Mag Instrument: Difference between revisions
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[[File:Maglites.jpg|thumb|300px|Mini Maglites (2xAA and 2xAAA) with pewter finish]]Mag Instrument, Inc., is the manufacturer of the legendary Maglite flashlight. The company was incorporated by Anthony Maglica in 1974 and began producing the first Maglites in 1979. The company is based in Ontario, California. [http://www.maglite.com/ website] | [[File:Maglites.jpg|thumb|300px|Mini Maglites (2xAA and 2xAAA) with pewter finish]]Mag Instrument, Inc., is the manufacturer of the legendary Maglite flashlight. The company was incorporated by Anthony Maglica in 1974 and began producing the first Maglites in 1979. The company is based in Ontario, California. [http://www.maglite.com/ website] | ||
The '''Maglite''' (also spelled Mag-Lite ) was introduced in 1979. It is constructed principally of anodized 6061 aluminum, sometimes referred to as aircraft aluminum. Maglites are known for their variable-focus beam, water resistant pushbutton switch and durability. They are available in a wide variety of colors and are a favorite of collectors. | The '''Maglite''' (also spelled Mag-Lite) was introduced in 1979. It is constructed principally of anodized 6061 aluminum, sometimes referred to as aircraft aluminum. Maglites are known for their variable-focus beam, water resistant pushbutton switch and durability. They are available in a wide variety of colors and are a favorite of collectors. | ||
==Lights== | ==Lights== | ||
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Non-LED Maglites are equipped with a spare light bulb encased in the tailcap. LED bulbs have a significantly longer lifetime, and thus generally do not need to be replaced. LED Maglites do not include a spare LED, but some include a spare conventional bulb. | Non-LED Maglites are equipped with a spare light bulb encased in the tailcap. LED bulbs have a significantly longer lifetime, and thus generally do not need to be replaced. LED Maglites do not include a spare LED, but some include a spare conventional bulb. | ||
==Step-down regulation== | |||
Certain Mag Instrument LED flashlights provide step-down regulation. This is probably what Mag Instrument is referring to by the term<ref>{{cite web|title=MAG-LED® Technology|url=http://www.maglite.com/mlt_story.asp|publisher=Mag Instrument, Inc|accessdate=24 January 2013|author=|date=|quote=Intelligent Energy Source Management: The second-generation Mag® LED flashlight includes a sophisticated electronic LED module which continuously monitors the balance between high brightness and efficient power usage, allowing for prolonged battery life.}}</ref> "Intelligent Energy Source Management". During use, the flashlights dim slowly and gradually. This feature (which is enabled whether or not your batteries are disposable) prevents the flashlights from using up disposable batteries so quickly.<ref>{{cite web|title=Re: Review: Mini Maglite Pro+|url=http://budgetlightforum.com/node/8080#comment-220524|work=BudgetLightForum LED flashlight forum|publisher=|accessdate=24 January 2013|author=Chicken Drumstick|date=27 August 2012|quote=It’s regulated to offer the max performance and run time off of alkaline cells. The downside is you’ll see little improvement using lithium primaries or Eneloops. But this is all down to the target market and expected customers I guess.}}</ref> | |||
Among those Mag Instrument flashlights with step-down regulation, the regulation works differently on some than on others. Take, for example, the regulation on the Mini Maglite Pro LED 2-Cell AA and Pro+ LED 2-Cell AA. After a few hours of operation, these flashlights fall to about 10% of full brightness; they do not return to full brightness unless the power is cycled.<ref>{{cite web|title=Mini Maglite Pro and Pro+ LED Flashlight Review|url=http://www.led-resource.com/2012/02/mini-maglite-pro-and-proplus-led-flashlight-review/|publisher=LED-Resource|accessdate=27 January 2013|date=28 February 2012|author=Wang, Robin|quote=As efficient as LEDs are, heat is still produced and has to be dissipated, so step-down regulation is used to prolong battery life and reduce heat.}}</ref> This regulation was designed to try to prolong the life of alkaline batteries. (Some say it was also designed to boost [[ANSI-NEMA FL-1#Runtime|ANSI/NEMA FL-1 runtime]] ratings, which measure the time the flashlight runs before falling to 10% brightness.)<ref>{{cite web|title=Talk:Mag Instrument|url=http://flashlightwiki.com/Talk:Mag_Instrument#Thermal-management_article_section|work=Flashlight Wiki|accessdate=29 January 2013|date=28 January 2013|author=[[User:Brted|Brted]]|quote=The effect of this would be to keep the light running cooler, but also to extend battery life (and some say to distort the FL-1 runtime rating which gives you credit down to 10% brightness).}}</ref> If you're using lithium primaries, the regulation steps down earlier than is necessary. When the flashlights reach 10% brightness, the batteries might still be more than half full. | |||
