How to disassemble and clean a maglight
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 21 ส.ค. 2024
- Get the best performance possible without having to order fancy bulbs, batteries, or other parts. I will show you how to take it apart, clean all the necessary terminals and connections, and put it back together at home.
Wow a 9 year old video kept me from throwing away my favorite traveling light 🔦 I have a 20year old 6D cell that rides under the passengers seat for road side emergencies. It started turning off while in use, it never occurred to me to take it apart and clean it 🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️…🙏 Thank you for saving my trusted traveling companion 👍😁👍
Thank you for doing this video. It was very well done, concise and easy to follow. I was able to restore my Mag Lite of 20 years!
Glad it could help
Get the fingers out of the way , bulb end or battery end identification needed , 👍 thanks
Thxs. Took it apart and forgot how to put it back together. Saved me 30 bucks.
Thank you very much for this detailed video. I had a couple Mag Lights with very corroded stuck batteries. I finally got the batteries out and cleaned them up best I could, but one still didn't work.This video showed me how to totally take it apart and clean it. Both are working now and I've switched to Lithium Batteries that aren't supposed to leak. Thanks again. Much appreciated!
Thank You for this in depth tutorial on the disassembly and reassembly of the Maglite switch. Had one that the batteries swelled up in and got stuck and corroded. Had to beat the batteries out of it then clean up the inside. Put it all back together with your help and now it is working fine again. I will never put regular batteries in my Maglite ever again.
Thank you from germany u have made my day i Just followed, Your direction and succeded, without Your help nö chance for me. Ali
Thanks for providing this video & information. I have an LED version that had stopped working after excessive rain and dropped into shallow stream. After watching this video, though I'd accidently ordered the incandescent switch kit, it came with the correct tool; I was able to disassemble confidently. Everything was dry, but contacts in the switch had corroded. A little cleanup and confident reassembly, everything was right as (NO) rain, back in service. TVM
Glad it helped
Though it was not the best focus at times, this is the best, most detailed video on the subject I found. Other videos lacked attention to detail and supplied information that was just plain wrong. I was getting ready to throw out a 4D cell Mag Light; it wouldn't work at all. This video changed my luck. The flashlight I was going to trash is now the brightest light I have. Thanks, "Nate Sand"! "Thumbs up" from this Kentucky boy. 👍
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Five Star video!
Yeah this was in my earlier days of TH-cam and unfortunately once I cleaned it I couldn't unclean it. I didn't realize the focus was bad until it was too late.
I've found that lubricating the threads at both ends with vaseline makes the entire light work more smoothly, possibly helps to seal the o-rings as well. Also, when installing the battery, many people drop the cells vertically into the tube, hitting the switch assembly with a bang. I think it's probably better to place the tube nearly horizontally when installing the cells. This eliminates the bang of battery installation.
I'm glad I'm not the only one that does that. It would probably prevent leaking batteries as well.
I load it horizontally and being a fanatic of Resident Evil, it feels like I'm loading some shells to go after the Toxic spiders or that Brainiac creature😗
It's entirely possible that Vaseline, being petroleum, will damage the O rings.
O rings are made with dozens of different materials. Each has different qualities.
Use silicone grease from the plumbing department.
Great video. Some of us who have the necessary tools can learn from this video. Of course, it is best to just work on Maglites you can get from a yard sale. Something you forgot to cover in the video, though, is that it is best to lube the threads with a little bit of lubricant before re-assembling the flashlight---it can save the threads.
Have never thought that this would help me after 6 years of upload! Thanks man! Very detailed! Saved my Mag from getting discarded!
They still make those lamps and haven't changed anything so it's still good.
Best video I've seen😁
Wow I just followed this guide with great success. I could tell something was'nt right with my old 3dcell, it would cut out when I would focus and when working the light strength would fluctuate between dim/brighter or if I switched on/off the brightness would vary. First I partly disassembled and found the spring that pushes the bulb housing was weak so I stretched that a bit, it cured my cutouts but I still had the weak beam issues. Took it ALL apart and polished all the contacts with fine auto sandpaper I even polished the bulb. When I put it all back together and turned it on I was shocked at how bright and solid my beam was. Like I got a new flashlight! Thanks dude.
Sehr gut gemacht, hat mir bei der Reparatur meiner Maglite sehr geholfen 👍
Brilliant vid very user friendly. Mine has not worked for over a year. Found in garage watched your vid and works like new. Did not even realise there was a spare bulb in the base , Once again Thanks...
