Is there L:E:D conversions for c battery mag-lites ?

K

Kevin the grey

Joined
Aug 26, 2005
Messages
4,106
I have a 3 C battery mag-lite . I am wondering if they have a conversion kit for it . It already has a switch So I would only need the L:E:d: side of things .
 
MagLite sells their own LED upgrades, that work in either their C- or D-cell lights. I have one in a 2C, and it rocks.
 
Niteize sells a LED bulb upgrade for the D and C cell Maglite. I bought one in Wal-Mart recently for around $8.50. Maglite does have their own LED bulb as mentioned, but they are pricey at around $18.50. I would like to see a performance comparison between the Niteize and Maglight bulbs. Maglite advertises their bulb at 3 watts. Niteize does not say, I emailed Niteize for the wattage of their conversion bulb weeks ago...no answer.
 
Thanks guys I checked them out . The niteyes (sp) looks like a better unit than the mag-lite . The mag one looks like their regular lightbulb so you just change the bulb and the other looks to take slightly longer .

Its not a bad price . $8.50 is still a chunk of change for a light bulb .
 
Mr. Turnip , an excellent site . Most of the other sites did not have such a large selection of different wattages and options available .

My 3C mag is the one I hunt with . (most people prefer rifles . I prefer a challenge .) L:O:L

I have used a mini-mag and just don,t find it adequate in some cases . A 3D cell is heavier than I prefer . The one thing I would like is to extend battery run time . Now I have to decide on wattage . Whatever is closest to the original output will suit me .

I cannot wait until L:E:d:s are old news and the next thing offered to us will outshine everything . Heck if flashlights get much stronger I won,t need a firestarting kit . L:O:L
 
The local Wally World doesn't sell the Nite Ize Conversion for the larger lights, but I have used the Maglite brand unit that they sell. I installed one for a friend. Very nice units, and you really do get better battery life. From batteries that wouldn't turn on an incandesent bulb, he has gotten LED service for the last 3 months.
 
I own the Nite-Ize, MagLite and Diamond 3W & 1W LED conversions.

The Nite-Ize runs forever, but is by far the dimmest. Seriously, I own MiniMag conversions that put out more light. It's intended more for finding your way around the house during a blackout, and getting a week of that outta a set of batteries, than for lighting up the far end of your yard. It's excellent for lanterns and such, but in a full-size MagLite, a waste IMHO.

The Diamond 3W used to be king of the hill, and even today, is still a whole lotta light. But at $30-40, it was and is pricey. Also, you need to put it in a 3-cell light to get the most out of it; in a 2-cell light, it's no brighter than the 1W.

The MagLite LED doens't look like much, but it's by far the brightest. The only downside is, it doesn't stay that bright; after 15 minutes or so, it's running less bright than the Diamond 3W. (Not a bug, it's the way it's designed: max light at first, then as it heats, it cuts back a bit.) If you only use the light intermittently, so it has a chance to cool down, you'll always get the full brightness. Oh, and Home Despot has them for $15-something each, even cheaper than WallyWorld; that's about half the best price I've seen for the Diamond 3W, and double what the Nite-Ize costs.

I stand by my original advice: the MagLite LED is the best bang for the buck.
 
I have a 2D Maglite, and got the "Diamond® Luxeon 1W LED flashlight bulb replacement". It is much brighter/whiter than with the original bulb, and it stays that way for hours and hours, actually for days. I ran mine for almost two days continually, before I noticed any serious dimming. It is almost unbelievable :)
 
Doc the 3C conversion I saw was good for all C size Mags . That might be different for different brands .

I find the 3 C size the lightest for the amount of light produced . Small enough to fit in a big hunting jacket pocket .
 
Kevin the grey said:
I find the 3 C size the lightest for the amount of light produced . Small enough to fit in a big hunting jacket pocket .
Click to expand...
Agreed. Two cells (C or D) just aren't enough to run a filament hot enough to put out useful light.

I know you originally asked about LEDs, but have you tried a Xenon bulb in your 3C? MagLite calls theirs the "Mag-Num Star". They run about $5 each, but put out a lot brighter, whiter light than the stock krypton bulbs, and throw that light a helluva lot farther than any LED can do.

Just last night I was out walking the dog with my Xenon 3C, I was lighting up the trees on the other side of the pond, about 250 yards away. None of my LED lights can even come close!
 
Gryffin ? good to know . I thought the darn thing came with the brightest light available from them . Heck we pay enough for those things .

The xenon bulb must suck the batteries dry faster ?

I,m kinda funny about flashlights . I used to work on super dangerous construction sites . Illumination from a mini-mag didn,t always show all the dangers . I would bring my 3C occasionaly . I also break them . Replacing a mini-mag is just a pain . Replacing a 3C is cutting into my beer drinking money . L:O:L
 
Kevin the grey said:
The xenon bulb must suck the batteries dry faster ?
Click to expand...
Not according to MagLite: http://maglite.com/lampspecs_ccell.asp

I think they just burn hotter, and hence brighter, on the same current.

Another old trick is overdriving the krypton bulbs; for example, putting a 3-cell bulb into a 4-cell light, or a 4- or 5-cell bulb in a 6-cell light. The extra juice makes the bulbs burn hotter and whiter, but they also burn out faster. (Before you ask, a 2-cell krypton bulb in a 3-cell light just goes "pfft". Also, you can't overdrive the xenon bulbs; those already run right on the edge!)

Kevin the grey said:
Replacing a mini-mag is just a pain . Replacing a 3C is cutting into my beer drinking money . L:O:L
Click to expand...
Better be careful... first you start looking to upgrade your MagLite, then you start looking into buying better-made lights that make your MagLites look cheap... pretty soon you're a full-fledged Flashaholic, and your beer money will be a distant memory!! (And you thought knives were bad that way!! ;) )
 
Gryffin,

Thanks for the Maglite link.

Do you find that the Xenon bulbs burn faster than the krypton?

Doc
 
So far, no. Haven't burned one out yet. Of course, I've only been using them for a couple months now.
 
i know this is off topic but does anyone find that LEDs give a blurry light thats hard to pick out anything your shining?!
 
For not much more then the 3C LED upgrade you could get the 2 or 3 AA mag LED. A lot easier to Carry and very bright.
 
L:G:&M

That intrigues me . While I don,t find my 3C a chore to carry I didn,t know you can buy a min-mag L:E:D: flashlight . How do they compare to the original min-mag for brightness, focus ?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top