I also am a maglight fan. I always take waxpaper and make a inner sleeve to slide my batteries inside of to prevent them from sticking inside the flashlight. Keeps batteries from rattling too.
Thank you so much! I've had my mag lite for about 20 years, last year I did a led upgrade, but put in some cheap batteries. I just found out that the batteries burst inside the lamp, causing the button to get stuck. I would never have figured to use an allen key without this video!
Here is a bit of education for some people. There are several reasons maglight has been around for over 35 years and will continue to be. Quality and craftsmanship with the capability to withstand the elements. A 6 d flashlight has an extremely long burn time that will outlast most any smaller or brighter light. Ive always run one size smaller bulb in any of mine giving it a much brighter light. Example a 5 cell bulb in a 6 cell light or 3 cell bulb in a 4 cell light. Never had any problem
These "impossible to find" keys for unscrewing the switch are super common in Europe with the smaller ones costing mere cents at any hardware store. In Germany we call them "Inbus Keys", and they're probably the third most common type of screwdriving implement. The 2mm one seems to fit the older D Mags up to the mid 2000s perfectly, newer ones use Torx I believe.
I just made a special tool to use and it worked. Just check with a machinist with many years experience. You would be amazed what they can make for you.
I have a two C cell maglite I've modified. First, the batteries. I replaced the C cells with one 18650 Lithium Ion. I made a spacer out of cardboard for it's width. Then for length, I cut off about 3/4 inches of a steel bolt to act as a spacer between the spring and the battery. Then the light. The 18650 operates between 4.2 volts to about 3.0 volts, so a two cell bulb would likely burn out quick at 4.2 volts. I found an LED drop in replacement that is for the 2 and 3 cell Mags with the perfect voltage ranges. Next I added a convex lens. This nearly eliminated the rings and halos that Maglites make, so now it made a mostly perfectly even circle of light. To eliminate the remaining haloing, I sprayed the reflector with clear acrylic, just a couple of quick spurts. This diffused the light, eliminating any halos, and then the lens just refocuses it to now a perfect circle of light in bright white with a rechargeable battery. It still retains some of it's focus although it's not as tight as stock, and the wide beam isn't as wide as stock. Finally, I installed one of those crowned bezels to protect the lens which jutted out past the stock bezel. It's a perfect flashlight to go camping with and it lasts hours on one charge (I've never actually measured it). My next goal will be to find a good 26650 which will add much more capacity and not need the spacer, because it's just 0.2 mm thinner then a C cell. After that, it's finding a way to charge the battery inside of the flashlight instead of taking it out all the time.
I had a battery in a mini maglite go bad on me. Once I got the bad batteries out. I used a .50 caliber bronze bore brush on a electric drill to clean out the corrosion, which got most of it out. Then, I got some fine sand paper rolled that around a dowel and finished cleaning up the inside of the light. Used canned air too clean out the inside of the light, put new batteries into it and it worked. Maglites are great.
That sound at 9:37 is metal on metal. I have used just a touch of Vasoline on the threads for the last 50 years to remove that screech. I was hunting in a blind and opened my light, because it wouldn't come on, and the screech caused my deer to bolt. Got home and fixed that quickly.
I know this is an older video but as a Mag man myself I noticed you installed the old version of the tri emitter TerraLux. I have the current 1000 lumen verison. For people watching this video and are not to knowledgeable about Mags and the sea of upgrades and mods available for them the tri emitter TerraLux drop in turns your Mag into a flood light specifically. You will no longer have much beam throw at all. The three emitters are under small short optics this is what makes it into a flood light. Totally huge lumen output yes but the beam that comes out is just a very wide undefined "cloud" of light. Perfect for lighting up a larger backyard though. Yes do get a glass lens for any D Mag. There are several sources of glass Mag lenses now. From anti glare coated to the more durable but non glare coated borofloat lenses your beam definition becomes sharper either way and the glass lenses do not melt like the stock plastic one would if you are doing a mod that really puts off a lot of heat.
Thank you for making this video. I have the same Maglight 6D and I just had the same problem with my batteries swelling up from the corrosion and I still haven’t gotten them all out yet because the only other videos that I could find all said that I needed a 2mm hex wrench and I couldn’t for the life of me figure out why I couldn’t get the screw loosened up.
I like the notched out cap for the simple fact that when you set the light down on a flat surface you can tell the light is still on. I left mine on once while it was facing down and it was right after I installed the LED bulb and brand new batteries. Lol. It was a week or so before I noticed it was still on and by the light was barely on still and the sadly the batteries had swelled and fused the end cap onto it. I was heartbroken. Lol. Never again.
I checked pricing on the 4 items you installed in your MAG Light and price comes in at $130.00. And you also had to purchase a new switch assembly. You must really love your Mag light to invest that amount of $$$ in a old unit. .
