Older Brinkmann Flashlight Help

Hey all,

I recently found an older Brinkmann flashlight while cleaning up a relative's house. It seems that the bulb that was in it has either burnt out or it is the incorrect one seeing as the bulb may be too short to make contact. I read up on older posts here and some people recommended calling them up, though I cannot find a recent working number.

The flashlight takes three D cells, but I cannot find a model number anywhere on it.





My apologies if this is the wrong place to post this. I would appreciate any sort of help

Welcome to the site.

Your question is in the most logical section for this type of inquiry.

Now to the light: It's an early Brinkmann modeled very similar to LA Screw/GT Price Code 4 police lights of the mid to late late 1970's. Brinkmann had acquired the design rights from the Code 4.

There was no "model number" so to speak but was known as 'the 3D Brinkmann', 'Brinkmann 3D' or perhaps 'the 12" Brinkmann" at the time since it was the only style they made back then. Well that and a minimag clone.

Later they did a Legend series that had rubberized plastic sleeves for better grip and more comfort in cold conditions.

I'm guessing early 1990's but others may correct me. It was a great flashlight at the time. Similar to D cell Maglites of the day.

Trouble is Brinkmann no longer sells or services flashlights.
Now yours may be as simple as the bulb fastener isn't screwed all the way down. Could be the bulb appears ok but is blown, or it could be a contact issue.

Does it have residue inside from leaked batteries? That would be a likely circuit breaking issue.

Does the switch 'click' when you press it?

It could be crud has built up on contact points and block the flow of electricity. Looking at your photos the spring looks perfect. Give the threads, bulb fastener and other visible parts a good cleaning if it isn't the bulb.

Looks like a nice old flashlight. I hope you get it going again.

My comments here still apply to this older forum topic.

I also have a Brinkmann 3D that was later converted to LED use...

It originally came with an incandescent bulb at 45 lumen and was later upgraded by someone with a Lumileds LED assembly (part number and Lumens unknown). However, The Lumileds LED eventually overheated and burned out because it needed a heat sink.

Mag-Lite in 2012 sold an LMXA301 conversion kit to change MagLite 3D Flashlights from incandescent bulbs to LED use with either qty 2 D-Cell/qty 3 D-Cell Batteries. Can this MagLite Kit be adapted for use with the Brinkmann 3D? I cannot seem to find an Internet answer...

I noticed in one of the other candlepowerforums that Modders were able to upgrade a Brinkmann 2D with a CREE LED. I wonder if the Brinkmann 2D 3 Volt assembly with 2 D-Cells can or should be used with a Brinkmann 3D 4.5V assembly with 3 D-Cells? I am unsure if this CREE 3 Watt LED Assembly for 2 D-Cells will convert OK or if it would quickly burn out when attached to 3 D-Cell batteries.

Other people have modded their Brinkmann 2D with an "SSC P4 U-bin star" to achieve 160 Lumens. This 3rd party part used to mod a Brinkmann 2D can be found as of 1/27/19 at the DX website (with no LED?) with URL *link removed . Once again, I am unsure if SSC P4 U-bin star can be adapted for use with a Brinkmann 3D...

Basically this one is a PR base type of bulb light. So any upgrade would be easiest with a PR base LED 'drop in'.

Dorcey makes one that'll work with 4.5-6 volts and puts out around 40 lumens. Model# LRB2-07-PR.

I am not sure if the old Mag-LED drop-ins would fit, they were intended for Mag's which tended to have sockets a bit deeper/bigger than some other brands....should work if it fits, but these have not been made in some time and are not all that easy to find.

The good news is most PR based drop-ins should work, Nite Ize makes some good ones, you can find them on line or at home depot or lowes. The Nite Ize drop-ins work with from 2 to 6 cells.

X2 on the Nite Ize.