# My second Maglite P7 mod



## rayman (Aug 16, 2008)

I just finished my second Maglite single P7 mod. The first one didn't want to work right but this time I used the driver board from 'Der Wichtel' and now it works fine :huh:.







I used this parts for my mod:

- 2D Maglite
- SSC P7 DSWOJ emitter
- DHS heatsink HAIII
- driver board from 'Der Wichtel'
- mdocod 6AA>2D battery adapter
- 6 Eneloops
- M*g MOP Cam/Camless Aluminum Reflector 52mm/15mm
- UCL® Lens
- some teflon wire
- Alumina Adhesive
- Arctic Alumina

The first step was to modify the cklicky module to get some space for the driver board and the heatsink. I use a dremel and afterwards some fine sandpaper to smoothen it.
After that I soldered the driver board with some teflon wire to the cklicky module.

Now I only had to glue the emitter on the heatsink and solder he wires from the driver board to the emitter. After reading the instructions on the Artic Silver website it was very easy to use he Alumina Adhesive. So no problems with glueing the emitter on the heatsink. Now only solder the wires on the emitter and put the heatsink in my Maglite. I don't know but somehow the heatsink didn't fit in my Maglite. But after I used some sandpaper to take a little bit of the anodizing off it just fits fine in the Maglite. I put some Arctic Alumina around the heatsink and put it in the Maglite.

The last think to do was to get the Eneloops in the battery adapter and put it also in the Maglite. That's where I found another minor problem. It was very hard to screw on the tailcape. So I used the dremel and shortened the spring a little bit.

So I think that's enough for the writing here are some pictures of my Maglite P7 mod:






the driver board










the modified spring





I will modify the black Maglite to use it as a bikelight.

Beamshots will follow.

Regards,
rayman


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## Essexman (Aug 16, 2008)

*Re: My first Maglite P7 mod*

Great write up, really it's a tutorial! :twothumbs

Just one thing, you may want to cover up the bare wires+driver to stop them touching the inside of the maglite and shorting out?

You could use electrical tape or maybe a large bit of heat shrink tube.

Ant idea of the current draw on the 6AA's?

So what are you going to build next?


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## Scattergun (Aug 16, 2008)

*Re: My first Maglite P7 mod*

The inside of the Mag tube is anodized, so a short could only happen if the wires touched the retainer-ring for the switchassembly. Not that big of a chance, but still I´d isolate the wires as suggested.


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## Al Combs (Aug 16, 2008)

*Re: My first Maglite P7 mod*

Looks nice. Are you stuck in high mode? If so, that's not to bad. If you have a DMM, check the current at the tailcap. You need Excel to see this but here's a post with some good data on that regulator. He got 80.8% efficiency on high @ 7.5 volts. For 6*eneloops, the relevant data is 1.64 amps on high, 876 ma on medium and 209 ma on low. P7's are so bright, you might easily mistake the 876 ma (400 lumen) mode for high.


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## rayman (Aug 16, 2008)

*Re: My first Maglite P7 mod*



Essexman said:


> Great write up, really it's a tutorial! :twothumbs
> 
> Just one thing, you may want to cover up the bare wires+driver to stop them touching the inside of the maglite and shorting out?
> 
> ...



The current should be 2.8A. I'm thinking of building a Tri-P7 Mag but don't really know right now because I have lots of parts for another single P7 Mag left .



Al Combs said:


> Looks nice. Are you stuck in high mode? If so, that's not to bad. If you have a DMM, check the current at the tailcap. You need Excel to see this but here's a post with some good data on that regulator. He got 80.8% efficiency on high @ 7.5 volts. For 6*eneloops, the relevant data is 1.64 amps on high, 876 ma on medium and 209 ma on low. P7's are so bright, you might easily mistake the 876 ma (400 lumen) mode for high.



I think so too that it's just the medium mode because it's only a little bit brighter than my Jet-III Pro. I already wrote KD a message that my driver board is broke so I hope they answer fast.

rayman


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## Packhorse (Aug 16, 2008)

*Re: My first Maglite P7 mod*

I had the same problem with my reflector except mine was worse as I used a 3.6mm lens. I just dremeled it down and its perfect.
Someone else mounted the lens on a drill and used a file.
Picking up a mini lathe today so now that stuff will be easy


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## rayman (Aug 16, 2008)

*Re: My first Maglite P7 mod*



Packhorse said:


> I had the same problem with my reflector except mine was worse as I used a 3.6mm lens. I just dremeled it down and its perfect.
> Someone else mounted the lens on a drill and used a file.
> Picking up a mini lathe today so now that stuff will be easy



I think I'll try it tomorrow with a dremel and sandpaper.

rayman


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## Black Rose (Aug 16, 2008)

*Re: My first Maglite P7 mod*

I was roaming around a local B&M store today looking at their D mags and was wondering if a 2D Mag would be sufficient for modding.

