Flashlights?

[Fifty150]

eBay. You take your chances. I bought this light used. To me, the price was acceptable. No way to tell from looking at the flashlight, when it was made or what generation it is. No external markings to indicate how bright it may be. The only thing I could see in the seller's photos was an LED unit in the head. Even if it was the very first generation with 69 Lumens, it was okay with me, for the price.


What I got was an LED light. The head unit and switch assembly looks like a factory LED. What I also got was corrosion from a leaking battery. It was in the rear end of the light and all over the tailcap. Enough to interfere with the spring grounding the batteries to the body of the light.



What would you guys do? Try to clean it out? What toxic chemicals do you recommend for cleaning buildup from sulfuric acid. I don't have any wire brushes small enough for a job like this. I may have to buy the cleaning supplies. Replace the tailcap, spring, and gasket? I could call Mag-Lite, to see if they could match up the serial number, to get the correct OEM parts. I could try to source an aftermarket clicking switch tailcap. Unfortunately, those are not 1 size fits all. It may not work. There were different generations of Mini Mags with different spec parts, and the tailcap is not interchangeable.

I could also call Maglite, to see if I can swap out the existing LED switch assembly with a modern Pro model with over 300 Lumens.


A brand new Mini Maglite Pro is $25. There's an active coupon for 25% off. I don't want to spend more than the cost of a new light. But then again, I now have a project light to play around with and see what could be done.​

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[Fifty150]

1st click is low, double click for high.
The tan " military " version is 1 click for high double click for low.

I wonder if there is a programming mode to change that.

 

[TLW '90]

I wonder if there is a programming mode to change that.

It's possible I suppose.

 

[Peacoat]

eBay. You take your chances. I bought this light used. To me, the price was acceptable. No way to tell from looking at the flashlight, when it was made or what generation it is. No external markings to indicate how bright it may be. The only thing I could see in the seller's photos was an LED unit in the head. Even if it was the very first generation with 69 Lumens, it was okay with me, for the price.


What I got was an LED light. The head unit and switch assembly looks like a factory LED. What I also got was corrosion from a leaking battery. It was in the rear end of the light and all over the tailcap. Enough to interfere with the spring grounding the batteries to the body of the light.



What would you guys do? Try to clean it out? What toxic chemicals do you recommend for cleaning buildup from sulfuric acid. I don't have any wire brushes small enough for a job like this. I may have to buy the cleaning supplies. Replace the tailcap, spring, and gasket? I could call Mag-Lite, to see if they could match up the serial number, to get the correct OEM parts. I could try to source an aftermarket clicking switch tailcap. Unfortunately, those are not 1 size fits all. It may not work. There were different generations of Mini Mags with different spec parts, and the tailcap is not interchangeable.

I could also call Maglite, to see if I can swap out the existing LED switch assembly with a modern Pro model with over 300 Lumens.


A brand new Mini Maglite Pro is $25. There's an active coupon for 25% off. I don't want to spend more than the cost of a new light. But then again, I now have a project light to play around with and see what could be done.​

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To remove the active sulphuric acid, use baking soda. To remove the rust, if any, use Evap O Rust.

You are better off than I am. Tried to turn on my mini mag lite and found that the batteries had swollen shut. Also leaked into the end cap which was unlovable. Put Kroil Oil on it. Let it soak. Still wouldn't turn. Put it in one of my bench vises and tried to turn it with a pair of heavy duty angle pliers. Wouldn't budge.

Ordered a new Mini Mag Lite Pro with an LED bulb. 10 times the light for $24.

You could probably get a new part from Mag Lite. As you know, they are good about stocking replacement parts.

 

[Fifty150]

Mini Mag-Lite has 2 working components. The switch assembly which the bulb goes into, and the tailcap.

You can try to troubleshoot by using a tailcap from a working Mag-Lite. If that works, then it's the tail cap assembly. You can also swap the bulb, to make sure that you have a working bulb.

