This guy has figured out exactly how to put 3 N size NiCd cells and a brass
spacer into a Mini-Maglite to make it run with a white LED. Neat.

I want one.

http://www.otherpower.com/otherpower...lashlites.html


Yours,

Doug Goncz ( ftp://users.aol.com/DGoncz/incoming )
Student member SAE for one year.
I love: Dona, Jeff, Kim, Mom, Neelix, Tasha, and Teri, alphabetically.
I drive: A double-step Thunderbolt with 657% range.

This guy has figured out exactly how to put 3 N size NiCd cells and a
brass
spacer into a Mini-Maglite to make it run with a white LED. Neat.

I want one.

http://www.otherpower.com/otherpower...lashlites.html


I hope Don Foreman is around. He's been building a similar, better one.

Karl

I converted several of mine, but they use regular AA batteries... that now
last forever. I completely love it, as do the folks that got them for xmas.
Pocketlights.com has alternatives. They have to be the "newer style" of
mini-maglights.

"Karl Townsend" wrote in message
k.net...

This guy has figured out exactly how to put 3 N size NiCd cells and a
brass
spacer into a Mini-Maglite to make it run with a white LED. Neat.

I want one.

http://www.otherpower.com/otherpower...lashlites.html


I hope Don Foreman is around. He's been building a similar, better one.

Karl

Karl

Don showed me how to build a LED conversion of a "Home Depot, $6.00 Yellow
Lantern" thats even brighter that the original incandescent. His design
uses 3 AA batteries and one LED in place of the 6 volt lantern battery and
the incandescent bulb. I actually cut off the battery compartment of a
Home Depot type lantern and installed the AA batteries close behind the
reflector. The LED lantern is named "Stubby". (pictures are available via
E-mail)
Don knows *alot* about LED flashlights.

Jerry

There are much better things on the market. Very high output Luxeon Star LED
drop-in conversion kits have been available for Mini Mags for few years. Much
brighter light than the original Mag bulb. And they're cheap for the class of
flashlight you get after the conversion. Lets you use the original AAs in
either alkaline or rechargable.

You can also get the Streamlight Jr. LED (better than a converted Mini Mag) for
around $30.

GTO(John)

Doug Goncz wrote:
This guy has figured out exactly how to put 3 N size NiCd cells and a brass
spacer into a Mini-Maglite to make it run with a white LED. Neat.

I want one.

http://www.otherpower.com/otherpower...lashlites.html

That sounds like the same clever guy(s) who inspired me how to build a
magnetic levitation demo a while back. Much fun..

http://home.comcast.net/~jwisnia18/jeff/diamag.html

Jeff


--
Jeff Wisnia (W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)

"As long as there are final exams, there will be prayer in public
schools"

Jerry and I used Luxeon in our adventures. Luxeon stars are limiting
because the star heatsink sometimes prevents use of a good parabolic
reflector e.g. the Everready lantern for less than $5.

A Luxeon III emitter, suitably mounted on a machined aluminum stud
projecting into the very inexpensive but quite good parabolic
reflector on the Everready lantern, blows the sox off of anything the
MagLite folks offer by quite a bit. It'll shine a raccoon at 100
meters with no problem.



On 16 Aug 2004 16:20:53 GMT, (GTO69RA4) wrote:

There are much better things on the market. Very high output Luxeon Star LED
drop-in conversion kits have been available for Mini Mags for few years. Much
brighter light than the original Mag bulb. And they're cheap for the class of
flashlight you get after the conversion. Lets you use the original AAs in
either alkaline or rechargable.

You can also get the Streamlight Jr. LED (better than a converted Mini Mag) for
around $30.

GTO(John)

I have seen conversions for the mini mag here in UK.
One question, does the variable focussing still work?

John

" Doug Goncz " wrote in message
...
This guy has figured out exactly how to put 3 N size NiCd cells and a
brass
spacer into a Mini-Maglite to make it run with a white LED. Neat.

I want one.

http://www.otherpower.com/otherpower...lashlites.html


Yours,

Doug Goncz ( ftp://users.aol.com/DGoncz/incoming )
Student member SAE for one year.
I love: Dona, Jeff, Kim, Mom, Neelix, Tasha, and Teri, alphabetically.
I drive: A double-step Thunderbolt with 657% range.

"John Manders" wrote:

[maglite mods]

I have seen conversions for the mini mag here in UK.
One question, does the variable focussing still work?

Incandescent bulbs produce (pretty much) isotropic radiation - the
same light in every direction. Maglite reflectors are designed for
this radiation pattern. Forward-emitting LEDs, which project their
beam in a fairly narrow angle anyway, mostly miss the reflector (how
much varies with the reflector and LED beam angle), so focussing
doesn't really work. I've seen mods with two back-to-back
side-emitting LEDs, which would presumably retain some focussing
ability, albeit with a slightly different pattern.

I'll stick with my Surefire E1e I think, but I'm going to get the LED
head when the next bulb goes. If you think maglite bulbs are expensive
then check out the Surefire ones! It's a silly flashlight really - if
I lived in outside the city I'd have something more sensible, but it's
so pretty and so bright I love it.