Exactly. There are SO MANY better options that doing this, including buying new from Maglite. Their LED 6D Maglite (New with free shipping) sells for $59.50...That includes three programs each with different light settings on the switch: outdoor, police, tactical. The settings are Eco, Strobe, Low, Momentary, and High which one comes on depends on the click and the program utilized. Additionally, the beam can be focused from widest to narrowest in a 1/4 turn of the head. Honestly, I would buy the $59.50 LED 6D from Maglite any day over buying a standard 6D (~$40), then spending $130 on parts to have a flashlight that's nearly equal to what is offered from Maglite. Even if you bought the glass breaker, upgraded lens, and strike bezel (total of ~$52), you would have a more functional LED 6D Maglite maxed out at $111.50 compared to an equivalent Maglite costing ~$170...
@@Eugeneden2010 Just depends what you are looking for. I have this one 3 cell D battery one with an incandescent bulb I just replaced with an LED bulb upgrade today for $10 from eBay. I got the flashlight for free from a friend of mine but you know the point is I already had it and didn’t see the purpose in buying a new one when I can just upgrade mine. Of course I still get what y’all are saying.
Although your tutorial is totally clear and helpful, especially on how to dismount and mount the switch, I would like to advise you: Never ever touch the contacts, not even the spring or the battery-poles, with your bare hands or fingers unless you clean those contacts very thoroughly afterwards. The residu your fingers leave on the contacts will result in electrical resistance and is the wake-up-call for corrosion. It's only 9volts at the max remember! In addition to this you should not touch the innerside of the glass nor should you touch those beautiful new led's. That same residu will burn into the ledcover. The cleaner those parts are, the better the rays get through.
Nice upgrade. I have always loved the trusty black maglites. I have a 3 cell d and 2 cell d. A glass lens is probably when of the best upgrades you can do after a led conversion but I have found a company that makes an anti reflection coated or AR coated glass lens made just for these old maglites. They are coated on both sides and fairly inexpensive. Let me tell you... You can barley tell that there's even a lens on there!! Flood pattern is brighter and center spot is sharper and brighter. It really turns the maglite to a thrower. But I must say unlike your conversion I can focus my maglite I have the "already" led maglite. Next is to use 18650 batteries than the d cells. D cells are expensive in the long run. Especially if you do regularly use a flashlight. Anyway, if anyone's interested in AR coated lens for mags or any other flashlights they make other sizes too check out flashlightlens.com
Thanks for the Vlog, I just purchased the LED 300 Lumen buld and the glass lens for my 3 d cell Maglite. The difference is incredible. The only other thing I think I would like to purchase would be the glass breaking in cap.
Nice, i did the same to my 4D mag. But the glass breaker and bezel only come in black or gray. I have a red mag, i plan to put a battery extender to get up to 6 cells. But only comes in black. I put those AA spacers in so its not too heavy when i hike or go on my late night walks. Nice flashing light.
@@randomstuffguy1731 Mine too. One totally wrecked. Another I managed to save. Also had the old ‘smoke cutter’ flashlight made by LA Screw company, which I managed to rescue from leaky Duracells. I guess I’ve learnt my lesson with those batteries.
I just send my mags in and they fix em for free they are the best I've ever seen with warranty work I had no problems for 20 years if they can't fix it they replace it
Excellent. Once I was able to unscrew the switch, I was able to softly drive the stuck leaky battery out. I did not know until you showed it that the hex screw in the switch was the key.
to ray and momo who made comments to guard in most states the 6 cell is considered a weapon and illeagal ..unless you carry a baton oer.it....check before you comment.. looking at their web pages doubt they would know
Your first mistake was using "Dura-Leak" cells in that Maglight. I have cleaned many of these over the years. Back in my day, I could tell how long a cop was on the job by the length of his flashlight. I started with a 6 cell and retired with a Minimag.
I found that a 2mm allen wrench fits perfectly in all my D Mags. Stupid thing though, the 3D Mags are a different body diameter than the 2D and 6D (I don't have any 4D to compare) so the head and endcap won't fit either way and the 3D switch wobbles around in the 2D/6D. What were they thinking? Were they thinking at all?
Are you sure they aren't just from different eras? Different eras have slightly different dimensions, but different cell capacities from the same era should all be the same
I have a 41 year old Maglight! Crazy, huh? Bought it as an 18 yr old police reserve officer. I thought about an overhaul of my Maglight. Upgrade to LED. But, some of the commenters on this video seem to have a few better suggestions. Newer, better, less $$ technology.
That's a great question. With so many companies pumping out amazing lights i find it's not always worth spending the money to upgrade because you'll sometimes spend more on the upgrades then it would cost to buy a new light and there's still no guarentee that the upgrades will make it better than the newer lights
Thanks for that Jeff. Interesting to watch. I did not even know those upgrades are available! One thing I would have done differently, is put the original bulb seating ring, into the butt foam too. Otherwise if you ever need to revert to the spare bulb it'll be useless without that ring
I was considering coming up with a way of wrapping the batteries in a shrink type wrap to keep the batteries from swelling and rupturing and fusing the end cap shut if they did. Not sure how you could do it without it covering the contacts but I think there's gotta be someway to do it. Mine literally welded itself shut nearly and I was so mad.
