NOTICE:
Do not attempt the modification listed on this page.
If you decide to attempt any modifications based upon
the information found anywhere on this web site you
do so entirely AT YOUR OWN RISK. The author of this
web site is not responsible if you injure or damage
anything or anyone to any extent whatsoever. The content
of this page is presented for entertainment purposes
only. LEGAL NOTICE
PAGE
Now that THAT'S out of the way, on with
the show...
Looks like a regular little 2-C cell Maglite, doesn't
it? Well don't let appearances fool you! In "street
racing" vocabulary, this would be called a "sleeper".
It looks like a regular light, but it's souped up under
the hood. This was a very simple modification which
uses a spacer tube, a new bulb, three 123A cells, and
a very slight modification to the tail spring to give
this little 2-C Mag the output closer to that of a 6-D
cell Mag!
Parts: Thanks go to John C. of San Diego, CA,
who helped me out by sending the parts and instructions
needed for this modification. The parts are actually
very simple: a piece of water heater hose (resists heat
VERY well) sliced up the side and a new bulb.
I measured the hose at about 10/16ths inner diameter,
15/16ths outer diameter, 4" in length. This works
perfectly as a spacer to hold three 123A cells in the
body tube of the 2-C light. The bulb is a Maglite Mag-Num
Star Xenon 6 Cell bulb.
First I replaced the bulb. Then I just slid in the
hose, slid in three 123A cells (positive first) and
look at the fit! Just about perfect. I put the tailcap
on and... no light. The spring on the end of the light
is designed to make contact with large C cells and needed
a slight modification. The top loop was too wide to
make contact with the smaller negative plate of the
123A cell. By using a pair of good pliers (and safety
glasses) I was able to apply pressure to two sides of
the top spring loop and bend the outer arm of the spring
inward enough to contact the negative side of the smaller
123A cell.
This was a minor modification and would
not affect the light's use in any way if I reverted
it back to it's original configuration.
Output: Very bright! Just about what you would
expect from a 9V flashlight. Since it uses the normal
Mag smooth reflector, the beam is full of artifacts,
rings, holes, etc., especially when changing the focus
from a narrow beam to a wide flood. If I wanted to smooth
it out, I could use a replacement diffusing
lens from Flashlight-Lens.com.
Beam at one meter at target center, most narrow and
most wide beam.
Level
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Modified Setup
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16000 (126.49)
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6000 (60.00)
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Normal Setup (2-C, standard
bulb)
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7000 (83.66)
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1150 (11.50)
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All throw readings are in Lux
at one meter. The numbers in parenthesis are for comparison
in the Comparison
Charts.
Runtime Plot: So how long does it run? Only
about an hour, which is pretty normal for a three 123A
powered light. Note that the light started out around
the 75% mark and got brighter over time, maxing out
around 20 minutes in. The throw and output numbers given
in the Quick Facts table are from the START of the runtime,
so at its maximum the throw number would be around 168
and overall output around 80. This puts it close to
other 3 x 123A cell tactical lights.
Runtime
completed with "Titanium"
brand batteries. More information on runtime plots is
available HERE.
Conclusions: Really, that's about
it! A piece of water heater hose, a new bulb, three
123A cells and a slight bend added to the top loop of
the negative spring and a 2-C cell MagLight was turned
into a very bright "tactical output" torch
with only a very small financial investment.
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