This thread answers that question 

Nice work.


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## rayman (Aug 20, 2008)

*Re: My first Maglite P7 mod*

I have some questions.

As I see this mod as a tutorial I'm about to mod my next Maglite.

It will also be a 2D Maglite. But this time I'll use 0,65mm teflon wire. The 1mm was somehow hard to handle.
I also want a driver with only one mode to get all out of the P7. So which driver board would you recommend me?

And I don't know which P7 to use, ether the DSW0J or the CSX0I. But I think I'll buy me the DSW0J.

rayman


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## Dudu (Aug 20, 2008)

*Re: My first Maglite P7 mod (planning the second one)*

With the DSW0J, you'll have more lumens out of your M*g !!


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## rayman (Aug 24, 2008)

*Re: My first Maglite P7 mod (planning the second one)*

Today I modified the reflector so that there is no gap between the bezel and the head. I used three sheets of sandpaper and it took me three hours but it is totally worth it :huh:. Pictures are in the first post. No I only what on the driver board.

rayman


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## phantom23 (Aug 27, 2008)

*Re: My first Maglite P7 mod (planning the second one)*

'Rayman' I have one question. I made almost the same Mag (2D, blue, CSWOI). I always thought that red wire (in driver board) is positive, black is - and P7 leg with hole is +. Or I was wrong or I have bad LED because all I saw was a short blink of one wire inside P7...


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## spencer (Aug 27, 2008)

*Re: My first Maglite P7 mod (planning the second one)*

The one with the hole is negative. Hope you didn't fry your LED.


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## rayman (Aug 27, 2008)

*Re: My first Maglite P7 mod (planning the second one)*



phantom23 said:


> 'Rayman' I have one question. I made almost the same Mag (2D, blue, CSWOI). I always thought that red wire (in driver board) is positive, black is - and P7 leg with hole is +. Or I was wrong or I have bad LED because all I saw was a short blink of one wire inside P7...



I look at this thread when I was soldering my P7. So I hope you didn't damage your P7. And if you broke your emitter just keep on trying. I tried solderign a single contact for hours and I hadn't any sucess. And then somebody told me to use flux and now it's very easy.

rayman


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## phantom23 (Aug 27, 2008)

*Re: My first Maglite P7 mod (planning the second one)*



spencer said:


> Hope you didn't fry your LED.



I didn't (I'm lucky guy). I rewired it and... hoooly sh.it, it is bright. Very bright!:devil: And beautiful SWO... I don't care about donut hole right now (I use Mag SMO reflector).


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## rayman (Oct 6, 2008)

Just finished my second Maglite P7 mod. The new driver board of 'Der Wichtel' works so much better. I reallly like my Maglite now :thumbsup:.

rayman


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## Essexman (Oct 6, 2008)

Hey nice mod - Again.

You got there before me, I'm thinking of making a mag 2D with the same set up. 

How is this driver better than the first one you used ?? 
Have you any idea of the current draw at the tail cap and /or the current to the emitter. 
So many questions....and of course, beamshots please ?


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## rayman (Oct 6, 2008)

Essexman said:


> Hey nice mod - Again.
> 
> You got there before me, I'm thinking of making a mag 2D with the same set up.
> 
> ...



The driver from 'Der Wichtel' is a single mode driver but it doesn't get hot as the KD driver does. You have adjust the current with a poti on your own using a multimeter but because of 'Der Wichtel's description it's quite easy. I used the KD Super Ouput driver before. I bought two and both didn't work right. If you want multiple modes just ask 'Der Wichtel' he also sells PWM-dimmer which can be programmed like you want you only have to ask him :huh:.

Beamshots are follow tomorrow .

rayman


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## Changchung (Oct 7, 2008)

Nice and clean job...:thumbsup:


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## Aircraft800 (Oct 8, 2008)

rayman said:


> The driver from 'Der Wichtel' is a single mode driver but it doesn't get hot as the KD driver does. You have adjust the current with a poti on your own using a multimeter but because of 'Der Wichtel's description it's quite easy. I used the KD Super Ouput driver before. I bought two and both didn't work right. If you want multiple modes just ask 'Der Wichtel' he also sells PWM-dimmer which can be programmed like you want you only have to ask him :huh:.
> 
> Beamshots are follow tomorrow .
> 
> rayman


 
What was your KD Buck driver doing wrong? When my 2 Li-Ion's are fully charged (8.4V) the driver will go to low after a few minutes, but when the batteries are used a bit, it works fine. It seems like the driver doesn't like voltages above 8V or so. I'd love to try out the 'Der Wichtel' buck driver, but it is not quite small enough for the M*g C bodies.


