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Old 16th Feb 2023, 5:33 pm   #1
G6Tanuki
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Default Mini-Maglite Mended.

Around 30 years back I acquired a Mini-Maglite in camo-print colouration from the 'PX' at RAF/USAF Croughton. It served me well until I put some NiCd cells in it then forgot about it...

One cell [the one further up the flashlight's body] could not be removed. Aaargh!

I tried whacking it. Someone suggested heating it but I didn't like the idea of heating an already-suspect cell. Another suggestion was to stick it in a lathe and bore out the remains of the jammed cell, but I don't have a lathe.

Now, the working of these is interesting; the 'twist the lens/reflector-assembly to turn it on and off' works by screwing the lens/reflector down so it presses against the bulb-holder, which is in turn pressed down against the spring in the base that is pushing the batteries up the tube; there's a small tab on the bulb-holder which is pushed against the earthed barrel of the flashlight by the spring in the bottom, and which is pushed away from the barrel when the lens/reflector part is tightened.

Though "Do Not Remove" is printed on the plastic bulb-holder, I levered it out after removing the bulb. It came out rather easily. I was then able to use a wooden spoon(!) to push the remaining part of the bulb-holder down against the wedged cell. After a good hard shove and a gentle tap with a rubber hammer [appropriately branded 'Thor'] I felt movement; another couple of taps and the wedged cell was forced out.

Problem was, it had exuded corrosive stuff into the barrel of the flashlight, meaning that new cells would not slide freely [remember that thing about the spring in the base being needed for the on-off function]. Reach for that wooden spoon again... wrap some 1200-grade Wet&Dry paper round the handle, and push it up inside the barrel, then spend ten minutes or so rolling it round and round to burnish the corrosion away.

Cleaned up, washed, dried-out - the cells now slid freely.

Reassembly - with a smear of light oil on the outsides of the cells and some green rubber-grease on the two O-rings, and all is now working smoothly again!

Am pondering whether I should invest in one of the LED upgrade-kits available. Anyone tried these?
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Old 16th Feb 2023, 6:29 pm   #2
alanworland
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Default Re: Mini-Maglite Mended.

Excellent, they are good little torches. I have a 2D maglite and fitted it with an led conversion - brilliant, recommended.
I had an AAA cell maglite that I keep in my holiday bathroom bag and put it under my pillow at night should I need it but unfortunately left it in a Birmingham hotel and never got it back - had it for years, replaced it with a 'blue' one also very nicely made.

Alan
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Old 16th Feb 2023, 6:35 pm   #3
mickm3for
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Default Re: Mini-Maglite Mended.

Hi i have the maglite 3x c bats upgraded this about 2 yrs ago its brighter and batts last a lot longer upgrade from China/ebay Mick
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Old 16th Feb 2023, 6:58 pm   #4
G6Tanuki
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Default Re: Mini-Maglite Mended.

Yes, LEDs really have been a step-change in terms of Lumens-per-Amp-Hour compared to the old incandescent bulbs [even the expensive Xenon/Krypton ones sold in the 70s and 80s].

I've got a 3-D-cell Maglite too, acquired from the same source as my Mini-Maglite.

It showed up an interesting failure-mode: I'd mounted it horizontally on the transmission-tunnel of my truck using spring-loaded Terry Clips, and the Alkaline D-cells always were flat when I needed to use it. At first I thought I'd forgotten to switch it off, but detailed investigation showed the very thin insulation-sleeving of the Alkaline D-cells [remember that on these the outer is positive] had been worn through by vibration/fretting and had shorted out to the barrel of the Maglite.

Would never have happened with the old cardboard-sleeved Ever Ready U2 carbon-zinc Leclanche cells!
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Old 16th Feb 2023, 9:57 pm   #5
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Default Re: Mini-Maglite Mended.

The 2AA LED upgrade I bought a few months ago for my Maglite is excellent in terms of brightness and battery life. The company I bought from seems to have evaporated but I think this is basically the same piece of kit:

https://thetorchsite.co.uk/TTS-2AA.html

They sell D & C cell upgrades as well.

Alan
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Old 16th Feb 2023, 10:23 pm   #6
Radio Wrangler
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Default Re: Mini-Maglite Mended.

Quote:
Originally Posted by G6Tanuki View Post
Am pondering whether I should invest in one of the LED upgrade-kits available. Anyone tried these?
Yes. It worked fairly well, but you lose the variable focus function. How good was it? good enough to get nicked.