For many customers, Mag flashlights with step-down regulation are fine choices. EDC forums user "watchcollector1968" writes, "If you are outside in the dark walking or working and have the light on chances of your eyes even detecting the drop over an hour or so is pretty slim. If for whatever reason you think you need full power again, simply turn it off and back on and the cycle starts over again."<ref>{{cite web|title=Maglite ML100 2C|url=http://edcforums.com/threads/maglite-ml100-2c.96043/|work=EDC Forums flashlight forum|publisher=|accessdate=27 January 2013|author=watchcollector1968|date=2 June 2012|quote=On high it will start at its full output for something like 12 or 13 minutes, then it begins to step down. Opinions seem to vary as to why, some think it is to prevent excessive heat buildup, others think it is to preserve battery life. Either way, if you are outside in the dark walking or working and have the light on chances of your eyes even detecting the drop over an hour or so is pretty slim. If for whatever reason you think you need full power again, simply turn it off and back on and the cycle starts over again.}}</ref> | |||
But step-down regulation can be bad if you need to be seen: for example, if you are using your flashlight as a bike headlamp. | |||
==Thermal management== | |||
Like other lighting technologies, LED lighting does not produce only light, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermal_management_of_high-power_LEDs but also heat.] LED technology today is such that only about 30% of the energy going into an average LED is turned into light. The rest is turned into heat. | |||
The Maglite LED 2-CELL AA,<ref name="2AA">{{cite web|title=Contains outdated 1st-gen Maglite LED flashlights|url=http://www.amazon.com/review/R2LJT6DHWDCB6F|work=Customer Reviews: Maglite 3D / 2AA LED Flashlight 2 Piece|publisher=Amazon.com, Inc|accessdate=23 January 2013|author=NLee the Engineer|date=15 September 2010|quote=The 2nd-gen models solved the thermal problem. Previous models over-heat easily, and their light dim down after just a few minute of operation.}}</ref> and some other Maglite LED flashlights, used two techniques to avoid overheating: | |||
* To cool off the LED, each of these flashlights included imperfect heat-dissipation technology:<ref>{{cite web|title=Maglite ML100 LED Flashlight Review|url=http://www.led-resource.com/2012/01/maglite-ml100-led-flashlight-review/|publisher=LED-Resource|accessdate=24 January 2013|author=Wang, Robin|date=20 January 2012|quote=Previous generations of Maglite’s MAG-LED technology, including the original LED drop-in replacements and even the current LED D-cell lights, had problems with heat dissipation and irregular beam patterns because they were originally designed for incandescent bulbs.}}</ref> a poorly-designed [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermal_management_of_electronic_devices_and_systems#Heat_sinks heat sink,]<ref name="2C_upgrade">{{cite web|title=MagLite 2C LED drop-in Technical Review|url=http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?119665-MagLite-2C-2D-4D-3W-LED-drop-in-Technical-Review|work=CandlePowerForums LED flashlight forum|publisher=|accessdate=23 January 2013|author="NewBie"|date=16 July 2006|at=Post 1|quote=We are looking at nearly a 60% drop in output, due to the LED getting hot, from a severe lack of good heatsinking}}.</ref> made of thin [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stamping_(metalworking) stamped] metal.<ref>{{cite web|title=MagLite 2C LED drop-in Technical Review|url=http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?119665-MagLite-2C-2D-4D-3W-LED-drop-in-Technical-Review|work=CandlePowerForums LED flashlight forum|publisher=|accessdate=23 January 2013|author="NewBie"|date=16 July 2006|at=Post 1|quote=Here we go, one of those for your eyes only, which reveals the secrets and the shortcomings, and explains a great many things [...]}}.</ref> | |||
