# Incans are ideal for Halloween



## etc (Jul 6, 2015)

I prefer LEDs 99% of the time but just cannot picture Halloween and similar activities without a good incan light and I don't mean Surefire caliber incan. Maybe an old Maglite, though a $0.99 big box store special will do also. An old MiniMag is always a great choice.
On half-dead cells, it just adds a whole new dimension of fun. Like in the older movies, where their torch always runs out of juice at the most interesting moment. Bringing 2,000 lumens with you is just cheating.

The last time I used an LED at a Halloween was about 7 years ago and I had one of these Fenix lites, latest and greatest at the time, and got yelled at by the staff.


----------



## WarRaven (Jul 6, 2015)

That truly is where or when a warm colored light is best IMO.
It leaves me feeling things are about to go from bad to worse.

I'm so going to get poked for that but it's true to me.


----------



## Str8stroke (Jul 6, 2015)

"The last time I used an LED at a Halloween was about 7 years ago and I had one of these Fenix lites, latest and greatest at the time, and got yelled at by the staff."

I would fire the staff! lol

I love carrying & using my vintage SF indy lights. I put some Lumens Factory HO bulbs in them and enjoy them throughly. Nothing like nostalgia.


----------



## Timothybil (Jul 7, 2015)

I don't know. I've got a LF 90+ CRI LA in my Seraph 6 that is really great. In low mode it is about twenty lumens, and has a color temp of about 4000K, so it is nice and warm. I think a spectator would have a hard time telling the difference between it and a regular incan at that low light level.


----------



## SemiMan (Jul 7, 2015)

Na, just hate screwing around with battery eaters. I have warm LEDs in a few small lights that I use for camping. I would take them any day.


----------



## cland72 (Jul 7, 2015)

SemiMan said:


> Na, just hate screwing around with battery eaters. I have warm LEDs in a few small lights that I use for camping. I would take them any day.



I used to feel the same way, until I got a 9P that runs a P90 on 2x17500 batteries. 

I've also really developed a liking for the old P60. It REALLY punches into the dark on a fresh set of primaries - very impressive despite it's old age.


----------



## Timothybil (Jul 7, 2015)

If you like the P60, you ought to try the HO-6 from Lumens Factory. More light and and just as good or better run time. I had one in my G2 and it was great!


----------



## cland72 (Jul 7, 2015)

Timothybil said:


> If you like the P60, you ought to try the HO-6 from Lumens Factory. More light and and just as good or better run time. I had one in my G2 and it was great!



Thanks, I might do that when my 5 P60s eventually burn out LOL


----------



## scout24 (Jul 7, 2015)

Agreed on the P60, cland72. It really does hold it's own. My personal 2x17500 holder is a G3, though. Guilt free P90 rocks!


----------



## Timothybil (Jul 7, 2015)

scout24 said:


> Agreed on the P60, cland72. It really does hold it's own. My personal 2x17500 holder is a G3, though. Guilt free P90 rocks!


I agree about the guilt free part. It's a wonderful feeling. I hate to sound like a broken record, but LF also make an ES-9 (150 lumen/80 min), an SR-9 (220 lumens/60 min), and an HO-9 (320 lumen/40 min) that will work for both three primaries or two Li-ion cells. If you are guilt free, you might as well go whole hog.


----------



## ampdude (Jul 12, 2015)

cland72 said:


> Thanks, I might do that when my 5 P60s eventually burn out LOL



That could be at least 20 years if not more.


----------



## StarHalo (Jul 12, 2015)

If we're talking rural events, yes; once it comes to crossing the street in a suburb, no - I want at least a thousand lumens of the most abrasive tint possible, drivers should come to a stop just to try to figure out what they're seeing..


----------



## etc (Jul 24, 2015)

Timothybil said:


> If you like the P60, you ought to try the HO-6 from Lumens Factory. More light and and just as good or better run time. I had one in my G2 and it was great!



I don't want more lite for Halloween. I want a burned out, half-lit incan that adds to the suspense of things. Ideally an old unit from Keymart, one of these metal 2D deals with a switch that's flaky, the type you have to bump if the contact is intermittent. Any LED is just plain cheating.

