# Magcharger, Still an option?



## Sgt. LED (Oct 12, 2009)

Would you still buy a Magcharger today? OR is there a better car cradle charging option now.

Primarily to leave in the car and never think about till you need it - aside from the occasional function check.

Magcharger comes to mind first because you can easily mod it if you want to tweak preformance.


----------



## lctorana (Oct 12, 2009)

Sgt. LED said:


> Would you still buy a Magcharger today?


In a heartbeat, if I could ever afford one.


----------



## [email protected] (Oct 12, 2009)

lctorana said:


> In a heartbeat, if I could ever afford one.



it's cheaper than those *,000 watt aircraft lights though. :nana:.


----------



## Howecollc (Oct 12, 2009)

There will never be a better cradle charging system because Tony Maglica's litigation team won't let there be. Those charging rings are pure genius, and undoubtedly patented.


----------



## computernut (Oct 12, 2009)

I've never seen one in person but it's on my list to add to my collection.


----------



## Sgt. LED (Oct 12, 2009)

Well then I guess I have to find the cheapest new one I can!


----------



## Dioni (Oct 12, 2009)

No doubt it has the best charger cradle with its two rings system.


----------



## my#1hobby (Oct 12, 2009)

I have a Magcharger in my van and it stays plugged in all the time, and ALWAYS works! My *treamlight would come out of its charger sometimes without me even touching it.


----------



## ANDREAS FERRARI (Oct 12, 2009)

The new LED MagCharger should be out soon.They have been showing it off at trade shows but I have yet to see a picture of one.

I wonder if the incan version will be discontinued?

Dealers that carry the original might drop the price to make room for the new model.Maybe just wishful thinking.


----------



## Outdoors Fanatic (Oct 12, 2009)

Sgt. LED said:


> Would you still buy a Magcharger today? OR is there a better car cradle charging option now.
> 
> Primarily to leave in the car and never think about till you need it - aside from the occasional function check.
> 
> Magcharger comes to mind first because you can easily mod it if you want to tweak preformance.


SureFire 10X Dominator?


----------



## Echo63 (Oct 12, 2009)

being able to drop the light into the charger any way up is great, but there is a downside (and an upside to having to orient a light in the charger the right way)

when you grab a magcharger out of its cradle (which is very secure, probably the one i would trust most for an in car light) the switch could be anywhere, whereas every other cradle light i have (SL Ultrastinger, Pelican M11 and Inova T4) all have the switch in the same location every time you pick it out of the cradle
it might be slightly more irritating to drop into the charger, but works a bit better when you need light right NOW

most people would probably drop the magcharger into the cradle with the switch up anyway (although the cradle will protect the switch from accidental activation)


(i would include the strion in this, but its switch is at the back, and easy to find)



the magcharger is a good solid light though, i have one that i bought new, with charger and everything, and a second one i picked up, body only from a pawnshop for a bargain price, its waiting for me to decide what to do with it, i will probably get some brighter bulbs, and put a new batt stick in it

/rant mode off


----------



## Databyter (Oct 12, 2009)

I still like em, my neighbor has a new one and all I can say is it is surprisingly bright. Mag has really improved those over the years. It blows away my old stock non rechargable stock mags.

I heard they were based on Nickel Cadmium batt.s though which I hope is not true. Nickel Cads and frequent topping off in cradle doesn't seem to be a natural choice. But they still rock regardless for the contractor or whoever that just wants powerful light that always has some juice and ready to go with some pretty usable brightness.


----------



## Howecollc (Oct 12, 2009)

Databyter said:


> I heard they were based on Nickel Cadmium batt.s though which I hope is not true. Nickel Cads and frequent topping off in cradle doesn't seem to be a natural choice.


Apparently Mag took this into consideration when they designed the charger to trickle at 200 mA, which from what I've read, is an amount that can be easily dissipated from the battery indefinitely. This enables the MC to be left in the cradle all the time without damaging the battery. My Mom leaves hers hanging on the wall 24/7, and the pack still lasts about 4 years. The trade off is, of course, the 14 hour charge time everyone complains about.


