Old & Ancient Mag-Lite Solitaire

Knobby · 2019-05-23T18:11:40.000Z

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I’ve had my old Solitaire in the collection for nearly 25 years. And yes it’s crap. Trouble is, it has a sentimental attachment and I can’t throw it out. I saw a post years ago where someone bought a modern flashlight and stripped the parts for their Solitaire.

Does anyone haver a link to this old post. Or can someone suggest a new flashlight whose donor parts would fit.

Thanks

ps I don’t need a replacement FL, I have enough for 3 lifetimes …… :person_facepalming:

M3CSL · 2019-05-23T18:17:46.000Z

Technically, it is possible to rebuild a Maglite with newer parts, but this might not be a financially viable solution. I know you don’t want a new light, but a new light would be cheaper.

Here is a start:
https://asflashlights.com/

ps: I also have loads of Maglites sitting around…

f0xx · 2019-05-23T21:55:05.000Z

Not sure what would be the best route to go, but (I think the Solitaire is AAA? twisty incandescent right?) if you find a light that uses the same battery size, you could probably find a compatible driver. If 10mm will fit, MTN Electronics has some misc 10mm drivers on his site (I’m sure you could find similar small drivers around in the usual places).

I have seen some deals on the Lumintop Tool AA and AAA in the amazon deals thread here on BLF. I’m not sure if they are still active, but I got a AA tool for like $6 and it is a pretty good light. From what I can see, it may be possible to get the driver out of it without too much damage. I think there is a sub brand/cousin of the AAA version named “Ultratac A7”. The Ultratac A7 doesn’t appear to be an easy one to pull apart, but if you are careful you may be able to cut the innards out. As far as my experience goes, most of the AAA sized lights are full of glue/solder/etc and hard to mod/disassemble.

There will be custom work no matter which way you go, so if you can get a driver the right size without having to dismantle a tiny and difficult light, you will probably be ahead in labor costs.

I haven’t looked for small LED boards before, but I’m sure they exist. I’ve modded 2 Maglites so far, a AA Mini Maglite (cut it down to 1AA size and put in a triple board with 5000k nichia 219c’s with a FET driver), and a 3D Maglite (buck driver, 3x 26650, XHP70.2 emitter). I have since purchased some ready made lights (D4s, Q8, FW3A, Convoy S2, Convoy C8, etc) and I like many of them more than the modded lights (that extra-mini mag is awesome though). Doubly so if you count the cost of the modded ones vs something like the FW3A.

If this is purely for sentimental reasons, why not keep it as is? You could run rechargeable NiMHs in it for slightly better performance and maybe they make an easily swap-able LED for it. (found one on ebay with a little searching) A small single cell light like that with non-leaky batteries is nice for a car light or in an emergency/first aid kit

Hoop · 2019-05-23T22:01:29.000Z

Let Old-Lumens be your guide:

Help, I need a Flashlight Modding Intervention! Maglite Solitaire revisited. Flashlight Modding and DIY Parts

I can't put these damned things down! I needed to mod another Solitaire, for a single 10440 light, but I am concerned about how hot they get. The last two I did were made wrong. I let the light work as normal, where the head turns up for on and down for off. That leaves the star all by itself and it gets so hot, so fast, that it ruins the led. So, I'm off on another quest, to get more out of less, or nothing at all. An effort in futility and minutia. [sa1] Gray Solitaire, Nichia 219, TIR opt…

Renamed Thread - Solitaire + Nichia 219 + Efest 10440 = another micro mod - Beam shots are up Flashlight Modding and DIY Parts

Hey, sitting inside playing PC games is killing me, so since it's "supposed to" be a little cooler this week, maybe I can do a simple mod in the mornings, before the garage gets hot. I have this little Red Solitaire and it's looking lonely. I hate that forlorn look it has, I think you can see it in the photo. See how sad it looks? [sol1a] [sol1b] Once the rest of the parts in the garage saw me pick up a light, things became rather hectic. Stuff just migrated onto the table. I didn't…

Video - How to turn a Solitaire Maglite into a 10440 Flashlight with only a few hand tools Flashlight Modding and DIY Parts

Here's a video on how to turn a Solitaire into a single 10440 DD light, with a TIR optic and a Nichia 219, that will run at over an amp (depending on the battery) and be bright as heck. List of what you need: Solitaire Maglite Nichia 219 on 10mm star from Illumination Supply TIR Optic 20 degree 11.5mm to 11.8mm like the one from CNQG 22ga or 24ga Solid copper wire (teflon coated recommended) Solder Solder Gun Needle Nose Pliers Wire Stripper Exacto Knife (one that uses a heavy #2 blad…

DavidEF · 2019-05-23T22:55:01.000Z

After all this time, Old-Lumens still showing us how it’s done.