Flashlight freaks hang out he http://www.candlepowerforums.com/ and
there is loads of info available by searching the forums.


Tim
--
Google is not the only search engine.

Tim

The beam produced by a Luxeon III in a parabolic reflector is better than
that of the inexpensive incandescent bulb. The "beam" is quite adjustable
by relocating the LED slightly.
I have built several conversions of old flashlights to accept LEDs. They
all work. But, the light I carry in my pocket is a Coast LEDLenser V^2.
Nothing I've yet built is as nice as this little Ledlenser.

Jerry



"Tim Auton" tim.auton@uton.[groupSexWithoutTheY] wrote in message
...
"John Manders" wrote:

[maglite mods]

I have seen conversions for the mini mag here in UK.
One question, does the variable focussing still work?

Incandescent bulbs produce (pretty much) isotropic radiation - the
same light in every direction. Maglite reflectors are designed for
this radiation pattern. Forward-emitting LEDs, which project their
beam in a fairly narrow angle anyway, mostly miss the reflector (how
much varies with the reflector and LED beam angle), so focussing
doesn't really work. I've seen mods with two back-to-back
side-emitting LEDs, which would presumably retain some focussing
ability, albeit with a slightly different pattern.

I'll stick with my Surefire E1e I think, but I'm going to get the LED
head when the next bulb goes. If you think maglite bulbs are expensive
then check out the Surefire ones! It's a silly flashlight really - if
I lived in outside the city I'd have something more sensible, but it's
so pretty and so bright I love it.

Flashlight freaks hang out he http://www.candlepowerforums.com/ and
there is loads of info available by searching the forums.


Tim
--
Google is not the only search engine.

On Tue, 17 Aug 2004 17:22:40 GMT, "Jerry Martes" wrote:
|| I have built several conversions of old flashlights to accept LEDs. They
||all work. But, the light I carry in my pocket is a Coast LEDLenser V^2.

Which one?
Coast lights are jewels. Nice just to look at.
Texas Parts Guy

Luxeon LED's are available in three radiation patterns: Lambertian,
"batwing" which modified to throw more light sideways, and
"side-emitting" which clearly is intended for parabolic reflectors.

Oddly enough, the Lambertian pattern has seemed to work best in
reflectors in my experiments.

Focussing works fine with Luxeon emitters mounted on an aluminum stud.
I doubt if any of the mods do that, though. I think they all use the
Luxeon Star which doesn't stick very far into a reflector so there is
limited or no focus range.

I made one light using a Luxeon III on a threaded aluminum stud (for
focussing) in the 3" reflector from one of those $4.98 Everready
6-volt lanterns. It throws a beam every bit as collimated as the
unmodified lantern did, much more uniform (no dark spots or mottling)
and at least as bright. Lights up treetops half a block away with a
brilliant white spot.



On Tue, 17 Aug 2004 16:43:05 +0100, Tim Auton
tim.auton@uton.[groupSexWithoutTheY] wrote:

"John Manders" wrote:

[maglite mods]

I have seen conversions for the mini mag here in UK.
One question, does the variable focussing still work?

Incandescent bulbs produce (pretty much) isotropic radiation - the
same light in every direction. Maglite reflectors are designed for
this radiation pattern. Forward-emitting LEDs, which project their
beam in a fairly narrow angle anyway, mostly miss the reflector (how
much varies with the reflector and LED beam angle), so focussing
doesn't really work. I've seen mods with two back-to-back
side-emitting LEDs, which would presumably retain some focussing
ability, albeit with a slightly different pattern.

I'll stick with my Surefire E1e I think, but I'm going to get the LED
head when the next bulb goes. If you think maglite bulbs are expensive
then check out the Surefire ones! It's a silly flashlight really - if
I lived in outside the city I'd have something more sensible, but it's
so pretty and so bright I love it.

Flashlight freaks hang out he http://www.candlepowerforums.com/ and
there is loads of info available by searching the forums.


Tim

On Tue, 17 Aug 2004 17:53:26 GMT, (Rex B) wrote:

On Tue, 17 Aug 2004 17:22:40 GMT, "Jerry Martes" wrote:
|| I have built several conversions of old flashlights to accept LEDs. They
||all work. But, the light I carry in my pocket is a Coast LEDLenser V^2.

Which one?
Coast lights are jewels. Nice just to look at.
Texas Parts Guy

No Coast lights for me, thanks - I want something that takes AA, AAA
or another commonly available anywhere and for cheap battery.

All the Coast flashlights I've seen take proprietary (odd)
batteries. Fry's Electronics sells Coast lights, but not the special
batteries they require - I take that as a bad omen.

For work, I have a Black Diamond 4-white-LED headband light that
takes three AAA's. And a three AA hand LED flashlight from REI, not
sure who made it - CMG, I think. The Pelican four AA at Costco looks
good, I'll probably grab one for the toolbag because it's a plastic
case.

