LEDs for Mini Mag

pacmanfan

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I keep buying LEDs from WalMart for my MiniMag, and they continue to burn out. The last two haven't lasted as long as a set of generic AA batteries. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif
Are there any LEDs out there that'll put out more light and will last longer? Battery life is so good as it is, I'd like to get some more light! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 

Billson

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Try the sandwich shoppe. If the leds keep burning out, they must not be for the minimag. Leds are supposed to last 100,000 hours if driven properly.
 

eebowler

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Hello pacmanfan, welcome to the CPF /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/party.gif and to our madness. B@rt...

Are you refering to red LEDs? If you want more light, first try more LEDs. I'm sure with the right configuration, you can fit at least five, 5mm LEDs in a minimag. If you deffinately prefer to try some other brand, check out ledsdirect or ledsupply or superbrightleds or another one which I can't seem to find.
 

shiftd

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perhaps you are using red leds? using alkaline to drive red led tend to overdrive it, so that might be why.
again, try sammich shoppe
 

B@rt

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welcome.gif
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 

lymph

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Try the Opalec NewBeam. It's a regulated LED head for the mini-mag. It's not the same type of beam as the stock MiniMag, but it lasts a lot longer and stays at the same brightness for 10 hours. I really like mine.
 

_mike_

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In addition the Lambda's new MiniPro, he also has a $25.00 drop in pill (called the SMD+). E-mail him to be sure it's available though, it says he's out of stock at this moment. It said out of stock when I ordered mine too.

Anyway, I use it in my mini-mag and like it quite a bit. You can find it .... here.
 

notrefined

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I don't know about more light, but I have a 5mm LED from radioshack in my minimag right now that's been burning for more than a week on a single set of alkalines...getting kinda dim, but still going.
 

notrefined

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mine was just a drop-in....all you have to do is trim the leads, and drill out the reflector for the larger emitter.
 

greenLED

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Yup, do as notrefined said: trim the leads, bend them a little with a pair of pliers so they fit into the switch, and that's it! Well, not quite... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif If the LED doesn't light up, pull it out, turn 180º and put it back in (polarity matters here!). If you use a 5mm LED you won't even have to drill out the reflector.

Not very bright, but the light runs for a loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong time. I had mine on for about 10 days non-stop, until my wife got tired of it and turned off and shoved it in a drawer somewhere.
 

greenLED

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Hey, pacmanfan!
You state LED's from Walmart keep burning out... regular LED's don't just burn out like that in a mini-mag. Besides, I don't remember seeing LED's in Walmart.

Do you mean the Mini-mag *bulb* that you get from Walmart keeps burning? Yes, the regular mini-mag bulbs burn quite often. One solution is to replace the *bulb* with some kind of an LED (either 3mm, 5mm -dim but long runtime- or a Luxeon - very bright but shorter runtime).

Please clarify so we can help you further. Welcome to CPF.
 

jbfla

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[ QUOTE ]
pacmanfan said:
I keep buying LEDs from WalMart for my MiniMag, and they continue to burn out.!

[/ QUOTE ]

How about replacing that MiniMag?

A Gerber Trio is about the same size as a MiniMag, uses 2 AA batteries, has a heavy duty case, and is designed around 3 LEDs.

The cost for the whole light is about what you would pay for an LED drop in for the MiniMag... $20 plus shipping from Battery Station CPF Specials page.

http://www.batterystation.com/cpf.htm

JB
 

pacmanfan

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Thanks for the welcome, guys. Friendly place, I like it /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

greenLED is right, I'm using regular BULBS as it is, not LEDs. I never knew that regular bulbs came in the LED form factor.

I'm looking at the Illuminator SMD, with the Luxeon bulb. I see that runtime is far less than with a stock MiniMag, or at least the times it's run for ME on 1600mAH NiMHs. How does light output compare? One hour of runtime is enough for me, as long as light output is a bit better.

What degree viewing angle would I need in a bulb with the Illuminator to keep about the same range of beamwidth as a stock Minimag? It's nice to be able to focus precisely, as well as having a pocket floodlight /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Would it be overkill if I used the Illuminator plus this LED? Would my battery life drop to 10-15 minutes? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif http://www.superbrightleds.com/specs/w4_specs.htm

Thanks for all the replies!
 

eebowler

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That LED has an 'IF' ie foward current of 20 mA. Any Luxeon LED will be able to handle a foward current of up to 400mA safely in a sandwhich module. The illuminator SMD, made by Lambda is made for Luxeon LEDs.It provides something like 350mA to the LED which should be between two and three times brighter than the stock maglite bulb.
 

PlayboyJoeShmoe

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I don't have them in MiniM*gs but do have 5mm "white" LEDs by Coast in 2 2AA lights.

One with 2Lithium AA's is nice in DARK. One runs on 3N and is brighter.

My three MiniM*gs have: Opalec in Green mini, Madmax+ in Black mini, and Lambda 3W Pill in Blue mini.

If you want a nice LONG lasting light for close up use, I don't think anything beats the Opalec.

If you go with a drop in Lux, get a Lux3! I haven't seen a truly white 1W LED yet, save the one in my Inova XO. The Madmax is Purpleish, my KL3 is PINK!

The Lambda pill is just AWESOME!!!!!
 

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