Please help me mod my maglites

Face

Enlightened
Joined
Dec 27, 2004
Messages
252
Hello,

I have a small collection of various maglites (I thought they were the business until I came here /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif ) that i would like to try and convert to LEDs.

My main aim is purely brightness, not worried about battery runtime at all BUT if there happens to be something that also has a good runtime, then great.

Now I know brightness is subjective and means different things to different people, but what I'm looking for is that WOW!!! factor as much as possible. Would prefer a good combination of throw and spill as opposed to one or the other, but if I had to pick one or the other it would definately be throw.

Anything i buy to enhance these lights will need to be complete drop-ins or kits etc that a 4-year-old could fit, as I have absolutely no soldering skills (in fact, i wouldn't even know which end is the dangerous end of a soldering iron /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif )

It would also help if the items are available in the UK or failing that from somewhere that will ship cheaply to the UK.

I've found some solutions that I'm hoping you might be able to comment on and perhaps recommend better solutions.

The lights I have are:


Maglite AAA Solitaire
-----------------------

Haven't really found anything for this yet. Might not even be worth doing if the Peak AAA hi-powers are any good.


Maglite 2AAA
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I've seen on Lambda's website that he has used an MJLED pill in a 2AAA, but is this a one off that he's done or will the standard MJLED kit fit. Or does he offer a specific MJLED kit for 2AAA that include the refelectors etc? I have mentioned this a couple of times in the MJLED thread, but I think it's just been overlooked. Would also like to get a clicky tailcap for this, if they are available.


Maglite 2AA
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I've put my name on the incredibly-long list for one of Lambda's drop-in HD pill kits. This looks like it's going to be quite an upgrade. But is there anything better? Would also like to get a clicky tailcap for this, if they are available.


Maglite 3C
------------

I quite like the look of the Diamond 3 Watt LED Maglite® bulb replacement:

http://www.quality-items-flashlights.com/index.php?cPath=26&XTCsid=1a697dddafc059c1164ecd81bcc0ac97

but again, there might well be something better that I'm unaware of.


Maglite 6D
------------

I've seen several options for this, but I'm not sure which would best suit my needs. I've seen the inretech helios and trilight (at least I think that's what they are called), but they are like $200 which is a little steep for me /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Well, i think that's just about it. All i can do now is leave it to you experts!

Many thanks in advance,

Face
 

modamag

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Messages
2,101
Location
Bay Area, CA
What type of batteries are you planning of using or have available?
Alkaline | NiCd | NiMh | Lithium | Li-IOn?
 

davidefromitaly

Enlightened
Joined
May 16, 2004
Messages
635
Location
43.66 N - 13.13 E
if you want much output you must overdrive, so you need a big heat dissipator

if you want also a lot of runtime you must direct drive /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

a very simple mod can be:

3C mag: a TxxJ lux-III with 3 ni-mh C cells, the led is a bit overdrived at around 1.2amps and the runtime can be around 6-8h

6D mag: a WxxU lux-V with 6 ni-mh D cells, the led is hard overdrived at more than 1amp and the runtime more than 10 hours

but in the best case you obtain no more than 250lm... this is the limit of leds, if you want a real BRIGHT mag think about super-bulbs /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

with incandescents is easy to reach5-600 lm in the 3C and 2000 in the 6D /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 

hotbeam

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jan 2, 2003
Messages
1,737
Location
Melb, AU
Lots of options here. The only true drop in solution that works well is for the 2AA, available from the Shoppe. Look for under "drop-in Sandwiches".

There is also the Everled for the C and D lights. Brightness is OK.

That Diamond thing... forget about it.

Or for that ultimate wow factor, you can use the Hotlips heatsink (link below). You will need to know which end of the soldering iron to use though /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 

Face

Enlightened
Joined
Dec 27, 2004
Messages
252
Batteries would be probably nimh or alkaline but would consider any sort for maximum effect.

Hotbeam: What's up with the Diamond? Is it rubbish or something? it had good reviews over at flashlightreviews or ledmusuem.
 

CroMAGnet

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Sep 4, 2004
Messages
2,540
Location
Los Gatos, CA
I have one and I saw that it has no heatsink so what I heard was since it can't disipate heat well it tends to run hot and that shortens the LEDs life and even robs it of output as time goes by.
 

pacmanfan

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Sep 28, 2004
Messages
52
Location
Mansfield, MO
Check out these threads for more info on superbulbs:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=833154&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=365&fpart=1
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=834234&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=365&fpart=1
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=824014&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=365&fpart=1

Hats off to Ginseng for putting all this information together in one place /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

If there's a product mentioned that you don't know what it is/does, try doing a search for it on the forums--There should be enough discussions on it to tell you what it is, and what sort of things it's useful for.
 
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