# Thinking of buying a MagCharger



## Mighty Hd (Feb 23, 2008)

I'm new to the forum after a long time lurking. I think I have found others like myself. My wife says I'm "crazy" with all the flashlights we have. You never know when you may need one. 

I wasted my money on the LED upgrade on my AA maglites. Yeah I know, they were the walmart cheapies. 

Back on topic to the MagCharger light. I've seen them in the stores but have never had a chance to play with them. Is the light as poor as the standard 2-D, 3-D, 4-D lights? 

I keep reading about a Welch~Allyn U-01160 light upgrade, battery upgrades, etc? Is it really worth it or should I just get a Streamlight Stinger ?

I have a few Cyclops 80lumin lights that use two CR-123 batteries and they're pretty bright. I'm now wanting bigger and better. The MagCharger with the upgrades seems to be a good choice...

Opinions??


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## powernoodle (Feb 23, 2008)

I own a zillion dang lights, and the Magcharger plus 1160 is among my favorites. Mine lives in the cabinet by the kitchen door, along with a SF X10 and SF 12P/P91. While it is not as friendly to carry as an Ultrastinger, it puts out stinkin' ton of light. Light that rivals a Mag85, without having to jump through hoops to construct a Mag85. Plus, you get a charger and factory support, all for something in the $100 range.

If you plan on carrying it all night as a security guard, you might want something a little less heavy, but for most applications it rocks.

Edited to add: the 1160 upgrade is a piece of cake. Pull out the OEM bulb, and stick in the 1160. Definitely worth it, unless runtime is more important to you than output. (Couldn't tell you what the 1160 runtime is, but it has always been sufficient for my needs).


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## swampgator (Feb 23, 2008)

Mighty Hd said:


> Is the light as poor as the standard 2-D, 3-D, 4-D lights?
> 
> I keep reading about a Welch~Allyn U-01160 light upgrade, battery upgrades, etc? Is it really worth it or should I just get a Streamlight Stinger ?


 
The MC is much brighter and whiter than any D Cell Mag. Reportedly 210 lumens. I don't have a lumens number on the WA1160 mod.

As for a battery upgrade, I don't think you'll need it. My father's MC went 10 years on the original battery stick. A replacement was only $15.


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## eshishlo (Feb 23, 2008)

There is also an option of putting a Philips 5761 bulb in the MC and it should put out even more light. 
I have a MagCharger and have changed out the standard bulb for the 1160 and get a runtime of about 30 minutes. It puts out a ton of light, but I think that it is a little less than a SureFire M6 (haven't compared head to head yet maybe tonight).

I picked mine up in August of last year from Harbor Freight Tools for $72 after tax.


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## Mighty Hd (Feb 23, 2008)

Thanks for the replies. 

I didn't think the bulb change would cut runtime down to just 30 minutes. 

I may be better just leaving well enough alone. 

I ended up buying one today. I was lucky enough to find one locally instead of having to drive to Bass Pro shops which is over an hour each way. 

Ms. Maggie is on the charger for the next 16 hours

The main purpose of buying this light is for work. I'm on a 30-day project that is taking me into completely dark areas to supervise crews working. I have a Browning Black Ice 6v that I'm currently using. ( http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/s...ges2/80000/80339.jpg&type=0&linkEnabled=false) While it does a great job, CR-123 batteries get quite expensive with a run time of only 2 hours. 

I'm just having a hell of a time finding a Nite Ize grip locally. I think I've been to just about everywhere.


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## jayb79 (Feb 23, 2008)

Here is were i got mine. They go on sale for $79.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=95760


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## eshishlo (Feb 24, 2008)

If you have a Harbor Freight store near you, you can get on their mailing list and they often send 15% off coupons off a single item. Thats how I got mine for around $72 out the door. 


:welcome:


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## Monocrom (Feb 24, 2008)

Mighty Hd said:


> .... Opinions??


 
Even a unmodified MagCharger is a very good light. I never got one for one main reason; the charge time to runtime ratio. 16:1 is far from great.


