# 3-cell Love



## sween1911 (Oct 22, 2017)

Maybe it's from being a kid and having the big Energizer 3D lights near the back door and in the garage, then in the 90’s when we bought ourselves 3D Maglites and were on top of the world, but I always liked 3-cell lights. These days with lithium ions and LED's, it's more an aesthetic thing since we don't need additional voltage to get high output, but I still treasure the longer lights and love the form factor. 

Left to right, Malkoff Hound Dog 18650 on an MD3 body, Surefire M3, Olight M30. 













Hound Dog 18650: Running it with a single 18650 and a spacer in an MD3 body. I realize it's ridiculous to have the 3-cell body just to run an 18650 and a spacer, but it's leftover from running my original Hound Dog head with two 18500's. I scored the 18650 head, just have to get my hands on an MD2. Still, the body length reminds me of my Z3. I have a Surefire tailcap with a McClicky, a thick O-ring and an old spare rubber combat ring. Helps keep the light oriented in the hand. The original Malkoff tailcaps have the button a little too recessed for me. This light reminds me of reading the old Lagger-Pro website and drooling over the classic 3-cell D3, 9P, C3 Surefires equipped with the mythical SRTH turbohead.

Surefire M3: Got this treasured light in trade from firearms author, fellow USN member, and all-around tough guy Mike Searson. It came with the old school bezel and a GG&G T.I.D. and an eyebrow scorching high-output MN11. I've disassembled the bezel and it has a Nailbender low voltage XM-L2, McClicky tailcap, a 16650 and single-cell spacer. This bad boy pulls nightstand duty.

Olight M30: After handling one a friend of mine had, I knew I eventually wanted one of these. MC-E led still gets the job done, 3-modes are PWM-disco-tastic so I always leave it on high, but it's still versatile enough for whatever I throw at it. Since this guy is in my car 24/7, I keep three CR123's in it.


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## bykfixer (Oct 22, 2017)

Yeah, in light bulb days 3 cells got you a brighter light. 

These days everything is centered around smaller is better. But a 3 cell light is like a good golf club handle and that little bit of extra length tends to provide a sense of confidence smaller lights cannot provide. Whether it be C, D, or a 123 a 3 cell light just works. Perhaps it's a caveman instinct where they used to konk dinner over the head with a club, or as a lad while playing baseball that extra inch of length in a bat seemed to result in more RBI's... perhaps it's just imaginary. Regardless why a 3 cell flashlight was a great invention.


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## Ishango (Oct 22, 2017)

I too still love my M30 Triton. It doesn't get as much use as it could, but it still does the job when I use it.


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## Modernflame (Oct 22, 2017)

sween1911 said:


> The original Malkoff tailcaps have the button a little too recessed for me.



Love your post. Check out the new Malkoff tricap! I think Malkoff is offering a good deal on the MD2 with the tricap.


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## sween1911 (Oct 22, 2017)

Modernflame said:


> Love your post. Check out the new Malkoff tricap! I think Malkoff is offering a good deal on the MD2 with the tricap.



Thanks, I may have to grab one of those combos!


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## sween1911 (Oct 27, 2017)

Ishango said:


> I too still love my M30 Triton. It doesn't get as much use as it could, but it still does the job when I use it.



It’s still a great light! Thanks for your reply. The original tailcap went south so I picked up the slimline version. Love being able to hit strobe from off by pressing the mode button.


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## bykfixer (Oct 31, 2017)

I was hoping this thread would get more responses. 





3D Maglite and a 3C Mag ML50


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## archimedes (Oct 31, 2017)

I'll add comments about my favorite P60 host, SureFire C3 .... I like the modularity of these, with various Malkoff dropins, since a simple set of adapters permits 1x/2x/3x CR123A sized cells or 1x/2x AA sized cells


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## archimedes (Oct 31, 2017)

And a couple photos ...


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## Modernflame (Oct 31, 2017)

@Archi

Is that a Turbo Head on the C3 in the second pic? I don't remember them being shaped quite that way, but it's been a long time for me.


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## archimedes (Oct 31, 2017)

Modernflame said:


> @Archi
> 
> Is that a Turbo Head on the C3 in the second pic? I don't remember them being shaped quite that way, but it's been a long time for me.


T2.

You may be thinking of the KT2 ?

Reference here ...

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...hat-LA-s-can-I-run-in-the-Surefire-TurboHeads


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## bykfixer (Oct 31, 2017)

How 'bout a Pentagon X3?




Elzetta lanyard ring and Olymus camera wrist lanyard. Twisty tail cap. Came with a clicky but I found a twisty for it. I put the bezel down clip on an eX2.





LED or incan?
Lightknot had 6 drop ins made. He says about 700 lumens and I believe it. Or go back to oem and get about 105 lumens from a very throwy B-X3 module. (I found 12 for $10 ea and bought 'em all)


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## TinderBox (UK) (Nov 1, 2017)

I preferred the feel/weight of the Mag 3D in my hand over the 2D, I bough a couple of 2C but i hate the feel of the soft reverse button so i never used them.

I bought some 3-18v PR drop-in`s but 2AA is just to low NiMh it does not light up and alkaline does not last long till it drops under 3 volts, So i have been using them in 3cell+ flashlights or an li-ion cell or two.

John.


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## sween1911 (Nov 7, 2017)

Hey, interest! Cool!  You guys think this should be in “General” or “Flashlight Collecting”? Open to mod’s discretion if you wanna move this.

I still have 3D Mag’s around the house. One in the wife’s car, my daughter has a red one that was my dad’s with a Mag PR drop-in, and a very special one given to me by Zanshin Lair of the USN. I have a PVC pipe in it with spacers and two 18650’s running a Terralux triple XML I picked up from Vesture Of Blood. I’ll hafta put up some pics of it.


