Mini Maglite AAA - Super bright DIY LED Upgrade
Vložit
- čas přidán 8. 07. 2024
- Join me as I upgrade a Mini Maglite that I've had for 25 years (!) to the very latest LED tech to give a super bright light output.
LED Upgrade available in the UK from "The Torch Site" here:
thetorchsite.co.uk/TTS-2AAA.html
LED Upgrade available in the USA from Amazon.com here:
amzn.to/3HTLDaW - Jak na to + styl
I used to hear my friend call flashlight torches for years then stopped hearing torch when I got back to the states. Now I hear torch it brings me back memories. Cheers from Alabama USA
Hi, thanks for taking time to comment and I'm glad to have reminded you of some good memories. Cheers, James
Oh the nostalgia. I have a 2AA Maglite from the late 80s. I never used it because I was disappointed with its light output. It’s in pristine condition in my box of memorabilia and treasure troves. I think an upgrade to LED would be fun.
Hi Cecil, thanks for watching the video and taking time to comment. You should definitely do the upgrade, it really makes a massive difference.
Great video. As an optometrist i bought one about 20yrs ago to use as a pen torch. I've recently found it and will upgrade to LED. I'm also going to upgrade the battery screw cap to one which has a push button on and off switch. 👍🏼
Thanks for taking the time to comment and it's great to hear you'll be upgrading yours. Always nice to hear of something being given a 2nd life rather than being replaced.
Nice vid man! I believe you deserve many more views than what you get as your editing and just overall production is great! Keep up the good work.
I appreciate that, thanks!
Simple instruction and great recommendation for the parts. Thank you!
Thanks for taking the time to comment Tim and hope the upgrade goes well.
Great video. Smooth, precise, and quick. You got a new sub.
Thanks John, great to have you on board.
Thoroughly enjoyed that video.
Thanks, I appreciate it.
Many thanks for this. I was looking to buy a new bulb for my mini maglite, at a sensible price, in the UK (not easy) and found your video. Looks a great idea so I bought the upgrade kit and my mini maglite is better than when it was new.
Thanks Peter, really glad the video was helpful for you and that another Maglite has been upgraded. Still use mine every day!
Awesome, will buy for both my AAA and AA Maglite
Thanks for watching my video Fredrik, I'm glad it was helpful.
Found one yesterday at my local supermarket's recycling bin for waste electronics somebody threw away. 😇🤗
It had that miniature (working !) traditional glass krypton bulb. So not an LED. I'm going to get that upgrade for it in the future. 🤔😎
Anyways... a wedged leaked Duracell AA batery was stuck inside. But I was able to get the battery out from the other side by gently hitting that plastic piece to push it out. 😊👍
Luckily the leak wasn't big & the corrosion on the inner metal tube part wasn't significant. So I just used some sanding paper & a metal file to remove the jagged surface left by the alkaline liquid from the battery. 🙄😏
I put some minerail oil on the inside of the walls of the metal tube part of the flashlight to ensure easy sliding of AA batteries out. 😆
Hi David, thanks for taking time to comment. It always surprises me what people will throw away and it's great to hear that you've rescued a Maglite and are going to give it a new lease of life. The LED upgrade is a no brainer - it's so much brighter. I wish I'd done it years ago!
Do bear in mind that this video was one of my earliest - my production quality has got a lot better since then!
@@MostlyHelpful Yeah sure ! I'm quite fond of "dumpster diving" actually. 😏😄
But that LED upgrade would cost me approx. $ 20 though... I would get 8 of those small Q5 LED AAA flashlights for that price off eBay. 🤔😕
Hey no problem ! If I just look back at my own "CZcams career" beginnings... 😊
Thank you. Very interesting and informative. 🙂
Thanks Simon for taking the time to comment and glad you found it informative.
Thanks i hope the store send yo usa , great upgrade man
Hi Juan, thanks for watching my video. Do send the store an email (I don't work for them) and ask for a shipping quote for the USA, hopefully they can sort you out.
