Assistance needed

My main profession is in IT so I am looking for a light that will allow me to shine it into a dark lan closet or inside a PC. I need something that is bright but lasts a long time since I have to supply my own batteries but the light can't be to big in size I will be carring it inside my laptop bag. Can anyone give me some ideas? I am currently using a mini-mag and I do not think that is bright enough. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/help.gif

Thank you,

Your's is a standard mini-mag or one with a sandwich? Any price limitation? Almost all CPF'ers here only use the mini-mag body as a host and dump the bulb that came in it.

I think what you need is an LED light.

If your minimag isn't a very old model you could modify it with a drop in such as:

The MJLED

Here is a review:
MJLED Review

Or one of the various drop in 'sandwiches': Sandwiches

If you want a whole new light you could buy the XM-3 from Elektrolumens. (Availble on August 1st)

http://elektrolumens.com/4_SALE/For_Sale.html

XM-3 Review

It is a standard mini-mag. No price limitation. What would you do and where would I get those parts from, and how much of a improvement would it be?

Any of the things I mentioned above would be a huge improvement to the minimag. If cost were an option I would buy the MJLED, it's only $5. Click on the link abaove that says 'MJLED Review', it containcs pictures of the Minimag with the MJLED in it.

The sandwiches (I posted links in my previous post) are very bright. Look here for pictures:

http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews/bb_mm.htm

An inexpensive solution would be the Princeton Tec Rage. It's about $10 and is much brighter and smaller than a minimag. It's waterproof to 1000' too. It lasts about 2 to 3 hours on a set of 4 AAAs. I use mine with rechargeables for guilt free lumens.

If you wanted something a little nicer you might consider the SL Jr. Lux. It has basically the same form factor as your Mag, but uses a Luxeon LED and has a clicky tail switch. It is nicely regulated to provide constant output for about 1.5 hours on a set of 2 AAs. It can also be used with rechargeables for guilt free lumens. At about $29, it's one of those "must have" LED lights.

Ken

Also consider a Nuwai Q3. Its small, runs 1x123 and is able to take Rechargable 123s too. Its much smaller than a Mag for sure, and runs about 1.5 hrs or so on full brightness with a normal 123 cell. Using rechargables on this light makes it virtually guilt free to use all the time!

I would go for a Q3 with batterystation.com rechargeable R123 batteries. Get a third_shift TWOJ modded Q3.

Personally, I use an HDS EDC or my TW4-R, but I have a bunch of batterystation.com $1 CR123's for the HDS. I also carry an Arc AAA and a Jil-Lite DD, which runs for a long time on my discount CR2. (I am a network admin in real life.)

I would go for a Headlamp. So you have light and your hands are free to work. For work i take the Petzl Zipka+. so i have a really small headlamp.

Kilroy,
I work around and in computers, and servers also not as a primary job but as a collateral. the light I use for this type of work is a TW4 (E1E/KL4) with a Mcgizmo 2 stage swith (15ohm). It's very small, bright (flood type beam) and the light will keep light for hours upon hours. It takes 123's to power it and runs even better with rechargables.

If you aren't worried about spending over 100.00 for a great light I would suggest this one.

Doug

I am also an IT 'slave'. I edc an ElektroLumens XM-2. It is similar to the XM-3 but runs on 2 CR123's so it's a bit shorter, and tolerable on the belt. Unfortunately the light is no longer made, but you may find one for sale here in the B/S/T forums. (That's where I got mine, thanks DimBeam!) I also carry my "DayMaker" in the workbag for those demanding lighting jobs. (Modified Mag 4D - 4 U-bin lux3's with SO17's driven 2x2 with 2 Georges80 FatMan drivers) Works great as an area light if you can point it at the ceiling, practically lights up the whole room. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

For something simple I want to get a sammich for a MiniMag and try that out for a bit, but I love my XM-2 so much...

I used my little UK2AAA eled working on computers. It has 20 hours runtime on alkaline, I estimate about 12-14+ hours on nimh. It will come down to what your idea of long runtime is as the brighter you get you will drop to single digit hours or double digit minutes.
I also like headlamps, the eveready headbeam is nice and small and would be a nice addition for hands free work.

Wow, No one mentioned a Nuwai Q3 with the 2 stage switch mechanism.

I would think it fits all the criteria, and is cheaper than the Surefire combo. 2 light levels, and modded with the TWOJ or similar Luxeon it will kick butt on the MM. Since there is no two stage MM, I think it wins hands down.

Cells are cheap, in fact 123's are now cheaper than lithium AA's.

Modified B/S/T has these from reputable sellers, including a few from me, even?

I'm not really plugging mine in particular, but this light looks better and better for EDC as far as I'm concerned. 3rd Shift builds great lights, as do several others that build the 2 stage switches as well.

Bill

Maybe a Streamlight Luxeon Jr with rechargeable NiMH batteries. Lots of light, thin profile to fit in a laptop bag, $30, and no bulb to burn out. About the same size as your mini-mag. See here. Only downside is that you may want more runtime between battery swaps. But with rechargeables, that becomes less of an issue because you only pay for the batteries once.

best regards