----------



## Sgt. LED (Oct 12, 2009)

Can anyone offer a higher capacity battery without making it yourself?
http://www.batteryjunction.com/streamlight-fb-5h1.html


----------



## Howecollc (Oct 12, 2009)

Sgt. LED said:


> Can anyone offer a higher capacity battery without making it yourself?
> http://www.batteryjunction.com/streamlight-fb-5h1.html


This seems to be the highest capacity pack readily available, as the often mentioned 4.0 Ah Aero packs of old seem to be no more. Powerstream offers 3.8 Ah NiMH flat top 1/2 Ds, but they require a minimum of 100 cells, and would have to be assembled to some degree. There is an old thread somewhere on CPF where *js?* was trying to get together a group buy for a pack using the Powerstream cells, but I recall it fell thru for lack of interest.


----------



## Dioni (Oct 12, 2009)

Wow.. 3.8ah Nimh battery, it would be great!


----------



## RyanA (Oct 12, 2009)

They're cool. I've got a friend letting me mess with theirs. Theres a lot of artifacts but the darn thing throws like crazy with an 1185 setup. Anyone know what kind of connector the charger is using though?


----------



## Howecollc (Oct 13, 2009)

RyanA said:


> They're cool. I've got a friend letting me mess with theirs. Theres a lot of artifacts but the darn thing throws like crazy with an 1185 setup. Anyone know what kind of connector the charger is using though?


Do you mean what type of connector is between the charging cradle and the wall plug-in transformer, or do you mean how do you connect the light to charge it.


----------



## RyanA (Oct 13, 2009)

Howecollc said:


> Do you mean what type of connector is between the charging cradle and the wall plug-in transformer, or do you mean how do you connect the light to charge it.



Yes, between the cradle and wall adapter. Is it a tamiya style adapter? Looks similar.


----------



## gswitter (Oct 13, 2009)

Sgt. LED said:


> Can anyone offer a higher capacity battery without making it yourself?
> http://www.batteryjunction.com/streamlight-fb-5h1.html


I bought some loose NiMH 1/2 D cells from Volt Man Batteries. The spec'ed 5 Ah is probably not accurate, but my Hyperion did show over 4 Ah on the one discharge/charge cycle I performed. I run six of them (using one of FM's one cell extensions) with a 5761. It's a nice set-up.


----------



## Sgt. LED (Oct 13, 2009)

NICE! That'a a good jump in runtime.
So for the stock config you need 5 right? Regharges like stock but just takes longer to get full I assume.

And I'll need to make them into a pack somehow. Shrinkwrap and the top of a D Alkie? Maybe some tiny magnets between for contact?

OR will the people there make me one if I ask?


----------



## Howecollc (Oct 13, 2009)

RyanA said:


> Yes, between the cradle and wall adapter. Is it a tamiya style adapter? Looks similar.


I'm guilty of calling them all Molex; but after looking at some pics of a Tamiya style plug, I'll say the MC connector looks very similar but doesn't have the clasp of the Tamiya. This is not to imply that the MCs connector doesn't hold firmly. It is nearly impossible to get them to separate on any of my MCs; almost tears the skin off your thumbs. Apparently I'm not the only one to notice this, as Mag has changed the connector to a new style in the last few years.

connector adaptor: http://www.zbattery.com/Maglite-ARXX228-Adapter?sc=7&category=1289


----------



## download (Oct 13, 2009)

Can the stock Mag 2D bezel replace the Magcharger bezel? Thx


----------



## Howecollc (Oct 13, 2009)

download said:


> Can the stock Mag 2D bezel replace the Magcharger bezel? Thx


No; the MC bezel is about 2.5 mm larger in diameter than the 2Ds.


----------



## download (Oct 13, 2009)

Thanks Howecollc, one last question.

Can the stock Mag D head screw in the Magcharger body? Is it same thread?


----------



## gswitter (Oct 13, 2009)

download said:


> Can the stock Mag D head screw in the Magcharger body? Is it same thread?


Nope. There are no threads between the MC head and body. Just a retaining lip at the top of the body.


