Just broke the Maglite

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I just dropped my trusty, old two D-cell Maglite from about 4 feet onto the concrete garage floor.

It hit the bumper cover of the car, bounced off and onto the floor.

The retrofit Maglite LED bulb is now in two pieces and the on/off button is sticky. I put in a spare Maglite krypton bulb and it lights bit it's a very dim amber. The batteries might be marginal (I don't have any fresh D-cells). Power enough to light the LED but not enough to burn a regular filament bulb?

I think the switch assembly might be fubar as well.



This one is easily 20 years old. It's been through the war in what is my garage. It's been dropped before but it never had broke.

If I have some time tomorrow I'll remove the switch assembly and get some new batteries. Hopefully I can save this old flashlight.

I've had rotten luck with more recent production Maglite products like their XL series so I'm not really keen on rushing out to get another Maglite to replace this one.
 
With the efficiency of new LED bulbs, there is little need to get a 2D sized flashlight.
New flashlights can be just as bright or brighter, or last longer but not weigh 4lbs.

Take a look around, there are various flashlights that run on 2-4 AA that will outperform the old maglite2D LED across the board, with the added benefit of allowing you to use rechargeable AAs.
If you want to dive a little deeper, then you can get more expensive fancier flashlights that run on CR123 or 18650 batteries.

It is like lugging around a suitcase laptop from the 1990s that weights 10lbs, when a new laptop that weights 4lbs outperforms it across the board.
 
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Originally Posted By: raytseng
With the efficiency of new LED bulbs, there is little need to get a 2D sized flashlight.
New flashlights can be just as bright or brighter, or last longer but not weigh 4lbs.

Take a look around, there are various flashlights that run on 2-4 AA that will outperform the old maglite2D LED across the board, with the added benefit of allowing you to use rechargeable AAs.
If you want to dive a little deeper, then you can get more expensive fancier flashlights that run on CR123 or 18650 batteries.

It is like lugging around a suitcase laptop from the 1990s
that weights 10lbs, when a new laptop that weights 4lbs outperforms it across the board.




I agree.....but the maglite has that nice weapon factor.
 
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I rely heavily on a flashlight to accomplish my job. I use Streamlight lights exclusively.

I carry a Stinger LED HL but also keep an old Stinger original for when the LED HL is simply too bright.

They're expensive but they're warranted for life and with the newest nickel-metal-hydride batteries I haven't had to replace a battery in years.

Just my experience...
 
I've got half a dozen of the new Maglite XL-50s...one in each car, and one in my flight bag. They're great...very compact, bright lights. Not one issue.
 
I don't really need the latest and greatest. For me, a flashlight is just a light source.

I really don't care for Maglite's LED bulbs. With the beam focused to anything other than a point, the beam has a dark center. My other D-cell Magslites have those long cylindrical incandescent bulbs. I think they were called Mag-Num Star (MSA2) or something like that. I mistakenly referred to them earlier as Krypton bulbs.

I have two XL-200's. Both of them have wonky tail cap switches. Pressing the switch doesn't always yield the function you desire. On one of them the rubber switch cap is installed off center.

I take this one along when we're out camping or fishing:







Spot, fluorescent flood and flashing warning lights.
 
If you're handy with a soldering iron maybe you an pick up a Seoul Semiconductor P4 to replace that old luxeon emitter. Did it to my 3D Maglite years ago and its worked great. Roughly twice as bright at any given time with no side effects.

But like others have said, the D cell lights are pretty out dated at this point and even the SSC P4 LEDs are pretty ancient tech these days.
 
Removed the switch assembly from the barrel. Needed to use a wooden paint stirrer and hammer to tap the switch assembly to get it past old battery leakage residue and out the bottom of the barrel.

Disassembled the switch assembly short of removing the on/off button. Cleaned the switch of all that dusty battery leakage residue. The spring action of the bulb holder/beam focus was sketch so I removed it from the switch assembly, cleaned and re-assembled.

Stripped the barrel of its o-rings (left the snap ring in place). Wrapped a green Scotchbrite pad around the paint stirrer and scrubbed the inside of the barrel. Rinsed with lacquer thinner and compressed air dry.

Lubed the o-rings and threads. Reassembled with new batteries. Switch function has been restored. It's back in its wall brackets ready to be dropped again.
 
Good to see you fixed it, but this is the first time I have ever heard of this happening, but at 20 years old I think you got your usage out of it. The old ones seem to be better though IMO. (Like everything else) Very stout. If this was to happen again, I wonder if you can buy a new one and use it for parts if it means something to you.

How did you like the LED retrofit? The girlfriend bought me a gun metal grey Maglite that she says I cant get rid of.. but she never said anything about modifying.
laugh.gif
JK she bought it for our anniversary so I would never want to get ride of it.
 
If it is 20yrs old, the switch probably takes a 5/64 allen to remove. They switch to Torx a few years ago which takes a T8 but a constant diameter for about an inch worth of depth.
 
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