LED for 2D Maglite

Candle_Kid

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Apr 18, 2016
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14
Hi all,
while i wait for my astrolux s1 to arrive (to replace my 2D Maglite), was wondering what i can do to mod my Maglite. are there any Lithium batts that can replace 2D (multi or single Li batt)? what is the brightest LED drop in for a 2D maglight. i have a LED drop-in now, i think from the Lowes rack at checkout, not very much light at all. what is the best drop-in available for 2D ??

otherwise, my Maglite 2D is heading to the recycle bin.
 

scout24

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Dec 23, 2008
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Penn's Woods
Check out Malkoff Devices, their 2D dropins are probably the best plug-and-play value out there. Long track record of reliability and quality.
 

Str8stroke

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Nov 27, 2013
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On The Black Pearl
Welcome to the forum. Since you are new, we won't flog you for mentioning throwing away a Maglite! lol Yes they are vintage and outdated, but in any condition they can hold a special place in many a flashaholics hearts.
Member Vestureofblood aka Adventure Sport Flashlights. He has everything you need to make that thing a beast. Read a little. Then figure out if you want to use Two 26650 cells or one. You will need some adapters or springs depending on which way you go. If you PM him, I am sure he & many others would be more than happy to assist you too.
Go here:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/forumdisplay.php?194-Adventure-Sport
Then here:
http://asflashlights.com/20-maglite
http://asflashlights.com/-diy-parts/82-26650-body-sleeve-for-maglite.html
 

Candle_Kid

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Apr 18, 2016
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i can mod it myself in just about any way i would like to, i just didnt want to put any effort into it right now, thus a drop-in seemed to fit the bill. but ok, i'll keep it as a backup and look for a better drop-in, and when i have some free project time i will investigate better mods. thanks for the feedback.
 

wensynch

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Feb 1, 2016
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38
I recently picked up the TTS XP-G2 220 lum for a 6D which replaced one of the really old big LEDs for like $13 and boy am I impressed. Sucker is awesome, makes the Mag use worthy again and put new life in the Mag. It may only be 220 but it's almost brighter than all any light in my collection up to 1000 lum. It may not be as intense like a modern Nitecore, but it's a really bright light with a halogen like tint. Throw is amazing, the circle may mot be as bright, but it's only 220 lum! 4 x as bright as an Olight T15 250 lum. Best of all, the Mag excellent zoom still functions great.. and with no ugly LED die image, just a nice smooth spot from small to big. Not even the Fenix FD40 zoom pattern beats it's, as that I've has the feel of not being zoomed in/out to its maximum entirely. It also supposedly has a life of something like 100,000 or something ridiculously high; it's a 6D using 3v XP-G2.

Think it's the best that works atm for the Mag. Liked it so much, got another one, but specifically for the 2D. Think it uses a different driver.

Worth it. So worth it.
 

monkeyboy

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Joined
Mar 7, 2006
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2,327
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UK
I recently picked up the TTS XP-G2 220 lum for a 6D which replaced one of the really old big LEDs for like $13 and boy am I impressed. Sucker is awesome, makes the Mag use worthy again and put new life in the Mag. It may only be 220 but it's almost brighter than all any light in my collection up to 1000 lum. It may not be as intense like a modern Nitecore, but it's a really bright light with a halogen like tint. Throw is amazing, the circle may mot be as bright, but it's only 220 lum! 4 x as bright as an Olight T15 250 lum. Best of all, the Mag excellent zoom still functions great.. and with no ugly LED die image, just a nice smooth spot from small to big. Not even the Fenix FD40 zoom pattern beats it's, as that I've has the feel of not being zoomed in/out to its maximum entirely. It also supposedly has a life of something like 100,000 or something ridiculously high; it's a 6D using 3v XP-G2.

Think it's the best that works atm for the Mag. Liked it so much, got another one, but specifically for the 2D. Think it uses a different driver.

Worth it. So worth it.

It's not a bad drop-in module, but that's some crazy exaggeration.

1) You're probably confusing throw and output, as the output doesn't even come close to a 1000lm light.
2) This is not a halogen tint. This is cool white; around 6000K. Halogen is around 3000K.
3) When defocused, this has one of the nastiest beam patterns I've ever seen (Although that is true for all of these types of maglite drop-in)
4) It's not going to last that long with such a small amount of heatsinking. The new TTS module does have better thermal contact, but the metal part of the bulb tower is still very small.
 

