Mag Instrument: Difference between revisions

Certain Mag Instrument LED flashlights, including the 2xAA Mini Maglite Pro and Pro+ models,<ref name="Pro"><!--Wang, Robin (28 February 2012). [http://www.led-resource.com/2012/02/mini-maglite-pro-and-proplus-led-flashlight-review/ "Mini Maglite Pro and Pro+ LED Flashlight Review"]. LED-Resource. Retrieved 27 January 2013. "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>-->

</ref> provide step-down regulation. This is probably what Mag Instrument is referring to by the term<ref><!--Mag Instrument, Inc. [http://www.maglite.com/mlt_story.asp MAG-LED® Technology], retrieved 24 January 2013. "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."-->

|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><!--Chicken Drumstick (27 August 2012). [http://budgetlightforum.com/node/8080#comment-220524 "Re: Review: Mini Maglite Pro+"]. ''BudgetLightForum LED flashlight forum''. Retrieved 24 January 2013. "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."->>

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 2xAA Mini Maglite Pro and Pro+ models. 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 name="Pro" /> 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><!--[[User:Brted|Brted]] (28 January 2013). [[Talk:Mag_Instrument#Thermal-management_article_section|"Talk:Mag Instrument"]]. ''Flashlight Wiki''. Retrieved 29 January 2013. "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)."-->

|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).}}

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><!--watchcollector1968 (2 June 2012). [http://edcforums.com/threads/maglite-ml100-2c.96043/ "Maglite ML100 2C"]. ''EDC Forums flashlight forum''. Retrieved 27 January 2013. "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."-->

|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>

The 2xAA Mini Maglite LED,<ref name="2AA"><!--NLee the Engineer (15 September 2010). [http://www.amazon.com/review/R2LJT6DHWDCB6F "Contains outdated 1st-gen Maglite LED flashlights"]. ''Customer Reviews: Maglite 3D / 2AA LED Flashlight 2 Piece''. Amazon.com, Inc. Retrieved 23 January 2013. "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."-->

|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.}}

* To cool off the LED, each of these flashlights included imperfect heat-dissipation technology:<ref><!--Wang, Robin (20 January 2012). [http://www.led-resource.com/2012/01/maglite-ml100-led-flashlight-review/ "Maglite ML100 LED Flashlight Review"]. LED-Resource. Retrieved 24 January 2013. "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."-->

|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.}}

|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><!--NewBie (16 July 2006). [http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?119665-MagLite-2C-2D-4D-3W-LED-drop-in-Technical-Review MagLite 2C LED drop-in Technical Review]. ''CandlePowerForums LED flashlight forum''. Post 1. Retrieved 23 January 2013. "Here we go, one of those for your eyes only, which reveals the secrets and the shortcomings, and explains a great many things [...]"-->

|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><!--NewBie (16 July 2006). [http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?119665-MagLite-2C-2D-4D-3W-LED-drop-in-Technical-Review "MagLite 2C LED drop-in Technical Review"]. ''CandlePowerForums LED flashlight forum''. Post 1. Retrieved 23 January 2013. "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."-->

|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.}}

Some criticized these flashlights for dimming so much so much due to the poor heat sink.<ref name="2C_upgrade" /><ref><!--[http://flashlightreviews.com/reviews/maglite_mag-led.htm "Maglite Mag-LED: 2, 3, and 4 cell modules"]. FlashlightReviews Archive. Retrieved 23 January 2013. "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."-->

|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.}}

In 2009, Mag Instrument modified the 2xAA Mini Maglite LED and 3D Maglite LED 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><!--NLee the Engineer (11 September 2010). [http://www.amazon.com/review/R19LDXP4LJKG36 "Maglite second-gen LED flashlight deserves a second chance"]. ''Customer Reviews: Maglite SD3D016 3-D Cell LED Flashlight''. Amazon.com, Inc. Retrieved 23 January 2013. "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."-->

|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.}}