Though I may still bring an LED "just in case".


----------



## TEEJ (Jul 24, 2015)

LOL

I'm trying to figure out why you have a light on Halloween?

If its for you, is it to see where you're going, or, to not get run over?

If its for your kids, is it so THEY can see where they are going/don't get run over?


If so, why does a dimmer light work better? Would no light be best then?


Is it for nostalgic reasons, as you remember having crappy lighting when you first went trick or treating?


----------



## StorminMatt (Jul 25, 2015)

How about one of those old pumpkin flashlights? Maybe you could find one on eBay.


----------



## bykfixer (Sep 24, 2015)

I bought this recently for a shelf queen that'll get used on Halloween.








^^ the beam


----------



## lunas (Sep 24, 2015)

I would use my Shorty D Cell maglight it has the XML2 U4 in neutral white i would leave it on medium setting maybe low. The grips on it are a tennis racket replacement grip i cut up to fit on another light I blacked out the dead space around the reflector and added the 42mm gitd o-ring.


----------



## Grijon (Sep 25, 2015)

Cool stuff, lunas and bykfixer :twothumbs


----------



## Outlander (Sep 25, 2015)

TEEJ said:


> LOL
> 
> I'm trying to figure out why you have a light on Halloween?
> 
> ...



i dont know either.....he mentions getting yelled at by 'staff' so maybe he works at a Halloween store??

:shrug:


----------



## bykfixer (Sep 25, 2015)

lunas said:


> I would use my Shorty D Cell maglight it has the XML2 U4 in neutral white i would leave it on medium setting maybe low. The grips on it are a tennis racket replacement grip i cut up to fit on another light I blacked out the dead space around the reflector and added the 42mm gitd o-ring.


WOW!!! 
Tell us more please!


----------



## LGT (Oct 14, 2015)

etc said:


> I prefer LEDs 99% of the time but just cannot picture Halloween and similar activities without a good incan light and I don't mean Surefire caliber incan. Maybe an old Maglite, though a $0.99 big box store special will do also. An old MiniMag is always a great choice.
> On half-dead cells, it just adds a whole new dimension of fun. Like in the older movies, where their torch always runs out of juice at the most interesting moment. Bringing 2,000 lumens with you is just cheating.
> 
> The last time I used an LED at a Halloween was about 7 years ago and I had one of these Fenix lites, latest and greatest at the time, and got yelled at by the staff.


I know what you mean. On a night when getting spooked is a good thing, having barely enough old school incan light leaves much to the imagination. It's not just what you can see that's scary.


----------



## Kestrel (Oct 14, 2015)

+1 on P90's w/ 2x17500, I'd rather have one P90 than a half-dozen P60's; Li-Ion compatibility is a happy little miracle really.


----------



## gravelrash (Oct 15, 2015)

I'm totally on board with the OP. I just bought a 6V incandescent lantern ($4) and an Army-style angle light ($8) for Halloween. Beautiful, warm, dim light. I might stuff my SR Mini in my back pocket just in case...


----------



## lunas (Oct 15, 2015)

bykfixer said:


> WOW!!!
> Tell us more please!



While i do appreciate the ambiance of incan for Halloween I would want to have higher modes on tap for if something needs it.


First thing I did with it was take a black sharpie blacked out the face of the pill then replaced the o-ring with a GITD the plastic lens was also replaced with a crystal glass lens then i put the grips on.

Shorty D-Mag VOB mod
led: xml2 U4 or u2 it looks to be 5000k or 6500k
Reflector: OP
Lens hardened crystal glass
Low-medium-high with memory
i don't have a tester so lumen are approximations
50-150 lumens low
300-400 lumens medium
900-1300 lumens high
the maglight tower has been removed everything is directly wired i redid some soldering joints


----------



## bykfixer (Oct 15, 2015)

Nice!! 
Pretty cool idea. 
Makes me wanna get out a hacksaw to my 2D unit....or at least a pipe cutter.