Lightbringer · 2019-05-23T23:38:27.000Z

Wellp, 25yo almost certainly means a hotwire bulb… wanna buy an LED Solitaire and stick the innards from there into the sentimental one?

Then you can hacque around with the gutted new one. Drop in a 10440, LED, and ballast resistor on a simple contact-board for a totally unprotected but usable light.

Waiting · 2019-05-24T07:41:45.000Z

amazon.com

LED Bulb for Solitaire AAA MAGLITE Keychain Flashlight - Led Household Light...

LED Bulb for Solitaire AAA MAGLITE Keychain Flashlight - Led Household Light Bulbs - Amazon.com

https://www.amazon.com/MagLite-Solitaire-Conversion-upgrade-flashlight/dp/B07GVQ6R6W

Knobby · 2019-05-24T15:36:47.000Z

Thanks guys …… I’ll buy a new LED solitaire and see if the parts will transplant. If not I’ll follow Old-Lumens DIY… Plus I’ll end up with another flashlight. ha

f0xx · 2019-05-24T15:52:11.000Z

I’m glad there are people here that know more than me about this stuff and are nice enough to throw some words out to help. What a great place!

Jack_Kellar · 2019-05-24T16:22:33.000Z

When you’re done, please post a few photos. We just love refurbished vintage lights

DavidEF:

After all this time, Old-Lumens still showing us how it’s done. :cry:

People only die when they’re forgotten, Dave. Justin lives on in his lessons.

NeilP · 2019-11-16T09:36:39.000Z

Perfect info …thansk for saving me from posting ( and you lot having to reply! ) to a new thread.
Just dug out my old AAA Solitare
Wanted a lamp to strap to my aircraft headset for night flight paperwork.

Any AAA lamp will do, TBH…currently using an 18650 with MTN Electronics driver, no memory LMH driver …but an 18650 zoom lamp on my header on a belt clip is a bit big…the little Solitare will be perfect…though as you all say…cheaper to buy a new one…but sentimental value too…and don’t like to waste an old body it I can make it work…
Searching those links now for clues as what to do

buck91 · 2019-11-17T01:19:52.000Z

Wasn’t there an MJLED drop in for the Solitaire at some point? I suppose it would be somewhat difficult to find one now, though.

Kindle · 2019-11-17T03:56:54.000Z

buck91:

Wasn’t there an MJLED drop in for the Solitaire at some point? I suppose it would be somewhat difficult to find one now, though.

I believe so.

Sino Union which was the company that made the 48 LED Showerhead drop-ins for the Maglite had a really nice one with a warm tint. It’s still available but I can only find it in bulk orders of 20 or more. LINK

You can still find no-name ones on eBay & AliExpress but I have no idea about quality.

NeilP · 2019-11-17T08:11:16.000Z

Much easier yes, worth a try
Actually have one in a AA Maglite now I think of it

Found one on Amazon

MagLite Solitaire LED Conversion/upgrade bulb for MagLite Solitaire Torch/flashlight 1AAA Cell Philips LED https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B012ZIPAMW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_09p0Db780BA7M

Was really hoping for a Low-Medium-High, no memory type driver though. Often find for night time aircraft cockpit use, ‘standard’ brightness is often too much

Will give this a go and see what happens.

Found a video OL made, but not looked at that yet

buck91 · 2019-11-17T14:38:32.000Z

Looks like a Terralux, or a terralux knock off. I wonder if you could reflow a red XPE in there instead.

NeilP · 2019-11-17T15:22:06.000Z

Red, hmm yes, that was always my thoughts, until I started night flying for real.

Surprisingly the need for a red light is not really a requirement or needed. All cockpit lighting is white, and the whole red light for night vision is more relevant for night time VFR of military ground survey ground attack roles. All the flying done in commercial environment is in to big (ish) runways, under IFR and lots of radar control and lots of runway lighting.

Having just a low level light is actually better than a red.

I was wondering if I can find a small 10mm driver, stack it under Led board and build a clicky tail switch

hank · 2019-11-17T17:01:33.000Z

> > SinoUnion
I hope someone business-minded goes for 20 and parts them out to us.

Warm White for SOLITAIRE (16 lms)_Pack of 20
Item# newitem375618982
$35.90

Kindle · 2019-11-17T17:57:08.000Z

hank:

> > SinoUnion
I hope someone business-minded goes for 20 and parts them out to us.

Warm White for SOLITAIRE (16 lms)_Pack of 20
Item# newitem375618982
$35.90

When I started poking around, seeing if I could find them (Sino Union’s original web page is dead it seems) and stumbled across that my first thought was maybe pursuing a group buy here but I’m not sure there would be enough interest.