Mini-Mag 2AA LED upgrades

B

Buck268

Joined
Nov 5, 2006
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Well, I purchased a Nite-Ize LED upgrade kit for one of my mini-mags a few months back. All in all fairly satisfied with it; nice uniform flood beam, very bright, seems to have lengthed battery life. But it has a weird blueish tint and a very short beam pattern. In other words horrible projection.

So the question becomes, is there any LED conversion kits out there that have the nice uniform beam while still having good projection? I would think it would be most dependent on the reflector so possibly some single-LED setups instead of the triple LED's in the Nite-Ize...
 
I' ve used a few upgrade kits for my Mini Mags, including the Nite Ize versions. It has been regulated for bicycle nite light use where calling for attention is more realistic than any illumination capability. If you want to save time and even some $, then think about getting MagLites AA LED series. I have the 3 AA version. This 3 watter throws a very bright white uniform beam with excellent spill. And retains some focusing capability. However, the familiar dark rings are still visible. But no where as annoying as with stock incandescent Maglights. IME, the bright beam cancells out any need for focusing. I don' t have the 2 AA model. And it is rated for at least 4.5 hours run time. The 3 AA should then have an even longer run time. The 3 AA model, batteries and belt sheath included ran $25 at my local Home Depot. I recently saw the 2 AA at Lowes for the same price.

N.

www.dozierknives.com/forum
 
I'm no flashlight expert, but I'm very pleased with my Mag-LED 2AA. Seems to have good throw/projection, and makes a nice bright beam. Doesn't focus like an incandescent Mag, but it's so much brighter that I don't miss it.
 
I have the 2AA Maglite with Nite-ize conversion and the new 2AA LED Maglite, I like them both but prefer the newer one.

The new Maglite has only one LED, it is longer and costs more but it is much brighter and it seems less bluish to me. The beam is not as uniform but can be focused, so it reaches farther though I believe less than a non-LED Maglite. I really don't use them too much and don't know about battery life.

Luis


Click to enlarge
 
For really LONG runtimes with pretty good brightness take a look at the super MJLED replacements -

Detailed comparison reviews -

MJLED drop-in for MiniMag 2AA

super MJLED drop-in for MiniMag 2AA

The latest version is the MJ(LED)2 sold at the Sandwich Shoppe -

easiest is the kit -

MJ 2-AA Module kit [2AA-bp] ($10.99)

If you're willing to do some DIY then just buy -

Super MJ LED (4-die) - Cutdown [SMJ-CD] ($5.25)
(I think these are the super MJLEDs as I reviewed and not the latest MJ(LED)2 )

Detailed Instructions on how to fit the super MJLED @ Lambda


--
Vincent
http://clik.to/UnknownVT2007
http://clik.to/UnknownVT2006
http://clik.to/UnknownVT2005
http://clik.to/UnknownVT2004
http://clik.to/UnknownVincent
 
tholiver said:
but have heard a few bad things about the Nite-Ize LED conversion units.
Click to expand...

The Nite-Ize (3LED) replacement for the 2AA MiniMag is generally well regarded -

Review -

Nite Ize drop in module

It's their L.E.D. Upgrade for C & D Cells that was disappointing to some - being not as bright as one would expect for flashlights on multiple C or D batteries.

While over at the Nite-Ize site I noticed this -

1 Watt L.E.D. Upgrade

--
Vincent
http://clik.to/UnknownVT2007
http://clik.to/UnknownVT2006
http://clik.to/UnknownVT2005
http://clik.to/UnknownVT2004
http://clik.to/UnknownVincent
 
I've been using the nite-Ize conversion for about a year now. I've liked it well enough to convert my other minimag and both of my better halfs minimags to them. I use one for my night walking the dog light. I walk my dog in the woods by my house, and the last walk of the day before I hit the sack is about 10 to 11 at night. The basic niteize drop in has good enough light to show up the trail in the woods just fine. It does not have long range throw, but I like the way the soft flood lights up the surrounding area. Also has very long run times, about double of what the mini-mag was before conversion.
 
I can't speak of the AA conversion, but recently purchased MagLite's 3-watt LED conversion for my 4-D MagLite. Personally, I dislike the bluish tint of the LED. Out in the woods in snowy or dark conditions there seems to be a lot of scatter and little contrast. In a fashion similar to earlier fog-lights, the yellowish tint of the standard bulb (when compared to the LED) offers more contrast for seeing into the brush and through the woods.