A bench grinder makes the T8 fit. A handheld grinder makes the T8 fit. A dremel will make the T8 fit. A ground down a Harbor Freight T8 wrench that I had layong around. You only need 4 turns of the wrench to unseat the set screw. Then push in the switch and push it out of the tube. If you need to come out the front there is a split ring in a groove. The trick to getting the ring out is to loosen the T8 or 2mm set screw. Push down on the bulb holder without the bulb about an 8th of an inch and then retighten the set screw. That gives you the room to get the split ring out. Most of the time I use a small pick to pry up one end and then push it down with a small screwdriver. Then pry up on the other end and the clip will come flying out. Then release the set screw, puch in on the switch and push it out the front. I converted mine to lithium batteries so no more corosion. A dab of never seize on the cap threads stops the threads from being a problem.
You mentioned that a battery blew out and got acid in your light. First thing I thought of was it was probably a Duracell. Sure enough, as you are putting your light together and loading batteries, you have damn Duracells. Their batteries have been shit for decades. Lost count of how many flashlights I have ruined with those leaky things before I figured it out and quit using them. Now, I use Energizers. Never had a problem with them. Any battery will leak if you let it drain its energy and leave it long enough, but I have had Duracells leak when the batteries still had power and were only a few weeks in use.
I learned to put label on all my flashlights with a date 16 months after batteries are installed. And replace batteries then. The lights I use a lot have rechargeable batteries Nitecore or Surefire.
... Thats a bit hard to believe. The reason why they corrode is because people leave the batteries in for a very long time. All batteries give off gas, what happens here is that it gets sealed in. If you would open the cap every once in a while, it would vent. The venting prevents the heavy corrosion build up, and eventual explosion. Basically, its not the battery's fault.
I got the 4D in the mail today, and man I really stinking love it. I’m gonna get some rechargeable D cells batteries for it soon, what brand battery exploded on you?
When the batteries swelled up and did the same job on my Maglite, they had a deal with Rayovac (IIRC) who will REPLACE your Maglite if their batteries kill it. That may have changed, Energizer bought Rayovac last year. Or, Maglite would sell a whole new light of my choice at a generous discount. Great folks!
An untapered T-8 can be made by using a chopsaw to cut off the last 3/8" of the tip of the wrench, and slightly touch the edges with a file. Should go right in...
I miss the old slide switches flashlights used to have. Slide 1/2 way and you press a button to do morse code! Slide all the way and it is on. Slide back all the way and it is off. I hate those that you have to press a button multiple times to get to what you want and especially hate the flashing setting.
Any idea a good kit for a 3 D cell maglite? I tried the LED upgrade in your video description but it only works on my 4 D cell maglite. I want to upgrade my 3 D Cell maglite also.
I've had my duracells get leak and get stuck in there. Finally got them out. Was going to do the upgrade but instead I spent same money and got a rechargable Bushnell 1500 lumens. I think it's over for my maglites.
I hope you didn’t touch the front surface mirrors when you installed the new led module. If you wire up copper wire through the spring, you’ll get less loss through the spring.
Thanks for the lesson and the links for the upgrades. I have a light I am beginning to work with to clean out a swelling and leaking battery. Oddly enough 4th light I have had with the same brand battery leakage. . One would think I would learn not to buy that brand. Or alkaline i general perhaps.
Damn It!!!I don't have a D-Cell MagLite, but now I have to go buy one. Just so I can do all this cool shit to it. I did an LED upgrade on a 2AA Maglite that worked out really well. The only reason I did that was because of battery leakage and corrosion. I probably could have just bought an LED 2aa Maglite cheaper and easier, but that wasn't the point at the time lol. I wanted MY Maglite and buying the one that was LED right out of the package would have been the same as admitting defeat.
This is awesome. Do you have any idea where I can get the bezel and rear cap in the UK? I can get them shipped to me but it'll cost me $55 for shipping alone. Thanks!
HI, Thanks for your comment jacob harris! I got them both from Amazon. There is a newer LED bulb that is even brighter. I have lithium grease, I am going to do that! Thanks for the tip!
I have one of these and am interested in upgrading the light. But What did all these upgrades cost? I guess you spent close to $100? Why spend the time and money when you can get a high quality 1000 lumen rechargeable light for that same money.?.
It IS a weapon ... And the cops carried these long, C and D cell Maglites for years as a double for a baton. This way they just had to carry one tool. If you ever saw old videos of cops holding the light on their shoulder as they lit up a suspect, it's not because it was too heavy for them to hold. It was the "prepared" position in case the suspect suddenly made a move at the officer, they were ready to whomp 'em one. :) I have the five C cell version of this light. I've got the same deal, batteries decided to explode up inside and they won't come out. I've got to figure out A) if I can get the switch out and B) if I can get the replacement parts you have here, for the C cell. If you have an idea on that, please respond. I'd like to save this light as I, too, have had this for maaaany yaears. :)
A fuckin' 3 cell is a pretty good baton. The 6 cell, awesome. I remember episodes of COPS when LEO's used to carry them instead of tasers. Good ol' episodes
Make a maglite go where the sun don't shine... The very best (just my opinion) light out there is a "COAST HP550" it uses nine double AA's and puts out 1000 horsepower (lumens)... This light will take paint off the walls... The selector switch is second to none, you do not have to go through six or however many selections to get where you want it to be and the clarity is awesome... I had many mags but they are old school... Try one of these (above), you will not be disappointed...