Mike Richardson Happy to help. No problem at all. Share and subscribe if you dont mind :)
I had a 3 D mag suffer battery leakage as well. I tried to get it apart, but couldn't figure out how to get the button assembly out. Thanks for showing the allen wrench trick. I never would have found this on my own. Long story short, I used my hydraulic shop press to gently push out the electrical assembly and corroded battery. Works great once it was cleaned. Thanks.
Scott Casinger Its pretty hidden. Hard to miss it!
Thanks for this...saber build begins...🙂
I just fixed my 2cell mag light after watching your video about 20 times..thk you!
man, thanks, just thanks :) I've held onto my old 4D cell mag for 8 years now while it's acting up and barely ever working, and figured I'd give this a shot, it's like new again! :D hellz yeah. I'll confess, it took me about an hour, but it was worth it.
jason passmore Glad I could help. That little screw is hard to find and easy to miss. Once that is out the rest is cake.
Very informative video. You show some things on the flashlight that other videos don't explain. I like that. My only problem was the picture was a little blurry but that didn't take anything away from your information of the procedure. Thank You sir, I appreciate it!!!
sctodd22 Yup, I planned on making a new video with a clear picture but the bag with this light got stolen so I no longer had the light. Still want to make a new video with another light though.
@2:08 You guessed 9/64 for the tool size. I believe it was 5/64, as I used a 2mm and it worked beautifully. That's the part I needed, to understand where and how to remove the core of the light. For mine, there was a bit of dust covering the contact from the positive end of the battery to the switch. I cleaned that up and I had to bend the center part of the v-shaped clips next to the switch so that they would make better contact with the round part of the switch. Now the light stays on steady and no more flickering or unexpectedly turning off.
Great video, except for the focus issues that others have mentioned. I believe the auto focus was focused on the table in the background. It happens. There are some settings you may be able to make to have more depth in the field of focus, or you can have the work closer to the background so that they focus together. Still, for the purposes of the video, it met my expectations in giving me the information that I was looking for. The information given is direct and to the point.
Never would have thought of that hexkey screw to remove switch assembly. My 4-cell model also had a steel ring to unscrew on top of the switch, removed through the top with narrow snap ring pliers (I used my long needle nose pliers). Switch did not easily slide out--had to use a 15-inch piece of 1" PVC pipe to push/tap out from bottom. It had some sort of sandy, gritty corrosion all about the outside. Bad positive contact was the problem: more gritty black stuff than battery acid corrosion: cleaned up with Oven cleaner (pure lye), then fine wire brush, then all lubed with fine coat of Liquid Wrench to reassemble & reinstall. works great. Thanks!
Nate,
Thanks for the careful video. When you said watch you don't lose the screw, and explained it was the negative connection- I re-assembled but didn't take care to fasten the screw tight, and then the lightbulb went on. Works now- I hate chucking perfectly good gear if it's repairable at only my labour cost. There is one thing I'd add: if the batteries are corroded, you can't drop the awitch out the bottom. But the switch is stopped from going forward by a circlip, which is easy to remove and replace. With the switch out the top, stuck batteries can be driven out and the barrel cleaned up.
Thanks again.
Alasdair
Hola amigo, te escribo desde Buenos Aires, Argentina, muchisimas gracias por mostrar como desarmar la Maglite, recientemente un amigo tenia una que no encendia, y gracias a tu video pude desarmarla y limpiarla y volver a armarla y ahora funciona, se ve que tenia algo sucio, muchisimas gracias por compartir tu tiempo y conocimiento con nosotros saludos!!
Great video. I appreciate all of the work you did to make this happen, and I have no doubt that you've helped a lot of people. But there are issues with this video, issues that if fixed, could help more people with this subject. Here are some suggestions:
1. You should look the video over before you publish it. Many times your camera position was too low, and many times you have intricate details which are blurry because you didn't take time to let the camera focus.
2. You skipped a lot of steps. For instance, that metal tail looking piece that goes in and connects to the bottom of the bulb housing, you just quickly mentioned it, put it in with the camera being too low for us to see it, and just moved on. That part has been the biggest headache I've had with the rebuild so far, and I had to go elsewhere to figure it out.
3. Your camera is way too low. Many of the operations you were doing, as I said in the previous point, were below the camera, so the person viewing couldn't see all of it.
4. Overall, thank you for this video, it got me 80% of the way, which is not something I'm ungrateful for. Thanks.
great video ,,could you retake it ,and make it in focus PLEASE !!
Yeah I can probably remake it I'd have to take out one of the mag lights I didn't realize it was out of focus when filming.
@@MNDashcam It got the point across, good focus or not.