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## Sicrall (Nov 25, 2008)

sorry


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## Sicrall (Nov 25, 2008)

hi!

a very nice lamp-mod!!!
can you tell me, how long do the batteries in the lamp?
can i use the lamp for 2 hours with the same "batterypack" ?

greets,
sicrall


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## rayman (Nov 25, 2008)

Sure if you don't drive it at 2.8A. Driven at 2.8A the runtime with the 6 Eneloops is more than one hour.

rayman


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## metalmania (Dec 29, 2009)

rayman, does it become hot after an hour, if so how hot?:shrug:


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## rayman (Dec 29, 2009)

I never used it an hour long but I wouldn't leave it on for an hour without additional cooling. I used my Maglite P7 bikelight for 1,5h and it worked just fine. But riding my bike it had additional cooling because of the airflow and the cooler outside temperature.

rayman


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## metalmania (Dec 29, 2009)

I'm planning to make one, but powered by 2 x 18650 since i already have those batteries around. As for the bike light, i also notice my light also runs cooler perched up on the handle bar due to cool air flow.

Rayman, is the cost of building a Mag2D P7 is the same as getting a Fenix TK30, coz over here it is..just wondering. Maglite2D P7 is not as popular here coz of that.

Well what ever it is i'm going for it and a Mag4D Triple P7 next, running on 4 x 18650, not sure if its enough to power up 3 X P7..any advise?


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## rayman (Dec 29, 2009)

I didn't thought of that when I built it. I think the P7 Maglite was more expensive . But I really like something that I built myself .

Think 4x 18650 will be fine but you'll need a good driver. Don't know if this driver will work for 3x P7 just ask 'Der Wichtel'. As I assume you'll use his heatsink-reflector-combination .

rayman


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## LonghunterCO (Dec 29, 2009)

How much is the driverboard in U.S.dollars?


-nice build.


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## metalmania (Jan 2, 2010)

rayman, since its easier to go for the kit,i'll go for it...i dont need to worry about compatibility and fitting. Currency exchange is a killer :mecry:

Just want to ask everyone here if their Maglite are of different quality now a days. I have one old Maglite 2d "Made In USA" stamped on it and the quality is way better than my Maglite 4d "Pattern In USA".

The "G" font is different finishing is different and even the dent where the switch button is slightly larger. 

I noticed Maglite 2d SSC P7 has a better throw than the Tri P7...is this correct? The Tri P7 could be a killer bike light. Tropical forest is a hazardous place at night, could use the extra flood. 

LonghunterCO - The price is ad below

*Price: 
Single Mode : 20 Euro 
Version A (4-mode): 25 Euro
Version B (6-mode): 25 Euro*

*Shipping: Europe 3.40€, rest of the world 6€*. 
For registered mail add 2.05€

1 EUR = 1.43270 USD According To XE.COM on the 3rd Jan 2010

Hope this helps


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## aurum (Jan 2, 2010)

> I noticed Maglite 2d SSC P7 has a better throw than the Tri P7...is this correct?



Thats correct ....


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## LonghunterCO (Jan 2, 2010)

metalmania said:


> rayman, since its easier to go for the kit,i'll go for it...i dont need to worry about compatibility and fitting. Currency exchange is a killer :mecry:
> 
> Just want to ask everyone here if their Maglite are of different quality now a days. I have one old Maglite 2d "Made In USA" stamped on it and the quality is way better than my Maglite 4d "Pattern In USA".
> 
> ...


 Thanks. 

Anyone throwa noobe a bone what is 4-mode/6-mode?


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## T24 (Jan 3, 2010)

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/201981



> Driver Versions:
> Single Mode: Only 100%
> Version A (4-mode): 100%; 70%; 25%; 3%
> Version B (6-mode): 100%; 70%; 25%; 3%; Fade in & Fade out; Strobe
> ...


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## metalmania (Jan 3, 2010)

Hi

If you own modern flashlight you would notice that it has modes. First click of the button it would turn on at 100% brightness, second click 70% brightness and so on..this is according to the drivers program chip or mode chip.