----------



## Illum (Oct 15, 2015)

StarHalo said:


> If we're talking rural events, yes; once it comes to crossing the street in a suburb, no - I want at least a thousand lumens of the most abrasive tint possible, drivers should come to a stop just to try to figure out what they're seeing..



+1


----------



## vestureofblood (Oct 15, 2015)

Vesture is ready....!! 


Been hunting down some of my own personal white stags lately. 

Surefire 6P with an extension ( now 2x 18650)




FM cooly head and the best clickie surefire ever made..

The super sweet icing on the cake though is the FM bipin bulb socket. Thanks to mcbrat I now finally have one.





The equivalent of a WA1111 20 watt bulb over drive to about 4.5A ( 32 watts or so)





All the color and power and CRI a guy needs. WOOT!!


----------



## Tre_Asay (Oct 15, 2015)

etc said:


> I prefer LEDs 99% of the time but just cannot picture Halloween and similar activities without a good incan light and I don't mean Surefire caliber incan. Maybe an old Maglite, though a $0.99 big box store special will do also. An old MiniMag is always a great choice.
> On half-dead cells, it just adds a whole new dimension of fun. Like in the older movies, where their torch always runs out of juice at the most interesting moment. Bringing 2,000 lumens with you is just cheating.
> 
> The last time I used an LED at a Halloween was about 7 years ago and I had one of these Fenix lites, latest and greatest at the time, and got yelled at by the staff.


or you could go really old school and just carry around a candle :candle:​. Seriously though I agree with this statement, the old 2 AA flashlights would start near white in color but as time went by it would get more and more orange until suddenly you are panicking as it quickly gets darker, fading from orange to red you are left in the dark:devil:​. Those good old glowstick bracelets work well on halloween also.

My dad has had a maglight 2 D for years, the bulb is off center and it starts to dim after just minutes for 100% spoopiness guaranteed. I am definitely starting to dig the warmer tints.
On the left is a beeswax candle and on the right is a CW thrunite t10, oh yeah and a green laser .


----------



## lunas (Oct 15, 2015)

bykfixer said:


> Nice!!
> Pretty cool idea.
> Makes me wanna get out a hacksaw to my 2D unit....or at least a pipe cutter.


it is more involved

a bandsaw and a lathe are needed to cut down and reshape the end cap area...

Also they do make led in warmer colors i have one that is about 3000k I know there is a 2700k XML2 get one with 3 modes high medium and low the medium or low would be perfect...


----------



## bykfixer (Oct 16, 2015)

Yeah, I figured as much.

The pipe saw comment was an attempt at humor.

I do like the shorty body and a 2700k sounds nice. 
But if I go that route it'll likely be a lo/hi configuation.

Do you still have the twist/focus feature?


----------



## SemiMan (Oct 16, 2015)

2200K Luxeons makes for a very warm light. Could mix with 2700.


----------



## bykfixer (Oct 16, 2015)

LGT said:


> So, before the invention of LED lights, every kid trick or treating, carrying an incan light was run over by a car because nobody could see them, or they couldn't see where they were going? Please, STFU if you're only here to bash on those who still enjoy using incan lights.



incan lights are fun.


----------



## vestureofblood (Oct 16, 2015)

SemiMan said:


> 2200K Luxeons makes for a very warm light. Could mix with 2700.



I can only speak about the emitters I have in 2700K, but the 7D3s that I use have a 90+ CRI and mimic incan light fairly well. I was blown away the first time I saw it. Dont get me wrong its not quite as good as the real thing for color, but darn close when you want something more efficient and with a soft beam. They look to me like a very slightly over driven halogen.


----------



## Timothybil (Oct 16, 2015)

etc said:


> I don't want more lite for Halloween. I want a burned out, half-lit incan that adds to the suspense of things. Ideally an old unit from Keymart, one of these metal 2D deals with a switch that's flaky, the type you have to bump if the contact is intermittent. Any LED is just plain cheating.
> 
> Though I may still bring an LED "just in case".