-- Bruce --
--
Bruce L. Bergman, Woodland Hills (Los Angeles) CA - Desktop
Electrician for Westend Electric - CA726700
5737 Kanan Rd. #359, Agoura CA 91301 (818) 889-9545
Spamtrapped address: Remove the python and the invalid, and use a net.

In article , Bruce L. Bergman
says...

No Coast lights for me, thanks - I want something that takes AA, AAA
or another commonly available anywhere and for cheap battery.

Underwater Kinetics makes some nice stuff. You can peruse their
selection at brightguy.com, my favorites are the white led lights
they sell, one kind uses two AAA which is keychain sized.

The other uses a 1 watt luxeon led and four AA batteries.

http://www.brightguy.com/detail.html?cart=10928381203378&sku=UND14401

Jim


--
==================================================
please reply to:
JRR(zero) at pkmfgvm4 (dot) vnet (dot) ibm (dot) com
==================================================

Greetings and Salutations....

On Wed, 18 Aug 2004 07:18:21 GMT, Bruce L. Bergman
wrote:

On Tue, 17 Aug 2004 17:53:26 GMT, (Rex B) wrote:

On Tue, 17 Aug 2004 17:22:40 GMT, "Jerry Martes" wrote:
|| I have built several conversions of old flashlights to accept LEDs. They
||all work. But, the light I carry in my pocket is a Coast LEDLenser V^2.

Which one?
Coast lights are jewels. Nice just to look at.
Texas Parts Guy

No Coast lights for me, thanks - I want something that takes AA, AAA
or another commonly available anywhere and for cheap battery.

All the Coast flashlights I've seen take proprietary (odd)
batteries. Fry's Electronics sells Coast lights, but not the special
batteries they require - I take that as a bad omen.

Yea...I agree that can be a real problem. I have never
had a good feeling about things that use propriatary parts (which
is one reason I *really* dislike Compaq/HP systems) and am a tad
nervous about buying tools from HF.

For work, I have a Black Diamond 4-white-LED headband light that
takes three AAA's. And a three AA hand LED flashlight from REI, not
sure who made it - CMG, I think. The Pelican four AA at Costco looks
good, I'll probably grab one for the toolbag because it's a plastic
case.


Last year or two, "Maglite" clone flashlights, with 4 white
leds started showing up at the hamfests. They started out at $20
each, then, of course, dropped a bit. I picked up a couple when
they hit $10 each, and, have seen them a bit cheaper. They use a
couple or three AA cells, and have pretty good life, especially with
LiNh batteries in them. And...for the quality...are surprisingly
cheap.
I agree though, with other posters who have discussed the
problem of the diffuse beam. That is less of a problem for me,
actually, as most of the time I am using them in fairly enclosed areas
(computer cases, etc) but, when wandering in the woods in the wee
hours of the morning, it can be a slight problem. The pool of light
just does not reach that far out. Plenty bright inside the pool,
but, not much good for bushbeaters.
I REALLY like the little, 1 LED lights that use several AAAA
batteries. Light, easy to poke around, and VERY bright. Also, they
do have surprisingly long lives, and, since I have a Batteries Plus
store or two here in Knoxpatch, easy to find batteries for. Still
has the "diffuse beam" problem, but, are so bright it hardly matters.
Regards
Dave Mundt

"Bruce L. Bergman" wrote:
On Tue, 17 Aug 2004 17:53:26 GMT, (Rex B) wrote:
On Tue, 17 Aug 2004 17:22:40 GMT, "Jerry Martes" wrote:
||I have built several conversions of old flashlights to accept LEDs. They
||all work. But, the light I carry in my pocket is a Coast LEDLenser V^2.
[...] Coast lights are jewels. Nice just to look at.
No Coast lights for me, thanks - I want something that takes AA, AAA
or another commonly available anywhere and for cheap battery.

All the Coast flashlights I've seen take proprietary (odd)
batteries. Fry's Electronics sells Coast lights, but not the special
batteries they require - I take that as a bad omen.

For work, I have a Black Diamond 4-white-LED headband light that
takes three AAA's. And a three AA hand LED flashlight from REI, not
sure who made it - CMG, I think. The Pelican four AA at Costco looks
good, I'll probably grab one for the toolbag because it's a plastic
case.

At http://www.tranquilityimages.com/ccs/ll7462-63.shtml is a Coast with
1 AAA, but I see that several Coasts use "AG13 Micro-Alkaline Cells" and
"Super Alkaline 1.5V LR1 (N)" and AG5's, etc. These aren't actually
proprietary, and a web page say these "can be purchased at any Photo store,
Wal-Mart, or Jeweler". But I agree they aren't cheap, and they probably
sit on the shelves a long time and have low turnover.

http://flashlightreviews.home.att.ne...index_leds.htm
shows battery complements of various LED flashlights and has links to
reviews, some with pictures of beam output patterns.

Several LED flashlights use CR123 lithium batteries, which retail at KMart
for $5-$6 each, but are available on ebay for about $1 each. The seller
(theshorelinemarket) tells me "The cells are not date coded however they
were just specially manufactured for us 3 months ago so you can expect a
shelf life of 9+ years". I'll probably try some in LED-light I'm making.

-jiw