Eidolon

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Joined
Apr 4, 2016
Messages
22
I was truly irritated when I lost a maglite to Alkaline leaking. The batteries were stuck in there. I unscrewed the ends and spent about 15 minutes smashing it full power into concrete and a metal fence both vertically and horizontally downward trying to dislodge the things. The light was completely fine. I'd hold onto it even if it never gets LED upgrade - they are a classic, a great backup light, and generally have enough lumens to do what you have to do. Plus I can attest to their durability!
 

bykfixer

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Aug 9, 2015
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Dust in the Wind
I was truly irritated when I lost a maglite to Alkaline leaking. The batteries were stuck in there. I unscrewed the ends and spent about 15 minutes smashing it full power into concrete and a metal fence both vertically and horizontally downward trying to dislodge the things. The light was completely fine. I'd hold onto it even if it never gets LED upgrade - they are a classic, a great backup light, and generally have enough lumens to do what you have to do. Plus I can attest to their durability!

This X a million billion.
 

LeanBurn

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Feb 3, 2010
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1,355
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Alberta
If you didn't go for brightest you could go for run-time. Put in a Dorcy LED drop in for a sweet 30 Lumens and untold hours* of run time and the beam pattern is fixed...all for less than $5

*seriously...I have run mine 3-4 hours every night for months and it just keeps going..:shrug:
 
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gearhead1972

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Mar 12, 2011
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Kent, NY
I put the Malkoff Devices 3-6 D drop in in my 2D with 2 26650 IMR batteries and a PVC pipe spacer vast improvement in distance, over all output and run time. I also used a orange peel reflector from DX and a borafloat lens
 

Str8stroke

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Nov 27, 2013
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On The Black Pearl
I put the Malkoff Devices 3-6 D drop in in my 2D with 2 26650 IMR batteries and a PVC pipe spacer vast improvement in distance, over all output and run time. I also used a orange peel reflector from DX and a borafloat lens
Yes Sir. Great set up. I would add a FiveMega Toothy bezel too!
 

wensynch

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Feb 1, 2016
Messages
38
It's not a bad drop-in module, but that's some crazy exaggeration.

1) You're probably confusing throw and output, as the output doesn't even come close to a 1000lm light.
2) This is not a halogen tint. This is cool white; around 6000K. Halogen is around 3000K.
3) When defocused, this has one of the nastiest beam patterns I've ever seen (Although that is true for all of these types of maglite drop-in)
4) It's not going to last that long with such a small amount of heatsinking. The new TTS module does have better thermal contact, but the metal part of the bulb tower is still very small.

It's 240 lum. It's really bright though. Sayings it's close to 1000 kind of exaggeration but it's for and noticeable brighter than any light in the 250 lum range and close to 500 without making a sharp comparison.

Definitely don't need to get another light from the drawer and it's still has that 6D spotlight power which it had even when it was still a incandescent bulb, which I still think is hard to match and rare with any 2AAA setup.

My bulb is a warm yellow. It's got a nice tint. Not white like my Nitecores. Like PIAA yellow.

I did keep heat in mind but it stays relatively cool without any hard use yet though. My Maglite has a SMO aluminum reflector and glass.

Beam pattern seems the same to me. Like a Maglite which I but it also has the reflector and glass.

As is, I would my likely spend say more than $20 on the Mag, $15 was cutting it. The runtime though makes it worth the weight. 6d and all.
 

xxo

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Apr 30, 2015
Messages
2,993
If you didn't go for brightest you could go for run-time. Put in a Dorcy LED drop in for a sweet 30 Lumens and untold hours* of run time and the beam pattern is fixed...all for less than $5

*seriously...I have run mine 3-4 hours every night for months and it just keeps going..:shrug:

That's the way I went with my old 2D Mag, except the drop in was a $4 Rayovac from walmart (same as the Dorcy?)....even 30 lumens is brighter than the old kyrpton bulb and you can still focus it to a tight hot spot for good throw.

If you want something brighter with all of the bells and whistles and you don't want to mod, there's always the multi mode 600+ lumen ML25 and ML300 for $33-$40 at home depot.
 

CelticCross74

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Joined
Aug 30, 2014
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Fairfax Va
you can run the 700 lumen Malkoff Drop In for the 3-6D using series 3xaa adapters from Z battery I think it is. Check out what adventure sports has too
 

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