Old school Maglite / Magcharger flashlight and installation

[SirRobyn0]

Ok this is going to sound a little odd to anyone that isn't a flashlight guy, but flashlight guys will probably find this interesting. So I've been looking for a flashlight to mount in the square. I wanted a old school Magcharger, which is the rechargable version of the maglite. I could have gone out and bought a new LED magcharger, but I really didn't want that. What I wanted was something at least pre-1992, as after that the tube for those lights were made out of a thinner gauge pipe, but my preference was as close to the same year as the truck (84) as I could get. So just before Christmas i found a magcharger on E-bay, the seller listed the serial number and it came back as a 1986. I took it home for a mere $50, seller listed it as well worn, but functional. So I sourced a new reflector, glass, spare bulb, o-rings and battery, didn't buy any of it ahead of time, but wanted to know where I could get what I needed. I took delivery of it today, it does physically look well worn, but whoever owned this flashlight before me must have depended on it functioning. Good bulb, good reflector, not a scratch on the glass. Under the tail cap is a good spare bulb, the battery pack is a 3,500 NiMH battery (factory would have been 2,500 NiCad), battery pack looks like it very new, but yet to test to see how long it'll last. All of the O-Rings are in good shape and have a light layer of lubrication on them, I'd guess silicone or maybe it's just Vaseline, but wow, that's the kind of stuff I'd do not something I'd expect to find on a 34 year old flashlight! The only thing I can find that isn't just cosmetic is that the rubber on the switch is starting to deteriorate.

I'll use it over the weekend and see how the battery life is. Then I'll order O-ring for it, one more spare bulb and a switch cover and it should be good to go.

So the plan for installation is to hardwire the charger, and mount the charger in the truck, but I have questions.
#1. Where to mount, I was thinking of mounting it vertically behind the drivers seat belt so it could be reached easily from outside the vehicle and would be out of the way while driving, and still somewhat reachable from inside. Another spot would be on the floor under the front part of the seat, my biggest concerns about that would be kicking it and damaging the charger, or moisture or mud or flashlight coming loose and getting under the pedals. Not practical to mount it on the hump as I have a center counsel mounted there. I could go overhead I have a home made thing similar to a shelf it, that I just built, but of course if it broke loose it could hit someone in the head. So I'm open to ideas, but thinking behind the drivers shoulder belt part way up the cab would be best.

#2. How to wire it? Two basic options key on only or constant power, the instructions with the magcharger recommend wiring to key on only power and I'm thinking of doing just that, but also wondering if that is what is best for the battery, I'm sure someone knows more about NiMh batteries than I.

Thanks, oh and here are a couple pictures.

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@Rusty Nail I know you have said your into flashlights, and there are pictures in this post so I thought I'd tag ya. Plus more pictures will come when I mount it.

 

[Rusty Nail]

It's true, I like flashlights.
KOER is how I would wire it and dude the glovebox is HUGE?
You could attach it to a piece of wood mount on the inside of the glovebox to keep it outta sight, or something.

Neat deal.

 

[Turbo4whl]

I also have many Mag lights. My oldest Mini Mag predates the cat logo printed on the lens rings of the lights now.

Your new to you Mag light, I would want it mounted close to the driver's seat for quick access. That way it is available for it's second, non lighted use. The trans hump is the best choice, but since that is not good for you, maybe long way in front of the driver's seat or behind the center console?

In front of the driver's seat would require a fabricated tail ring mount too. Lift the head out of the charger then slide the tail out of the ring or base cup.

 

[Frankenchevy]

My parents still have a few monster mag lites around. They used to double as a nightstick or baton.

 

[SirRobyn0]

@Rusty Nail Glove box would be a good idea but I use it to put stuff in and I wouldn't want it buried in there.

@Turbo4whl Back in the 90's I worked at a shop with a contract with the state patrol and they were all mounted to the trans hump on in the Caprices. I could go on the side of the trans hump but I think I'd kick it to much. If I did under the drivers seat I could probably make a tail ring with a piece of PVC. Let me ask you a question. If I did the mount behind shoulder belt on the drivers side so the flashlight is mounted vertically do you think it would be ok for the weight of the flashlight to be hanging off the mount while going down the road or do you think a tail mount would be a good idea there to?

@Frankenchevy Back in the day a lot of mechanics had them, though I always stuck with the corded drop light. But they just seem to last and last if I guy takes any kind of reasonable care.

