Potted 11.1v bulb alternative to WA01331 for 3D Maglite

Hi guys:

I'm down to my last potted WA01331 bulb for my mildly modified 3D Maglite with the factory switch on 9xAA Ni-Mh cells. I prefer to stick with potted bulbs before buying a bi-pin adaptor and using bi-pin bulbs. Litho123 doesn't seem to sell anymore potted WA1185s or WA01331s, so what alternatives are out there?

Not much to be honest. Everyone uses bi-pin now. If it were me I would go with a bi-pin setup, either FM socket or KIU kit and a 1185. Im using 9 aa Eneloops in one of my Mag 85's and its been my "go to" light for years now.

I don't know of any potted alternatives, but if you were willing to go with a bi-pin, then a WA1318 would work for you. They are almost exactly like the discontinued WA1331, but they do cost a bit more. If you click on my signature, you'll find the sales thread where I sell those bulbs.

Actually, I still have potted 1331's in stock along with potted H1499's and a few other potted bulbs.

As mrartillery stated, the demand for potted bulbs has dimished with the advent of the bi-pin adapters.

pm me and look up my old sales thread for potted bulbs and I can take care of you.

I must apologize for my previous post. I had forgotten about litho's potted bulb sales thread. I would have posted a link to it earlier if I had remembered it. Right now I have a bit of a migraine, so I'm not thinking very clearly ATM.

Yeah, but where to get a G4 to PR socket....?

KD is out and so is FM.

jcvjcvjcvjcv said:

Yeah, but where to get a G4 to PR socket....?

KD is out and so is FM.

Click to expand...

[size=+1]G4 sockets are available here.[/size]

Thanks for the response guys. I guess I'll have to pick up a FM bi-pin adaptor sooner or later as potted bulbs appear to be phasing out. However, I've found bi-pin bulbs setups in the Mag to have a less concentrated hotspot and an uglier beam profile as the bulb appears to sit higher in the reflector than a potted bulb. Perhaps its the shape of the bulb that actually determines this? Maybe using a lower profile bulb would help to concentrate the beam more?

Fusion_m8 said:

Thanks for the response guys. I guess I'll have to pick up a FM bi-pin adaptor sooner or later as potted bulbs appear to be phasing out. However, I've found bi-pin bulbs setups in the Mag to have a less concentrated hotspot and an uglier beam profile as the bulb appears to sit higher in the reflector than a potted bulb. Perhaps its the shape of the bulb that actually determines this? Maybe using a lower profile bulb would help to concentrate the beam more?

Click to expand...

Ive never had this problem, perhaps you are because the socket is to high up and doesn't allow the bezel to screw down far enough to focus, in that case you need to do a setup like Conte did in this thread by locking the cam down.

IIRC, this has been a complaint with the KD adapter. The FM adapter works fine in my experience wrt focus height.

An improvement to the FM bi-pin PR adapter in the latest (6th) run is a small set screw to hold the bi-pin lamp securely. In previous iterations of the FM adapter, the bi-pin lamp legs could be rather loose, requiring some judicious squashing of the legs to make them fatter to give a better friction fit.

It is also possible you are using overly tall bi-pin lamps and/or lamps with large filaments. The various Welch-Allyn lamps such as the WA01111, WA01185, and the like should produce an excellent beam.

What reflector were you using? That also can have some effect on beam quality.

Potted WA1185.
FM sells them

I'm using the cammed MOP from FM and I think you're right about KD's ceramic bi-pin adaptor, I was using it with the KD773U bi-pin bulbs and the beam profile was AWFUL:green:... but bright, 500+ lumens IMO, so I gave them away to another fellow CPF member who loves to mod stuff, perhaps he'll have better luck than I do.

Guess I'll be buying FM's brass bi-pin adaptor since its a proven performer, just like the rest of his products.

Question: Does the WA1185 have a larger, less concentrated hotspot than the WA01331?

mrartillery: Love your avatar! Wonder if Tom Jane will do another? Ray Stevenson's performance was so-so compared to Tom...

Fusion_m8 said:

Question: Does the WA1185 have a larger, less concentrated hotspot than the WA01331?

Click to expand...

The 1185 does produce a larger hotspot because it has a larger filament.

Fusion_m8 said:

mrartillery: Love your avatar! Wonder if Tom Jane will do another? Ray Stevenson's performance was so-so compared to Tom...

Click to expand...

I hope so! I hadnt seen the second part yet because I'm afraid Ill be dissapointed. As for the 1185, they make a beautiful hotspot, especially in a LOP or one of FM's bi-focal's.

If you want a smaller more consentrated hot spot with the bi-pin 1185 you can use the FM deep SMO reflector or the Modomag SMO. They're only a few FM deep reflectors left. "This is a great reflector that I hope FM will be making again one day" The modomag reflector is a good thrower "with a slight bat wing effect" and a bit larger hot spot. If you don't have any FM bi-focal reflectors you owe it to your self to grab some. These are a very balanced reflector with good throw and very usable spill. "You should see one with the FM1909"
Billy

Hi Billy(or FM);

Is the cam on FM's Bi-Focal reflector the same as the cam on his Dual Function reflectors? I got a spare cammed Dual Function reflector that I destroyed, so if I can save myself $5 by purchasing the camless Bi-Focal and use the cam off my destroyed dual function, why not right?

Gav

Billy Ram said:

If you want a smaller more consentrated hot spot with the bi-pin 1185 you can use the FM deep SMO reflector or the Modomag SMO. They're only a few FM deep reflectors left. "This is a great reflector that I hope FM will be making again one day" The modomag reflector is a good thrower "with a slight bat wing effect" and a bit larger hot spot. If you don't have any FM bi-focal reflectors you owe it to your self to grab some. These are a very balanced reflector with good throw and very usable spill. "You should see one with the FM1909"
Billy

Click to expand...

Yep, the cams are the same, so you won't have to buy another cam.

Fusion_m8 said:

Is the cam on FM's Bi-Focal reflector the same as the cam on his Dual Function reflectors?

Click to expand...

All following reflectors use same size cam.

Dual function reflector

Bi-focal reflector

Deep reflector

2.5" Throw Master

And

3" reflectors

.