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Two months with a Maglight solitaire.

us Offline cbl51

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Two months with a Maglight solitaire.
on: August 24, 2019, 05:20:55 AM
Okay, it's been a couple months since I bought a new AAA Maglight Solitaire to replace my ancient and battered Fenix E01. Have mixed feelings on it.

On one hand, its a 'Made In U.S.A."  product and has great factory service.  :salute:

On the other hand, it's a bit longer than my old Fenix. Does it make a difference? :dunno:

On one hand, battery life has been poor by comparison to my old Fenix. The original battery in the Solitaire was done in a month. It didn't get predictably dimmer like the Fenix, it just stopped working. It would come on then blink out. I thought something was wrong with it, and called Mag Industres to send it back. The nice lady on the phone informed that they do that when the battery gets low enough that it won't run the circuit. Who knew? I was using it as my night dog walking light, so every night it was on a constant run for 15 minutes every night for the first month. Stragely, the new and second battery seems to be lasting longer. Same brand of Everready energizer.  :think:

On the other hand, it puts out a bright white light that puts my old Fenix to shame. I can shine it down the dark sidewalk and see way farther and clearly than my Fenix ever did. And it has a bit of focus from spot to tighter beam. Okay, less run time, more light. A trade off.  ???

I also like the simple on-off. No modes to fool with, no flashing strobes. Just twist on-twist off. I like that.

The jury is still out, and most likely will be for some years to come. Had the old Fenix for over ten years, so we'll just have to see how the Maglight holds up by comparison.

Don't get too serious, just enough will do.


us Offline ezdog

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Re: Two months with a Maglight solitaire.
Reply #1 on: August 24, 2019, 02:10:43 PM
Well the E01 is well known as a real battery miser and the reason is just that they did not produce very much light.
Seems obvious that there is a direct relationship between output and runtime to me.

The E01 is also well regarded for its ruggedness and there are not a lot of lights thought of in the same way overall.
The Microstream is another though and also a single AAA light but with a tail switch!
I will be surprised if the Solitaire though is also not a reliable beast for what it is as the Mag have always been that way for me,Alkaline batteries notwithstanding.



Okay, it's been a couple months since I bought a new AAA Maglight Solitaire to replace my ancient and battered Fenix E01. Have mixed feelings on it.

On one hand, its a 'Made In U.S.A."  product and has great factory service.  :salute:

On the other hand, it's a bit longer than my old Fenix. Does it make a difference? :dunno:

On one hand, battery life has been poor by comparison to my old Fenix. The original battery in the Solitaire was done in a month. It didn't get predictably dimmer like the Fenix, it just stopped working. It would come on then blink out. I thought something was wrong with it, and called Mag Industres to send it back. The nice lady on the phone informed that they do that when the battery gets low enough that it won't run the circuit. Who knew? I was using it as my night dog walking light, so every night it was on a constant run for 15 minutes every night for the first month. Stragely, the new and second battery seems to be lasting longer. Same brand of Everready energizer.  :think:

On the other hand, it puts out a bright white light that puts my old Fenix to shame. I can shine it down the dark sidewalk and see way farther and clearly than my Fenix ever did. And it has a bit of focus from spot to tighter beam. Okay, less run time, more light. A trade off.  ???

I also like the simple on-off. No modes to fool with, no flashing strobes. Just twist on-twist off. I like that.

The jury is still out, and most likely will be for some years to come. Had the old Fenix for over ten years, so we'll just have to see how the Maglight holds up by comparison.


es Offline microbe

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Re: Two months with a Maglight solitaire.
Reply #2 on: August 24, 2019, 03:33:39 PM
I had one of the incandescent ones as a kid, hence when the LED came out I got one for old times sake.
It held up for a number of years already, and still is working fine.
I would love if they would release an upgrade with a LED that would support 3.7V and with a body that would fit a 10440.
Once you go black you never go back
@blackdiamonds_42


us Offline Aloha

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Re: Two months with a Maglight solitaire.
Reply #3 on: August 24, 2019, 04:01:33 PM
It was the light to have before all the newer ones came out.  I really like Solitaires but as you've noted there are trade offs, thats with most anything.  I dont suspect it'll fail as Maglite makes a good product.  I have a 2C Maglite thats easily approaching 20 years.  I'm sure there are many who have Magites much older that are still performing.
Esse Quam Videri


hr Offline enki_ck

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Re: Two months with a Maglight solitaire.
Reply #4 on: August 24, 2019, 11:35:37 PM
I'm sure you could get a E01 here in the trade forums for a song, heck, I'd send you one for all the cool posts you made if the intercontinental shipping wasn't more than the light itself. I was always a fan of the E01 and stocked up on them a bit, gave away one or two and am down to 3 now. Love that thing. It's not just a lower output, longer run time thing. The E01 is something we call a battery vampire, a flashlight that sucks every last bit of juice out of a battery. For instance the Gerber Infinity ultra was one of the battery vampires in the AA format as well. I run my E01s on batteries that won't even work in a remote control, but the'll give a few hours if light when put inside a E01.


spam Offline comis

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Re: Two months with a Maglight solitaire.
Reply #5 on: August 25, 2019, 09:20:16 AM
I'm sure you could get a E01 here in the trade forums for a song, heck, I'd send you one for all the cool posts you made if the intercontinental shipping wasn't more than the light itself. I was always a fan of the E01 and stocked up on them a bit, gave away one or two and am down to 3 now. Love that thing. It's not just a lower output, longer run time thing. The E01 is something we call a battery vampire, a flashlight that sucks every last bit of juice out of a battery. For instance the Gerber Infinity ultra was one of the battery vampires in the AA format as well. I run my E01s on batteries that won't even work in a remote control, but the'll give a few hours if light when put inside a E01.

Totally agree with this assessment, I have the Gerber infinity ultra and people used to tell story about finding AA in dumpster to run the light, if push comes to shove.


us Offline cbl51

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Re: Two months with a Maglight solitaire.
Reply #6 on: August 28, 2019, 06:49:56 PM
It was the light to have before all the newer ones came out.  I really like Solitaires but as you've noted there are trade offs, thats with most anything.  I dont suspect it'll fail as Maglite makes a good product.  I have a 2C Maglite thats easily approaching 20 years.  I'm sure there are many who have Magites much older that are still performing.


Oh, I have no doubts about it lasting. I have an ancient AA mini mag from the incandescent bulb era that was outfitted with a nite-eze drop in adapter with three LED's in it. It easily dates back to the 1980's, and has beat to hell on Appellation Trail hikes/back packngtrips, canoe camping up and down the Potomac River, motorcycle touring/camping cross country for years, fishing trips all over, and general house use. It's dented, scraped, and scarred, but still works.

It only got regulated to back-up duty about 4 years ago when I bought a new AA mini mag that was the factory LED with 270 lumens. The new one has been around the block and down the trail more than a few times. It's the same as all the Maglights; they always work if theres juicier the batteries. Maglights are kind like Timex watches or old Colt 1911's. It may not be the most up to date techno marvel, but it will work at it's intended task.
Don't get too serious, just enough will do.


 

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