David
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Old 16th Feb 2023, 11:05 pm   #7
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Default Re: Mini-Maglite Mended.

Didn't lose the variable focus with the one I bought but it acts in reverse.

Alan
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Old 17th Feb 2023, 4:18 pm   #8
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Default Re: Mini-Maglite Mended.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Radio Wrangler View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by G6Tanuki View Post
Am pondering whether I should invest in one of the LED upgrade-kits available. Anyone tried these?
Yes. It worked fairly well, but you lose the variable focus function. How good was it? good enough to get nicked.

David
I've had a Maglite go 'walkies' once, I've never understood those who steal a fellow worker's tools.

The current one had an LED conversion about 10 years ago and it's great, the variable focus works nicely but isn't quite as good as with an old fashioned bulb. It's more than made up for though by the increase in brightness and battery life.

Steve.
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Old 17th Feb 2023, 5:39 pm   #9
Leon Crampin
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Default Re: Mini-Maglite Mended.

I quite agree - Maglite conversion to LED operation is very worthwhile and I think the older Maglites designed for tungsten lamps were better made than the present offerings.

My LED conversions of 3D and 2AA torches did not incur any loss of focus variability, although the 3D does not focus quite as well as when originally equipped.

I wrap the batteries in clingfilm before inserting into the barrel. I've never had a corrosion episode, but the film might minimise damage, even if the cells had to be forced out in the event of neglect.

Leon.
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Old 17th Feb 2023, 7:12 pm   #10
barrymagrec
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Default Re: Mini-Maglite Mended.

I rescued a standard Maglite with a bulged leaking battery by piercing the end of the battery and screwing in a 3 inch woodscrew.It was still too tight to pull out by hand so I used a claw hammer to pull the screw and battery out levering on a small piece of wood placed across the end of the torch.
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Old 17th Feb 2023, 8:07 pm   #11
G6Tanuki
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Default Re: Mini-Maglite Mended.

From the comments, I'm definitely going to LED-ize my mended Mini-Maglite and probably the 3-D-cell one too. This latter needs a replacement 'glass' window on the front [it got hit with some spray from a rattle-can, when I used Acetone to remove this from the body of the flashlight this turned the plastic 'glass' on the front milky-white!] but I notice that replacement windows are available in proper glass for a reasonable price.
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Old 17th Feb 2023, 9:18 pm   #12
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Default Re: Mini-Maglite Mended.

A very interesting thread ... which has prompted me to search out my 3 x D-cell Maglite (RS code 174-224) that I acquired in the early '90s. I haven't used it much being as '18650'-cell powered LED torches have become so easy to obtain. There is a company called 'Fogstar' who are not far from me; they supply a wide range of LED torches plus 18650 cells/USB-powered chargers and I find their products to be very good. Usual disclaimer i.e. no connection other than a satisfied customer ... yada, yada, yada

Thanks for all the helpful posts

Guy
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Old 17th Feb 2023, 9:21 pm   #13
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Default Re: Mini-Maglite Mended.

The timing and content of this thread could not have been better in terms of prompting my checking the condition of my Maglite; whilst the batteries were still providing workable voltage, they had started to leak! - but luckily, no corrosion was evident within the body of the torch ... pics refer.
I'll be looking at upgrading to LED as has been suggested.
Guy
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Old 18th Feb 2023, 12:04 am   #14
The Philpott
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Default Re: Mini-Maglite Mended.

Reflectalite (aka bikeco) was the place i bought an LED upgrade for my Maglite. It's a 6 x D cell (security guard type, it needs to be largely up your sleeve if you're out and about)

The lamp i bought was specifically for Maglites- they asserted that only these torches had enough thermal conductivity in the lampholder to conduct the heat away from this especially bright lamp. It pulls about 200mA from 9v and is very effective. The focus works.

The company mentioned also supplied lesser lamps for use in lesser torches.

I recall that some of the lamps that they listed were variable voltage, not sure how this was achieved.

Dave
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Old 18th Feb 2023, 8:41 pm   #15
duncanlowe
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Default Re: Mini-Maglite Mended.

I have done LED upgrades on many incandescant torches / lamps. All have been great. I would say the least worthwhile is a torch that uses a rechargeable 996 battery. It doesn't get a lot of use, especially as the battery is always flat when I come to use it.
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Old 19th Feb 2023, 12:05 am   #16
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Default Re: Mini-Maglite Mended.

This has taken a bit of tracking down....the second image in the listing has a useful compatibility table.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/264283715...sAAOSwWnFWCFw3

Dave
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