@Ellie Niner Thanks again for the help with the headlights, I don't know if your into flashlights but if you are I thought you might wanna check this out.

 

[SirRobyn0]

So the weather has been killing me the last week or so and we currently have over a foot of snow on the ground and are seeing some single digit night time temps. With that said if I can find the time and energy to work in those conditions I'll get it mounted this weekend. Won't be to today, possibly tomorrow so there is still a little time for mounting suggestions.

 

[Turbo4whl]

Yes, hanging vertical, tail mount would be a good idea. I would make a cup style to take some of the weight.

 

[Raider L]

@SirRobyn0,

I'm into flashlights to and have been since the late '70's when I discovered Maglites and went to work for the airlines. I had a "C" size Maglite because it was light and bright. I used it for years and had the scabbard for it to that went on my belt, it had a leather loop on it. Then one day I unlocked and opened my toolbox and only found the scabbard, no flashlight. Then I remembered I had left it in the wing box when we were changing out cable pulleys. And that plane was gone out on route and wouldn't be back for several days. I needed a flashlight and had to go out and buy another one. I tried to find another "C" size and I could only find the "D" so I got it and it fit the belt loop. I still have it and it sits right next to the bed on my night stand. So somewhere there is a '70's "C" size Maglite rolling around in the wing of a plane!

But I have a collection of flashlights mostly from the '50's and '60's. But I have one that I use all the time and it was made in 1949. It's an old Rayovac with a chromed brass body and a glass lens. It has the "cloud" style logo. I remember one time when a cop was called to my brother-in-law's house, nothing he did. I was using my 2-D Mag and the cop whipped out one of those 6 D Mag's and I thought the sun had come back up again at night!! I saw spots for several minutes after that. The spot from mine didn't even look like it was on, his was so bright! I don't know when the Zenon bulbs came out but...MAN!

 

[Raider L]

@SirRobyn0,
I'm not trying to hijack your thread, but I thought you'd be interested in that 1949 flashlight.

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It's a 2-D. You can see the chrome is worn off the bottom cap and it looks copper. So I may be wrong about it being a brass bodied flashlight and it's actually copper!

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Dang, it's blurred, but you can kinda see it's the second style logo, I think, the "cloud" style logo because the lines around the name are like a outline of a cloud.

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And my second attempt isn't that much better.

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Oh well. Here's the light. And it's a regular bulb to. Here you can see that it has the wrench flats type head end. I think the pics above are better and you can see the wrench flats a bit better. I forgot to shoot them specifically.

 

[Raider L]

One more try.

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And the dang program turns it sideways! Oh well. This is clear.

 

[78C10BigTen]

My parents still have a few monster mag lites around. They used to double as a nightstick or baton.

The 6D version, the "hobo beater"!!

 

[SirRobyn0]

@Turbo4whl Ok just making sure I was understanding you correctly. Thanks.

@Raider L Feel free to post away on the flashlights you have, that's no problem for me I think it's great to see what you have. In the 80's I had a small collection of lantern style flashlights, you know the big clunky things that either take 1 or 2 6 volts batteries. I think I had about dozen metal bodied ones. I liked using them but stopped when the batteries started hitting about $5 each, I held on to two up until around 2010 or so and let them go as well. I like having old stuff but I like using that stuff to, and I had used either one in a decade or more. I doubt I'll start a maglite collection, but you never know. I was thinking it would be great to mount one in house to be easy to grab and use when needed like power outage, but heck I could walk out to the square and grab the light out of it. Might be nice to have a second charger in the house though. We'll see.

That's a pretty neat old Rayovac, I'm not sure I've seen the cloud logo before. I think it's even better that you use it. That early Maglite (they started in the late 70's), especially the C lights, the C lights were not as common and didn't sell as well as the D cell lights did. As you probably know if you still had it there would be some value in it today.

 

[HOTFOOT]

Still got my 6cell mag!

 

[Rusty Nail]

They got those similarly mounted 6×9 adapters that tack into the corner and some speakers weigh a ton! Might be able to glean good ideas by studying on those deals some.

 

[SirRobyn0]

They got those similarly mounted 6×9 adapters that tack into the corner and some speakers weigh a ton! Might be able to glean good ideas by studying on those deals some.

You're right about that. I'm thinking a simple short piece of PCV with an end cap, or maybe just an end cap alone would work. But I'll go look at 6X9 adaptors first.