Those big mag lights are a thing of the past. If you want bright you, you can have it in a small package.. I was once in a power outage during around a Maglite and it took up a whole arm. I now carry small highly efficient LED flashlights. If you need both hands you can put them in your pocket. I also carry a headlamp if you need both hands and a light use a headlight.
Mate you should taken it outside in the dark to show your viewers how well it lights up the surrounding area . Other than that it’s a good video. Cheers
Un screw the end the batteries go in,get some Coca Cola in a container and stand your torch in it ,half way up the torch,leave in overnight and the batteries slide out and barrel is as clean as a whistle 😉
Nice. Very instructive. Now, I can do by myself. I didn't like when you hurt your friend, pointing the light to its eyes. If I had point to yours, you shouldn't like either.
What a lovely dog. Please don't shine your torch in her face though. Excellent torch btw. I also have one and am in the process of sourcing similar parts to mod mine.
Hi there, do check out the links included in the description. It looks like you will have to buy from Amazon and pay for shipping (which isn't cheap). Might want to try finding those parts on Lazada and the like. As a side note, you seem to have a collection yourself!
You can actually use allen wrenches in T style bolts and vinegar cleans battery corrosion like magic. I like the 3D model myself and I also switched to AA Eneloop rechargeable batteries in D cell adapters so they never leak and they retain a 70% charge for 10 years so they're always at the ready.
I also am a maglight fan. I always take waxpaper and make a inner sleeve to slide my batteries inside of to prevent them from sticking inside the flashlight. Keeps batteries from rattling too.
Geat idea!
@@bugstomper4670 Or wrap BATTERIES WITH ELECTRICAL TAPE ?
@@michaelkraus4135great idea. I do it
Thank you so much!
I've had my mag lite for about 20 years, last year I did a led upgrade, but put in some cheap batteries.
I just found out that the batteries burst inside the lamp, causing the button to get stuck.
I would never have figured to use an allen key without this video!
Dude, have a heart. Don’t shine your flashlight in poor Scarlet’s eyes. Otherwise, nice video.
Agreed. Thoughtless move.
Here is a bit of education for some people. There are several reasons maglight has been around for over 35 years and will continue to be. Quality and craftsmanship with the capability to withstand the elements. A 6 d flashlight has an extremely long burn time that will outlast most any smaller or brighter light. Ive always run one size smaller bulb in any of mine giving it a much brighter light. Example a 5 cell bulb in a 6 cell light or 3 cell bulb in a 4 cell light. Never had any problem
These "impossible to find" keys for unscrewing the switch are super common in Europe with the smaller ones costing mere cents at any hardware store.
In Germany we call them "Inbus Keys", and they're probably the third most common type of screwdriving implement.
The 2mm one seems to fit the older D Mags up to the mid 2000s perfectly, newer ones use Torx I believe.
I converted my old 2D cell Mag light to use 18650 batteries. I installed a LED bulb too. Much improved.
I just made a special tool to use and it worked. Just check with a machinist with many years experience. You would be amazed what they can make for you.
I have a two C cell maglite I've modified. First, the batteries. I replaced the C cells with one 18650 Lithium Ion. I made a spacer out of cardboard for it's width. Then for length, I cut off about 3/4 inches of a steel bolt to act as a spacer between the spring and the battery. Then the light. The 18650 operates between 4.2 volts to about 3.0 volts, so a two cell bulb would likely burn out quick at 4.2 volts. I found an LED drop in replacement that is for the 2 and 3 cell Mags with the perfect voltage ranges. Next I added a convex lens. This nearly eliminated the rings and halos that Maglites make, so now it made a mostly perfectly even circle of light. To eliminate the remaining haloing, I sprayed the reflector with clear acrylic, just a couple of quick spurts. This diffused the light, eliminating any halos, and then the lens just refocuses it to now a perfect circle of light in bright white with a rechargeable battery. It still retains some of it's focus although it's not as tight as stock, and the wide beam isn't as wide as stock. Finally, I installed one of those crowned bezels to protect the lens which jutted out past the stock bezel. It's a perfect flashlight to go camping with and it lasts hours on one charge (I've never actually measured it). My next goal will be to find a good 26650 which will add much more capacity and not need the spacer, because it's just 0.2 mm thinner then a C cell. After that, it's finding a way to charge the battery inside of the flashlight instead of taking it out all the time.
I had a battery in a mini maglite go bad on me. Once I got the bad batteries out. I used a .50 caliber bronze bore brush on a electric drill to clean out the corrosion, which got most of it out. Then, I got some fine sand paper rolled that around a dowel and finished cleaning up the inside of the light. Used canned air too clean out the inside of the light, put new batteries into it and it worked. Maglites are great.
