TerraLux Upgrade for 2AA Mini Maglite

Phil Elmore

Phil Elmore

Joined
Feb 28, 2002
Messages
7,636
I've just finished evaluating the TerraLux MiniStar2 Luxeon diode retrofit kit for the 2AA Mini Maglite. I absolutely love it. If you have any 2AA Maglites kicking around (I had several lying all but forgotten amidst my toolboxes and survival gear) I would strongly recommend equipping them with the diode, which squeezes (according to TerraLux) six times the battery life out of two AA batteries, lasts 100,000 hours of use (making it essentially a lifetime bulb -- a huge improvement on the burn-out-when-you-look-at-them-funny factory Maglite bulbs), and is brighter and whiter (it looks blue on camera compared to the Maglite's yellow cast) than the factory light.

terralux01.jpg


Link to Full Review
 
Mine's holding up well. The only thing that I didn't like was the rings that are also a problem with a bulb'd Minimag, but a LDF lens will take care of that and make a great flashlight. .
 
Are you saying all the dark rings are eliminated with this Terralux conversion kit? Even in all focus positions?

N2
 
No, he means he installed a special lens -- you get some rings when you focus the light even with the TerraLux kit. I'm not enough of a flashlight-oholic to get worked up over that, but I understand why some would want to eliminate it completely. I'm very impressed with the upgrade by itself, though.
 
Phil, great review! I've got one on one of my MiniMags as well. Got mine from pocketlights.com. For those who want to bring their MiniMags into the 21st century, the TerraLux MiniStar2 is the ticket.
 
Phil, thanks for the review(s), always helpful to read someone else's hands on prior to laying out the hard earned $s. Quick question, with the retro fit do you lose the 'candle' option with the minimag? That's come in handy for me once or twice, though I'd take the exented battery life and higher lumens over that feature if it came down to it.

btw, you wondered at the use of colored lens as an add on for the minimag: We were actually issued minimags with plastic bezel and colored lens in Korea (early 90's). The red came in handy at night during field problems. I use a red photon now, but the red filtered maglight would be useful for night vision concious folks on the civilian side too. I like a bit of star gazing, and use red light to adjust my 'scope without blowing my eyes late at night.
 
You can still use the candle option with the Terralux kit with the SE Luxeon, but the other flavor with 4 LEDs doesn't look to me like it would work as well. It's a stupid-bright candle, but it's a candle. .
 
I retrofitted my 2-AA MiniMag with the TerraLux MiniStar2 TLE-5 upgrade.

Wow. It makes a hugh difference. It's a different light. My MiniMag has been recalled from retirement. It's great for walking the dog.

I wish I could find a similar upgrade for my 2-AAA MiniMag.
 
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