If you want that almost burned out look, just drop a 17650 into a two cell light like a G2 or 6P with the standard P60 in it. It lights up, but not a whole lot. When I first got a couple of my high CRI drop ins I was swapping LAs back and forth to compare them, and inadvertently did just that. I thought I had ruined one of my new drop ins and my heart just about stopped until I opened it up and found the P60. A fresh cell should give you about a half hour of dim before it drops far enough that the P60 won't glow anymore.


----------



## socom1970 (Oct 30, 2015)

I'll be bringing a couple of these beauties tommorrow night for Halloween with my kids. :devil:






Probably the Big Jim w/red tail and my little square light. Love these lights!


----------



## bykfixer (Oct 30, 2015)

^^ Jumpin' GI Joe Batman!

Is that like a big Jim from the 70's?


----------



## socom1970 (Oct 30, 2015)

bykfixer said:


> ^^ Jumpin' GI Joe Batman!
> 
> Is that like a big Jim from the 70's?



That it is, my friend.  

Back when I was in Cub Scouts on campouts, only the really cool dads had the Big Jim lights. I remember looking at them, then at my little cheapie plastic 2D light from Ace Hardware, and wishing I could have one. I've had these for a while... now I'm cool, too!


----------



## kelmo (Oct 31, 2015)

I just loaded up my E1e for escorting my Girls tonight and have a M3 sporting a MN11 LA for those bump in the night moments! Got two fully stocked spares carriers at the ready! 

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYBODY!!!


----------



## sgt253 (Oct 31, 2015)

Haha. Nice. Have fun! Pouring rain here. Numbers are down because of it. No worries. My incandescents are at the ready, 2c [email protected] and M3 with MN 11 too!


----------



## bykfixer (Oct 31, 2015)

socom1970 said:


> That it is, my friend.
> 
> Back when I was in Cub Scouts on campouts, only the really cool dads had the Big Jim lights. I remember looking at them, then at my little cheapie plastic 2D light from Ace Hardware, and wishing I could have one. I've had these for a while... now I'm cool, too!



Faaaaaaantastic!!!


----------



## bykfixer (Dec 5, 2015)

^^ best of both worlds...
Nite Ize filament bulb replacer. $9 at big box stores.




^^ wanna go back incan? 




In a nice retro package

I do same with old Mag 2D lights. Put the bulb in the tail cap for times when only the incan will do.


----------



## bykfixer (Oct 28, 2022)

Bumping a cool old thread to see how many would still use an incan for their Halloween lighting tasks. 
I sit on my porch to pass out candy and use a flashlight to light steps for the little kids to see them better.

This year I'll be using a boosted 1969 2C Kel-Lite that puts out about 150 lumens to light the steps. Of course I'll have an LED for backup in case the bulb poofs.


----------



## Stress_Test (Oct 28, 2022)

Recently I was looking through my small amount of Mag stuff to see if there was any interesting incan combo I might put together. 

I thought it'd be neat to try something in the 2C Mag, so I got the spare bulb out of the tailcap of my old '90s 3D Mag, and put it in the 2C with a single 18650 cell (with some card stock wrapping and longer spring). I added a reflector from one of those (Rayovac?) industrial 2D incans I had laying around. The reflector is faceted and a bit shallower than the Mag's, and it makes for a more spread-out hotspot.

However, that reflector still makes a pretty ugly beam, so I added a stock plastic lens that I'd roughed up with some sandpaper. (in hindsight, something much finer like a Scotchbrite pad probably would've been better).

Results in a beam that has the broad spill that full-sized Mags are know for, but with a smooth hotspot that transitions evenly to the spill beam. Granted, the light output is only the same as any 3-cell incan, but it's maybe 30 lumen(?) or so, and the 2-C makes a pretty compact package, and lightweight with only a single 18650 on board. 

Plenty good enough for around the home!


----------



## snakebite (Oct 29, 2022)

My neighbors 4 kids will be using magnetic "fridge lights" with 3d printed adapters,18650 cell,and a "xenon plus" bulb.
They will also be taken to several parties in a 57 chevy.
Yes the whole family likes the old stuff.


----------



## Olumin (Oct 29, 2022)

I wonder if either Incandescent or LED lights are more affected by _ghostly activity_. You wouldn't want your light to go out in the middle of a haunted mansion. 
That will greatly influence my decision here...