As a bouncer I called these lights "Tonks"....that is the sound they make on drunks heads. Ello el
It was the tool of choice brother!
@Birros Polanski I think you have sexualized an innocent flashlight upgrade video and its ok .
No disrespect but you look like you've tonked a few deserving assholes here and there lol.
Classy
I had mag lite now since 1995 still works and solid flash lite
I ordered the 180 lumen bulb for mine. I love it.. and it's adjustable.
That sound at 9:37 is metal on metal. I have used just a touch of Vasoline on the threads for the last 50 years to remove that screech. I was hunting in a blind and opened my light, because it wouldn't come on, and the screech caused my deer to bolt. Got home and fixed that quickly.
I know this is an older video but as a Mag man myself I noticed you installed the old version of the tri emitter TerraLux. I have the current 1000 lumen verison. For people watching this video and are not to knowledgeable about Mags and the sea of upgrades and mods available for them the tri emitter TerraLux drop in turns your Mag into a flood light specifically. You will no longer have much beam throw at all. The three emitters are under small short optics this is what makes it into a flood light. Totally huge lumen output yes but the beam that comes out is just a very wide undefined "cloud" of light. Perfect for lighting up a larger backyard though. Yes do get a glass lens for any D Mag. There are several sources of glass Mag lenses now. From anti glare coated to the more durable but non glare coated borofloat lenses your beam definition becomes sharper either way and the glass lenses do not melt like the stock plastic one would if you are doing a mod that really puts off a lot of heat.
This one is a focusable beam. It is very impressive. I can take it to an amazing flood to a crazy spot.
seriously? Wow...mine is just stuck on flood
0
Thank you for making this video. I have the same Maglight 6D and I just had the same problem with my batteries swelling up from the corrosion and I still haven’t gotten them all out yet because the only other videos that I could find all said that I needed a 2mm hex wrench and I couldn’t for the life of me figure out why I couldn’t get the screw loosened up.
I like the notched out cap for the simple fact that when you set the light down on a flat surface you can tell the light is still on. I left mine on once while it was facing down and it was right after I installed the LED bulb and brand new batteries. Lol. It was a week or so before I noticed it was still on and by the light was barely on still and the sadly the batteries had swelled and fused the end cap onto it. I was heartbroken. Lol. Never again.
I checked pricing on the 4 items you installed in your MAG Light and price comes in at $130.00.
And you also had to purchase a new switch assembly.
You must really love your Mag light to invest that amount of $$$ in a old unit. .
Exactly. There are SO MANY better options that doing this, including buying new from Maglite. Their LED 6D Maglite (New with free shipping) sells for $59.50...That includes three programs each with different light settings on the switch: outdoor, police, tactical. The settings are Eco, Strobe, Low, Momentary, and High which one comes on depends on the click and the program utilized. Additionally, the beam can be focused from widest to narrowest in a 1/4 turn of the head. Honestly, I would buy the $59.50 LED 6D from Maglite any day over buying a standard 6D (~$40), then spending $130 on parts to have a flashlight that's nearly equal to what is offered from Maglite. Even if you bought the glass breaker, upgraded lens, and strike bezel (total of ~$52), you would have a more functional LED 6D Maglite maxed out at $111.50 compared to an equivalent Maglite costing ~$170...
@@Eugeneden2010 Just depends what you are looking for. I have this one 3 cell D battery one with an incandescent bulb I just replaced with an LED bulb upgrade today for $10 from eBay. I got the flashlight for free from a friend of mine but you know the point is I already had it and didn’t see the purpose in buying a new one when I can just upgrade mine. Of course I still get what y’all are saying.
Although your tutorial is totally clear and helpful, especially on how to dismount and mount the switch, I would like to advise you:
Never ever touch the contacts, not even the spring or the battery-poles, with your bare hands or fingers unless you clean those contacts very thoroughly afterwards. The residu your fingers leave on the contacts will result in electrical resistance and is the wake-up-call for corrosion. It's only 9volts at the max remember!
In addition to this you should not touch the innerside of the glass nor should you touch those beautiful new led's. That same residu will burn into the ledcover.
The cleaner those parts are, the better the rays get through.
Nice upgrade. I have always loved the trusty black maglites. I have a 3 cell d and 2 cell d. A glass lens is probably when of the best upgrades you can do after a led conversion but I have found a company that makes an anti reflection coated or AR coated glass lens made just for these old maglites. They are coated on both sides and fairly inexpensive. Let me tell you... You can barley tell that there's even a lens on there!! Flood pattern is brighter and center spot is sharper and brighter. It really turns the maglite to a thrower. But I must say unlike your conversion I can focus my maglite I have the "already" led maglite. Next is to use 18650 batteries than the d cells. D cells are expensive in the long run. Especially if you do regularly use a flashlight. Anyway, if anyone's interested in AR coated lens for mags or any other flashlights they make other sizes too check out flashlightlens.com
Thanks for the link. I have just been there and placed order for 2 glass lenses with AR.