The switch assembly presses down, and turns off. That's what happens when the head assembly is turned all the way down. Unscrew the head a little bit and the switch rises to turn the light on. The base of the switch contacts the positive pole on the battery. The switch grounds to the barrel. It's the same with incandescent and LED. That's a serviceable part. There are online tutorials on how to replace the part. It's a bit or work to disassemble the switch assembly.


The tailcap spring contacts the negative pole on the battery. It also contacts the tailcap, which when screwed onto the body of the light, completes the circuit going back up to the switch unit. Corrosion waste buildup interferes with the contact points at the spring base and wherever the tailcap touches the light body. It's possible to take the spring off the tailcap, then try to clean off the corrosion. You could try replacing the parts if you can find them.


At some point, cost becomes the deciding factor. A new light will cost less than trying to repair. In my case, I have isolated the problem to the tailcap. I am trying to decide how much I want to spend.



The better solution, and what Mag-Lite recommends, is that you contact the battery manufacturer. Mag-Lite doesn't cover battery leaks because they didn't make the battery. Battery companies offer warranties. Although that may mean that you have to find all of your receipts for the flashlight and the batteries, send photos, and probably mail the flashlight and batteries back to the battery company. I am guessing that you will also have to send them a check for return postage.

 

[Fifty150]

Ordered a new Mini Mag Lite Pro with an LED bulb. 10 times the light for $24.

That's the most efficient solution.


I am old school. I want to fix things and keep them working. I am the guy with a collection of old parts from different things..... Hoping that I can repurpose them.


I am slowly leaning towards replacement instead of repairs. Repairs are too costly.

 

[Trenchfriend]

But I tell you this.
I would NEVER give my old MagLED 2D away, even if someone would give me a new generation Mag with much more output in exchange!
I would give my Fenix away, but not the Mags.

 

[Fifty150]

Since I was a child, I have had Mag-Lite. Over decades, I have parts. I looked through the garage and found my spare parts. My next course of action is to see if one of my parts will fit. If not, this flashlight becomes a spare part.

 

[Fifty150]

I would NEVER give my old MagLED 2D away,

Just like my other tools.

I have given them away. Someone doesn't have one at that moment, and they need it. Someone can't afford to buy one. A kid needs it for a camping trip. Niece or nephew gets their first bike or car.

Coworker loses his light while we're working, and I hand him my spare. It's a backup. Keep it. I'll get another. Or you get me one later. I have had people hand me a spare light, because my batteries died. Sometimes I give them back one of mine which has been modified.


I have also lost more than I can count. Car gets broken into, and it's stolen. I set it down somewhere and forgot. It falls down a hillside. It falls in the ocean. It falls off my belt. It falls out of my pocket. I reach for it, and the holster is empty. Someone borrows it and that person loses it.



Decades later, I have extra lights, and spare parts.

 

[Fifty150]

I found a clean, working tailcap, and the light turned on. It wasn't stable. As soon as I put the head on, turned it off, and tried to tune the light on again, it didn't work. I was able to get it turn on again by pressing down on the switch and rotating it. This indicates a problem with the switch internally, or a bad ground contact, as the switch has to ground to the chassis.

My next step was cleaning. I took the spring off the tailcap, soaked both parts in vinegar, then used a toothbrush and sandpaper. Don't tell the girlfriend that I used her toothbrush. I used a cotton swab and applied vinegar into the barrel. I could have used a *** cleaning bore brush. I did not want to contaminate the inside of the light with residual chemical agents from *** cleaning. I did not want to spend any money on buying a brand new bore brush.

I couldn't get the tailcap or the inside of the light body clean with just vinegar. Same results. It worked intermittently.

My next move was to remove the switch for inspection. Just as I thought. The switch and the inside of the light where it makes contact, was contaminated. It looked bad. Really bad. You can't soak the switch in vinegar. You can't take it apart for repair. But it is a replaceable part. There are parts out there.


