Mag Instrument: Difference between revisions

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.