Loved it.
I have my decades old 4 D cell Maglite. Will try to revamp it as you did thanks for showing us how to do it.
I love my 4D. My 6D is way too big for taking on walks and it has better battery life than my 2D and 3D
Thanks for the Vlog, I just purchased the LED 300 Lumen buld and the glass lens for my 3 d cell Maglite. The difference is incredible. The only other thing I think I would like to purchase would be the glass breaking in cap.
You might have to upgrade your batteries to get the full potential out of your new upgrades?
Nice, i did the same to my 4D mag. But the glass breaker and bezel only come in black or gray. I have a red mag, i plan to put a battery extender to get up to 6 cells. But only comes in black. I put those AA spacers in so its not too heavy when i hike or go on my late night walks. Nice flashing light.
Good job, same thing happened to my 4D, I had an old 6D so I just swapped the switches around, great video 👍
There is something satisfying in watching someone modding out a gadget.
exactly. He made the video 10x better
EXACTLY! If you like the tip or not, watching someone mod is satisfying. I learn from both scenarios.
I agree, I came here to see how to remove the switch, as mine got stuck with battery juice, but le upgrade is just nice entertainement
I want those damn 6D Krypton bulbs! They are so hard to find these days 😂
I find that Duracell battery's leak more than any other brands , gave up on them years ago.
True, Duracell AA batteries have the worst leakage ever. Switched to VARTA and never had any problems yet.
Thanks for the heads up, just bought some for my Maglite 😅
Come to think of it, I believe Duracells leaked and ruined my original maglite.
Duracell's ruined mine
@@randomstuffguy1731 Mine too. One totally wrecked. Another I managed to save. Also had the old ‘smoke cutter’ flashlight made by LA Screw company, which I managed to rescue from leaky Duracells. I guess I’ve learnt my lesson with those batteries.
“This thing is almost a weapon” lmao
I just send my mags in and they fix em for free they are the best I've ever seen with warranty work I had no problems for 20 years if they can't fix it they replace it
Here in the UK every night security guard since 1980 has a 6D Maglite. It's like a baseball bat with a light on the end of it
You lost me when you turned the light on full in the dogs eyes.
Menace 1-5 Oooooh, that’s alright then.
@Menace 1-5 He did not have it on low beam.
Eh, it's no going to damage the dogs eyes or anything. It's just a bit unnecessary.
Excellent. Once I was able to unscrew the switch, I was able to softly drive the stuck leaky battery out. I did not know until you showed it that the hex screw in the switch was the key.
I grinded down my t8. Fits like a glove.
as a security guard glad to carry one. good for beating the shit out of trouble makers
Yeah little boys and older ladies, you’re a big boy...!
Couldn't cut it as a cop but still want to deepthroat that boot.
It’s all fun and games until you get a beating with your own flashlight or you’re sitting on it.
Bro we used to fight with the cops back in the early 90s those 6 D cell maglites hurt like hell
to ray and momo who made comments to guard in most states the 6 cell is considered a weapon and illeagal ..unless you carry a baton oer.it....check before you comment.. looking at their web pages doubt they would know
Your first mistake was using "Dura-Leak" cells in that Maglight. I have cleaned many of these over the years. Back in my day, I could tell how long a cop was on the job by the length of his flashlight. I started with a 6 cell and retired with a Minimag.
I found that a 2mm allen wrench fits perfectly in all my D Mags.
Stupid thing though, the 3D Mags are a different body diameter than the 2D and 6D (I don't have any 4D to compare) so the head and endcap won't fit either way and the 3D switch wobbles around in the 2D/6D. What were they thinking? Were they thinking at all?
Are you sure they aren't just from different eras? Different eras have slightly different dimensions, but different cell capacities from the same era should all be the same
When he blinds the dog at the end. What a great guy.
I have a 41 year old Maglight!
Crazy, huh? Bought it as an 18 yr old police reserve officer.
I thought about an overhaul of my Maglight. Upgrade to LED.
But, some of the commenters on this video seem to have a
few better suggestions.
Newer, better, less $$ technology.
?....mag established 1979...
your dog deserves a nicer owner ,,,
My question is how much total did it cost you to upgrade your maglite? Thank you for the info.
That's a great question. With so many companies pumping out amazing lights i find it's not always worth spending the money to upgrade because you'll sometimes spend more on the upgrades then it would cost to buy a new light and there's still no guarentee that the upgrades will make it better than the newer lights
Thanks! I too favor the mag light products. Very straight forward instruction and advice.
Thanks for that Jeff. Interesting to watch. I did not even know those upgrades are available!
One thing I would have done differently, is put the original bulb seating ring, into the butt foam too. Otherwise if you ever need to revert to the spare bulb it'll be useless without that ring
I was considering coming up with a way of wrapping the batteries in a shrink type wrap to keep the batteries from swelling and rupturing and fusing the end cap shut if they did. Not sure how you could do it without it covering the contacts but I think there's gotta be someway to do it. Mine literally welded itself shut nearly and I was so mad.