In other countries, there are aftermarket parts available. Perhaps in those countries, it' is more cost effective to repair a Mag-Lite, as opposed to simply buying a new one to replace it. https://www.thetorchsite.co.uk/Mini_Maglite_LED_bulbs.html has the tailcap, switch, and retainer. About $38. And I would have to wait for shipping from The UK. I would still need to clean out the inside of the flashlight barrel before installing new parts. A *** bore cleaning brush on a drill would do the job. But this is where I draw the line. I'm not spending upwards of $50. I could buy 2 Mini Mag-Lite Pro for that kind of money. I will salvage it for spare parts. The head, reflector, lens, and gaskets are still good.
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[Fifty150]

How do you guys carry your lights?

 

[Trenchfriend]

@Fifty150
When urbexing, I always had my lights in my backpack.

 

[Peacoat]

@Fifty150 you were wise to decide to use the Mini Mag for parts. Too much work and expense, especially expense, for too little gain.

In your parts diagram above, I notice the O ring at the end cap is called a "Lip Seal." Elsewhere they are called O rings. The only difference I could find in my lights is the Lip Seal is a little thicker than the O rings found elsewhere in the light. Interestingly, though, the replacement end cap with the tactical switch has the standard O ring.

Mag Lite must use its own proprietary O ring as of the 40 or 50 different sizes I have, both SAE and metric, none is the same size; they are all a bit thicker. I didn't check the "Lip Seal," though as I didn't have it with me in my shop when I was checking my collection of O rings.

In rounding up my standard size Mag Lites, I found that I have a surprising 4 of the two cell D lights and one three cell Mag Lite. Somewhere I think I have a four cell Kel Light from the mid to late 70s. It may have gotten lost in one of my moves, still packed away or perhaps Suzie Vuong took it with her when she left.

So, I am in the process of converting my incandescent Mag Lites to LED and lubricating the O rings with silicone grease. I am partial to ZDBB grease, but other brands are probably just as good.

Fortunately, all of my Mag Lites are of the older type and have the flange type incandescent bulbs. The new ones evidently have the pin type, which require a more involved conversion to LED. All I have to do is pull the old bulb out and drop the new LED bulb in.

I got a 4 pack of 200 lumen bulbs. Not nearly as bright as what I could have gotten, but more than bright enough for my uses. Also, an inexpensive way to bring a good flashlight into the 21st Century.

 

[jeepTj98]

How do you guys carry your lights?

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In my pocket every day for the last 30 yrs or so.. but I am usually out working

 

[Fifty150]

perhaps Suzie Vuong took it with her when she left​

I never asked her about what she was doing with a Mag-Lite. Now, the mystery is solved. She got it from you.

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I notice the O ring at the end cap is called a "Lip Seal." Elsewhere they are called O rings.​

It's not an 0-ring. It's a proprietary part. It's hard to see in the photos, but it's actually shaped to the gap between the tailcap and the barrel.


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In your parts diagram​

Interesting that part no. 1 and part no. 3 do not have part numbers. As in: they don't sell the tailcap with spring, and barrel with switch and LED unit. And those are the parts that are damaged when a battery leaks.
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the replacement end cap with the tactical switch has the standard O ring​

That's an aftermarket part. Mag-Lite doesn't manufacture a tailcap switch.
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Mag Lite must use its own proprietary O ring as of the 40 or 50 different sizes I have, both SAE and metric, none is the same size;​

I'm sure that proprietary parts allows them to control quality....... maybe....... or just makes it difficult for someone to service the device without buying the parts from Mag-Lite.

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lubricating the O rings with silicone grease​

I think that in a flashlight, you could use household petroleum jelly to lubricate the o-rings and threads.
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the pin type, which require a more involved conversion to LED​

The current Xenon bulb isn't much different that the older Krypton bulb. The incandescent flashlight is still the same design. The Xenon is designed so that it can replace Krypton without difficulty. Remove part 11 lamp retainer, and it pops right out. If for whatever reason, you want to have the old style flashlight bulbs, hardware stores still stock them.