----------



## Stress_Test (Oct 29, 2022)

Olumin said:


> I wonder if either Incandescent or LED lights are more affected by _ghostly activity_. You wouldn't want your light to go out in the middle of a haunted mansion.
> That will greatly influence my decision here...



Hmm, well, ghosts, spirits, monsters etc are traditionally afraid of fire, right? And an incandescent light is essentially a "burning" filament giving off light and heat, right? So for scaring them off it seems like incan would be best. 

Whereas if you shine an LED light at them, they may just go "LOL whut is that?!" and then give you a nasty wedgie or whatever it is they like to do to people.


----------



## Olumin (Oct 29, 2022)

I was wondering whether a ghost was more likely to blow a bulb or mess with electronics. Both is commonly seen in horror movies. But what is _more likely_? 
If it's fire they fear then maybe I should use a lantern. But don't people light candles to attract ghosts? This is all so confusing..


----------



## Stress_Test (Oct 30, 2022)

I think the candles and ghosts connection is the thing where people light a single candle, go into the bathroom with the lights off (obviously), then stare at their face in the mirror to try to summon a ghost.

I read some very interesting articles not long ago which described the resulting phenomenon. Apparently it's a real thing. In very dim lighting, and staring fixedly at your own face in the mirror for a long time, your brain does something weird and tries to "fill in the gaps" I guess, and you see a distorted version of yourself, often something horrible. 

It's similar (I think) to that slideshow thing you may have seen several years ago online that had well known celebrity faces popping up in each image, but the image was split down the middle and a different celeb was on each side. 

Apparently, the viewer ends up seeing a wildly distorted mash-up of the celebrity faces. It goes back to the "missing info" phenomenon. The brain is viewing the combination of two well-known faces but as they blip by at a rapid pace, the brain tries to fill in the missing half from each person and produces a distorted result. 

Anyway, that's my random tangent for the evening. 

And NO I will NOT be trying the dark bathroom mirror ghost thing. Ever. My dreams are disturbing enough already.


----------



## Stress_Test (Oct 30, 2022)

Olumin said:


> I was wondering whether a ghost was more likely to blow a bulb or mess with electronics. Both is commonly seen in horror movies. But what is _more likely_?



Oh, and to answer your question (maybe..), it's been my understanding that the thing with the flashlights going screwy is that the ghosts/spirits/etc are draining the power from the device. I.E., sucking down the battery power and making the light go dim, then go out entirely. 

Don't know if that's because spirits are supposed to be (or create) local cold areas and batteries don't like cold; or if the idea is that spirits can absorb/drain or otherwise mess with electrical / electromagnetic stuff *(edit: energy)*. I would guess the latter concept. 

So, maybe the LED would be better, because it can keep producing light even if the available energy from the batteries is greatly reduced? Assuming it doesn't hit the low-voltage cutoff!! 

Whereas incans pretty much stop producing any usable light once the available wattage drops low enough, other than the filament faintly glowing.

Of course, the standard CPF answer is: Use both!!!


----------



## Stress_Test (Oct 31, 2022)

Only a few hours till dark.... Anybody getting ready to rock an incan tonight?? 

( If I was actually taking someone out trick-or-treating I'd be using my SolarForce with a body extension, 2 x 18650s, and a SureFire P90 bulb )


----------



## bridgman (Oct 31, 2022)

Just got my Mag85 going again... somewhere around 1000 lumens. All ready to scare off the ghosts and goblins.


----------



## Stress_Test (Oct 31, 2022)

Right on. That ought to get some attention out there!


----------



## Jean-Luc Descarte (Oct 31, 2022)

I don't own any incans, or old-fashioned torches, but I'm for sure on board with the spirit of it  The great magic about LEDs is you DON'T have to run them full blast. So a 3500K Nicha 519A burning about 20 lumens and absolutely nothing more* is a good addition to the atmosphere...

*: unless it's necessary, natch


----------



## bykfixer (Oct 31, 2022)

Got my all stock pre-D 2 cell Maglite out for this year.
Bowl-o-candy guard tool, right?
I restored it with all new parts except the switch that was disassembled and cleaned a while back then put in a new krypton bulb.

