• Welcome to The Bushcraft Forum

    You are currently viewing the site as a guest and some content may not be available to you.

    Registration is quick and easy and will give you full access to the site and allow you to ask questions or make comments and join in on the conversation. If you would like to join then please Register
2D Maglite LED Conversion Guide

2D Maglite LED Conversion Guide

I have been interested in torches (Flashlights) since I was a kid and I have collected a few, but over the years they have gotten better with the introduction of the LED bulb. Going back 10, maybe 12 years ago I bought myself a 2D Maglite when I was doing night time security work and at the time this was a top grade super tough torch which worked well in all weathers. But there was a down side to these torches which was that they ran on a standard type incandescent bulb, so not only did it give off a yellow light it also used batteries like there was no tomorrow.

led-bulb.jpg

Over the years and since the introduction of the LED bulb in torches there have been many people modifying the Maglite to take a LED bulb. Most of you will know how much better they are over the standard bulb giving a much whiter light and much better battery consumption. I decided I wanted to upgrade my 2D Maglite as it was not getting used any more as I always favoured my LED type torches, so it's sat in the draw for many years.

I started my search and found there are all types of modifications you can do to the Maglite some involved machining new parts etc. This was something I did not want to do, so was on the lookout for an easy drop in conversion to keep my Maglite standard.

bulb-comparison.jpg

After reading around I came across The Torch Site who sells all types of LED bulbs and accessories for modifying outdated torches. I came across the bulb I needed for the 2D Maglite and an order was placed. 36 hours later my LED bulb arrived well packaged for protection in a neat hard plastic case, neatly labelled with LED details (Well done The Torch Site) so I then set about getting it fitted. (this is the easy bit).

The bulb I chose was the simplest mod you can do to convert the Maglite to LED. It's as simple as changing the bulb over so anyone can do it. You can see the difference between the normal bulb and the LED bulb

fitting.jpg

Fitting is simple it's just a matter of unscrewing the head of the torch to reveal the bulb, then unscrew the bulb retaining ring.

Place your new LED bulb back into its holder and screw the bulb retaining ring back over the bulb Screw the head of the torch back on and you’re ready to go. You can also remove the head and stand the Maglite on its tail cap for candle mode, which works great with the LED bulb.

After fitting the LED bulb and using this torch for a few nights walking the dog I have fallen back in love with the Maglite. It no longer sits in the draw and now sits proudly on the shelf with my other torches. The LED bulb still allows the Maglites flood / zoom to function normally. I also noticed I was also able to get a tighter spot beam than I could with the standard bulb and the throw is at least twice as much as the standard bulb.

Few specs on the new LED Bulb:

TTS-3WCR30 (Flange fit) features:-

• 180 Lumen rated LED
• 3 Watt CREE XPE LED typically producing 100 lumens@350mA (more with higher current)
• Available in common / standard flange base.
• Operates on a low voltage range 2.0 - 3.2V DC
• Works and fits in most torches
• Consistent brightness and colour regardless of battery condition
• Electronic regulation for rock steady light output
• Never burns out - an incredible 50,000 hour life expectancy
• Environment, energy saving friendly and shock-resistant
• Produces pure white light[/FONT]

All for £10.95 which is a great price for the improvement it makes to the Maglites. If you use a torch as regular as I do this will pay for itself in no time.

Overall a must have mod for old incandescent type torches

http://thetorchsite.co.uk/
Author
Gazo
Views
576
First release
Last update
Rating
0.00 star(s) 0 ratings

More resources from Gazo

Back
Top