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I got a 4 pack of 200 lumen bulbs.​

There are a lot of high lumen lamps on the market. The generic ones are inexpensive, and they work. Although most of the inexpensive ones probably do not have all of the hundreds of lumens that they advertise. And nobody really advertises candela or candle power.


I have some cheap ones which seem to be okay. They turn on. They are bright. They turn off. My concern is stability. How long can you turn it on and leave it on? Will it heat up after a few minutes of use? Without a heatsink or cooling system, will it get hot enough to melt or burn up inside of the light? Will it start flickering? What happens when you drop the flashlight? How long will they last? Can I use it for a few months, a year, a few years, 10 years?


What I've noticed is that the larger companies do not sell lights that claim hundreds of lumens. As if they know that it's dangerous to manufacture a unit like that.

 

[Fifty150]

Flashlights in action. This was from today. This kind of stuff happens several times a day, every day, in Los Angeles. The television stations have helicopters just to cover these incidents, live, as they are happening. Someone could sit at home all day watching car chases, robberies, shootings........ But this is what these flashlights do in real life.



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[Trenchfriend]

What Mags US Army and Marines used over the years? 5D or 6D?

 

[Fifty150]

This was also tonight. What you see is the end of a pursuit. The Highway Patrol has lights mounted on their service ******s. As they holstered the weapons to physically take the subject into custody, one of the officer's weapon mounted light is still on. The crazy part is that this is on a freeway. At any moment, a car could crash right into them.​

 

[Fifty150]

What Mags US Army and Marines used over the years? 5D or 6D?

The "official" flashlight is this 2 D cell, plastic, angle head "thing" with a clip. I'm sure that special units have better equipment. Special units all have special equipment . But if you are just some soldier on base, this is what you got if you needed a flashlight. Undoubtedly, individual soldiers would buy whatever they could afford, if they weren't happy with the "official". Some must have bought Mag-Lite.

I can't recall a 5D or 6D being issued to any specific fighting units.

I would imagine that a 5D or 6D Mag-Lite would be too heavy to carry around, and too long to be practical for tactical use.
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[Peacoat]

I finished cleaning and re-greasing all of my D size Mag Lites. All went smoothly until I got to the last one. It happened to be the oldest of my torches. The tail cap came off without a problem, but the head cap and the face cap were stuck. Stuck hard. Finally got them off. Saw the problem. The threads were dry, as was the one O ring at the head cap. The face cap had no O ring. That caused the problem. Without the O ring, air infiltrated the threads at both the head cap and the face cap. Everything was dried out.

Why was there no O ring? Evedently it wasn't installed at the factory. I had never had it apart. It wasn't me who lost the O ring. It was never there. There was a groove where it should have been. No O ring.

I thought it would be a simple matter to get a replacement, and a few other spare O rings. Not to be. Mag Lite offers plenty of replacement O rings for its AA Mini Mag Lites but not for its full size torches. At least I have been unable to find any.

I guess I could call Mag Lite, or perhaps I can find one to fit amongst the hundreds of O rings I have in my shop. Although when I looked the other day, all of mine appeared to be too thick.

@Fifty150 suggested Vaseline as an alternative to O ring grease. I actually used Vaseline a few days ago when my silicone grease wasn't handy. It works. But I doubt it will last as long in the light as O ring grease. That stuff lasts for decades, if the O rings are intact.

In my oldest Mag Lite, the tail cap was still slightly lubricated. The O ring was intact. That light is decades old. It is the one I got to replace the Kel Light that Suzy took. In all fairness to her, though, I told her that when she left, to take anything she wanted from the apartment. I wasn't worried. I didn't have much back then. She only took the Kel Light. I believe it was a 4 cell D light.

I had taught her the police method of holding the light. That method allows it to be used as torch and as a baton, if needed. Even at the low ready position. So, she took the Kel Light to light her way in her travels across the country, and as a defensive weapon, if needed. After that is when Fifty150 ran across her.

So, if anyone knows of a source for the D size O rings, please let me know.