Maglite glass lens choices pros & cons

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chillinn

chillinn

Flashlight Enthusiast
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Readily available, I currently see three FIVE SIX options.
The Weltool lens shipping can be free if the Amazon order is padded over $25, meaning two could be ordered for $10 less than the Neutek lens and $13 less than the Maglite lens. Info courtesy of Olumin, Kaidomain shipping is free with orders padded over $15, and that would be four AR glass lenses for the price of one Neutek or five for the price of a single Maglite replacement lens. Magite's cheapest shipping option is UPS Ground, which fleeces nearly $16 for residential delivery of this tiny item.

Neither the Maglite nor the Weltool lens mention any AR coating. AR coating seems significant at 8% more efficient, but it is likely negligible in practice. The kaidomain lens is AR coated. I don't know the diameter and thickness of the stock Mag C/D lens, so I couldn't find any replacements that advertise as borosilicate. Info courtesy of hsa, a borosilicate AR coated lens is available from Flashlightlens, ship is ~$4.25 USPO First Class, and it's made in USA.

I'm strongly leaning towards the Weltool Kaidomain lens or the Flashlightlens lens because the pricing on the others is absurd. The Weltool lens also comes with a replacement O-ring, though unadvertised.

Am I missing replacement Maglite glass lens options?

What are other Maglite hotwire operators using?

Thanks.

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OT, but I was considering replacing the switch tower spring with this silver-plated copper core spring from Lumencraft because it's so cheap, but this switch disassembly video changed my mind. It's a few steps too complicated for my limited dexterity, and the flexible slider piece scares me, also there are three springs and I'm not sure which the Lumencraft spring replaces. Others may not be intimidated, but I think it's a shame Mag side switches have so many little parts and are this complicated. I'd never get it back together. LOL
 
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hsa said:
You can get Maglite lenses a flashlightlens.com. They are 98-99 % transmissive and you can now get that in Borofloat for you incandescant freaks. Murican.
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Kind of tricky not knowing the OEM lens diameter and thickness. Pick one and link, and I'll add it to my list in OP.

nm, I think I found it, 52.1mm x 2mm
 
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hsa said:
^What lens are you looking for?
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Mag C/D. Recently got an old 2C NOS. The plan is to run three of these and (from fivemega) potted WA01185-U (9.6V, 3.15A, ~38m) and potted WA01328-U (9.6V, 1.33A, ~1h30m). I got black because all the extenders are that color if I wanted to use larger cells, but now that I see it up close, I think I'd prefer it in red or silver and not bothering to extend, so I'm still watching for those. Black is just so... brutal. If I find NOS silver or red, I'll release the black one to a CPF member. The 26350 cells are a narrow enough diameter, 26.1mm, it shouldn't require boring and permanent alteration, but I won't know until I get the cells, probably next month.

Unless I'm mistaken, there is only one 2mm thick borosilicate AR glass lens for Mag C/D available at Flashlightlens. The 6.53mm version will prevent the bezel from fully tightening. I'm not sure how many different versions in 2mm AR borosilicate we'd need, but one will do.

I also put in a query there for something close to 10mm diameter to replace Solitaire lens, but I asked before specifically about Solitaire a while ago and they didn't have one. This time I just asked for a ~10mm diameter x ~1mm thick lens sans specifying Solitaire to prevent confusion. I don't care what kind of glass or AR coating for Solitaire, just want a lens that doesn't melt. An eBay seller just now informed me the stock Soli lens is exactly 10.74mm diameter by 0.75mm thick. Will be tough to find in glass, but I'm seeking.
 
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I used the ucl v3 in a 2005 mag d cell and it works fine. 1.75mm v3 is 98-99 % transmission.
They had a lot more choices with the plain UCL but he doesn't list them anymore. I used those in '80s 90s and mid 2000s d cell and 80s and current mini mags.
He seems to have consolidated to the "coated on both sides" Borofloat to replace them. He could probably explain it if you talk to him. I just went with the Borofloat on my latest Lumencraft drop in for a d cell though I didn't need it. It worked.
He seems to like the Schott offerings. Lumencraft offers glass also.
 
There is 4% difference between borosilicate and UCL. I'm all about optimizing, re: deanodizing inside of the cap, soldering the spring to it, springs material and bypass and lens light transmission, but I like borosilicate toughness, and modding the springs is a problem for me. And there's a lot to be said for the simplicity of choosing cells that fit, only replacing lamp, reflector and lens, and leaving the mod entirely reversible without permanent alteration at a mere deficit of maybe 5%-8% power and brightness. If there were cash prizes available in categories from annual incan Mag hotwire contests, it might be a different story, but afaik these contests don't exist. Otherwise, I'd try to go pro, get paying sponsors and a PR firm, and live on the road. Then make the switch to movie roles after a few years.
 
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That could be a lot. With the 1200Lm WA1185 it's losing 48Lm. And there is a UCL v3 AR borosilicate lens, though 1.75mm, I'm not sure 0.25mm thinner will make a difference for the bezel or shattering, as I'm not going to use it as a club. Should withstand accidental drops. Thanks, hsa, for your tenaciousness.
 
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chillinn said:
That could be a lot. With the 1200Lm WA1185 it's losing 48Lm. And there is a UCL v3 AR borosilicate lens, though 1.75mm, I'm not sure 0.25mm thinner will make a difference for the bezel or shattering, as I'm not going to use it as a club. Should withstand accidental drops. Thanks, hsa, for your tenaciousness.
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You will never notice 4-5% loss, no matter how many lumens it translates to. I had several ucl glass lenses crack from falling down. I stopped using them despite them being much better at holding up against scratches than oem plastic. However few minor cracks do not affect the function, and you wont notice it. In reality there is no need for glass with leds, OEM acrylic lens provides great transmittance rate, and extremely strong. they are also cheap enough to replace when scratches get too numerous of large. But we are flashaholics, so we need glass, we can not be seen with scratched lenses. lol
 
knucklegary said:
@alpg88 have you tried Matt's 3x 50.2 drop-in, or know of anyone who has?
Wondering how well it performs.. Might be even more enjoyable with 3x 70.3
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No, i have not, nor i know anyone personally who had tried that particular one. actually i do not know anyone personally who knows much about lights, and would even know about converting a maglite. those people i know that have good lights or mag conversion, only have them cuz I gave them those. except for few cop friends who have streamlights and surefires.
The only mag drop in i tried from Matt is uv with black lens, it lights stuff up better than any other uv light i have, and i have many, that one is really awesome, i highly recommend it.

However, it does look like it uses 35mm Ledil cute lens, i tried those plenty of times with different leds, the ones Matt uses are faceted, great flooders, with smooth even beam,
 
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I've gotta say that my old 80's 2D Maglite seemed brighter with a glass lens. It just seemed to throw a little farther. Once I got above 2cells I really didn't see a difference. Like in a 3D or 4D using alkalines the output through a glass lens seemed about the same. But when it was only tossing out 25 or so lumens, my eyes said "check it out, that looks brighter".
 
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