LED replacment for mag lights

[GasSavers_Ryland]

I've never been impressed with the dim light. and short battery life of mag lights, so while at home depot yesterday I picked up a $19 dollar 3 watt LED drop in bulb "upgrade" for my 2 "D" cell mag light, and then compaired it to the output of one of the $80 3 watt LED tactical lights that a friend who is really in to LED lights has, and altho pointing it at your face, the $80 light will blind you a bit more (smaller lense, more focuesed close up), shining it down a dark street, and on buildings last night, they apear to be exactly the same, and up to about a block away you can light stuff up, half a block away and you can shine thru windows and light up inside buildings.

of course the $80 tactical light is smaller and lighter, and they are both aluminum houseing that you could drive over, the more exspensive tactical light takes $6-10 worth of odd lithum batterys that if you want to get the best price on you have to order a case of 100 or something, and the mag light can take cheap rechargables, or cheap "D" cell batteries that you can get at any gas station, and altho does cost a bit to go and buy a new mag light + the LED, alot of people already have the mag lights, or course this LED bulb replacment would fit in a plastic .99 cent flashlight as well...

[UfoTofU]

I have a LED replacement for my little 2 AA MagLite and I love it. Much brighter and lasts much longer on the same batteries. I do recommend it to anyone.

One drawback (at least with mine) is that I can no longer focus the bean because the reflector and the LEDs are one unit.

[GasSavers_Ryland]

the larger mag light LED is a 180 degree beam, so it uses the reflector and can be focused from mag lights normal wide beam with a slightly unlit center, to a sharp spot light.

[JanGeo]

Sounds like the Luxon LED - I did something else a little different - I took a pen light and got two AA size Li-Ion cells then upgraded the bulb to a 8.2 volt bulb - now I have a pen light that can warm your hand with about 3 watts of heat and light and cells that can be recharged but don't discharge in the car for over a year where as NiMh cells are good for a couple of week to a month before they need of charging again. I also picked up a Single cell Lithium "camera" cell RCR123A but rechargable and a Luxon flashlight from BatterySpace.com - nice aluminum case, push button on off in the rear, o-ring seals, and way too bright a beam good for at least 45 minutes on a charge yet short and stubby. Next modification is a pot to allow me to dim the LED so I can make it last a lot longer per charge and cut the intensity a little.

[GasSavers_Ryland]

to dim that LED I would think getting something like a 555 timer and maybe a small capasiter, so insted of dumping power in to a resister you are simply varrying the time that the LED is on and off.