Just buy a better modern light
I liked your video. Where from can i find the parts for the upgrade. LIke the bulb. Please advise. Thanks
A bench grinder makes the T8 fit. A handheld grinder makes the T8 fit. A dremel will make the T8 fit. A ground down a Harbor Freight T8 wrench that I had layong around.
You only need 4 turns of the wrench to unseat the set screw.
Then push in the switch and push it out of the tube.
If you need to come out the front there is a split ring in a groove. The trick to getting the ring out is to loosen the T8 or 2mm set screw. Push down on the bulb holder without the bulb about an 8th of an inch and then retighten the set screw. That gives you the room to get the split ring out. Most of the time I use a small pick to pry up one end and then push it down with a small screwdriver. Then pry up on the other end and the clip will come flying out. Then release the set screw, puch in on the switch and push it out the front.
I converted mine to lithium batteries so no more corosion. A dab of never seize on the cap threads stops the threads from being a problem.
You mentioned that a battery blew out and got acid in your light. First thing I thought of was it was probably a Duracell. Sure enough, as you are putting your light together and loading batteries, you have damn Duracells. Their batteries have been shit for decades. Lost count of how many flashlights I have ruined with those leaky things before I figured it out and quit using them. Now, I use Energizers. Never had a problem with them. Any battery will leak if you let it drain its energy and leave it long enough, but I have had Duracells leak when the batteries still had power and were only a few weeks in use.
Your comment matches my experience 100%. One exception: I switched to Ray-O-Vac and never had another leak. Duracell should be called Duracrap.
I learned to put label on all my flashlights with a date 16 months after batteries are installed. And replace batteries then. The lights I use a lot have rechargeable batteries Nitecore or Surefire.
I miss the terralux converters
Cool upgrade. Why don’t you store that bulb collar thing with the bulb in the tailcap?
The led upgrade can be done on the 3, 4 or 6 cell? Same thing? I’d like to do this upgrade to an ML300L 4D
Did you know the battery manufacturers warranty covers damage to devices. I got paid well from rayovac
Seriously?
... Thats a bit hard to believe. The reason why they corrode is because people leave the batteries in for a very long time. All batteries give off gas, what happens here is that it gets sealed in. If you would open the cap every once in a while, it would vent. The venting prevents the heavy corrosion build up, and eventual explosion.
Basically, its not the battery's fault.
The new wrench looks remarkably like a star wrench used for optics related to firearms. I don't know that they're T8, but they look just like that.
What about some 18650 batteries for an upgrade?
Brilliant video, thanks. Its inspired me to upgrade my 6D cell mag now.
I got the 4D in the mail today, and man I really stinking love it. I’m gonna get some rechargeable D cells batteries for it soon, what brand battery exploded on you?
When the batteries swelled up and did the same job on my Maglite, they had a deal with Rayovac (IIRC) who will REPLACE your Maglite if their batteries kill it. That may have changed, Energizer bought Rayovac last year. Or, Maglite would sell a whole new light of my choice at a generous discount. Great folks!
An untapered T-8 can be made by using a chopsaw to cut off the last 3/8" of the tip of the wrench, and slightly touch the edges with a file. Should go right in...
I miss the old slide switches flashlights used to have. Slide 1/2 way and you press a button to do morse code!
Slide all the way and it is on.
Slide back all the way and it is off.
I hate those that you have to press a button multiple times to get to what you want and especially hate the flashing setting.
But did you clean the corrosion out before you reassembled?
To clean corrosion in the mag lite tube use a brake cylinder hone. Works great
I ended up using a Dremel and grinding away metal on a T8 so it fit
Dan Hazard that's what I was thinking. why keep buying different sets hoping one will fit when you can just sand it down a bit and make it fit.
Can you still TWIST THE HEAD FOR FOCUS ?
Any idea a good kit for a 3 D cell maglite? I tried the LED upgrade in your video description but it only works on my 4 D cell maglite. I want to upgrade my 3 D Cell maglite also.
Hey Jeff, can you fix the dead Amazon links?
Mag lite makes a great led flashlight
I've had my duracells get leak and get stuck in there. Finally got them out. Was going to do the upgrade but instead I spent same money and got a rechargable Bushnell 1500 lumens. I think it's over for my maglites.
Get a t8 torx bit and just file it down were the shank fits ?
I hope you didn’t touch the front surface mirrors when you installed the new led module. If you wire up copper wire through the spring, you’ll get less loss through the spring.
Thanks for the lesson and the links for the upgrades. I have a light I am beginning to work with to clean out a swelling and leaking battery. Oddly enough 4th light I have had with the same brand battery leakage. . One would think I would learn not to buy that brand. Or alkaline i general perhaps.
Damn It!!!I don't have a D-Cell MagLite, but now I have to go buy one. Just so I can do all this cool shit to it. I did an LED upgrade on a 2AA Maglite that worked out really well. The only reason I did that was because of battery leakage and corrosion. I probably could have just bought an LED 2aa Maglite cheaper and easier, but that wasn't the point at the time lol. I wanted MY Maglite and buying the one that was LED right out of the package would have been the same as admitting defeat.
