Looking for a shopping list for a 3C Mag build

LED Flashlights – General Info Other Battery Type Flashlights
1

About 10 years ago, an acquaintance of mine built me a beautiful 3C Mag with LED. I loved that thing immensely, but some punk stole it from me. I’m finally ready to build myself another one, but I’m short on time as far as researching what I would want to put in it. That acquaintance suggested to me that I use neutral tinted XML-2 LED, and told me that I’d need a heatsink, driver, etc, but had no advice on which driver to use, where to get it, etc. I’m looking to build at least one, possibly up to three, of these lights by 9/9.

What I’m looking for is a shopping list suggesting all of the parts I would need, AND where to get them, to put a XML2 in a 3C Mag and make it run. I have a soldering iron and some Arctic Silver epoxy, and I need to buy everything else. This first build should use 3*C NiMH batteries. The next one will use 18650s, but right now that’s too fancy for me, having never built one and having a deadline.

Thanks all!

2

Anyone want to suggest any parts? What’s your favorite driver for 4.5v? Who has the best heatsinks? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

3

For 3V-4.5V I highly recommend the Mtn Electronics MTN17DDm as your driver. I'd choose the Bistro firmware option along with the Bistro thermal step down option under the Turbo Timeout choice.

Lots of choices for the LED but it you want a Mag with good range I'd recommend an XP-L HI V2 in 5A2 tint. This will give you longer throw distance and a nice NW tint that looks simply fantastic.

Unfortunately I am unable to suggest a source for heatsinks. Most are made custom. I'm sure one of the good members here will be able to suggest a source for a proper heatsink.

Best of luck with your build! Please post pics of the final result. :)

4

I’ve ordered this heatsink: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?310770-~~H22A-Heatsinks~~
I have not used it yet since I’m searching for a driver.
It needed a little filing to fit but now it fits exactly.

5

Thanks to both of you for helping me out! I’m going to buy the flashlight bodies (2 or 3) today, along with some LEDs.

JohnnyMac: That driver looks like it has lots of useful features/options, and looks like something I’d be interested in. I’m a little confused, though, as to how it wires in. I would have assumed that the spring went in the tailcap, and the wires went in the head side of the light, but that board has both the spring and the wires, so where does it go? Should I get it with the wires and the spring pre-installed?

KoekieMonster: Which heatsink out of that list did you order? What’s the difference between them? Also, have you received your order yet? H22A hasn’t posted in their sales thread in 7 months.

6

Jaf,

A couple suggestions for your MAG build.

You’ll have to remove the switch, cut off the ‘tower’ holding the incan bulb. There are YouTube tutorials on switch mods, just do a bit of searching.

Richard at Mountain Elect. can guild you about the driver connections.

You will likely need to replace the driver output wires w/ longer / heavier wires to reach the LED.

If you intend to drive the LED at several amps you’ll want to mod the tail with a low resistance wire added to the tailspring.

And, you may want to add an aluminum reflector and a AR lens for a nice beam pattern and to minimize any output loss.

7

Check out vestureofbloods Thread his store has lots of Maglite modding stuff including heat sinks.

8

I’ve ordered the P7 maglite C version (and another C and a D for a friend)
contact was a bit slow, shipping was about a week. he only mails out once a week I think.
I’ve ordered 25th of april, unfortunately I had no time to build the entire light since I’m still searching for a driver.