What Is A Maglite Bulb's Voltage Rating?

I mean, is a 3-cell Mag bulb (either krypton or xenon) rated for 3.6V (i.e. 3X1.2V, which is normal for other bulbs) or something else? The reason I am asking is because the instructions for the Mag light says that you should use alkalines rather than NiMh cells which leads me to believe that the 3-cell bulb could be rated at 4.5V (3X1.5V). This could also explain why it is relatively easy to over-drive Mag bulbs (for eg. using a 3-cell bulb in a 4-cell light). Anyone knows the answer?

The bulbs are rated according to he total voltage of the number of alkaline cells in the given light:

2 cell = 3 volts, 3 cell = 4.5 volts, 4 cell = 6 volts etc


Ofcourse lower voltage won't harm the bulb, it just won't burn as bright.

All the Mag and pretty much all of the PR base bulbs I've ever seen are rated as some multiple of 1.2V... not sure why, but that's been my experience. Usually the Mag brand bulbs just say the number of cells they are for. I've always thought that maybe with alkaline cells, the voltage drops pretty quickly under actual load or something to that effect, thus the 1.2 multiple rating system.

Indeed at 1.2 volts per cell. 1.5 volt cells are only 1.5 volts when new.

My mistake. As you can see I am "Unenlightened".

Maybe with time I will be enlightened.

cratz2 said:

All the Mag and pretty much all of the PR base bulbs I've ever seen are rated as some multiple of 1.2V... not sure why, but that's been my experience. Usually the Mag brand bulbs just say the number of cells they are for. I've always thought that maybe with alkaline cells, the voltage drops pretty quickly under actual load or something to that effect, thus the 1.2 multiple rating system.

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I agree. That has always been my experience with other bulbs too but Mag is the only brand I know that specifies the use of alkalines and warns against the use of NiMh which leads me to wonder if their bulbs are rated at a multiple of 1.5V instead of the usual 1.2V. Using NiMh cells on bulbs that are rated at a multiple of 1.5V would certainly result in a dim light - something that Mag wouldn't want.