Maglite torches

[grumpy52]

I've had small ones in the past , I think one is still in my tool chest in the shed . But I have always wanted a large D cell one preferably a 3 cell ,never got round to acquiring one for various reasons. Time has moved on and over the years various torches and lights have come and gone and like many I ended up with led rechargeable eye burning things that certainly light things up but somehow just didn't feel right in the hand and having to cycle through multiple modes to switch on or off was a bit of a pain.
Boredom and eBay resulted in not one but two purchases
Standard bulbs only give about as much light as a candle but 5W LED bulbs certainly improved things .
One on spring clips near the front door and the other clipped next to the centre console of the car .
It's a step back in technology but it is more than just a torch , it's also a defensive tool and an emergency entry device for cars .
Anyone else still using maglites ?

[Randy Winkman]

20 plus years ago I bought one of those massive ones about 2 feet long. I had it for years and I dont think I ever used it for anything. I had always wondered if they actually intended to be a "legal" weapon for self protection. I think it finally went to the "things other people might want" shelves at the local dump. I still like the look of them though.

[vikingaero]

The filament bulb ones are pretty pointless now. Even the LED versions never made that much power. I keep one by the front and back door to "dominate the entry and egress points".

But as you say, many torches have so many pointless settings and strobes.

[TimmyMallett]

I have an LED in my 4 cell - the reflectors though just don't work with a retrofit LED on mine - I did wonder though just how long it would last with all that massive battery capacity if left on....

[magpie215]

Yes still have 2

A 2 D and a 2 C....both with led drop ins

[popegregory]

Randy Winkman said:

I had always wondered if they actually intended to be a "legal" weapon for self protection.

Given the seemingly default technique for using them seems to be held up with bent arm ready to bring down quickly, I’ve always suspected the same

[SlimJim16v]

I have a 4C and a 6C. They're a better fit in the hand than the D.

[Whataguy]

I used to have a 6 D cell one, really heavy and a set of normal non-rechargeable batteries cost a load.

You used to be able to buy a handle to attach to turn it into a tonfa/police riot stick.

Now I have a pocket Olight that puts out much more light and weighs less than a phone.

[Byker28i]

Randy Winkman said:

20 plus years ago I bought one of those massive ones about 2 feet long. I had it for years and I dont think I ever used it for anything. I had always wondered if they actually intended to be a "legal" weapon for self protection. I think it finally went to the "things other people might want" shelves at the local dump. I still like the look of them though.

Thats why 'security' had them, light and a baton in one.

[blue_haddock]

Many years ago i found one of the big D cell Maglites in the back of car at Furbers salvage yard, that got discretely hidden in my tool box and walked out with me!

I still have it but the torch on my mobile is much brighter so its just sat in my shed.

[anonymous-user]

I was given one by a supplier years ago as a gift. Funnily enough just stumbled across it this weekend at the back of a cupboard. Probably about half the length of the ones in the OPs picture. Would love to put a bright LED in there if the option exists?

[grumpy52]

MrBig said:

I was given one by a supplier years ago as a gift. Funnily enough just stumbled across it this weekend at the back of a cupboard. Probably about half the length of the ones in the OPs picture. Would love to put a bright LED in there if the option exists?

Decent 5w led torch bulbs are about £6 each from various internet selling sites.
Genuine Maglite conversion kits are not cheap..
While you have it apart clean the lens and reflector, I smear a bit of vaseline or white grease on the threads ,it helps with access down the line. Some even given the batteries a wipe with a greasy rag ,it slows the corrosion which is the main killer of Maglites.

[beagrizzly]

My recent experience of two different LED maglites (one D cell, one AA) is that the batteries leak inside them if left for a while, something that has not happened in my nearly 40 years of using AA maglites with the ordinary bulbs. I don't know enough science to know why this would be, but I'll not have another. Can't leave them 'ready to use' with the batteries in so not much point.

[gotoPzero]

Before LED was a thing I was a member on candle power forums (if you dont know about it please dont go on there... you will end up down the rabbit hole!) and one of the US guys on there made conversion kids for the 3/4 cells. Really nice kit, we are talking like 2002 or something. Think I still have mine - it used a halogen bulb and converted to AA batteries but just lots and lots of them to get the voltage. You had to be careful powering it on, just on and leave on for at least 10 seconds. If you tried to flash it the bulb would just let go. Fun times.

I now have a tiny Olight baton 3 or whatever its called as EDC and its about the size of your thumb and maybe 20 times brighter than my modded maglight!

[spitfire-ian]

I've got a few.

Apart from a couple of AA powered ones I have a 2D in the boot of the car but haven't really used it much apart from turning it on to see if the batteries are ok.

A 3D which a friend gave me which we keep on our boat.

Finally a 6D which I've had for about 30 years which now which now sits battery-less in the cupboard under the stairs as it's not really practical to use. The 15 year old me who asked for it for Christmas one year would be very upset!

[wildoliver]

I had loads of them, a 2d,3d and 6d from memory on the big ones and a load of mini and whatever the tiny (solitaire?) were called. I sold the d cells a while ago and tend to chuck the minis whenever I find them, absolutely crap torches. Probably great for battering a thief with, but useless torches, batteries always seemed to run down in them, didn't last long when on, produced next to no light, the minis switching system was always going wrong. About as good as I consider swiss army knives, a tool that does more than one thing badly.

Now we have lipo powered led torches that can light the sky up for £15 completely redundant.

[hidetheelephants]

I have a 3 D one and a mini; the former I bought nearly 30 years ago, an LED bulb in it means even stone age batteries last a while and its potential to bop miscreants on the head is undiminished. The mini was given to me by a friend after they had buggered about with it and couldn't get it to work, a little tinkering sorted it. It would be better with an LED bulb but it's for emergency use in the car so I can't justify it. Both are boringly reliable, even the glowing wire.

[RJO]

As others have said, I converted my 3D to led, and put in a new reflector. I also have a small copy that takes 3 (I think) AA, which I also converted to led.

They came in handy a couple of weeks ago when we had a blackout early in the morning. Stood them on their bases so the light reflected of the ceiling, and was then able to eat breakfast and read the paper. They lasted for several hours and were still going strong before it was light enough to open the blinds and use the natural light.

[Squadrone Rosso]

I’ve still got my 3D issue Maglite from 1990.

No longer used in anger so sits bed side with an upgraded led bulb, reflector & glass.

Got various AA & AAA Minis / Solitaire too. Either led, upgraded to led or pro.

Oh, and a couple of 2C led torches.

I have lots of other torches too. Bit of an addiction.

[Sway]

Byker28i said:

Randy Winkman said:

20 plus years ago I bought one of those massive ones about 2 feet long. I had it for years and I dont think I ever used it for anything. I had always wondered if they actually intended to be a "legal" weapon for self protection. I think it finally went to the "things other people might want" shelves at the local dump. I still like the look of them though.

Thats why 'security' had them, light and a baton in one.

Yep, my uncle worked night recovery in some of the less salubrious parts of London back in the 80s, and it was an essential part of the kit, less so for the light it gave off.