Modding a Maglite is usually more expensive than buying a chinese light. The only reason for modding, is to know that you did it yourself. Otherwise, it's a waste of money. Modders feel differently about that, but any decent mod, with good parts, is a heck of a lot more expensive than buying something like a Sky Ray King.
Thanks for the good read guys! I do understand the desire to mod. In fact I played around tonight as I have lots of different batteries sitting around.
I found a LiFeP04 2s1p 2300mah pack lying around that was a Rx pack for an RC heli. I tore it down because it looked like the cells would fit well in the mag. What I found is that the cell diameter was perfect, but the cells were too long. One would fit and I used a bit of wire to make the connection w/ the tail cap, but I had to point the light at the ground for it to work. These cells are 3.35V at rest and I knew what 2 of them would do, but I did it anyways. I blew my mag bulb as it’s the original. I sure wish these cells were the right length, or I wish I could get the mid section of the flashlight made somewhere and I’d have a bit longer light running on 2 LiFe cells that I already have on hand.
You could try some 18500 cells. Same voltage but lower runtime, or 3s AAA battery holders. If you want to get into modding you need to be stubborn, creative, and ask yourself “Am I willing to possibly ruin this light?”
Cullen, I am in the same situation. I have my old black, scratched-up 2C which I’ve currently got a 5D xenon bulb in and it’s running 3 CR123s (which are about dead now) and a rubber tube to hold them steady and it’s an easy way to get 230ish incan lumens of excellent throw from that light. Then again, are you going to use it? Will it still be a shelf-queen?
I wanna make mine an SST-50 run on 2 18650s or maybe a P7 just to say I have them, but I’m too much of a baboon to do the mod myself, which is why others must be bribed!
It sounds like you got 2 26650 cells. You could make those work by remoiving the spring and deanodizing a section of the tailcap so it makes contact. Or you could just buy some 26500 cells.
Actually, the LiFe cellls are too wide to enter the tail cap and so long in series that even if they were to fit inside the tail cap, the cap would never reach the tube threads.
So 2X 26650 would fit w/ tail cap mod? Unprotected I assume?
As I understand it some mags will hold 26650s others will not. I had thought yours fit in it, if they don't then 26650s won't work.
A C-cell standard size is 26.2mm dia x 50mm long (IEC 60086-2 §7.1.3)
So the 26500 cells that are available should fit no problem. Unfortunately, Mag lite ID’s have varied over the years and some may not fit the 26xxx cells (26mm nominal diameter). The 25500 cells should drop right in to any Mag C, but at the cost of lower capacity.
I have heard of mods to the 2C mag to make 2 x 26650 cells fit, but have no personal experience in whats involved. One way was a spacer that went between the tail cap and body tube and another was machining a pocket in the tail cap and de-anodizing the tailcap inside. I believe that the batteries were inserted backwards in this tail cap mod.
good luck!
Ford
Most of the newer ones don't fit 26650 cells.
If you want to have a great LED thrower for pretty cheap, you can get something like this for around $20 http://www.manafont.com/product_info.php/triple-cree-q4-led-3mode-memory-white-light-dropin-led-module-84v-max-p-5521
DX has versions with as many as 6 LED’s in them. You do have to grind off some metal in the head to make it fit, and wire up the switch, but mine works extremely well. I have a 4D Mag and am running alkalines…but you could certainly use an 18650.
I wonder if I could purchase a 3C Mag tube w/ internals installed? I’ll do a search…
Maybe a Malkoff drop-in. They're pretty much plug and play. They're not cheap, about $50 with shipping, but they have a good reputation and perform (and heatsink) better than other Mag drop-ins.
The 3-6 cell version takes up to 9 Vin, so it should work with 2 li-ion cells.
Thanks, I’ll check it out. i did find some hand made tubes, this could get real interresting. i mostly want this light to hnd to friends and say, here, use my old mag… and then see the look on their faces.
Newer C mags (serial number starts with C) need to be bored to accept 26650's.
Older ones (serial numbers that start with a number) do not, and will accept them just fine.
One of my first mods I did was on an old 2C mag by fitting a 5xR2 drop-in into it. I didn't think the tail cap had enough meat to bore out, so I ended up using a SS spacer to allow 2x26650's.
I love C mags, and my most used light at work is a cut down one running an xm-l with a rebel reflector DD.
With 1145L otf and 71.5Kcd worth of throw, it really does blast through the gloom while still being somewhat pocketable.