----------



## gswitter (Oct 13, 2009)

Sgt. LED said:


> NICE! That'a a good jump in runtime.
> So for the stock config you need 5 right? Regharges like stock but just takes longer to get full I assume.
> 
> And I'll need to make them into a pack somehow. Shrinkwrap and the top of a D Alkie? Maybe some tiny magnets between for contact?
> ...


Yup, five cells for a stock light. No problem with fit, and they work fine with the stock charger (even with the sixth cell).

When I ordered them last year, Volt Man gave me the option of adding tabs (which I declined) and I think they did offer to assemble them into a pack for me. I figured I'd just start with the loose cells and work out any issues myself. Turns out there were no issues - the loose cells work fine. They look just like the cells listed at Battery Space and Battery Junction (maybe they are the same), with enough of a button on top for good contact. But mine definitely showed more than 3.5 Ah on my one test. Might be time for another.

One word of caution... the cells were backordered when I placed my order, and they either had a tough time getting them in or misplaced my order, because it was a while before I finally received them.


----------



## RyanA (Oct 13, 2009)

Howecollc said:


> I'm guilty of calling them all Molex; but after looking at some pics of a Tamiya style plug, I'll say the MC connector looks very similar but doesn't have the clasp of the Tamiya. This is not to imply that the MCs connector doesn't hold firmly. It is nearly impossible to get them to separate on any of my MCs; almost tears the skin off your thumbs. Apparently I'm not the only one to notice this, as Mag has changed the connector to a new style in the last few years.
> 
> connector adaptor: http://www.zbattery.com/Maglite-ARXX228-Adapter?sc=7&category=1289



Thanks!


----------



## download (Oct 13, 2009)

:thanks:



gswitter said:


> Nope. There are no threads between the MC head and body. Just a retaining lip at the top of the body.


----------



## Howecollc (Oct 14, 2009)

Sgt. LED said:


> Can anyone offer a higher capacity battery without making it yourself?
> http://www.batteryjunction.com/streamlight-fb-5h1.html


*Consideration might need to be given to the fact that NiMH are not as well suited as ni-cads to being left in the charging cradle all the time.*
*Below is a post from 2005 addressing the Aero packs for a MagCharger*



bwaites said:


> LunalTic,
> 
> The stick you are looking for is the NiMH stick that Ginseng organized a group buy for many months ago. They are 4000 MaH cells and are built by Aero.
> 
> ...


----------



## peterkin101 (Oct 14, 2009)

i'm probably not the last word in experience in all types of torch/flashlight but I've owned several over the years and pride of place has been my Magcharger purchased back in 1993.

Since then , it has been soaked, dropped from 15ft onto a pavement and accompanied me into some very dicey inner-city areas in the UK.

Yet apart from a few chips on the head and having to replace the NiCad pack about a couple of years ago it has been FAULTLESS. Even the finish apart from the chips on the head (after that drop) and some scratches on the rear cap (after it had been put next to a bunch of keys in my pocket), is FLAWLESS.

And yes it isn't as technically as good as some alternatives. It doesn't have a Li-Polymer battery for example and the beam isn't as bright or as round as the equivalent Surefire etc but ultimately does that really matter? 

Competitors may be "better" in some areas but they are also considerably more expensive both in terms of initial cost and running cost. Those perfectly round blue-white "searchlight" beams are great when shone on a wall but what about the cost of the non-rechargeable Lithium DL123A batteries?

I'm so pleased that I've just acquired the latest Version 3 Maglite MagCharger
(NOT on the Maglite website...!!!). It is a evolution of the original, with a higher capacity NiMH battery, a newly designed AC Adaptor and a brighter bulb.

Early indications is that it's even better than expected and I sure I'll be delighted with this if it's as good as the old one I've just sold.

So yes IMHO the Magcharger is still the most cost-effective solution for my needs and for many others as well.


----------



## peterkin101 (Oct 14, 2009)

lctorana said:


> In a heartbeat, if I could ever afford one.



Via the web and eBay, they have never been cheaper.

