Modding my 2D m@g, please help, ideas wanted

HELLO!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Been lurking for a little while. Finally decided to join. The information from this site helped me "mod" my first flashlight. I put an Everled in my 3D m@g.

I know, I know "Big Whoop"... but I had to start somewhere.

I am already lusting after an Elektrolumens Phazer... but that's a different story entirely.

I need some help:

I want to do something to my old 2D m@g... "something wonderful". I want that thing to be as BRIGHT as it can be... no concern for battery run time or anything else... just BRIGHT.

I was thinking of gettin a 2d to 3 123a conversion tube from elektrolumens, and then putting a M@glite Xenon bulb designed for the 6D on top.

If that is a DUMB idea... please, let me know. I am open to whatever. I will send it anywhere it needs to go.

Thanks guys, I appreciate the help.

Have a good one,

StainlessSteel

SS,
Not a dumb idea at all! I did the same to a 2C Mag and used a glass lens from Flashlightlens. This is a easy, cheap and reliable conversion for a Mag and will keep you happy for a short while. Unfortunately whatever you do with a Mag once you start getting into lights you will find out how poor the beam quality is and use the poor Mag less and less.
However, look on the bright side (no pun intended)at least it will be a fun conversion and will make the Mag useful for a while.
Doug

for more out put, use the reflectalite gh24. twice the output, can't beat that. THe trade off being shorter run time.

You know, I have always been impressed by the 6-D mag xenon bulb's beam. it's nice and has great throwke it.....

Good idea. I just got my 3AA-D adapters from Elecktrolumens today. Put them in a 2D Mag with Radio Shack KPR118 bulb. Already had a glass lens with Writeright installed. Just testing in a dark room, seems like it will have plenty of light with a better throw than my 2C mag /3x123 with sputtered reflector and not as much flood.

Writeright or Scotch satin tape on the lens will work magic to clean up the beam.

Easy to do, not terribly expensive and very satisfying when you compare before and after!!!!

You could use a hotlips heatsink, a K or L forward voltage LED and direct drive it off of 3C cells, in the 2D light.

You'll never have to worry about buying bulbs and you'll get really good runtimes. It'll be really bright too.

I have 2 2D Mags now. One is running the WA1274 bulb with 2 x 3 123s batteries. I'm pulling 2.65A consistently, which is just under spec. VERY bright. Even brighter is my WA1166 with 2 EL 3AA-to-D adapters loaded up with 6 3V AA batteries. This is running a hair over the 1.97A spec at 2.01A. This is BLINDING! It's over 700 lumens!

Of course both of these require things like Borofloat or UCL lenses from flashlightlens.com and an aluminum reflector to replace the stock plastic one.

These 2 are definitely my 2 favorite 2D mods.

One obscure mod (that uses very expensive batteries) is to use the WA1185 bulb with a 3 x 4 CR2 configuration. This drives the bulb at spec in a tiny 2D package, but CR2 batteries are a killer on the wallet. Just to see the 800+ lumens coming from a 2D is pretty cool though.

Just realized you might not know where to get this stuff.

www.elektrolumens.com
www.walamp.com
www.flashlightlens.com

The Welch Allyn lamps need to be potted to easily drop into a 2D Mag bulb pedestal. Most CPF'ers use Carley Lamps for this service.

www.carleylamps.com

Check out the group buy section for WA and CL buys. There is always at least 1 active buy just because of the popularity.

is there an adaptor that puts three 123 batteries into the size of a d battery? so i can have nine 123s in a 2D mag?

SOLOCO:

Thank you for the help. But... I am having problems understanding what you said... with the different bulbs and battery somethings. I am trying to understand, but am having much difficulty.

Thanks.

S

Welcome to CPF! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

There are a number of configs you can use, the brightest of which puts a Welch Allyn (WA) lamp into the 2D Mag with the 3toD battery holders you're thinking of. The Mag will accomodate 6 AA NiMH cells in those holders (alkalines won't work due to extremely high current draw). You then need to purchase a suitable WA lamp that will run off the voltage you're supplying (7.2V nominal), my personal recommendation is the WA1111, there are others that will work as well.

Because this beast of a lamp will turn the Mag reflector into runny liquid plastic in a matter of minutes, you need to replace the reflector with a metal one. Fivemega is selling some metal ones in the Group Buys section of this site. Same goes for the awful plastic lens, you need to replace it with a glass lens, the best choice for the job is the Borofloat (Pyrex, or very close to it - same stuff as the cookware) that can tolerate the heat, made available from flashlightlens.com. You'll need the 52mm version for D-sized Mags.

I planned to build this config once upon a time, but I chose to go with a 3D Mag (9 cells) and a WA1185 as it is more powerful.

Welcome to CPF, StainlessSteel.

Check out these machined aluminum Mag reflectors that fivemega is getting a group buy together for:

fivemega's Exact Fit Aluminum Mag Reflectors

It appears you can put your dibs in on them in three different finishes: Mirror, LOP (Light Orange Peel) and MOP (Medium Orange Peel).

The LOP and MOP have a texture referred to as "orange peel". It smooths the beam.

The ultra clear lenses (UCL) from Flashlightlens.com are an excellent suggestion.

Ok guys, i was looking at the Welch Allyn lamps you were talking about. I am guessing you mean the "halogen" ones. But in the listings they say "MINIATURE HALOGEN TWO-PIN LAMP"... does that lamp just drop into the mag, or do i need something else to attach it to?

Will these WA bulbs and aluminum reflectors referenced above work in a Mag 2C?

the aluminum reflectors will be the best thing you can do for the mag. I've had one like last year from a GB from otoyama on my 4c mag and it's beam is as good as the surefires now! but at 4 times the size! but for the 2D you can shove in 3x123's or else i go to radio shack for those 8aa holders and work it in for 6aa's and then a 5 cell mag bulb and it's blazing then! with a UCL you are mint!

Just to clarify:
The Welch-Allyn bulbs are not furnished with a PR base (i.e. a regular flashlight bulb base). They need to be potted into a PR base to drop into a Mag.
There is a company that will do this, but you've got to furnish the bulbs and they've got a high minimum order.
So, what you want to do is get in on a group buy for the bulbs and, as noted above, for some kind of aluminum reflector (start with a Light Orange Peel finish - LOP- for starters).
Theres a group buy on bulbs and reflectors now being wrapped up by litho123. Check the thread and see if there's any left-overs expected (not unusual) or get in on the next one (which I think is already forming).

In the mean time, you can have fun with ElectroLumens adapters which let you put 3 AA batteries into a single "D" shell. Two of those let you drop 9 volts into your 2D mag and then you can mess around with bulbs like the KPR112 (Radio Shack) or GH-24 (www.reflectalite.com) or some of the higher voltage Mag replacement bulbs. Lots of fun.
Cheers,
Bob

Any similar ideas for a 3D mag? Most mods I see here are for 2Ds.