I thought part of the problem might be because the LED is trying to work in the standard reflector housing of the MagLite. So, last weekend when I saw my local Shopko offering the 3-watt LED 2 AA Mini_mag for $9.99, I grabbed one. I thought the longer reflector housing might offer some type of advantage. While I agree the 3-watt 2AA puts out a fair amount of light for a small package, again I found the light to have that same bluish tint that my aging eyes don't like. I'm sure there are people out there who strongly prefer the tint of the LED over the standard bulb. Just sharing my own experiences and preferences.
 
scm2741 said:
I can't speak of the AA conversion, but recently purchased MagLite's 3-watt LED conversion for my 4-D MagLite. Personally, I dislike the bluish tint of the LED. Out in the woods in snowy or dark conditions there seems to be a lot of scatter and little contrast. In a fashion similar to earlier fog-lights, the yellowish tint of the standard bulb (when compared to the LED) offers more contrast for seeing into the brush and through the woods.

So, last weekend when I saw my local Shopko offering the 3-watt LED 2 AA Mini_mag for $9.99, I grabbed one.
again I found the light to have that same bluish tint that my aging eyes don't like.
Click to expand...

Actually there are lots of people who would agree with you - one normally sees better under the yellow'ish incandescent than most LED lighting - and I don't think it has anything to do with aging eyes.

I thought for years my personal preference for yellow/amber in dimmer lighting (I seem to see better in terms of definition and contrast) - was just my personal taste -

But I do think it is more common for others too -
even if it comes down to conditioning and what we're used to.

Some have tried to explain it by physiology and human evolution -
for many thousands of years man's artificial light has been fires/candles which are definitely yellow/amber biassed -
also the sheer fact that when daylight is fading (eg: sunset) or just starting to be light (sunrise) the lighting is again very yellow - and those are the most critical times in nature for survival - so it stands to reason we see the clearest under those lighting conditions.
(note this is different to what the eyes are most sensitive to - which is green under daylight, and blue-green in true scotopic night vision - being most sensitive does not necessarily mean seeing the clearest in terms of definition and contrast)

Anyway to cut long story short - I agree with you -
my EDC for over 10 years has been a Yellow Photon on my keyring.

BUT I am an LED convert because of the much higher efficiencies and longer running times over incandescents

--
Vincent
http://clik.to/UnknownVT2007
http://clik.to/UnknownVT2006
http://clik.to/UnknownVT2005
http://clik.to/UnknownVT2004
http://clik.to/UnknownVincent
 
I do conceed that a slight yellowish tint is prefered to a slight blueish tint, but as with Unknown I'll take the longer run times and bulb life over the slightly improved contrast of traditional bulbs. The Nite-Ize 1W LED for the mini-mags looks very promising that you linked to Unknown, I might have to find one to try out.
 
Heres a comparison article 2 minmag led conversions Vs. Victorinox LED.
LED Light Showdown
http://www.sosakonline.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=122&Itemid=35
You might need to join SOSAK to read this though (don't worry its free).
I think i'm going to buy the Terralux conversions for the minimag and 4 C-cell maglite. I'll post comments after i get em.
Actually minmags aside the new Gerber Infinity ultra LED looks like a good lite too. :)
 
FYI, Nit- Ize offers the 3 LED conversion along with the newer/ current multi mode endcap clickie. The sequence- high, medium, low, high slow flashing, high fast flashing, off with tiny red LED beacon (slow flashing) at tailcap end seen thru the semi transparent rubber cover. Purpose to act as a locater if one is navigating in areas that may potentially cause the user to lose the light. The only way to turn the beacon off is to twist the flashlite head closed at the end of the sequence. But one needs to twist open the head in order to have the clickie functioning again. In order to get to the desired mode, a quick succession of clicks are required. If you stop and use one mode. Then it can be turned off with a single click. At every mode, the beacon is auto activated- flashing at high/ medium/ low and constant at slow and/ or slow flashing. It was reported somewhere that the beacon is auto turn off after X amount of time elapsed. Are you confused now? :)

Personally, I wouldn' t use this setup as my primary. But rather for an additioally or secondary emergency light.

N.
 
My engineer did the AA LED Nite-ize mod.

Worked fine, for a while.

Last week he went ot take it out of its pouch, and found it had "boiled over".

Dunno if he left it on or what, but was very disappointed.

Anyone ever see anything like this?? (no intent of hijacking, just cautionary post)
 
Well, I went ahead and got the MJ LED kit from the sandwich shoppe (best price, and nicest kit I found out there). Should be a huge improvement over the diffused nite-ize kit (which will go in my red-lensed minimag).
 
How does that compare with the SMJLED upgrade? Thats what I ended up getting and am somewhat curious.
 
SMJ I heard is like 35-40 lumens so 2-3x brighter but battery life isnt' as good.
 
Claims have been made of a 35hr bat life until half brightness on those SMJ's... One of the major selling points along with the adjustable beam.
 
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