I'm not necessarily suggesting you forsake your dealer for the web but as an example, I paid £120 for my original Version 1 back in 1993 and just under £70 BRAND NEW for the latest Versiion 3 via an eBay dealer earlier this month

As I've stated the Magcharger is still the most cost-effective solution for my needs and with the exception of a rumoured LED Version, I cannot forsee me ever wanting to change.


----------



## Howecollc (Oct 14, 2009)

What all is different about the Version 3? 

So it's got an NiMH battery pack instead of the traditional ni-cad? What capacity is listed on the pack?

Is the bulb listed as 51,700 candlepower and 8.4 watts?


----------



## peterkin101 (Oct 14, 2009)

Howecollc said:


> What all is different about the Version 3?
> 
> So it's got an NiMH battery pack instead of the traditional ni-cad? What capacity is listed on the pack?
> 
> Is the bulb listed as 51.700 candlepower and 8.4 watts?



Capacity of the NiMH pack is 6v at 3.5aH

The AC Adaptor is dedicated to the NiMH pack from what I can see, not suitable for the older NiCad packs and vice versua.

Yes the bulb is 51,700 candlepower and 8.4 watts. This however is much brighter than my original 11W 30000 candlepower bulb suppled with my original Magcharger.

Other improvements are minor, the AC adaptor is smaller with much better connectors to the cradle for example.

And there is a decent instruction manual with photographs rather than artist impressions.


----------



## Penguin (Oct 14, 2009)

My Tigerlight has been working pretty flawless for the past 5 years I've owned it. I'm still on the original battery pack. but if leaving it on the charger is what you're after, the NiMH probably wouldn't do as well on the tigerlight... I'll wait for js to comment since he knows that light through and through

-Josh


----------



## Howecollc (Oct 14, 2009)

peterkin101 said:


> Capacity of the NiMH pack is 6v at 3.5aH
> 
> The AC Adaptor is dedicated to the NiMH pack from what I can see, not suitable for the older NiCad packs and vice versua.
> 
> ...


Interesting. Everything you described here (the smaller transformer, the easier to release barrel and pin connectors between the cradle and transformer, and the higher output bulb) has been standard issue for the last few years, except for that NiMH pack. Does it by chance look anything like this one? 

If you've never replaced a bulb in your MC since the original in 1993, you have indeed been missing out. They upped the candlepower to 40,000 in 2002, and again in 2005 to the current 51,700 level.

more info here about MagCharger bulb specs: https://www.candlepowerforums.com/posts/3119174&postcount=13


----------



## GSMGuy (Oct 14, 2009)

I also have a Mag Charger - Purchased new, from B&Q about 5 years ago - for £25!!! They were mis priced (I think they priced them as std 3 cell) I bought all 4 they had in stock - Kept one (wish I had kept 2!) and gave the others as xmas presents to my Dad, dad in law and brother - All are still faultless, although I would really like a bit more light from mine - Is the new bulb a direct replacement??

Mike

PS I went back to B&Q a few days later - They had restocked, and sadly repriced....


----------



## Howecollc (Oct 14, 2009)

GSMGuy said:


> I also have a Mag Charger - Purchased new, from B&Q about 5 years ago - for £25!!! They were mis priced (I think they priced them as std 3 cell) I bought all 4 they had in stock - Kept one (wish I had kept 2!) and gave the others as xmas presents to my Dad, dad in law and brother - All are still faultless, although I would really like a bit more light from mine - Is the new bulb a direct replacement??
> 
> Mike
> 
> PS I went back to B&Q a few days later - They had restocked, and sadly repriced....


The new bulb pushes in just liks the old ones; nothing else required.

It seems likely that peterkin101 may may have never seen one of the improved 40,000 CP bulbs that would have come with your lights purchased after 2002. He may be comparing the old 30,000 CP variety to the newest style bulb, which probably is indeed brighter. However, I noticed 2 out of 9 people reviewing the newest style bulb on Amazon saying that it was not as bright as the bulb they were replacing. Just a heads up.


