It’s not April Fools you know, it’s November!
I have a 2 AA mini mag light. And I want it brighter. Subscribed.
Subbed… Looking forward to this…
subscribed.
Well count me in too. There’s like half a dozen of those things around here and they could use some attention.
Wow. $6? Cool.
subscribed.
The full build post is now up.
Very cool mod!
Hey, I have a few of those cheap zoomies around. I wonder if this will work with the Harbor Freight cheapie Mag clone. I may have to find out. I don’t know if I’d want to buy a real 2AA Mag just to do this with. Maglite is real proud of their flashlights. :money_mouth_face:
Golf clap!
Well done, well done…
I just looked around, and it’s basically $15 just for a new 2xAA Mag Mini. Anybody know where it can be bought for (significantly) less than that?
When I first started modding them they were $8 but still only $10 at Freidmans. A small flat rate box will hold several(more if out of the blister pack) so it should be possible to get 6 or more for $11 each. A while ago I sent a package to EU with blue and red 2D and 2AA lights. 6D’s are about $30.
Nice work, but a 7135 is a linear regulator and won’t work with 2AA: voltage is too low (unless using 2AA single use lithium). When battery voltage drops below LED vF (about 2.6-2.8 volts here) LED will get very dim/moonlight.
Use a boost driver or just direct drive.
The driver is a boost driver. I took out the 3-mode chip and put the 7135 right before the LED.
I get mine from Sears. I wait for Sears to send me offers like “10,000 surprise points for purchase of $10 or more.” I combine those points with the 3,000 points I get every month for being a Shop Your Way Max member.
I’ve gotten several lights and other goodies for free or almost free that way.
I uploaded the wrong picture for the driver close-up. Here it is.
I’ll fix the OP now.
Wow.
Can you give us a macro photo showing that location on the board for that 3-mode chip?
OH, you just did! thank you, I can see the 7135, so ought to be able to figure this out.
Is there something similar you (er, I) can do with a single-mode driver? (those GearBest $2 zoomies say they’re one-mode in the description, which is not always reliable)
And I recall there are some variations in the 7135 chip — anything in particular to watch for?
Nice work. Congrats on the build. So the zoomie pill threads into the head?
I take it you sand the battery tube both for electrical contact and so that it can still screw all the way down? Or did you add a spring to bridge contact from the battery tube to the pill?