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## Swedpat (Nov 7, 2017)

Interesting! When I read the title I thought you mean to use 3 cells. And when I think about it: how about an HD 18650 runned by 3AA? It should work good I think. Even 4AA is possible but then the length really would be too much...


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## archimedes (Nov 7, 2017)

sween1911 said:


> Hey, interest! Cool!  You guys think this should be in “General” or “Flashlight Collecting”? Open to mod’s discretion if you wanna move this....



... thread moved to "Flashlight Collecting" at OP request ...


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## magellan (Nov 7, 2017)

Cool idea for a new thread.

Here’s an old Winchester 3xN cell, quad LED light. Shown next to a Peak Shasta N brass body with a black anodized Baltic head.

http://imgbox.com/pa6Q2TbO

http://imgbox.com/zrWaUZok


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## magellan (Nov 7, 2017)

I’ll post a photo of my 3xD Mags soon.

Heres it is:

https://imgbox.com/1n3enCE4


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## sween1911 (Nov 7, 2017)

magellan said:


> I’ll post a photo of my 3xD Mags soon.
> 
> Heres it is:
> 
> https://imgbox.com/1n3enCE4




WHOA! That’s a serious hunka Mag action!


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## bykfixer (Nov 7, 2017)

Dawg gonnit!! I wondered where it went. 





Got in the 3 C cell Kel-Lite from about 1972. 
Puts out about 75 throwy lumens with a krypton. But with 2-18650's and a 5 cell xenon it's about double that.


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## snakebite (Nov 7, 2017)

careful going to that imgbox site.
the 3d mags dont show up and if you click on pictures you get redirects to porn and crapware pushing sites!
added a few more domains to my hosts file!
now they are dropped at my router.


magellan said:


> Cool idea for a new thread.
> 
> Here’s an old Winchester 3xN cell, quad LED light. Shown next to a Peak Shasta N brass body with a black anodized Baltic head.
> 
> ...


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## bykfixer (Nov 7, 2017)

I just stopped clicking on the links when ads for single Russian girls were blocking his photos....

Try 'tinypic' Magellan. Simple to operate. You decide if you just want to just share the photo or store it on their cloud.





3 shades of gray
The top one is a 3 cell Mag ML25. Others are 2 cell animals. Point being how small the 3 cell ML25 is.


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## magellan (Nov 8, 2017)

Thanks, I’ll check it out.

I’ve never seen links like that, but the ads cycle thru, advertising different things. The ad photos I see are very small compared to my photos, and appear at the top or bottom of my screen, so I’ve never seen one “blocking” my photo. I’m also using an iPad Mini, not a laptop or a full size iPad, which has a much smaller screen, and the ads get cut off at the top and bottom of my screen so most of the time I hardly notice them.


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## magellan (Nov 8, 2017)

My old Vari-Beams (recently sold to LiftD4R, who has a great website devoted to early Maglites), showing the 3C and 3D model.

https://imgbox.com/Q2btsSKP


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## magellan (Nov 8, 2017)

A few more miscellaneous Incan 3C and 3D lights, along with a few other sizes. (I really like the beautiful rainbow Mag 3D models, so I bought a bunch a couple of years ago when they came up on eBay).

https://imgbox.com/opPP5AFM

https://imgbox.com/11iHS1gJ


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## luxlunatic (Nov 10, 2017)

Here is a 3-cell TnC Hyperlux sporting a Luxeon LuxV from 2005/06.
With twisty operation and good heat sinking, this light is begging for a modern upgrade!


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## magellan (Nov 11, 2017)

Nice! Upgrade or no upgrade, it’s still beautiful.


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## JohnnyBravo (Nov 12, 2017)

I have two 3 cell lights. Maglite 3D led, 131 lumens. And a 1970s circa Eveready Captain, 3D as well.

I used to own a Surefire 9P Classic, but sold it, then regretted that. I look forward to a 3xCR123 light to add to my collection. Just not sure for which of the following: Elzetta Charlie, SF Fury, or Malkoff...


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## magellan (Nov 13, 2017)

Outstanding! I remember those old Eveready lights, and of course the Rayovacs.


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## vicv (Dec 9, 2017)

How bout a non c serial number 3c with 2x 5200mah 26650 cells and a 5c bulb with a self op reflector and braid wired tailcap. ~200 lumens of Incan delight for ~5h runtime and nice and white. It's the older potted xenon bulb


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## bykfixer (Dec 9, 2017)

E3 anybody? 
3x123 Vital Gear body using 2xAA, E2E head and an E1 light bulb .

Or





Malkoff'd Vital Gear
3x123 body with 2x123 and an M31W


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## archimedes (Dec 9, 2017)

bykfixer said:


> ....
> Malkoff'd Vital Gear
> 3x123 body with 2x123 and an M31W



 something wrong with that voltage ...


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## bykfixer (Dec 9, 2017)

bykfixer said:


> E3 anybody?
> 3x123 Vital Gear body using 2xAA, E2E head and an E1 light bulb .
> 
> Or
> ...



Edited.
I kinda figured the pair of AA's in the photo told the story.


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## archimedes (Dec 9, 2017)

bykfixer said:


> Edited.
> I kinda figured the pair of AA's in the photo told the story.



Ah, I see ... was browsing on mobile with a slow connection (no photos)

Didn't want somebody to accidentally fry their Malkoff


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## browndude3649 (Dec 24, 2017)

Malkoff drop in wide flood in C2 maybe 160lm
And a thrower in the C3 for maybe 350lm.


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