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## Echo63 (Feb 24, 2008)

Monocrom said:


> Even a unmodified MagCharger is a very good light. I never got one for one main reason; the charge time to runtime ratio. 16:1 is far from great.



i got a pack charger (designed to charge model aircraft and remote control car packs) that will charge batteries at up to 5 amps and discharge them at 1 amp

the standard pack in a magcharger is 2600ish Mah - so i can have it recharged in a little over half an hour


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## Monocrom (Feb 24, 2008)

Echo63 said:


> i got a pack charger (designed to charge model aircraft and remote control car packs) that will charge batteries at up to 5 amps and discharge them at 1 amp
> 
> the standard pack in a magcharger is 2600ish Mah - so i can have it recharged in a little over half an hour


 
I'm not entirely sure that's a good idea.


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## Echo63 (Feb 26, 2008)

Monocrom said:


> I'm not entirely sure that's a good idea.


any reason why ? 
its worked ok so far, and i have it charging in an enclosed, flame reisistant area with an extinguisher nearby. i dont normally charge it at 5 amps (its only 2c anyway, should be safe for Nicad - the batteries get warm, but not hot when i have done it) normally at 0.5 - 1c (1.3 - 2.6 amps)
its also supervised (whilst im using the computer on the other side of the room)


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## Monocrom (Feb 26, 2008)

Just seems that charging it that fast, might reduce the lifespan of the battery inside. But I could be wrong. :shrug:


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## TopGunWgHs (Feb 27, 2008)

most deff go for it! Also as soon as possible get that phillips 5761 bulb! It is truely amazing, it gets hot but not hot enough to damage anything in the MC, i am no veteran on these forums but i have a few minimags with smjled upgrades for runtime and decent brightness, a SureFire 6p with a BOG Q5 LED upgrade with strike bezel, but when i really need to spot something i bust out my MC with the 5761 boasting about 500lumens, 700+bulb lumens, for about 1/2 an hour and that's constant runtime, i think because of the heat it knocks down the time significantly, i placed the MC on a frozen lake and came back to it a few minutes later an inch deep into a puddle it created, and set some paper a-fire! if you use it in bursts it should last a bit longer, and then i charge it over night and have the 6p on hand if i need it. Great Deal!


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## metlarules (Feb 27, 2008)

?


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## Mighty Hd (Feb 27, 2008)

I have been reading for days on various upgrades. 

The 5761 seems to be a winner. I'm guessing I'm going to have to get a different reflector and some sort of heat shield to be safe? 

I'm sure a battery wouldn't hurt either. I ordered another OEM battery/bulb off of ebay this past week. I suppose I should have read some more before ordering. 

The downside is the OEM charger takes SO long to charge the larger batteries. I did get a Brinkmann wall charger as suggested by another member: http://www.brinkmann.net/Shop/Detai...ACC-2000-1&seriesname=Battery Chargers&id=439

I may just stay with this setup for a while. 

I'd like to keep the hour run time at least...changing out bulbs obviously will change that, even with an upgraded battery.


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## mac66 (Mar 1, 2008)

I am not a flashlight fanatic like many here but I've had a Magcharger for 25 years. I carried it on duty for many of those years. It is beaten and battered but still works after many battery packs, lenses and bulbs. Currently it has the 1160 bulb upgrade and a battery pack from cheapbatterypacks.com.


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## peterkin101 (Oct 25, 2009)

Go out and buy one!

I had my original back in 1993 and as stated elsewhere, dropped it, soaked it several times and took it out around with me in Dunstall and Whitmore Reans districts of Wolverhampton UK, where there are plenty of dark places and all the symptoms of Inner City areas. In that time I changed the Battery pack and bulb once, and have just acquired the latest Version 3 (features the 51000 bcp bulb, a 3500maH NiMH pack and revised charger etc)

Failing the introduction of an official LED Magcharger, I cannot see anything more suitable for my needs. Sure there are brighter and "better" beams from people like Surefire etc which is great on a wall but makes a debatable difference in the real world. However these also work on considerably more expensive both in initial outlay and running costs (DL123A Batteries...!), whilst others are rip-offs and Mag have taken the guilty parties to court AND WON.