Single mode = Like traditional flashlight just a simple On/Off
Get a driver that suit you best if you are not using the flash for anything else except for beam shot just get the On/Off version.

*Driver Versions:*
Single Mode: Only 100%
Version A (4-mode): 100%; 70%; 25%; 3%
Version B (6-mode): 100%; 70%; 25%; 3%; Fade in & Fade out; Strobe


I think i may deviated from the post topic a little, my apologies.

rayman

When will we get to see the Mag 2d p7 in action? any feed back on what could be improved?


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## metalmania (Jan 3, 2010)

sorry still getting use to it


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## metalmania (Jan 3, 2010)

double post


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## jovanwyk (Jun 14, 2010)

Newb here, Thanks for the brilliant thread! It encouraged me to do a mod on my own.

3D Maglite
Heatsink & P7 DSWOJ emitter combo from Britelumens ($43).
3X D NiMH batteries.

Please help me with the following:
Do I need a aluminium reflector/UCL lens? or will the stock standard one's do?
Would I need a driver for this setup? (I don't really understand how/why a driver is needed). But if it clarifies my question a bit I only want a on/off - 100% or 0 %.

My goal is just a very decent upgrade on the standard mag LED - I don't want to pull the absolute maximum out of the P7. Kinda like a keep it straight and simple approach.

Help a man out please

Johan


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## rayman (Jun 14, 2010)

:welcome:This setup sounds pretty good.

You don't need a Aluminium reflector or glass lens as the heat of a single P7 is not that intense. The stock ones will work too. You only have to cut the cam of the stock reflector. The cam is the angular thing at the end of the reflector which lets you focus in a stock Maglite.

With your setup the Maglite will dim over time with the dropping voltage like a stock Maglite. With a driver you have a constant brightness all the time and with some drivers you also have modes and other stuff . But your setup will just work fine only remember that you can't use Alkalines as the voltage would be too much.

rayman


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## jovanwyk (Jun 14, 2010)

Thanks for the info Rayman,

Won't be using any alkalines. Saw these batteries "ACCUPOWER EVOLUTION D 10000MAH NIMH LOW DISCHARGE BATTERIES". Will they do the job? 

I'm going to order the Heatsink & P7 DSWOJ emitter combo from Britelumens and all the other goodies needed for the mod today! oohooo

I'll add a driver later - as "phase 2" 

Thanks once again.


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## rayman (Jun 14, 2010)

Don't know the batteries personally but here is a test about them.

Have fun with your mod and don't get too addicted .

rayman


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## Stereodude (Jun 15, 2010)

jovanwyk said:


> Please help me with the following:
> Do I need a aluminium reflector/UCL lens? or will the stock standard one's do?


You won't melt a plastic reflector, but you might get a donut hole in the hotspot with the smooth stock reflector.


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## jovanwyk (Jun 16, 2010)

Thanks for the feedback Stereodude!

I'm curious though, what would you suggest I replace the standard reflector with? I want more throw and not a lot of spill. My newbie understanding of throw and spill: light with huge throw = long straight narrow beam. light with bigger spill = wide beam, doesn't shine as far, lights up a larger area....? Is this correct?

If I am, and want huge throw, what reflector should I install?

Really appreciate the advise!

Johan


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## rayman (Jun 17, 2010)

The problem is that it's pretty hard to get good throw out of a P7. I have a OP reflector from KD and the beam is more floody than throwy with a big hotspot and great spill.

Throw is the amount of light which is focused in the middle of the beam in the hotspot. It is normally measured in lux. You'll find lots of beamshots and measurements in this forum. Spill is the rest of the beam around the hotspot.

rayman


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## Stereodude (Jun 17, 2010)

jovanwyk said:


> Thanks for the feedback Stereodude!
> 
> I'm curious though, what would you suggest I replace the standard reflector with? I want more throw and not a lot of spill. My newbie understanding of throw and spill: light with huge throw = long straight narrow beam. light with bigger spill = wide beam, doesn't shine as far, lights up a larger area....? Is this correct?
> 
> ...


I don't know. I'm in the process of building my first P7 Mag. I ordered two different orange peel reflectors from KD to try out. The OP reflectors don't have a donut hole, but don't have as much throw either.


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## smokeychris (Jun 17, 2010)

I recently finished my tripple p7 and use it for my work. I dont realy know for how long i had it on high but i say at least 20 / 30 minutes. The head and part of the body just above the switch get fairly hot but i could still hold it at the head. So i think heat is not much of a problem with a single p7.


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