Opinions, sources, LED conversion 2-D cell Maglite bulbs?

-
67Dart273

67Dart273

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 14, 2010
Messages
60,035
Reaction score
33,298
Location
Idaho
I just spent 10 bucks on a Maglite 2 -D- cell flashlight which "I guess" has xenon bulbs, and it works, in fact it may just be brand new "old." Says "Stimson" which I think would be the lumber co, don't know what that is about

So now I'm thinkin "maybe" let's get a quality LED bulb, opinions? It uses the old school "standard" looking flanged bulb, 'xcept it says "Mag 2 cell HK1JO"
 
I converted an old magcharger to led and it was brighter but not enough brighter to justify the cost. The new led flashlights (not converted) are so much brighter.
Edit. The conversion bulb came from amazon.
 
I've never seen an led conversion bulb for a flashlight? I wonder how effective as most led flashlights I have seen have multiple bulbs?
 
4spdragtop said:
I've never seen an led conversion bulb for a flashlight? I wonder how effective as most led flashlights I have seen have multiple bulbs?
Click to expand...
I converted a Maglite Mini to LED a few years ago, and was just okay. Single bulb, Maglite brand, dropped right in.

As for multiple vs. single bulb LED flashlights, I will say that we use the Streamlight Survivor at work, and they use a single bulb (they also use 4 AA batteries and burn through them pretty quickly). They are BRIGHT as HELL. I don't know quite enough about LED technology to say for sure, but I suspect the number of bulbs isn't the only factor that determines brightness.
 
Junk the mag lite and buy literally anything else. Sure fire and Streamlight are too brands but you can pretty much pick anything LED up that will outperform a Maglite with out without an LED conversion. The only thing they’re really good for is clubbing someone over the head.
 
I have a military type olive drab flashlight with the right angle head, older type light.
Can I put a mag type bulb instead of the original bulb? It takes two D cells so the bulb needs to be 3 volts
Do they make a 3 V mag bulb?
 
Well we'll see. Thanks for the comments. I have a drop in conversion on the way. Another issue, for me, is that lots of led "bulbs" including 120V AC ones are "way too blue." They are bright, yes, but irritatingly blue.
 
Ever since Maglite reverted to the originals owners wife (I believe divorce was involved), the quality had been in the sewer. I tried getting replacement parts (switch) & was told they no longer serviced parts. Basically they told me to buy a new flashlight, which I did but it wasn't one of theirs.
 
Demonracer said:
Ever since Maglite reverted to the originals owners wife (I believe divorce was involved), the quality had been in the sewer. I tried getting replacement parts (switch) & was told they no longer serviced parts. Basically they told me to buy a new flashlight, which I did but it wasn't one of theirs.
Click to expand...
Sad/ bad to hear. I heard something about that divorce. Bad news
 
Well the project has come to a VERY successful end, but I would not do this again. I paid 10 bucks for the light, which worked, and 15 or so for the TRlife LED bulb, so I have 25 or so bucks into a light I can buy new--with LED---for 33 bucks. So I did not save much. Also the thing was intermittent. The way the socket is built, it slides in a plastic housing to focus when the reflector is turned, via a rotating ramp like device on the reflector. The ground for the lamp is a sliding contact on the side of the lamp "receiver" and evindently that was not optimum. I fiddled around thinking about adding a ground wire, and that is a tight "deal," but I finally just bend the flat spring some for added tension. The thing REALLY works well. The light is not near as blue as my factory mini-mag AAA LED, and when shined at a tall tree up the block, hundreds of feet away, it does a good job.

So I'm happy, but if I knew how close the price would be to new, I would have left it lying there.
 
I found a 3 cell maglight at work in the E-waste with a bad standard bulb. I bought a $9 conversion drop in LED for it on Amazon and the thing is 2X as bright and 1/2 the amp draw. Totally worth it! It is blinding bright with the beam focused BUT it doesnt "flood" exactly like a xenon bulb does due to the shape of the LED emitter, ie it has a hole in the middle of the flood pattern. Its also a white light as opposed to a warm yellow of an incandecent bulb.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075FWHYBW/?tag=fabo03-20
 
Yeh, I'm not complaining, it works great, it's just that I didn't save much money over a new LED one LOL. I do have a AAA LED Mini-mag that I carry. Back in my HVAC days, I would not be without one.
 
I prefer the mag conversion to LED.....much brighter, less energy used...the focal lens still effective.....very much worth the cost of the LED but for sure maglite is off their nut for any replacement part....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top