Jan 25, 2010 With the D-cell lights, the serial number also indicates the type of LED inside. If the serial number begins with DLXXXXXXXXX, it is either Cree XP-E or Luxeon Rebel. If the serial number begins with DXXXXXXXXXX, it is the Luxeon III. Also, if the packaging mentions interchangeability with incandescent bulbs, then it is the Luxeon III. Is there any way to tell when my 6 C cell Maglite was produced? Does Mag keep up serial numbers? I just bought a 6 C cell from an old hardware store-love to know how old it is.
- Led Upgrade For Maglite
- Maglite Serial Number Check
- Serial Number Idm
- Maglite Serial Number Breakdown
- Mini Maglite Serial Number
Maglite is known for making durable flashlights, and I have had one of their older incandescent flashlights floating around since forever. Let's see if their LED offering meets the hype and is worth the approximately $30 at the time of this writing!
First, a note about LED Maglites. There are three generations of Maglite LED flashlights. While all stock in inventory at all major online and physical retailers should be the 3rd-gen product by now, it's something to be aware of. Be sure to get the third-generation light as it's more energy efficient and brighter than previous generations, and while 2nd-gens are OK, the 1st-gens had major overheating problems.
- Gen3 uses a Cree XP-E LED, has a serial number beginning in D, and the LED has a square base. Also, it advertises 168 lumens on the package.
- Gen2 used a Philips Luxeon Rebel LED, has a serial number beginning in DL, and the LED doesn't have a square base.
- Gen1 used a Luxeon III LED. also has a serial number beginning in DL, and the LED has a dome over it with a black plastic ring around it.
Build Quality and Features
Of course, Maglites have a reputation for durability. Gta san andreas lspd mods. Just like previous Maglites, the Maglite LED is built out of a sturdy metal housing, is water resistant (IPX4 rating), has a 10-year warranty, and is proudly Made in the USA.
Even before installing batteries (not included), it's a hefty thing that could be handy in an emergency situation. Since it is beautifully machined and has no sharp edges, you don't have to worry about hurting yourself grabbing it in the dark, unlike some similar flashlights I own or have seen.
On the Maglite, unlike many other competing flashlights, the power button is within reach of your thumb, rather than on the end. This is a matter of personal preference, but I have flashlights with both setups, and it's fine. The button is covered by a rubber thing to keep it comfortable and keep water and stuff out. It's worth noting that on the older incandescent Maglite I have, it was given to me because the rubber thing fell off, so it's not something I would trust outdoors anymore. Hopefully they've improved the product so that the rubber button cover doesn't fall off so easily on the newer LED models.
The button can either be clicked on or off, or you can press it lightly for momentary light. The momentary feature is cool if you need light suddenly but don't want the audible click of turning it on, or just need light for a quick moment. Since quite some pressure is required to turn the flashlight on completely, it's unlikely that it'll accidentally turn on when banging around in your truck or toolbox or whatever, which is great.
Brightness and Runtime
Mag-Lite advertises 168 lumens of light output and 80 hours of runtime for the 3 D Cell size – smaller AA, C, or 2D Cell flashlights will deliver less runtime, though it's worth noting that the 3 D Cell and 2 D Cell flashlights are the same brightness, and the only advantage to the large 3 D Cell unit I purchased is size and runtime. I'm not going to waste a set of expensive D batteries and sit here for several days with a timer, but from what I've read online the runtime on this flashlight is excellent, though apparently once the batteries get low, it does get noticeably dimmer. One major improvement between the Gen3 and Gen2 Maglite LED flashlights compared to the Gen1 flashlights is that instead of simply shutting off when the batteries are weak, it continues to operate at reduced brightness, which is very helpful so you aren't stranded without light.
As for the light output, the 168 lumens the Maglite produces is really not competitive to other flashlights with a similar price range. Most similar sized flashlights offer 700-1000 lumens, and many smaller flashlights are available with about 300 lumens of output. One thing I don't like about the Maglite is that while the lens adjusts between a wide-angle spotlight and a more focused light, there is a black spot in the middle when you de-focus the beam. Other flashlights I own don't do this as much. It's not a major issue, it's just annoying.