This is awesome. Do you have any idea where I can get the bezel and rear cap in the UK? I can get them shipped to me but it'll cost me $55 for shipping alone. Thanks!
you should put the nut for the incandescent bulb in with replacement in case your LEDs break and you need that old light
Heard of a dremel or sanding disc?
Could you provide the manufacturer of this glass-breaking tip and the specific model ?
HI,
Thanks for your comment jacob harris! I got them both from Amazon. There is a newer LED bulb that is even brighter. I have lithium grease, I am going to do that! Thanks for the tip!
Have you done that? Sounds like a good option to me! :)
***** I love when you find a deal like that!
I have one of these and am interested in upgrading the light. But What did all these upgrades cost? I guess you spent close to $100? Why spend the time and money when you can get a high quality 1000 lumen rechargeable light for that same money.?.
Olight S2R recharges,fits in my pocket and is always ready. If I need a weapon I'd rather bring a firearm.
It IS a weapon ... And the cops carried these long, C and D cell Maglites for years as a double for a baton. This way they just had to carry one tool. If you ever saw old videos of cops holding the light on their shoulder as they lit up a suspect, it's not because it was too heavy for them to hold. It was the "prepared" position in case the suspect suddenly made a move at the officer, they were ready to whomp 'em one. :)
I have the five C cell version of this light. I've got the same deal, batteries decided to explode up inside and they won't come out. I've got to figure out A) if I can get the switch out and B) if I can get the replacement parts you have here, for the C cell.
If you have an idea on that, please respond. I'd like to save this light as I, too, have had this for maaaany yaears. :)
For the size of the flashlight and how many batteries you have you should be able to do at least 1000 lumens if not higher
A fuckin' 3 cell is a pretty good baton. The 6 cell, awesome. I remember episodes of COPS when LEO's used to carry them instead of tasers.
Good ol' episodes
love the upgrade especially the crown bezel and the glass breaker!
I was able to get mine out using the smallest allen wrench on the typical standard set with no problems.
You lucked out.
I have the 4 D with incandescent bulb I bought new in 2004 and I still have it. Can it be upgraded to LED?
THANKS, I'm gonna upgrade mine, can you tell me the Allen wrench size? Thanks
Make a maglite go where the sun don't shine... The very best (just my opinion) light out there is a "COAST HP550" it uses nine double AA's and puts out 1000 horsepower (lumens)... This light will take paint off the walls... The selector switch is second to none, you do not have to go through six or however many selections to get where you want it to be and the clarity is awesome... I had many mags but they are old school... Try one of these (above), you will not be disappointed...
How did you get the exploded battery out of there?
Those big mag lights are a thing of the past. If you want bright you, you can have it in a small package.. I was once in a power outage during around a Maglite and it took up a whole arm. I now carry small highly efficient LED flashlights. If you need both hands you can put them in your pocket. I also carry a headlamp if you need both hands and a light use a headlight.
Did you have the 3 mode switch before u replaced it? Or only on and off?
An Olight flashlight , a fraction of the size and weight will out preform that antique in every capacity except one....beating your neighbors head.
Dreadog hell yeah they would they replaced my old mag lite years ago when I won a S20 baton
I have a really old one like that a brinks I think can’t remember suckers were tanks
Your dog is adorable
Does a 6cell have more output compared to a 4cell?
Thank you I have a few old maglites that I can convert
I had same problem with my battery failure took it to mag store they rebuilt the light in 10 minutes free no problem and gave me a new end cap
Mate you should taken it outside in the dark to show your viewers how well it lights up the surrounding area . Other than that it’s a good video. Cheers
Un screw the end the batteries go in,get some Coca Cola in a container and stand your torch in it ,half way up the torch,leave in overnight and the batteries slide out and barrel is as clean as a whistle 😉
I thought i was the only one thinking of this. Screwed up thing is we drink this stuff lol.
Maybe put the old frame/socket with the reserve bulb, so you can use it, when you need it.
Nice. Very instructive. Now, I can do by myself. I didn't like when you hurt your friend, pointing the light to its eyes. If I had point to yours, you shouldn't like either.
will the 2d extensions on a 6d work with these bulb / led 1000 luman upgrades ?
What a lovely dog.
Please don't shine your torch in her face though.
Excellent torch btw. I also have one and am in the process of sourcing similar parts to mod mine.
Good video. How do i get all those upgrade parts? Im from Malaysia by the way. I own 6d, 5d, 4d, 3d and 2d type. Thank you.
Hi there, do check out the links included in the description.
It looks like you will have to buy from Amazon and pay for shipping (which isn't cheap).
Might want to try finding those parts on Lazada and the like.
As a side note, you seem to have a collection yourself!
Thank you for the info.
You can actually use allen wrenches in T style bolts and vinegar cleans battery corrosion like magic. I like the 3D model myself and I also switched to AA Eneloop rechargeable batteries in D cell adapters so they never leak and they retain a 70% charge for 10 years so they're always at the ready.