Great video!
As I understand there's 2 upgrades: 1) for 2AA model 2) for 2AAA MiniMaglite,s
Hi Tano, yes that's right, just choose the one that fits whichever model of Maglite you have - you won't be disappointed.
Thanks for video
Thanks for commenting Stefano and you are most welcome.
I put one in my 2d cell one great light now
That's great to hear Paul and I am sure there are millions of torches out there that could be easily improved like this.
Thanks
No problem John and I'm still using that torch even now.
Very nice.
Will this work on a modern Mini Maglite AAA if you just want a brighter LED than the factory one? Since the new ones already come with an LED but they still aren't quite bright enough
Hi Joel, if the bulb fitment is the same then I can't see why it wouldn't work. I don't have a modern Maglite to check it though, unfortunately.
👍
Cheers Tim 👍
nice video im the one that i need maglite for spearfishing
No problem, glad it was of use.
Does the work on the AA mini mag lites as well?
Hi John, yes there's also an LED upgrade bulb for the AA Mini Maglite. Thanks for watching my video.
It has 2 modes to save battery. How to you access low mode?
Hi 1up, thanks for watching the video and taking time to comment. My Maglite doesn't have multiple modes, so I don't how to access the low mode.
If so it only could accessed about turning the head. Maybe a quick on and of. Thats the way you can do it on some keychain torches.
Good afternoon. I am from BRAZIL AND WOULD LIKE TO PURCHASE A KIT FOR THE MINI MAGLITE AA TWO BATTERIES WITH INCANDESCENT LAMP FOR THE UPGRAD IN LED LAMP. CAN YOU HELP ME FIND THIS KIT IN BRAZIL?
Hi Luiz, thanks for watching my video. I can't help with finding the kit in Brazil but have you asked sellers here in the UK or the USA if they will ship to Brazil? The item is very lightweight so hopefully it won't cost a lot to send it.
@@MostlyHelpful Good Morning. I appreciate your contact. I am seeing the possibility of importing or even finding it here in Brazil. Actually I didn't know this kit and I found it interesting, because the old lamps are disappearing from the market here in Brazil. It was a pleasure to meet you my friend. Grateful and big hug.
Anyone know where I can buy this bulb in US?
If you drop an email to sales@thetorchsite.co.uk they may be able to tell you more about the bulb and whether anyone sells them in the USA. Good luck.
@@MostlyHelpful will do. thank you so much.
This LED for the 2 AAA Mini Maglite and a larger LED for the 2 AA Mini Maglite are both available on Amazon USA
Thanks for this Roger - I've now updated the video description to include the link to it on Amazon.com
I'm anti-LED as I just hate the CRI quality. I actually use Paleblue batteries in my Mini Maglite with the xenon bulb as it make them run bright the entire time without dimming. The Paleblue batteries are lithium-ion rechargeable cells with circuitry to output a constant 1.5v until they need to be rechared. I have a very expense 95CRI LED flashlight and color rendition from $10 Mini Mag is still better. LED's can't seem to produce red very well.
Oh, and for my 2D Maglites I run two 26650 lithium-ion cells (3.7 nominal voltage) and use a 6D xenon bulb. So I get brightness of a 6D Maglite in a 2D body and the flat discharge cure of the lithium-ion cells means the light is stays bright and doesn't dim like with alkaline batteries. :).
I have a friend who's very CRI sensitive, but I can't say I notice a difference personally and/or need accurate colour representation. As long as I can see in the dark to not trip up then that's cool for me. That said I will investigate the xenon bulbs and paleblue batteries as that sounds intriguing.
Only problem is you're essentially overdriving the bulb which is a good thing in that the Throw is better and a bad thing since the bulb life is reduced. The 7.2V 6 Cell Xenon bulb should last a while being driven by 2x Li-ion cells though, not too sure about the Mini Mag bulbs.