Value and Conclusion
In terms of value, I don't think the Maglite is the best deal out there. It's got about 1/5 of the brightness as other similarly priced flashlights.
If you don't really need a very bright light, and just want a quality American made flashlight that you can rely on for many years, the Maglite is for you.
I'm going to throw my Maglilite in the door compartment of my Ford Escape, and it's going to live there. If it fails anytime soon, though I don't expect it to, I'll update my post. Otherwise, you can assume it still works.
You can buy the Maglite on Amazon.com here, or if you are a Costco member, check there, because I've heard they sometimes carry a twin pack that comes with a 'mini' AA version of the Maglite packed with the large D version for about $30, which is a darn good deal!
C cell lights haven't sold as well as D cells and I've done some early history on them here along with sales numbers to back this up. C cells started in 1981 after Mag Instrument was in business for 2 years. Maglite didn't modernize the C cells until 2003. More than 10 years after Mag modernized the D cells. So, what changed and why?
Led Upgrade For Maglite
The main update was to the switch. From 1981 until 2003 Mag Instrument used a retaining ring switch which was a sized down version of their D cell light. The retaining ring is very thin and as such it could never be changed over to plastic like the D cells. This resulted in more difficult maintenance as the retaining ring gets stuck when dirt or corrosion get into it. The ring also results in higher production costs as the aluminum is more expensive to produce than the plastic. The new style switches use a snap ring instead of a retaining ring which also results in less machining and a lower production cost. Shown below is a 1981 to 2003 switch on the left and a 2003+ switch on the right with the retaining clip removed from the barrel.
Maglite Serial Number Check
The secondary update was the relocation of the o-ring from the head to the barrel. Early C cells had the o-ring located in the head. This was troublesome as the o-ring would wear when the light was focused as it past over the threads. This would cause water to get inside the light. I believe this was an oversight during the original design and was rectified after numerous service center complaints during the run of the C cells up until 2003. Shown below is an example of the o-ring placement on a 1981 to 2003 light on the right and a 2003+ light on the left.Serial Number Idm
- Gen3 uses a Cree XP-E LED, has a serial number beginning in D, and the LED has a square base. Also, it advertises 168 lumens on the package.
- Gen2 used a Philips Luxeon Rebel LED, has a serial number beginning in DL, and the LED doesn't have a square base.
- Gen1 used a Luxeon III LED. also has a serial number beginning in DL, and the LED has a dome over it with a black plastic ring around it.
Build Quality and Features
Of course, Maglites have a reputation for durability. Gta san andreas lspd mods. Just like previous Maglites, the Maglite LED is built out of a sturdy metal housing, is water resistant (IPX4 rating), has a 10-year warranty, and is proudly Made in the USA.
Even before installing batteries (not included), it's a hefty thing that could be handy in an emergency situation. Since it is beautifully machined and has no sharp edges, you don't have to worry about hurting yourself grabbing it in the dark, unlike some similar flashlights I own or have seen.
On the Maglite, unlike many other competing flashlights, the power button is within reach of your thumb, rather than on the end. This is a matter of personal preference, but I have flashlights with both setups, and it's fine. The button is covered by a rubber thing to keep it comfortable and keep water and stuff out. It's worth noting that on the older incandescent Maglite I have, it was given to me because the rubber thing fell off, so it's not something I would trust outdoors anymore. Hopefully they've improved the product so that the rubber button cover doesn't fall off so easily on the newer LED models.
The button can either be clicked on or off, or you can press it lightly for momentary light. The momentary feature is cool if you need light suddenly but don't want the audible click of turning it on, or just need light for a quick moment. Since quite some pressure is required to turn the flashlight on completely, it's unlikely that it'll accidentally turn on when banging around in your truck or toolbox or whatever, which is great.