----------



## Swedpat (Oct 14, 2009)

Around two years ago I bought a MagCharger. Until then my brightest flashlight was the standard 6D. I was quite impressed by the brightness, at least the first 20-30 minutes of the runtime. 
It was only one serious drawback: 16 hours charging time for 1 hour use. And no possibility to have another battery at charge when using the light. During more than a year the MagCharger therefore has been placed in the box unused. 

Some months ago I discovered that Battery Junction carry a 6V 3,5Ah NiMh battery for MagCharger, and also a charger suited to this which can charge the battery at 5-6 hours. I had already abandoned the MagCharger and ordered this charger with two of the 6V batteries to be used with a Malkoff P7 LED dropin to a 3D. 
Recently I ordered a 6AA to 2D converter for using the P7 dropin to a 2D. 
I am not sure how I will do; order another Malkoff P7 dropin and have as well the 2D and 3D with a P7, OR start to use the MagCharger again with the extern charger and totally three usable batteries. Of course I can choose both.

Actually I consider to take the MagCharger in service again, because of the superior color rendition compared to LEDs. But the only reason I at all consider it is the new possibility to have extra batteries, who can be charged outside the light. The 1/3 charging time also is a big advantage.
It's strange that Maglite never offered an extern charger as an alternative.

Regards, Patric


----------



## alpg88 (Oct 14, 2009)

i had magcharger, bought it 8-9 years ago, gave it away not too long ago, wasn't too happy about it, it was bright, untill cree and p7 leds came out, it was heavy, and i would not use it as a club either, i'd be afraid to brake it, regular maglight is a lot better in that regard. 
there was a time when magcharger ruled, but today it is senior citizen. 
my 0.02c


----------



## 325addict (Oct 14, 2009)

I have a total of three MagChargers, one is at the company I work for as a general use flashlight. It is bulletproof, period. NO ONE was ever able to break it. I have two batteries with it, I charge them regularly, but NOT constantly!

Yes, I sure can advise you to buy one. OK, it's true: it is not "modern". And, yes, the beam isn't flawless like the beam of my Surefire M6. But take a MagCharger into the woods, or use it to light up at a distance, and you'll see where the true capabilities of the MagChargers are: it is a very, very good thrower, and, with "a twist of the wrist" it becomes a good floody one as well! 
Beam artifacts are WAY less than with ordinary D-cell Mags.

In the Netherlands, 4.0Ah NiMH batteries are readily available. I tested one of mine, 4069mAh.

Want even MORE light? Just take a WA1160 *and a mica washer *and swap the lamp. That's all.

Bottom line: still a great light. Excellent color rendition, great brightness, runtime over an hour, but quite heavy and large indeed. Long charging times can be overcome by the use of two batteries.


Timmo.


----------



## peterkin101 (Oct 14, 2009)

Howecollc said:


> Interesting. Everything you described here (the smaller transformer, the easier to release barrel and pin connectors between the cradle and transformer, and the higher output bulb) has been standard issue for the last few years, except for that NiMH pack. Does it by chance look anything like this one?
> 
> If you've never replaced a bulb in your MC since the original in 1993, you have indeed been missing out. They upped the candlepower to 40,000 in 2002, and again in 2005 to the current 51,700 level.
> 
> more info here about MagCharger bulb specs: https://www.candlepowerforums.com/posts/3119174&postcount=13



I'd agree that those NiMH packs are pretty similar apart from the colour, mine being white rather than green.

And I had to replace the bulb once but for the standard bulb available back before 2002-the 30000 CP version.

I was aware of the bulb being changed but have you ever tried to walk into a store over here in the UK and buy one?

Absolutely NO CHANCE AT ALL...!

And that goes for the MagCharger, battery packs etc and the Maglite MagNum Star Krypton and/or Xenon bulbs.

FORTUNATLY, eBay and the Internet has now solved that problem.

Dealers who can't be bothered to stock don't deserve to sell.


----------



## Howecollc (Oct 14, 2009)

Swedpat said:


> Some months ago I discovered that Battery Junction carry a 6V 3,5Ah NiMh battery for MagCharger, and also a charger suited to this which can charge the battery at 5-6 hours.


