Opinions of 32 White LED Retrofit Bulbs?

Anybody have any opinions of the 32 white 5mm Nicha retrofit bulbs for Mag lights that you can find on Ebay, Goldengadgets.com, etc. One of my neighbors is really new to flashlights and wanted to try modding his old 2C Mag with 2x123s and a retrofit buld like this one from Golden Gadgets.

I told him, he'd be better off with a Luxeon mod, but he's new and wants to start slow and easy.

Any opinions?

I have one of these on a 4d mag of mine. Not really impressed with it. It is like a close in flood light with no throw whatsoever. For 40 bucks you are better off with an EverLed or some of the Diamond drop ins. I absolutely agree with your assessment of your friend being better off with a Luxeon mod or drop in. The 32 led retrofit feels like starting backwards and not slow and easy. You can get so much more for fourty dollars than the 32 led retrofit. If was priced lower it might be worth it but absolutely encourage your friend to go in the Luxeon direction.

Yeah, I'd say for the money you'd be better off with an Everled. It's still an easy slide into the world of LEDs, but it's going to be a lot more fun than those multiple-LED retrofits. .

Only time I'd go for the 32 led 5mm is if it was for the UV version. Luxeon is much more practical.

Tell him, if he wants the ultimate LED light, that he should send it in to Wayne (ElektroLumens) to install 5 Luxeon III's.

Personally, I have a little 3xAAA light that has 18 or 19 LEDs... very nice flood and noticably brighter than an X5T. But it was less than $10.

On something like a C or D cell Mag, I'd strongly suggest someone go for an EverLED or Diamond. And then I'd suggest it again. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Don't even bother with it.
The side emitter lux3 maggmod blew my 32 led adaptor away.
The 32 led kit doesn't even have any heatsinking to stay cool with.
Mine overheated, stunk up a 3D magg host and lost an led.
It's now a working 31 led kit for the 3 cell.
A 4 cell version getting pushed with 5.5-6 volts may not last long at all. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/str.gif
My vote would be to go with the cheaper and slightly cooler running 20 led version instead.

EdiT:
Here's an old pic of a 3 cell TV1K maggmod left,
A stock 3 cell middle and the 31 led adaptor on the right.



A spaceneedle2 clone that's not even overdriven is about as bright, or brighter than all 3 of these put together. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

One more edit:
These do not appear to even be Nichia leds, but some of the cheaper Chinese ones in the 32 led kit. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif

Thanks guys! I guess that confirms my thoughts as well. I'll see if I can talk him into a Luxeon instead.

Thanks!