Opalec NewBeam LED Module

Has anyone ever tried the Opalec NewBeam LED Module for the 2AA Maglite flashlight?
btw, i've read that it's not water proof. doesn't matter, right? since it's enclosed in the flashlight all the time anyway. how do you turn the flashlight on though? how does it work with the LED?

Hello and welcome. I use the Opalec and am a big fan. it is one of the best ways to make a MiniMag useful.

I recommend you try using the search function with the keyword "opalec" and you'll find discussion and praise galore. Maybe run another one with "newbeam", but believe me, you'll have no shortage of reading material.

Good luck,

Dave

Cool. Thanks, I'll do a search. But before I do. Where did you get them from? Any Canadian website that has them available for shipping?

Many vendors have them. I've gotten mine from a variety of sources, most commonly Flashlight King. Not sure if they ship to Canada but their site asks customers to inquire about international shipping rates, so probably yes.

The other perfect companions to an Opalec module are the Kroll switch and a glass lens. Many of us then epoxy the MiniMag head onto the body, and use the Kroll clicky switch exclusively. I also like painting the Opalec ring, and /or the inside of the MiniMag head, white for a bit more brightness and aestetic benefit.

Again, good luck and enjoy.

Best regards,

Dave

Its a great mod. Maintains peak brightness for 10 hours! Nice beam quality.


For small tasks around the house, its hard to beat an Opalec. When the power goes out, the Opalec shines plenty of light to make it up the stairs without falling.

IMO, its a 5-star mod (best rating possible).


Several places sell them:

http://www.brightguy.com/detail_int.html?cart=10798483954446142&sku=OPA3W

http://www.vicomptel.com/Opalec/index.htm


http://www.all-maglite-4-less.com/detail_mag_ledmod.html


http://www.pocketlights.com/opalec.asp

Thanks. Just wondering if there's a store in Canada to order from because I prefer not to order from the US which can get more expensive than ordering from Canada.

I think the Opalec Newbeam is a fantastic product.
I have it on my website right here if you're interested.

[ QUOTE ]
U_U said:
Thanks. Just wondering if there's a store in Canada to order from because I prefer not to order from the US which can get more expensive than ordering from Canada.

[/ QUOTE ]

There has got to be a store in Canada to order from.

http://www.opalec.com/store.html

Try the stores in the link above. The link above is the actual Opalec website. They should have all the major retailers they sell to their. I notice there are 4 international dealers--you can do the checking to see if one is in canada.

mh... Thanks but unfortunately there's no Canadian store. Too bad.

U_U,
i ordered mine from :
http://www.pocketlights.com/opalec.asp
with no problems...

Hello Craig,

Is there any comparison between the Opalec and the TerraLUX MiniStar2?

Tom

I am certainly in the minority here, but perhaps it's because I am not caught up in the product itself, but rather it's overall value. For that, I do not recommend this product. This product itself is intriguing but it's brightness is actually less than a PT Attitude (same physical size, also with 3 LED's) which would also save you about $10. So far, I have discovered no significant benefit from the Opalec over the Attitude. Also, if water-proofness is a concern, you are far better off with the Attitude. It's your money, but it helps to have some facts to aid in making a wise decision. I am not saying the Opalec is a poor product at all. I am just stating that there are much better valued products available instead.

PT attitude is brighter only in the initial stage and will be dimmer than Newbeam afterward. If you use NiMH, the difference is even bigger since NiMH will affect brightness of Attitdue but not Newbeam.
2AA has more juice than 4AAA. If you use NiMH, the difference is bigger.
4AAA would cost a little more than 2AA in some countries.
Availability of lithium on AA that would be another advantage on cold weather usage.
While Attitude is also small, it is not as pocketable as Mini mag.
All kind of accessories are available for Mini mag.

Attitude is waterproof instead of weatherproof (will you use such LED light for diving?)
Attitude cost less and widely available in many countries.

I have 2 Newbeam and 1 attitude, I am still using Newbeam very often even after all the goodies (1W, 3W and 5W LS) becomes available. I didn't even remember where I put my attitude

Not to say attitude is not a good light, It just happen Newbeam seems fit my usage.

Alan

k cool. i'll try.

FWIW, I've two Newbeams fitted in Minimags and I can honestly say that the Minimag with this combo is virtually indestructable. Sorry but my experience with the Attitude doesn't compare.

Doug

btw, i've read that it's not water proof. doesn't matter, right? since it's enclosed in the flashlight all the time anyway. how do you turn the flashlight on though? how does it work with the LED?

Personally, I'd advise going to Home Hardware and buying a 1AA 3LED Dorcy for C$19.99. About half or less than the Newbeam (including the M*g host) and almost as bright. It's smaller, plus, the tailswitch is a lot handier than than the twist head on the M*g. Guestimated runtime is 20 hours. You can buy a lot of AA cells for the difference in price. If you wait for a sale, you might buy one for C$14.99 like I did last year.

<edit>If you buy the 2AA 4LED (C$24.99), it's even brighter than the Newbeam</edit>

http://safeco2.home.att.net/dorcy2.htm
http://ledmuseum.home.att.net/newbeam.htm
http://safeco2.home.att.net/dorcy3.htm

LEDMuseum:
Opalec: 33,100mcd
Dorcy 3LED: 22,800mcd
Dorcy 4LED: 44,100mcd

Here is the runtime plot for the Opalec New Beam.
Here is the runtime plot for the MiniStar2.

Point of interest: The Opalec is the only light that I know of that shows you when it's time to change batteries (a small red led lights up).

batteries are not a problem since i have rechargeable energizer and duracell ones with a duracell charger (nimh)

[ QUOTE ]
SilverFox said:
Hello Craig,

Is there any comparison between the Opalec and the TerraLUX MiniStar2?

Tom

[/ QUOTE ]
Hi Tom,

I don't know where my Opalec-outfitted Mini-Mag is at the moment (the cleaners may have gotten it or hidden it somewhere in late 2002), so I can't compare them for you, sorry. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif