New owner of a Madmax

All I can say is WOW. Totally amazing. Popped this sandwich(which was very easy) into a $6 (Target) pewter Minimag and there you go. Not as bright as a standard minimag however the beautiful WHITE color of the beam as well as the shape (which is a perfect circle without rings) is well worth the loss of brightness. Also it seems it has a bit better flood action despite having a nice narrow beam.

Just curious (so I can brag to my brother about it) but how long would a standard minimag go on a set of batteries (madmax is something like 90 min full power then a bit more)?

Look for the runtime plots in the "Reviews Forum".

You can actually adjust the madmax for output. Turn it down for longer run time and up for shorter run time.

What is the turndown rate of the Madmax any how? Can I get a 5 hr runtime if I turn it down enough?

Yes you can get 5 hours.
I turned it down till it was as bright as two opalec newbeams approximately and it lasted seven hours.

Another guy said he got 4 hours from a setting that was 3/4 the output of the arcls 400 hybrids. I'm trying to duplicate this right now.

I use an opalec newbeam or a lightwave 2100 with fresh batteries to calibrated my madamx setting by shining both on the ceiling and adjusting relative to the lightwave or newbeam.

Cave Dave - I have my MadMax set for 3 hours of run time. After 3 hours it drops into "moon" mode. The moon mode starts as bright as my PT Attitude and after 5 more hours it is about the same as my CMG Infinity. After 24 hours (total)it is just a little dimmer than my CMG Infinity. This is using Energizer Alkaline batteries.

EDIT: I loaded new AA Alkaline batteries in with the MadMax at 9AM Friday to do a run time test. The CMG Infinity has a new AA Lithium battery and is only turned on when comparing brightness. The CMG Infinity had the "black dot" removed to double its brightness a while ago.

+3 hours (noon) dropped into moon mode
+12 hours (9pm) as bright as my CMG Infinity
+24 hours (9am Sat) almost as bright as Infinity
+36 hours (9pm Sat) almost as bright as Infinity

At the 36 hour mark I can easily read and see across a room with the light. The hot spot is brighter than the infinity, but the overall light is a bit less.

+48 hours (9am Sun) it is still going! It is about half as bright as the Infinity. Still bright enough to read by and see around a dark room.

+55 hours (6pm Sun) it was going. It was out at 7pm. Wow.

the moon mode is as bright as an attitude?

that is still pretty darn bright!

Bob

Originally posted by pedalinbob:
the moon mode is as bright as an attitude?

that is still pretty darn bright!

Bob

Click to expand...

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Yes - it is as bright as my Attitude for over an hour in moon mode. I'm impressed. The MadMax I have is brigher than the MiniM*g bulb it replaced and has a very white (no blue tint) light.

I am amazed that the MadMax is still putting out a usable amount of light after 36 hours of continuous run time on Alkaline AA batteries.

I can't say for certain if my Madmax is brighter than the original bulb or not. It may be that the inca bulb threw farther.

Makes no difference to me. The Madmax is so damn useful of beam (and just blue enough to freak out other drivers!) that you could not force me nor pay me enough to ever carry a stock M!n!M*g again!

It goes everywhere my jeans go baby!

Seems to me the std minimag bulb is about as bright as the opalec, so any luxeon thing should be brighter. (caveat: using NiMHs)

> "Not as bright as a standard minimag"

This is the first time that I have heard anybody say that a MadMax (or BadBoy) is NOT as bright as standard minimag!

datzip will NOT be happy :-(

- Vikas

Wasnt trying to slight the Madmax at all by saying it was not as bright as the original. I just had another minimag and i placed the 2 beams over each other and it just appeared that the original beam stood out. May have been because of the desparity in beam color. However if I shine the 2 lights on something 15 or 20 feet away the MM shows it better due to the full glow of the beam and slightly wider flood action (this with minimag on as tight a beam as i can get).

Ill retest a bit (already gave the original minimag away so have to get it back to retest)

Believe me, these lights definitely have the power. The optics you have make a great flood light which is what most people really need. However if you put a modest reflector on they will blind you at 300 feet as well as put a glow on most of the area in between. Unfortunately larger reflectors don't fit well in a pocket.

I have a feeling Masseter's MadMax is at a low setting.

My BadBoy 400 eats incandescant MiniMags for lunch and is on par with a Mag 2D with absolutely fresh batteries. (And after not too long of running the batteries down, eats the 2D for lunch too)

Ok changed settings on Madmax as high as I can get it.

I think the problem is that the Original Minimag is not really comparable to a Madmax. Like apples and oranges. Minimag can be focused to a fairly tight ring and is a bright yellowish color. The madmax is fairly tight but not as tight as the Minimag. In the end the Minimag does appear brighter in the focused circle however I think the Madmax gives you a better visual appearance of what you would like to see.

Anyways I cant say its brighter then the original however It sure works better IMHO.

I got my Cyan Madmax yesterday! Hoo Boy, is that puppy bright!!! You have to take a Cyan Madmax outside to appreciate it's brightness!