Edit:
By the time I would have needed a flashlight it had begun to rain some and all the little kids were gone. No flashlight needed for guarding the candy or lighting up sidewalk cracks. So I turned it on and shined it on a neighbor 2 doors down across the street. We met in the street and he asked what kind of light it was. When I said "stock 1980's Maglite" he said "really? I don't remember them being that bright".


----------



## knucklegary (Oct 31, 2022)

bykfixer said:


> View attachment 34194
> 
> Got my all stock pre-D 2 cell Maglite out for this year.
> Bowl-o-candy guard tool, right?
> ...


Who mfgr'd the tailcap with D-ring, reminiscent of Fulton, very cool!

Edit; Quick search appears OEM item, and at one time could be ordered at Wally Mart, go figure.. I must not have been active with Mag during that time, don't remember seeing them


----------



## bykfixer (Nov 1, 2022)

Me thinx it came from an Amazon seller for around $10 a few years ago.
Part number 108-000-009.
But be aware.... may cause cancer in California.


----------



## Chicken Drumstick (Nov 1, 2022)

Not really for Halloween, but I've been running some KD p60 incan Xenons (3.7v and 9v) in my Solarforce hosts recently. Really like them in general.

But yes, ideal for Halloween.

That said, a modern LED light running Anduril also helped with some lightning effects, something a regular incan torch can't do.


----------



## mesa232323 (Nov 1, 2022)

Using an incandescent for daily purpose is like using a 60 muscle car as a daily commuter. One exception, the streamlight polystinger is my daily use light for checking fuel tanks. I've tried to get away from it with expensive LED. That side switch and focused beam can't be beat. Everything else is too big and bulky or just burns a hole in your pocket like I've experienced many times.


----------



## Stress_Test (Nov 1, 2022)

bykfixer said:


> Me thinx it came from an Amazon seller for around $10 a few years ago.
> Part number 108-000-009.
> But be aware.... may cause cancer in California.



LOL apparently _everything _causes cancer in California. I think every item I've ever looked at on Amazon or other online stores has the CA warning on it. 

Even swords!! A big honkin' Cold Steel sword had the following on the seller page:




*WARNING: *Cancer and Reproductive Harm - www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.

Gosh, never mind it's a giant piece of sharp steel, the REAL danger is that it might give you cancer! As for "reproductive harm", well it's more likely to be caused not by the sword material but rather by screwing around with it and accidentally lopping off some high-value body parts! 

ANYWAY, that tailcap ring on the MAG looks like a really good idea. Don't know why they never implemented something like that. One of my gripes is that there's no lanyard attach point on the full-size C and D lights. There are ways around that yeah, but still....


----------



## bykfixer (Nov 1, 2022)

It was the pre-downsized D size lights Maglite made them for. 

I made my own attachment point




Drill 1/8" apart 1/8" deep with a 1/8" bit at a right angle, does not penetrate into the cap in such a way that will allow water intrusion yet is sturdy enough to hold the lanyard. 
That's an ML25




ML150


----------



## fulee9999 (Nov 1, 2022)

Stress_Test said:


> I think the candles and ghosts connection is the thing where people light a single candle, go into the bathroom with the lights off (obviously), then stare at their face in the mirror to try to summon a ghost.
> 
> I read some very interesting articles not long ago which described the resulting phenomenon. Apparently it's a real thing. In very dim lighting, and staring fixedly at your own face in the mirror for a long time, your brain does something weird and tries to "fill in the gaps" I guess, and you see a distorted version of yourself, often something horrible.
> 
> ...



the other very cool and fairly similar thing is if you caving, sometimes they have you turn off all of your lights, and then you wait a bit, so your eye stops seeing spots and stuff from the reflected light from your headlamps. and then they ask you to wave your hand in front of your face. weirdest thing is that you will see your hand moving in front of you, even though there are no photons hitting your eyes, so realistically you are not actually seeing your hand, but your brain knows what you should be seeing, so it makes you see it.


----------