I knew this charger was available, but didn't know that it charged at a quicker rate than the Mag cradle. So it only takes 6 hours to charge the 3.5Ah pack?



alpg88 said:


> i had magcharger, bought it 8-9 years ago, gave it away not too long ago, wasn't too happy about it, it was bright, untill cree and p7 leds came out, it was heavy, and i would not use it as a club either, i'd be afraid to brake it, regular maglight is a lot better in that regard.
> there was a time when magcharger ruled, but today it is senior citizen.
> my 0.02c


Damn; Grandma gets a little incontinent and hard of hearing, and you send her to the nursing home?



peterkin101 said:


> I was aware of the bulb being changed but have you ever tried to walk into a store over here in the UK and buy one?
> 
> Absolutely NO CHANCE AT ALL...!
> 
> And that goes for the MagCharger, battery packs etc and the Maglite MagNum Star Krypton and/or Xenon bulbs.


Probably like trying to buy a Cadbury Aero candy bar over here. The best walk-in option I have found here is the type of store that sells police equipment.


----------



## alpg88 (Oct 14, 2009)

Howecollc said:


> Damn; Grandma gets a little incontinent and hard of hearing, and you send her to the nursing home?



lol, you make me sound like inconsiderate *******, but fear not, grandma is still alive and kicking, she just moved to a different place (my friends summer house), where she is still very much appreciated.


----------



## gswitter (Oct 14, 2009)

Howecollc said:


> *Consideration might need to be given to the fact that NiMH are not as well suited as ni-cads to being left in the charging cradle all the time.*


Yeah, I don't it leave it on the charger all the time. Running six cells with a 5761, I need the battery to rest before using it.


----------



## Swedpat (Oct 14, 2009)

Howecollc said:


> I knew this charger was available, but didn't know that it charged at a quicker rate than the Mag cradle. So it only takes 6 hours to charge the 3.5Ah pack?



I just checked an annotation I done. The first time I charged it took around 6 hours and 20min. Slightly more than 1/3 of the standard charge with MagCharger. And that's with NiMh 3,5Ah battery, the standard NiCad 2,5Ah battery should take shorter time, I guess.
This charger isn't much larger sized than the battery and will be perfect to bringing with when travelling, so that's an advantage as well. 


Regards, Patric


----------



## gswitter (Oct 14, 2009)

gswitter said:


> I bought some loose NiMH 1/2 D cells from Volt Man Batteries. The spec'ed 5 Ah is probably not accurate, but my Hyperion did show over 4 Ah on the one discharge/charge cycle I performed.


Just finished another capacity test - 4.35 Ah. Might have measured a little higher, but the battery rested for about seven hours before I started the test.

Not the labeled 5 Ah, but still better than any other 1/2 D cell I've come across.


----------



## ANDREAS FERRARI (Oct 15, 2009)

gswitter said:


> Running six cells with a 5761....



Sounds like your overdriving past 7.2v.I'm still running my MagCharger'61 with the stock pack but have always wanted to add a 6th cell after reading this posting by Northern Lights a couple of years ago....

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/147344


----------



## Howecollc (Oct 15, 2009)

ANDREAS FERRARI said:


> Sounds like your overdriving past 7.2v.I'm still running my MagCharger'61 with the stock pack but have always wanted to add a 6th cell after reading this posting by Northern Lights a couple of years ago....
> 
> https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/147344


What's up Griff? You know you could shake things up by throwing an Arch Cummings pic into the mix every now and again just to see if anyone notices.

I think all the MagCharger owners should lobby for another run of FM 37mm MC tube extenders.


----------



## ANDREAS FERRARI (Oct 15, 2009)

Howecollc said:


> What's up Griff? You know you could shake things up by throwing an Arch Cummings pic into the mix every now and again just to see if anyone notices.
> 
> I think all the MagCharger owners should lobby for another run of FM 37mm MC tube extenders.



Actually it's Biff Tannen from Back to the Future(both young and old version).