* Also, as each flashlight's LED heated up, the flashlight provided less power to the LED, which caused it to dim and to produce less heat. If the flashlight was moved into a cooler environment, it instantly brightened again.<ref>{{cite web|title=MagLite 2C LED drop-in Technical Review|url=http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?119665-MagLite-2C-2D-4D-3W-LED-drop-in-Technical-Review|work=CandlePowerForums LED flashlight forum|publisher=|accessdate=23 January 2013|author="NewBie"|date=16 July 2006|at=Post 1|quote=When the module is hot, soaking them with a lot of cold spray causes the light output to jump back to when you first turned it on, and the current goes right back up at the same time.}}</ref> | |||
Some criticized these flashlights for dimming so much so much due to the poor heat sink.<ref name="2C_upgrade" /><ref>{{cite web|title=Maglite Mag-LED: 2, 3, and 4 cell modules|url=http://flashlightreviews.com/reviews/maglite_mag-led.htm|publisher=FlashlightReviews Archive|accessdate=23 January 2013|month=July|year=2006|author=|date=July 2006|quote=Some very knowledgeable folks [...] discovered poor heatsinking for the LED, which the circuitry then has to compensate for by quickly lowering output as the module heats up. [...] What I didn't like: Module heats up quickly and output drops quickly.}}</ref> There existed costlier flashlights with better thermal management. | |||
In 2009, Mag Instrument modified the Maglite LED 2-CELL AA and Maglite LED 3-CELL D to each include a better heat sink. Even during extended use, those flashlights now stay at a reasonable temperature without dimming themselves.<ref name="2AA" /><ref>{{cite web|title=Maglite second-gen LED flashlight deserves a second chance|url=http://www.amazon.com/review/R19LDXP4LJKG36|work=Customer Reviews: Maglite SD3D016 3-D Cell LED Flashlight|publisher=Amazon.com, Inc|accessdate=23 January 2013|author=NLee the Engineer|date=11 September 2010|quote=Improved Heat Sink: The overheating problem found in 1st-gen LED modules has been solved. That is, the light no longer dims down after just a few minutes of operation. [...] Better Power Management: The new Maglite maintains constant power consumption of 2W as long as battery voltage is above 3.5V.}}</ref><!-- I'm not sure whether or not other Mag Instrument's other LED flashlights must dim themselves over time to stay cool. See talk. --[[User:Unforgettableid]], January 2013 --> | |||
==Mods== | ==Mods== | ||
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*[http://budgetlightforum.cz.cc/node/1642 Mini Mag drop-in] by BLF user Match. Lets you drop in the brass pill of a [[P60]] giving you a lot of choices on LED and battery configurations. Involves boring out the head of the MiniMag a couple of millimeters using a 25/32 drill bit (3/4" plus some, that's a big bit). Not reversible, but a fairly quick mod if you have the drill bit and a drill press. He guesses 150 lumens from 2 AA batteries using a XP-G R5 LED and low-voltage driver. | *[http://budgetlightforum.cz.cc/node/1642 Mini Mag drop-in] by BLF user Match. Lets you drop in the brass pill of a [[P60]] giving you a lot of choices on LED and battery configurations. Involves boring out the head of the MiniMag a couple of millimeters using a 25/32 drill bit (3/4" plus some, that's a big bit). Not reversible, but a fairly quick mod if you have the drill bit and a drill press. He guesses 150 lumens from 2 AA batteries using a XP-G R5 LED and low-voltage driver. | ||
*[http://budgetlightforum.cz.cc/node/1373 3 XP-G Mini Mag] Another mod by Match. 600 lumens from a MiniMag. Involves some serious machinery to mill a copper pill plus a special 3 LED star and a driver that can handle a lot of current. Runs on 2 14500 li-ion batteries. | *[http://budgetlightforum.cz.cc/node/1373 3 XP-G Mini Mag] Another mod by Match. 600 lumens from a MiniMag. Involves some serious machinery to mill a copper pill plus a special 3 LED star and a driver that can handle a lot of current. Runs on 2 14500 li-ion batteries. | ||
===Xenon upgrades=== | ===Xenon upgrades=== | ||
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A sensible combination for the 3 cell C/D range, is 8000/1000 MAh Ni-Mh batteries, and a 3 Watt LED, for long life, and high brightness. Given the high cost of the rechargeable maglite, these parts plus a quality universal charger, can be purchased for a similar price. | A sensible combination for the 3 cell C/D range, is 8000/1000 MAh Ni-Mh batteries, and a 3 Watt LED, for long life, and high brightness. Given the high cost of the rechargeable maglite, these parts plus a quality universal charger, can be purchased for a similar price. | ||
== | ==References== | ||
<references/> | <references/> | ||