# Brinkmann Maxfire Lx Led upgrade?



## RdlyLite (Dec 16, 2007)

I am looking for a simple drop in mod for the aformentioned light. I did a search but my search took me back to the year 2006. Lol. I would prefer it can take RCR's for the sake of being able to 'play' with it.


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## springbok (Dec 16, 2007)

I have a brinkmann maxfire lx, and have used various p60 sized dropins. All of them worked fine, with rcr's as well.

I tried a DX cree dropin and some incandescant p60 styles too.


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## kavvika (Dec 16, 2007)

The only drop-in I have found that fits in a Maxfire is DX #1343. As a bonus, it runs regulated on 3.7c LiIon cells, and I get nearly 3 hours of flat output on a 17670 cell with mine. I took two caving this past summer and they held up admirably. They're only $9, so buy a few!

Edit: I also believe the new Surefire P60L modules fit, but they needed at least 6v to run at full brightness. But at $39 a pop, I think I know which one I'm going to stick with.


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## RdlyLite (Dec 16, 2007)

springbok- Would Malkoff's M60 fit? Its pricey but he has an immpeccable reputation for putting out a quality product. 

Kavvika- can you provide to me a direct link as I have searched the site to no avail? Nm, I found it!...hmmzz...


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## ACMarina (Dec 16, 2007)

Pila Cree dropin will fit as well..


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## springbok (Dec 16, 2007)

My surefire 6p with my malkoff drop in, is in my work locker...... I have my brinkmann in my bail out bag. I will try it out Tuesday when I am back on shift, and will let you know. IMHO: if it did fit, I woulnt use the brinkmann as a host...if you are going to run the malkoff for extended periods, the plasticky brinkmann host might not do well. my 6p does a fine job, as the metal helps to dissipate the heat.



RdlyLite said:


> springbok- Would Malkoff's M60 fit? Its pricey but he has an immpeccable reputation for putting out a quality product.


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## Gunnerboy (Dec 17, 2007)

I'm using Supertactical's Q4 drop-in in one of my Maxfires. Very bright, slight bluish tint, with typical Cree rings. I'm using AW RCR123's, but I have tried it with a single AW 17670. No runtime data, sorry.

I needed a more useful beam (i.e., no rings, no "follow the bouncing ball hotspot") so I defocused it, then applied a piece of sheet protector as a diffuser. A winner! :thumbsup:

Cheers,
Gary


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## sed6 (Dec 17, 2007)

The DX #1343 works well, but the #6090 is better. The 1343 is a little loose in the head, that is it needs an o-ring from you spare parts box to keep it centered in the head. The 6090 fits perfectly plus it is noticably brighter than the 1343. The #6090 is about $10.

At $20 for the Maxfire LX and $10 for the bulb you have a combo that is unrivaled for the price. I've compared this light combo to the Brinkmann 3W Led ($29), the 3W Minimag ($21), and the 3W Rayovac Led ($25) and it kills all three hands down. This combo will throw _almost_ the same as the stock incan bulb plus has _almost_ the same usable spill (which is wider and better than most any light in this price range)

This is the light I take caving with me. It's the light I loan to friends. It's the one I keep in the glove box. If a better light combo exists for the money, I haven't found it.


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## kavvika (Dec 17, 2007)

^ I've found that if you install the module when there are no batteries in the light that it will center itself perfectly. How's the regulation on #6090? And I absolutely agree with your statement about the best bang for the buck. It is my most used light. I don't know what I would do without it.

@ Gunnerboy: That Supertactical Q4 dropin looks pretty tempting for only $15. How much brighter is a Q4 bin than a P4 bin? Please tell me your experience with it!


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## RdlyLite (Dec 17, 2007)

Guys, what would a flashoholic do without you? Lol. I appreciate the immense amount of info that you all gladly dish out on a daily basis. :thumbsup:


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## sed6 (Dec 17, 2007)

I used them without the external spring, so perhaps that helps with the centering. I don't have the means to really check regulation. Runtime seems fine. I've run it about 1.5 hours in a cave and didn't need to change batteries. Frankly I hope to get 6+ usable hours of light out of it like the 3W 3AAA Brinkmann LED.


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## Gunnerboy (Dec 17, 2007)

kavvika said:


> @ Gunnerboy: That Supertactical Q4 dropin looks pretty tempting for only $15. How much brighter is a Q4 bin than a P4 bin? Please tell me your experience with it!


 

Hi kavvika,

RE: brightness. For comparison, this Q4 is way brighter than my JetBeam C-LE v1.2 (P4), and marginally brighter than my DX Stylish Fighter (Q2). Output is equal to a Rebel, and very close to a Q5.

RE: regulation. From what I've observed, it seems to fall out of regulation somewhat quickly running one 17670. This is why I prefer running two RCR123's, forsaking the runtime for longer brightness. This is just my observation so please consult the local LED experts.

The minute output-gain of a Q5 makes it not worthwhile for me, however, I made an exception in buying the NiteCore Defender Infinity because of the price/coolness factors.

Cheers,
Gary 


BTW, how come this is in the Incandescent section??


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## mdocod (Dec 17, 2007)

this is a sticky at the top of the LED section:
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/173764

The question is, would this thread exist had you been in the right section to begin with?!


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## RdlyLite (Dec 17, 2007)

Hmmz... Let me see... Brinkmann Maxfire Lx = incandesant, check. I did do a CPF search, check. :thinking: 

Thank you for the link and I saw that thread and for whatever reason it did not set the light bulb off in my head at the time of my original post. Sorry. :sigh:



mdocod said:


> this is a sticky at the top of the LED section:
> https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/173764
> 
> The question is, would this thread exist had you been in the right section to begin with?!


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## mdocod (Dec 18, 2007)

didn't mean anything by it, just think of it as a friendly jab... like you say, the light is originally incan, and nothing in your original post suggests that you are looking specifically for a LED module....

with that in mind, have you considered a pair of AWs RCR123s and just a more powerful incandescent bulb? Like a SR-9 from LumensFactory? If you use it intermittently you can even get away with the HO-9, just top up the cells frequently and don't use it in long runs, it's a great "play" light with an HO-9. (but LED would still be much more efficient, a [email protected] will actually come pretty close to competing with that HO-9, (still a little short, but the runtime makes up for it)


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## springbok (Dec 18, 2007)

Ok, so my Malkoff Cree Q2 fits fine in the Maxfire and works 
Saying this, i will not use a fine piece of work of the Malkoff in the Brinkmann. hehehe.


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## RdlyLite (Dec 18, 2007)

*springbok* _Ok, so my Malkoff Cree Q2 fits fine in the Maxfire and works _
_Saying this, i will not use a fine piece of work of the Malkoff in the Brinkmann. hehehe._

Lol. I really appreciate the you taking the time to make sure it works. Perhaps I should cave and finally purchase a surefire host for the Malkoff beast, eh? 


*mdocod* _didn't mean anything by it, just think of it as a friendly jab... like you say, the light is originally incan, and nothing in your original post suggests that you are looking specifically for a LED module...._

_with that in mind, have you considered a pair of AWs RCR123s and just a more powerful incandescent bulb? Like a SR-9 from LumensFactory? If you use it intermittently you can even get away with the HO-9, just top up the cells frequently and don't use it in long runs, it's a great "play" light with an HO-9. (but LED would still be much more efficient, a [email protected] will actually come pretty close to competing with that HO-9, (still a little short, but the runtime makes up for it)_

No worries, mang. I have to look up that H0-9...:candle:


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