A big +1 on FM offering more MC extenders.:twothumbs

If he doesn't I'm going to end up on B/S/T begging someone to sell me one.No one wants to see an old man beg.


----------



## Howecollc (Oct 15, 2009)

"What are you lookin' at butthead"

Oh, I know. I swear I remember your having a Griff (grandson of Biff in Part 2) avatar up at some point. Arch Cummings was a Thomas F Wilson reference from April Fool's Day, another classic film from my high-school days.


----------



## ANDREAS FERRARI (Oct 15, 2009)

Howecollc said:


> "What are you lookin' at butthead"
> 
> Oh, I know. I swear I remember your having a Griff (grandson of Biff in Part 2) avatar up at some point. Arch Cummings was a Thomas F Wilson reference from a classic film from my high-school days.



I stand corrected-:bow::bow::bow:


----------



## Howecollc (Oct 15, 2009)

I knew I'd seen Griff before.


----------



## Swedpat (Oct 15, 2009)

I just completed the charge of the standard 2,5Ah battery with Empire charger. It took ca 4 hours and 25 minutes. Which VERY well corresponds to the charging time per Ah compared to the 3,5Ah battery.

Regards, Patric


----------



## Howecollc (Oct 15, 2009)

I once offered the following solution as a quick charge option to a fellow considering running a MagCharger with tube extenders and full size NiMH D cells. It would, of course, also work with the 1/2 D packs, and offer some extra versatility for those people who have additional NiMH lights.

Charge any combination of D cell batteries by sliding them into a 1.25 inch diameter PVC tube of correct length with PVC end-caps and brass machine screws passing thru the caps. You can then clip a NiMH/ni-cad hobby smart-charger onto the brass screws. Maybe a brass nut on one end, stainless nut on the other, for easy polarity identification. C and sub C cells would work in a 1 inch tube, AAs in a 1/2 inch tube.

Assuming a 66% charging efficiency on NiMH cells, the 3.5 Ah pack would charge in about 2 hours and 40 minutes.

I’m think ni-cads have around a 75% charging efficiency, so the 2.5 Ah pack would charge in about 1 hour and 40 minutes.


----------



## Sgt. LED (Oct 15, 2009)

This thread has turned out so well!
Thank you guys.

lovecpf


----------



## Dutchman (Oct 18, 2009)

I have couple of magchargers and I hate to say I gave them a new life with a terralux upgrade and still use the standard nicad batteries.
Runtime is very good the bulb will not break when dropped.
I think they are with us for ??????


kees


----------



## Fresh Light (Oct 25, 2009)

If any one was reading this thead and thought the MC was still a little high price for a mag. But I picked one up today, complete kit with pack and charger, along with 2 additional original packs. Total for all with tax...exactly 80.00.:naughty:


----------



## alpg88 (Oct 25, 2009)

Fresh Light said:


> If any one was reading this thead and thought the MC was still a little high price for a mag. But I picked one up today, complete kit with pack and charger, along with 2 additional original packs. Total for all with tax...exactly 80.00.:naughty:



that is a steal, congrads


----------



## Fresh Light (Oct 25, 2009)

The kit was on clearance for 79.99, the two extra MC packs are 5.50, also on clearance. I used the 20% off any single item. Not sure if I am allowed to post the link but if you google hf 20 coupon(9/24-10/31), it is easy to find So, with the discount, the two packs, and tax it came to just one cent more than the clearance price. 
I'm charging the pack it came with right now. Good deal though. It was the last one at the local HF retail store, as well as the 2 additional packs.


----------



## peterkin101 (Nov 15, 2009)

ANDREAS FERRARI said:


> The new LED MagCharger should be out soon.They have been showing it off at trade shows but I have yet to see a picture of one.
> 
> I wonder if the incan version will be discontinued?
> 
> Dealers that carry the original might drop the price to make room for the new model.Maybe just wishful thinking.



Any further info on this?

I've trawled the Net and drawn a complete blank, though an LED version is a logical progression and if my Mini MagLite 3 AA LED is anything to go by, we could all be in for a real treat.


----------

