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Author Topic: Converting old torch to LED?  (Read 7227 times)

Penninehillbilly

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • West Yorks
Converting old torch to LED?
« on: October 23, 2018, 05:42:30 pm »
Has anyone tried this?
We have an old torch heavy duty type, takes pj966 lantern battery .
Was about to throw it away and OH comes home with 3 batteries he found in a skip, still wrapped.
But I know batteries didn't last long in it, if i can find a cheap way of converting it, it can stay for a while.
Any thoughts please?





Penninehillbilly

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • West Yorks
Re: Converting old torch to LED?
« Reply #2 on: October 23, 2018, 08:58:16 pm »
Thanks RtB, I did look, but most seem tb be about £10 it's cheaper to buy a new torch ?,
Seen something about converting a bulb, but only a description, sounded complicated, maybe OH can understand it better :) .
But he'll probably destroy the torch  :) .

Foobar

  • Joined Mar 2012
  • South Wales
Re: Converting old torch to LED?
« Reply #3 on: October 24, 2018, 02:52:46 pm »
I've done it with a maglite but for a lantern it's cheaper to buy a new torch TBH - get a nice new rechargable one, it'll have a much bigger beam too!

Rupert the bear

  • Joined Jun 2015
Re: Converting old torch to LED?
« Reply #4 on: October 24, 2018, 08:09:04 pm »
the lantern bulbs are about £3, easy to fit just change the bulb and the batteries will last much longer, still on last years batteries .

Penninehillbilly

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • West Yorks
Re: Converting old torch to LED?
« Reply #5 on: October 25, 2018, 03:25:16 am »
I haven't worked out how to get the old bulb out yet, seems to be fit in a unit, which looks like you should pull it apart, but we are both worried about breaking it.


pgkevet

  • Joined Jul 2011
Re: Converting old torch to LED?
« Reply #6 on: October 25, 2018, 06:09:57 am »
I have no idea what your torch looks like but anything can be converted with enough effort. I'm no electronics whizz but leds are generally quite low voltage so end up needing a resistance to drop your 6v or putting some in series.
As an example of my silliness I went through a phase of pimping my car a little on the cheap. One thing I fancied was a blue dome light (before these things were easily available) so I made up an array of mixed series/parallel blue leds as a small square panel of them to suit the 12v car, sat the array in a simple candle wax mould (just softened and shaped by hand) and poured epoxy resin in to just below the level of the led tops. Voila - one replacement dome bulb for the sprung holder. It lasted several years - probably would have lasted a lot longer if my sums were better. You can buy 100 x 5mm leds on ebay for under a fiver so plenty of chances to get it right.

Rupert the bear

  • Joined Jun 2015
Re: Converting old torch to LED?
« Reply #7 on: October 25, 2018, 05:22:08 pm »
sent pics of torch !

Penninehillbilly

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • West Yorks
Re: Converting old torch to LED?
« Reply #8 on: October 25, 2018, 05:58:51 pm »
sent pics of torch !
Took one earlier but need to put desktop on to load it.  :)
« Last Edit: October 25, 2018, 06:01:09 pm by Penninehillbilly »

Penninehillbilly

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • West Yorks
Re: Converting old torch to LED?
« Reply #9 on: October 26, 2018, 01:10:34 am »
picture of torch, it seems the only way to get to the bulb is to pull it apart, but it doesn't give easily and worried about it breaking the front off.

Maysie

  • Joined Jan 2018
  • Herefordshire/Shropshire Border
Re: Converting old torch to LED?
« Reply #10 on: October 26, 2018, 10:40:24 am »
I went through this same decision process with my trusty MagLites a few years back.  As painful as it was to see 4No expensive torches go to waste, in the end it was MUCH better to just buy a new good quality LED torch as they are almost the same cost, much smaller/lighter (so use cheaper batteries) and are built for purpose (rather than a 'conversion'). 

I bought Fenix torches which all run on rechargeable AA batteries, but LEDLenser  make much the same thing, are a bit cheaper and often come up at very good prices on Amazon. 

My one cell AA torch is about 3x as powerful as my old 4 D cell maglite and weighs virtually nothing by comparison. My two cell AA torch is brighter than a car headlight on full beam. 

I use Sanyo Eneloop batteries and a good quality charger.  It was all a bit of an investment, but we use our torches on a daily basis and if they died tomorrow I would buy exactly the same again as replacements.  Very highly recommended and I don't miss my MagLites at all now. 

pgkevet

  • Joined Jul 2011
Re: Converting old torch to LED?
« Reply #11 on: October 26, 2018, 11:12:07 am »
You could go wild with that... lose the reflector, a couple of discs of plastic or even wood with enough drill holes to let the tips of 100leds poke through and the backing disc isolating the wire pairs... light up Yorkshire with that....If you need to stick anything in place then kitchen sealant wuld be adequate and waterproof. Hours of fun drilling holes and soldering it up...

Rupert the bear

  • Joined Jun 2015
Re: Converting old torch to LED?
« Reply #12 on: October 26, 2018, 01:31:34 pm »
picture of torch, it seems the only way to get to the bulb is to pull it apart, but it doesn't give easily and worried about it breaking the front off.
Aha white bit unclips,just turn it so lugs disengage pull away from reflector, then lift bulb out .

Penninehillbilly

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • West Yorks
Re: Converting old torch to LED?
« Reply #13 on: October 26, 2018, 02:31:18 pm »
picture of torch, it seems the only way to get to the bulb is to pull it apart, but it doesn't give easily and worried about it breaking the front off.
Aha white bit unclips,just turn it so lugs disengage pull away from reflector, then lift bulb out .
Tried that, and just tried again, it just turns, back of reflecter has a ridge right round,
Only way I can think of is to prise lugs back with a screwdriver. Bit dodgy though.

Penninehillbilly

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • West Yorks
Re: Converting old torch to LED?
« Reply #14 on: October 26, 2018, 02:42:40 pm »
I went through this same decision process with my trusty MagLites a few years back.  As painful as it was to see 4No expensive torches go to waste, in the end it was MUCH better to just buy a new good quality LED torch as they are almost the same cost, much smaller/lighter (so use cheaper batteries) and are built for purpose (rather than a 'conversion'). 

I bought Fenix torches which all run on rechargeable AA batteries, but LEDLenser  make much the same thing, are a bit cheaper and often come up at very good prices on Amazon. 

My one cell AA torch is about 3x as powerful as my old 4 D cell maglite and weighs virtually nothing by comparison. My two cell AA torch is brighter than a car headlight on full beam. 

I use Sanyo Eneloop batteries and a good quality charger.  It was all a bit of an investment, but we use our torches on a daily basis and if they died tomorrow I would buy exactly the same again as replacements.  Very highly recommended and I don't miss my MagLites at all now.
I know where you are coming from Maysie, i love my LED head torches, and the worklights, all on rechargeables but we have the 3 batteries, potential for another bright torch over winter, so if i can convert it for a few pounds it will be worth it. ?

 

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