Maglite LED upgrade

[loanrangie]

Certainly nothing new but rummaging around in our junk i came across my old 2D maglite that hasnt been used since probably the first or second set of batteries went flat, jumped on Amazon and bought an LED upgrade kit and wow what a difference.
Actually makes it useful now, i put new batteries in it yesterday and the yellow light output was less than one of those cheap 2AA torches you pick up at a servo or auto parts store near the register. $14 well spent.

[Tins]

Certainly nothing new but rummaging around in our junk i came across my old 2D maglite that hasnt been used since probably the first or second set of batteries went flat, jumped on Amazon and bought an LED upgrade kit and wow what a difference.
Actually makes it useful now, i put new batteries in it yesterday and the yellow light output was wore than one of those cheap 2AA torches you pick up at a servo or auto parts store near the register. $14 well spent.

Totally agree. I tried it with a large one once with a cheap globe, and was disappointed that the Maglite lost its focus, but I got a decent one made for the Mag and it's excellent. It means the $$$ I spent on the about four of the things is not wasted as Maglites are virtually indestructible otherwise, and the batteries last for ages.

[p38arover]

the yellow light output was wore than one of those cheap 2AA torches you pick up at a servo or auto parts store near the register.

"wore" or "more"? :)

I might have to check into those. I have a 2-D Maglite and a 3-D Maglite.

Got a link?

[loanrangie]

"wore" or "more"? :)

I might have to check into those. I have a 2-D Maglite and a 3-D Maglite.

Got a link?

It was meant to be " less".

This is the one i chose and i cant fault it.

https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B07W7YJ8YN/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

[austastar]

Hi,
Hmm, I have a few old Dolphin torches somewhere in storage.
I might have to mount an expedition into the depths.
Cheers

[loanrangie]

Hi,
Hmm, I have a few old Dolphin torches somewhere in storage.
I might have to mount an expedition into the depths.
Cheers

Looks like the same kit will fit the dolphin, just need to get the correct voltage version and cheaper.

LED UPGRADE DOLPHIN MAGLITE 3.2-9V 3W BULB GLOBE FLASHLIGHT TORCH LANTERN 250lm | eBay (https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/222306087727)

[loanrangie]

Something else for a maglite i just found on thingiverse, holding brackets and 18650/21700 LIO cell adapters.

[p38arover]

Hmm, I have an unused Dolphin. It gets so little use that its battery dies between one use and the next. I recently tossed its battery.

Convert to LED and lithium batteries?

A question that I do have is: what is the purpose of the reflector with a point source of light? An incandescent filament radiates light in all directions and reflects off the reflector and is focussed into a beam.

[loanrangie]

Hmm, I have an unused Dolphin. It gets so little use that its battery dies between one use and the next. I recently tossed its battery.

Convert to LED and lithium batteries?

A question that I do have is: what is the purpose of the reflector with a point source of light? An incandescent filament radiates light in all directions and reflects off the reflector and is focussed into a beam.


And therein lies the problem with most LED upgrades, with the maglite it seems ok with the single top mounted LED .

[ramblingboy42]

how do I know what model it is.

I have a maglite my son bought for me so long ago, I've actually forgotten when.

It is big 400mm long, heavy, been ultra reliable, just doesnt seem to use batteries. It's led , focussing lens and I'd hate to get hit with it.

I only have that and one of those palm size things that burns your eyes.

Best nightlight I've ever had.

Den.

[chuck]

how do I know what model it is.

I have a maglite my son bought for me so long ago, I've actually forgotten when.

It is big 400mm long, heavy, been ultra reliable, just doesnt seem to use batteries. It's led , focussing lens and I'd hate to get hit with it.

I only have that and one of those palm size things that burns your eyes.

Best nightlight I've ever had.

Den.

Have a look around near the switch it will have a serial number.

Mine starts with a 6 which i think lines up with a 6 D Cell Battery model

Thanks to the OP will definitely up grade.

[ramblingboy42]

yeah found the number , D4014396019.

does that make it a 4D?

D.

[PhilipA]

I have 2x4Ds which I converted at least 10 years ago. One has 3 LEDs and one 1. The single LED is far superior to the earlier 3 LED one.
Just on the lithium batteries. Be careful and get LifePo4 batteries not Lion and charge them with the same brand dedicated charger as torch conversions do not have BMS.
Regards PhilipA

[Tins]

yeah found the number , D4014396019.

does that make it a 4D?

D.

Yes.

[Tins]

A question that I do have is: what is the purpose of the reflector with a point source of light? An incandescent filament radiates light in all directions and reflects off the reflector and is focussed into a beam.

It's an interesting question. I have looked at mine and see that no light leaves the bulb (?) from the sides at all, as it would with the old incandescent type, and yet the Maglite focusses just as well as it used to. All the stuff I learnt about the "F" point and parabolic reflectors seems to have been made obsolete.

[loanrangie]

It's an interesting question. I have looked at mine and see that no light leaves the bulb (?) from the sides at all, as it would with the old incandescent type, and yet the Maglite focusses just as well as it used to. All the stuff I learnt about the "F" point and parabolic reflectors seems to have been made obsolete.

I would think that maybe the resin or whatever it is that covers the SMD LED chip acts as a diffuser, also the filament sits higher in the bulb than the replacement does.

[Arapiles]

Around 2004 I put an LED globe in a 2D maglite, fitted it with rechargeable batteries and gave it to my then 70 year old father who regularly destroyed torches on the farm. I saw it again a couple of years ago and he'd worn all of the black anodising off it - I have no idea how. Presumably he was throwing it into the back of farm equipment and it was rolling around as he drove around the paddocks, but nonetheless it was still functioning fine. The filament bulbs wouldn't've survived that kind of abuse, but the LED did.

[p38arover]

My 2D Maglite came with an LED ex-factory.

191104

I’ve had the 2D and 3D torches for years. I think I was given them (separately) but from whom I have no clue.

[loanrangie]

My 2D Maglite came with an LED ex-factory.

191104

I’ve had the 2D and 3D torches for years. I think I was given them (separately) but from whom I have no clue.

It was probably around 20 years ago that they switched to LED, definitely a few years after i got mine.
I had intended to do the conversion ages ago but forgot i even had it and we have other lighter LED torches that are used often.

[chuck]

Thanks to the OP

Got my LED globe & bought new batteries.

Revived my 40 year old 6D maglite

Much appreciated.