I cannot rate Maglites highly enough and the Magcharger is still the very best they have to offer.


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## RichardN (Oct 25, 2009)

Im totally new to this forum but from what i reading the Magcharger is worth getting. the problem is they cost 300 dollars in australia!! Still.. i cant wait to get one.


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## Dioni (Oct 25, 2009)

RichardN said:


> Im totally new to this forum but from what i reading the Magcharger is worth getting. the problem is they cost 300 dollars in australia!! Still.. i cant wait to get one.


 
Ouch. That is expensive! 
I got mine on ebay without taxes or fees. 

:welcome:


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## Swedpat (Oct 25, 2009)

I understand that MagCharger has been improved since the first version. I read a statement of 210 lumens. My MC bought 2 years ago has an initial brightness of more than 300 lumens. 210 lumens I would guess will be after 30-40 minutes run or so. So yes, 210 might be a quite good average value for the 1+ hour of the runtime. 
One way to improve the runtime is to buy 3,5Ah NiMh. LINK. Together with THIS charger you can use the MC when another battery is on charge...
Before I found these items My MC was in the box unused because of the 16 hours runtime and no possibility to use the light during the charging time. With other words my advice is to get the MC without the Charger and get this charger and battery instead. Of course if you do it, buy at least two batteries, or why not three.

Regards, Patric


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## Monocrom (Oct 26, 2009)

peterkin101 said:


> Failing the introduction of an official LED Magcharger, I cannot see anything more suitable for my needs. Sure there are brighter and "better" beams from people like Surefire etc which is great on a wall but makes a debatable difference in the real world. However these also work on considerably more expensive both in initial outlay and running costs (DL123A Batteries...!), whilst others are rip-offs and Mag have taken the guilty parties to court AND WON.


 
I own a few Maglites, and more than a few Surefires. Oh yes, they definitely do make a difference in the real world. If they didn't, would the U.S. military issue them to certain specialized units? I doubt it. 

As far as the cells are concerned, a Duracell CR123 cell costs about $8 from a B&M shop. You can get the same battery for about $2 from many online shops.

Not all of Maglite's other competitors are rip-off artists. And the rather sue-happy owner of Maglite has not won every lawsuit he has filed.



> I cannot rate Maglites highly enough and the Magcharger is still the very best they have to offer.


 
The MagCharger is indeed the company's top-of-the-line model. Personally, I've had three Maglites fail on me. One was a 3D model that literally fell apart in my hands while I was checking to see if it needed fresh batteries or a new bulb.


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## Mighty Hd (Oct 26, 2009)

RichardN said:


> Im totally new to this forum but from what i reading the Magcharger is worth getting. the problem is they cost 300 dollars in australia!! Still.. i cant wait to get one.




Ebay !


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## peterkin101 (Nov 1, 2009)

Monocrom, I'm perfectly OK with Surefire, but you have to bear in mind that the cost of DL123A batteries in the UK is somewhat more than the cost in the US, especially if you are walking into a High St store-like I did when I paid the best part of 16.00 GBP for TWO when my Leica Minilux suddenly ran out of power. As Boots were the only stockist in the centre of Lincoln, UK, I didn't have much choice.

OK granted that Surefire have a well deserved reputation in the US Forces but again it comes down to higher cost and higher running costs. There is always something better in this life-the trick is to get your purchase right first time.

I'm surprised your Maglite 3D failed so dramatically. Did you return it to Mag Instruments for replacement?

Richard N, my latest MagCharger Version 3 was purchased on eBay for less than 70.00 GBP inc delivery and in perfect condition. 

So IMHO, it's the way to go especially if your local supplier has to order it at twice the price.


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## Monocrom (Nov 1, 2009)

peterkin101 said:


> Monocrom, I'm perfectly OK with Surefire, but you have to bear in mind that the cost of DL123A batteries in the UK is somewhat more than the cost in the US, especially if you are walking into a High St store-like I did when I paid the best part of 16.00 GBP for TWO when my Leica Minilux suddenly ran out of power. As Boots were the only stockist in the centre of Lincoln, UK, I didn't have much choice.


