Which maglite is the brightest

To uphold this promise to his consumers, Tony not only had to build the lights, but he also had to build several new machines to make his lights. A perfect example is when Mag Instrument required a specific battery clip. Rather than import the part from China, Tony invested a lot of money into his plant so he could manufacture the part in-house.

In the beginning, these lights were hand-assembled, but today automation plays a significant role in mass-producing these lights. The only part of these solidly built American made flashlights not manufactured in the US is the tiny build found inside the Mini Maglite.

Consistency is something Maglite brings to its customers. The wholesale price of the original Maglite had remained the same since when it was first manufactured. It is something Tony Maglica refuses to change, despite how much money he could potentially make from an increase in price.

The first Maglite manufactured ran on D cells. In , the Mini Maglite was introduced to the public and required AA batteries. In , Maglite introduced its keyring sized light known as the Solitaire. Mag Instruments is also responsible for developing underwater lighting, which was used by the legendary explorer Jacques Cousteau.

Maglites are not just a popular choice in the United States. In , the brand was introduced to the European market, where they succeeded in every country, including Germany. Everybody wants a flashlight that works when you need it; for rechargeable lights, that means you need something that is charged and ready to go.

This Maglite has been field-tested by the National Tactical Officers Association, where it scored a 5-star rating. The light has also been reviewed highly in several reviews on various websites, including one dedicated to law enforcement officers.

The LED produces a peak beam intensity of 52, candelas with a throw of yards. The light comes with a rechargeable battery pack that allows the light to work for up to 79 hours on Eco mode, and even more impressive is the 3 hours and 15 minutes of run time on the highest setting.

The user-friendly interface is entirely customizable so that you can set it for fast access to your preferred functions. Check Amazon. We dropped and tossed it over 20 times from distances ranging from one to two meters. Examination of the light revealed many abrasions and gouges, but the lens and bezel remained intact, and the twist to focus functioned perfectly. Additionally, the light still functioned perfectly too, clicking through its function sets without issue.

We did notice that using it some time after the test, that it would occasionally flicker and turn off. Upon inspection, we discovered that the batteries we actually damaged. The positive terminals had been dented, pushing them down and reducing the contact pressure between the batteries.

Replacing the batteries solved the problem. The MLl D-4 is a high quality, durable flashlight with exceptional runtime. We found its function sets to be useful and easy to program. The practical beam distance was surprising, and the focusing capability had a larger impact the farther the beam of light was cast. With regard to beam distance, lumens are only one factor—reflector design is also important. The MLL D-4 has a single LED in a deep, narrow reflector, as opposed to a broad, shallow one that would throw more of a spot pattern.

Durability met our expectations based on previous experience and seems to significantly exceed its ANSI rating. One of our testers has had a halogen predecessor of the MLl 4-D for over 25 years—we checked the serial number to confirm its age—and it still functions perfectly.

There are a couple differences between our tester's old flashlight and the new LED model, beyond the light source. One is the reflector—the MLL is much deeper which helps throw light farther. On the old halogen model the rubber covered button is bigger, sits deeper in the flashlight body, and requires significantly more effort to completely depress. The button on MLL is smaller, flatter, and easy to press, which facilitates accessing the programmed functions. Twenty-five years is a long time to hold on to anything these days, let alone a flashlight—we expect the MLL will last just as long as the old one and likely be the last flashlight you ever need to buy.

Type keyword s to search. Today's Top Stories. Mag does not warrant the future availability of any particular colors, markings or decorations, and may replace a custom flashlight with a standard flashlight. Proof of purchase is required for warranty service. This warranty is in lieu of all other warranties and conditions express or implied. It does not, however, affect the statutory rights of a consumer. Under EU law where applicable , the seller of new flashlights is liable for any lack of conformity that becomes apparent within two years from delivery of the flashlight; national laws of specific jurisdictions, including EU Member States, may give the consumer additional rights.

The rechargeable battery unless the claim is made within one year after the documented date of first retail purchase; 2. Any accessory including for example the recharging apparatus unless the claim is made within one year after the documented date of first retail purchase; 3. Any electronic component including for example the LED and electronics involved in switching, controlling or regulating the LED unless the claim is made within one year after the documented date of first retail purchase; or 4.

Damage to or failure of the flashlight or any component or accessory thereof, at any time, due to alteration, misuse, or lack of maintenance. For your protection and to expedite handling, we recommend that all returns be insured and shipped by a carrier that can track or trace the package.

This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may have other rights which vary from country to country, province to province, and state to state. Where any term of this warranty is prohibited by the law of any jurisdiction, such term shall there be null and void, but the remainder of this warranty shall remain in full force and effect. To obtain a copy of this warranty, please send an email with your request to warranty magmail.

In either case, please be sure to specify the model e. Simply return the packing slip along with the unused item in its original package for a full refund, excluding any shipping charges you incurred when purchasing or returning the product. Your return will be processed promptly. Please send to: Mag Instrument, Inc.

All of our published ANSI-standard performance data Light Output, Beam Distance, Peak Beam Candlepower and Run Time are based on testing with alkaline batteries; and when we ship these flashlights with batteries, the batteries we include with them are alkaline.

We do this because the designs of these flashlights are optimized for use with non-rechargeable alkaline batteries. NiMH rechargeable batteries in these sizes typically have a somewhat lower nominal output 1. Also, the discharge curves of NiMH batteries typically differ from those of alkaline batteries — so the two battery types may behave differently under load.