Brightness and Runtime
Mag-Lite advertises 168 lumens of light output and 80 hours of runtime for the 3 D Cell size – smaller AA, C, or 2D Cell flashlights will deliver less runtime, though it's worth noting that the 3 D Cell and 2 D Cell flashlights are the same brightness, and the only advantage to the large 3 D Cell unit I purchased is size and runtime. I'm not going to waste a set of expensive D batteries and sit here for several days with a timer, but from what I've read online the runtime on this flashlight is excellent, though apparently once the batteries get low, it does get noticeably dimmer. One major improvement between the Gen3 and Gen2 Maglite LED flashlights compared to the Gen1 flashlights is that instead of simply shutting off when the batteries are weak, it continues to operate at reduced brightness, which is very helpful so you aren't stranded without light.
As for the light output, the 168 lumens the Maglite produces is really not competitive to other flashlights with a similar price range. Most similar sized flashlights offer 700-1000 lumens, and many smaller flashlights are available with about 300 lumens of output. One thing I don't like about the Maglite is that while the lens adjusts between a wide-angle spotlight and a more focused light, there is a black spot in the middle when you de-focus the beam. Other flashlights I own don't do this as much. It's not a major issue, it's just annoying.
Value and Conclusion
In terms of value, I don't think the Maglite is the best deal out there. It's got about 1/5 of the brightness as other similarly priced flashlights.
If you don't really need a very bright light, and just want a quality American made flashlight that you can rely on for many years, the Maglite is for you.
I'm going to throw my Maglilite in the door compartment of my Ford Escape, and it's going to live there. If it fails anytime soon, though I don't expect it to, I'll update my post. Otherwise, you can assume it still works.
You can buy the Maglite on Amazon.com here, or if you are a Costco member, check there, because I've heard they sometimes carry a twin pack that comes with a 'mini' AA version of the Maglite packed with the large D version for about $30, which is a darn good deal!
I made a post earlier about Non-Letter Serial D cell lights and the differences between these earlier lights and the later, 1992+, lights that are almost an entirely different light. That post can be found here. Well, I've been saying for sometime I would do a similar post for C cells and here it is.C cell lights haven't sold as well as D cells and I've done some early history on them here along with sales numbers to back this up. C cells started in 1981 after Mag Instrument was in business for 2 years. Maglite didn't modernize the C cells until 2003. More than 10 years after Mag modernized the D cells. So, what changed and why?
Led Upgrade For Maglite
The main update was to the switch. From 1981 until 2003 Mag Instrument used a retaining ring switch which was a sized down version of their D cell light. The retaining ring is very thin and as such it could never be changed over to plastic like the D cells. This resulted in more difficult maintenance as the retaining ring gets stuck when dirt or corrosion get into it. The ring also results in higher production costs as the aluminum is more expensive to produce than the plastic. The new style switches use a snap ring instead of a retaining ring which also results in less machining and a lower production cost. Shown below is a 1981 to 2003 switch on the left and a 2003+ switch on the right with the retaining clip removed from the barrel.
Maglite Serial Number Check
The secondary update was the relocation of the o-ring from the head to the barrel. Early C cells had the o-ring located in the head. This was troublesome as the o-ring would wear when the light was focused as it past over the threads. This would cause water to get inside the light. I believe this was an oversight during the original design and was rectified after numerous service center complaints during the run of the C cells up until 2003. Shown below is an example of the o-ring placement on a 1981 to 2003 light on the right and a 2003+ light on the left.Serial Number Idm
Unlike the D cell lights the addition of the panther logo did not signify any design changes. Maglite simply started using the bezel in 1992 when the D cells change over and has used that same bezel ever since. 1992 to 1995 bezels will have a TM next to the Panther as the trademark was still pending and 1996+ lights will have an R with a circle next to the panther. Bezels, lenses, and reflectors always interchanged between C and D cells. The only way to tell the new and old lights apart is from the serial number.
Maglite Serial Number Breakdown
Mini Maglite Serial Number