 
I know it seems strange to many folks to buy batteries online, but there really is a significant savings involved. True, I don't know how much the duties would be once an order of cells arrives into the UK. But prices in the UK are generally higher for all lights. A 3D Maglite model is about $21 here, and I've heard that $100 is about average for one in the UK.



> OK granted that Surefire have a well deserved reputation in the US Forces but again it comes down to higher cost and higher running costs. There is always something better in this life-the trick is to get your purchase right first time.


 
I'll admit I've bought a few lights I regret. But I think a lot of CPFers have done so as well. Experience & knowledge are often lacking when trying to get the right flashlight right off the bat. 



> I'm surprised your Maglite 3D failed so dramatically. Did you return it to Mag Instruments for replacement?


 
No. I was so amazed and angry that I just threw the pieces into the trash. At the time, I wasn't into lights. I just thought it would be a good idea to own a couple of them. My other one was a cheap GE model. (Cost me $1.99). I picked it out of a barrel full of them from an all-night, somewhat rundown, convenience store. The clerk behind the counter recommended it, and held up the one he uses around the store. 

Ironically, the beam was better than on my 3D Maglite. (No matter how much I tried adjusting the beam on my Maglite, that cheap GE model outperformed it). I figured the extra cost of the Maglite was due to its durability, use of aluminum in its construction, and the fact that replacement bulbs were available for it. But that cheap, plastic, disposable, 2D GE light even outlasted that Maglite. I had that GE model for 12 years.


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## WHT_GE8 (Nov 12, 2009)

I was thinking of building a 2D ROP, but getting a magcharger and 5761 bulb seems much easier. Does anyone have beamshot comparisons? Also how big is the magcharger compared to the 2D.


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## fivemega (Nov 12, 2009)

WHT_GE8 said:


> I was thinking of building a 2D ROP, but getting a magcharger and 5761 bulb seems much easier. Does anyone have beamshot comparisons?


*Beam shape of ROP or MC may vary using different textured reflectors.*




WHT_GE8 said:


> Also how big is the magcharger compared to the 2D.


*MC is about 60mm longer.*


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## mdhammack (Nov 12, 2009)

WHT_GE8 said:


> I was thinking of building a 2D ROP, but getting a magcharger and 5761 bulb seems much easier. Does anyone have beamshot comparisons? Also how big is the magcharger compared to the 2D.


 
Magcharger is basically a 3D length light almost to the mm. You will need more than just the 5761 bulb though to make the light truly useful. You would need to upgrade the bulb holder (slug) to a ceramic one for sure, and a new reflector isn't a bad idea either. With those items you have a light that runs half as long as the ROP, is bigger, the light itself costs about 5 times as much versus a 2D also. Not trying to discourage you, my MC 5761 rocks! Just a little more on the pricey side than the other option you mentioned. If you truly want to do the magcharger, check out fivemega's threads on reflectors and ceramic slugs. They are top notch quality items sure to make you really enjoy that mag. Another good idea when going that route is to get you an upgraded battery pack, battery junction has one for about 25 bucks if I remember. It's 3500 mah versus the stock 2600 mah, so about 30% more capacity.


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## Painful Chafe (Nov 14, 2009)

I was thinking of getting a Mag 85, but I have a MC lying around. I am familiar with the ROP, and Mag 85 beams. Can someone tell me how the MC with a 5761 compares? If it is close, I may go this route. 
Thanks


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## ANDREAS FERRARI (Nov 14, 2009)

I have never built a Mag85 but I can tell you a MC5761 will beat a ROP Low and nearly match a ROP High in flood.It will absolutely destroy both when it comes to throw!!!(large head=throw)

The only hand held light I have ever seen beat a MagCharger with a Phillips 5761 bulb in throw is a Deree DBS Aspherical.A stock DBS Q5 (once the king of throwers) gets a good spanking in every category you can think of.


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