overseas, but everything I've ever gotten from Malkoff Devices exceeds my most optimistic expectations. There's a reason that so much of his stuff is always going out of stock!

Thanks PCC

JNewell said:

These may not help, but just in case...

When they first came out, I bought one of the MagLite drop-ins. I'm still using two of them and they are, honestly, very satisfactory.

I recently bought one of Gene Malkoff's 2C drop-ins. Whoa! Very bright, long runtime, better-than-Pentagon build quality. I don't know if you can purchase from Gene cost effectively overseas, but everything I've ever gotten from Malkoff Devices exceeds my most optimistic expectations. There's a reason that so much of his stuff is always going out of stock!

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I've bought his standalone lights from overseas without any issues. Gene and co. shipped it to me for $35 using the USPS Express Mail package (never had a USPS package arrive that said 'extremely urgent - please rush to addressee' on it before)

And I am also on the email notification list for those same Malkoff 2C dropins so better be quick.:devil:

i bought malkoff p7 c mag drop in, in about 3 weeks it burned out, it was a great drop in while it lasted, but it is ok, i talked to gene, he said he will send me a replacement when he restocks them, it won't be p7, but xp-g is good too. s..t happens, things brake, but he stands behind his stuff 100%, i'm not even worried, what i'm worried about is, i'll act too late and he'll be sold out again.

jellydonut said:

I've bought his standalone lights from overseas without any issues. Gene and co. shipped it to me for $35 using the USPS Express Mail package (never had a USPS package arrive that said 'extremely urgent - please rush to addressee' on it before)

And I am also on the email notification list for those same Malkoff 2C dropins so better be quick.:devil:

Click to expand...

I frankly had no expectations at all when I ordered that. Popped it in and just about fell over. For $60, it's a whole new light. Not just a new light, but a new light in a whole different class. Big thumbs up.

I have the Malkoff upgrade in my 3 d cell maglight and it is crazy bright, I love this thing. I have the XP-G upgrade and to be honest, I have had a couple fail on me. I talked to Gene and he said the G changed the way he had to do drivers, I don't know the tech end of things so some of you may understand it better. No one can touch Gene's customer service either, it is top shelf and the light is completely awesome when it is working. Makes carrying that big honkin light worth it. Plus sometimes I need an equalizer that I have in my hand, and that light is it.

Others beat me to the Fusion 36 - and someone posted the link too.

BEst option, and under $25 shipped as well!

shipwreck said:

Others beat me to the Fusion 36 - and someone posted the link too.

BEst option, and under $25 shipped as well!

Click to expand...

I would also like to recommend this option.

This is the absolute best option as runtime, output and money. Tint is very usable and flood is ridiculous and throw is great. It replaces the stock reflector and drops right in, that's right no modding!!!:huh:

Free shipping and if you order two hell give you a free penlight if you ask. They are great and fast shipping as well, Worldwide!!!!:duh2: I still cannot figure out how they do it so cheap.

Hope this helps

Thanks everyone. Looks like the Ebay special is the way to go.

Just ordered one myself, the wife will be happy to see three new lights roll through her post office..