How to Convert a Maglite to an Osram Bulb
A Maglite flashlight can provide a bright beam of light, but the incandescent bulb inside is prone to overheating. You can replace the incandescent bulb with an Osram-branded, energy-saving LED bulb that will not only provide a brighter beam but also drain the batteries more slowly during use. You will need some hardware tools and experience with a soldering iron in order to convert the Maglite to use the Osram-branded LED bulb. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Newspaper
- Needle-nosed pliers
- Osram-branded LED bulb
- Two conductive pins
- Soldering iron
- Solder
Instructions
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1
Put a sheet of newspaper on a table. Unscrew the reflector from the front end of the Maglite. Put the reflector on the newspaper. Remove the retaining ring from the front end of the Maglite. Put the retaining ring on the newspaper.
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2
Unscrew the battery cap from the back end of the Maglite. Remove the battery cap. Remove the batteries from the battery compartment. Put the batteries and the battery cap on the newspaper.
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3
Hold the Maglite at the back end with your left hand (reverse this for "lefties"). Hold the needle-nosed pliers in your right hand.
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4
Clamp the jaws of the needle-nosed pliers on the edge of the bulb assembly that is inside of the front end of the Maglite.
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5
Pull the bulb assembly out of the front end of the Maglite. Put the bulb assembly on the newspapers. Put the Maglite on the newspaper.
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6
Unscrew the incandescent bulb from the bulb assembly socket. Discard the incandescent bulb properly.
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7
Solder one conductive pin each to the two contacts on the bottom of the Osram-branded LED bulb. Let the solder cool for a minute.
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8
Cut off half of each conductive pin with the wire cutters. Discard the two cut conductive pin pieces.
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9
Solder the end of one of the conductive pins to the center hole in the bulb assembly. Let the solder cool for a minute.
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10
Solder the end of the other conductive pin to the contact circling the center hole in the bulb assembly. Let the solder cool for a minute.
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11
Put the bulb assembly back into the front end of the Maglite. Put the retaining ring back onto the front end of the Maglite. Screw the reflector back onto the front end of the Maglite.
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12
Put the batteries back into the battery compartment at the back end of the Maglite. Screw the battery cap back on the back end of the Maglite.
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Tips & Warnings
Use as fine a tip on the soldering iron as possible to keep solder from getting on the Osram-branded LED bulb.
The Osram-branded LED bulb will provide an even brighter beam of light if you remove the plastic lens insert from the Maglite's reflector.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit flashlight image by Wayne Abraham from Fotolia.com