That said, the flashlights will operate with NiMH rechargeables, and use of NiMH rechargeables will not harm the circuitry nor otherwise damage the flashlights in any way. The degree of difference is hard to predict.

We have noted variation in the quality of NiMH rechargeable batteries on the market, and if you choose the best-quality NiMH batteries you might find that any performance shortfall is, for your purposes, not meaningful.

In normal use, the LED should last for the life of the owner and should never need to be replaced. The explanation for these statements is a little complicated. So the filament breaks. Instead, what typically happens to an LED is that its light output extremely slowly, and extremely gradually, declines with use. Nobody would claim, however, that an LED is completely bulletproof under all conditions.

It should go without saying that one who uses his LED flashlight as an impact tool or a fire-poker is looking for trouble. Excessive operating temperatures could also threaten the longevity of an LED. It sounds like you may be using the incorrect replacement lamp for your flashlight. Make sure to buy the correct lamp for your flashlight. If you are unsure of which lamp to use in your flashlight do not hesitate to contact us at 1 When you cannot remove the tailcap to change the batteries, it is probably that the batteries leaked and caused corrosion inside.

Mag Instrument does not warrant against battery leakage. When this happens, it probably means that the batteries have leaked and are stuck inside the barrel. Oftentimes, batteries will swell before leaking, causing them to get stuck inside the barrel. All alkaline batteries are filled with a caustic material that can damage corrode any device, including a flashlight, if it escapes from the battery cell.

Given the limitations of alkaline battery technology, there is always some risk that a battery might leak under some conditions. There are a number of specific reasons why this might happen.

One is a defect in the battery, or physical damage to it. Another reason has to do with the fact that all alkaline batteries have a self-discharge rate, causing them to gradually weaken and die even if they are in a package on a shelf, or in a device that is not used.

Leaving dead batteries inside a device can cause battery leakage and resulting corrosion damage. And misuse of the batteries e. But if you follow the simple rules above, you can minimize the possibility that batteries will leak inside your flashlight. Visual signs of battery leakage and crusty deposits corrosion inside your flashlight are a sign of leakage and damage, and if the flashlight is non-functional, this corrosion damage is likely the cause.

It sometimes happens that batteries become stuck inside the barrel and are hard to remove. If this happens, it likely means that the batteries have leaked and have swelled up, and if the flashlight is non-functional, corrosion damage from the leaking batteries is almost certainly the cause. It also sometimes happens that the tailcap becomes stuck on the flashlight and is difficult to unscrew.

Battery exhaustion, battery leakage, and flashlight damage caused by battery leakage are all specifically excluded from your warranty. You may, however, be able to get help from the battery manufacturer if a battery leak damages your flashlight.

See the next FAQ below for details. What you CAN do is contact the battery manufacturer to see if it has a program to repair or replace your leak-damaged flashlight. Every reputable alkaline battery manufacturer has some form of device damage policy under which you may be eligible to have your flashlight repaired or replaced if it has been damaged by leakage of alkaline batteries that came from that manufacturer.

NOTE: It is good practice to write down and remember the brand name of any batteries you put in the flashlight. If leak damage does occur, it is sometimes difficult or impossible to get the batteries out of the barrel to see what brand they are.

Different battery makers may call their device damage policies by different names, and the exact terms may differ from one maker to another and may change over time. Some of the policies may have special requirements, so it may be important to contact the battery manufacturer without delay if you discover battery leak damage.

And do not discard the flashlight or the batteries before finding out whether the battery manufacturer requires you to submit them as proof of claim.

You should communicate with the battery manufacturer before you send them the damaged flashlight, and should confirm exactly what their device damage claim eligibility requirements and procedures are. For your convenience we provide the following website links and contact numbers through which you can get more information concerning battery-leak-damage policies and procedures of various battery manufacturers.

Please understand that the battery manufacturers are companies separate and independent of Mag Instrument. The above battery manufacturer contact information, current as of late September , is provided to you as a courtesy but is, of course, subject to change by the battery manufacturer. The ANSI Standard defines four basic performance categories, and prescribes official logos for displaying results.

The following table lists the categories, and for each one indicates the unit of measure, the official logo, and the basic meaning of the category:. Judging from questions and comments we receive, the distinction between Light Output and Beam Distance is a source of some confusion.

A flashlight can have a very high Light Output measured in lumens , and yet have a very short Beam Distance measured in meters. And the opposite can also be true: A flashlight can have a very modest output in lumens and yet can be remarkably effective in lighting up an object very far away. Why is this possible? Because Light Output is simply a raw measure of the rate at which a light source generates light — i.

It tells nothing about how well or poorly that light is gathered and directed. Beam Distance, on the other hand, is a measure of the maximum distance from which an optimally focused flashlight will cast a useful amount of light on a target.

A quarter of a lux can roughly be described as the light level provided by a full moon in an open field on a clear night. In fact, to get a high Light Output score, a flashlight would not even need to have a reflector or lens, at all!

Since the beginning, Mag Instrument has prided itself on its beam-forming optics — the quality of its precision-designed and precision-crafted reflectors, and the versatility of its spot-to-flood beam focusing mechanism. High-quality optics can also play a role in slowing battery consumption and prolonging Run Time.