I like LED, but I'm also keeping my Incan Bulbs for Nostalgia and HIGH CRI.
P.S Hmm, those Pale Blue batteries sound interesting.
@@stoopidhaters I'm not sure where you found the spec on the bulbs; I haven't found them myself. The 7.2v doesn't seem right for a 6 cell bulb given that a fresh set alkaline cells is 1.6v each and that works out to be 9.6v. The lithium-ion cells have a nominal voltage of 3.7v but when fully charged is around 4.2v thus it's starting off at around 8.4v. I did try a 5 cell bulb but that burnt out when the cells where fresh off the charger -- the 5 cell did work fine after the cells settle down in voltage a bit. I going to stick with the 6 cell xenon bulb; although, I would love to know the actual specs on the bulbs. The Paleblue put out a constant 1.5v but I wouldn't trust them in any expensive gear as I would be afraid of the internal voltage being exposed - I've had that happened with that type of battery from a different manufacture. I do agree that the bulbs most likely have a shorter lifespan as they are being burned brighter throughout their use -- either through the flatter discharge curve of the lithium-ion cells or the constant 1.5v from the Paleblues.
p.s. Was cooking a steak on the grill the other day and check it with the 95CRI flashlight and the Minimag xenon -- while the 95CRI was passable the Minimag was just much better. In the past I tried using a Surefire flashlight which doesn't give a CRI rating and it made the food look very uneatable.
@@rui1863 Every D/CMaglite Bulb goes up by 1.2v. When you run a 6 cell bulb on fresh Alkalines you will be getting approximately 9 Volts which is not gonna hurt it. Also, the Tail Spring, Body and Switch have some resistance so technically the bulb is probably getting hit with 9V or maybe less. Even if the bulb does initially get hit with a whopping 9.6 Volts, the voltage drops pretty quick with Alkalines.
I've overdriven 4 Cell Kryptons and Xenons with no Instaflash but the bulb life is very short. Very nice white throwy beam though.
I just bought a 100 Lumen led 2-AAA Maglite from Amazon for $14.50.
Good to know, thanks. Is it this one: amzn.to/3Rk21VI
@@MostlyHelpful that model yes.
First impressions, PLEASE find a room with less echo! Hang blankets or something to warm up your sound, :) OK?
Hi Mike, thanks for taking the time to comment. That was one of my first CZcams videos, recorded over a year ago and much has changed since then. I now use Rode wireless mics and here's a recent video filmed in that same space and you should hear a marked improvement. czcams.com/video/CWXO7gqGjPQ/video.html
Everybody on CZcams needs to start somewhere and while I will give you the benefit of the doubt that your feedback was well intentioned you'd do well to remember that not everybody will be as reasonable.
Meglight aaa here charger system
Say again?
BEST ONE FOR THE MONEY Olight flashlight 2500 lumens Baton 3 Pro Max wide beam neutral white lights are easier on your eyes""""""""" wheelchair larry
Thanks, I've just taken a look. Appear nice, but obviously a lot more expensive than upgrading an existing torch, and I've already got a LED Lenser P7 for when I really need to light things up.
why did you start by saying " my triple A " when the title of the video is mini maglite AA, which is it really ?
I am not having a go at you, because any body can make a mistake," they say any body who has never made a mistake, has never made anything " thanks.
Ah, well spotted. This is a AAA unit and it's the title that's wrong so thanks for taking the time to tell me. I'll correct it now.
I am indian.
Good to know Ratan and thanks for taking the time to comment.
pls. Gife me one light.
I don't have to gift Ratan.
Led? Upgrade??
Lol 🤣🤣🤣
Make it rechargeable then call it upgrade 😆
Sounds like the sort of thing you should make a video about then. Let me know when you've uploaded it.
@@MostlyHelpful I don't have an old version of maglite 🥵
You can put rechargeable batteries in your Maglite, e.g. Eneloop or similar and use a standard AA or AAA battery charger.
👍
Thanks Marcio, I hope you found it useful.