I watched it in HD on a 42" TV, good 'nuff
Who knew that you would have to qualify as a car mechanic to service this flashlight. My goodness !!
Fantastically helpful video. Thanks for posting.
Glad it was helpful!
Great video! I have the older 4 D model with the allan key. Switch fell out the back into a number of pieces while removing to clean the contacts. It would have been difficult to get back together without your video or impossible. Also good explanation on how the switch actually works, especially how the pos. and neg. current travels. I just got an x-cape cap and executive style bezel, as well as the 325 lumen upgrade, and a glass lens from Malkoff. Puts out a very nice white light and still focuses well. Good run time as a stock mag, but a little expensive for the upgrade. I did not want more lumens than that as I don't need a search light for everyday use or for emergencies in the vehicle. A stock incandescent mag still would work just fine as intended for those purposes. Thanks again, Frank
Frank Crawford happy to help, thanks for the view. enjoy your light!
Thank you very much for this fantastic lesson.
Thanks, you saved me from getting a made in (somewhere other than USA) flashlight, because I heard that when you send one in for repair you will probably get a new one back and mine is a older one that was still "made in USA"
rv42travel Fixing the quality stuff is well worth the effort. Plus you can learn a few things in the process.Glad to hear you would rather make the effort than just buy something cheap.
muchas gracias!!!!! logré repararla después de que se sulfataron las pilas. Saludos y de GRACIAS MAESTRO!!!!!
Resurrected the light of my life!
Many thanks.
tonybistro No problem. Glad I could help!!
Nate, thank yo so much for this video, it saved my rear on a disassembly of for repair of my maglite 4d cell light. Thank you Sir!
Same here.
Those tiny bulbs are an upgrade .
The standard bulb is bigger globe like 20 years ago.
Next is an LED conversion.
I've had good luck getting Mags working after removing stuck batteries. After doing whatever you have to do to get the batteries out, keep working on getting as much stuck stuff
out it as you can. Use a drill (start w/ small bit and work up), scraper of some kind, wire brush, small wire wheel, etc. When you get as much junk out as you can, and removed as
many of the parts as you can, fill the barrel with vinegar. Coke works, too. Let soak for awhile, and occasionally run a brush or wire wheel up through it, then add some fresh
vinegar/coke and soak it more if needed. When it looks clear, rinse it good with hot water, dry it off, then let it air dry completely. Before you start reinstalling parts, shoot a quick
shot of silicon lube or WD-40 through the barrel, and lightly wipe it out. Re-assemble, and good as new.
All good tips thanks for the info.
Thanks a lot greetings from CDMX!
Thanks for posting,this video is helpfully,well i have a problem with my 6cell torch. I wanna try this with your instructions,once again thank you.
José Manuel Da Costa Luis Glad I could help. Hope it works for you. Please share and subscribe for more!
Thank you. Now mine finally works !
thanks for the video, better than getting frustrated and chucking in the trash after you break it...
Instead of using 220 grit sandpaper to clean the metal parts, use a "3M non-scratch Scotch-Brite" scouring pad to polish the metal. The scouring pad won't leave little pieces of grit on the parts like sandpaper and the pad won't scratch metal parts like sandpaper does.
Just FYI, i have 2 newer Maglite D-Cell flashlights (within the last 6 months) and both of them have STAR WRENCH FITTINGS, NOT ALLEN WRENCH FITTINGS. I'm not 100% sure of the size yet, but i had to break 1 to find out. Kept wondering why no allen key i had would fit and loosen the set screw, now i know. Hope this helps save you some grief.
Can't tell if the one I bought [Maglite 2D Xenon] from Home Depot, 2/25/15, has star wrench fittings but it does have a compression ring on the bulb side of the housing for the switch that I have been unable to remove yet.
It has a starwrech [T8] and a compression ring. Nothing a hammer can't handle.
Alric Wilhelm You two gentlemen saved me from killing myself... This flashlight is a bitch to dissemble. Did you end up hammering the danged thing out?
DaddyLongLegs44 Yes
Alric Wilhelm Thanks!
Thanks for this video Dashcam! Even after I was all done it still would not work, so I got out my meter and it had ground all the way down the poop-shoot to the bulb holder and SO did the positive. Grrr, so I took out the new led bulb and put in the spare down in the sponge. Voila! Cheap chinese LEDs Grrrr. Now I know how to service the thing backwards and forward though! LOL thank you very much.
Glad it helped
Thank's a lot, you saved my maglight ! Regards !
nice but out of focus from the beginning ?
Trying to resurrect a 3D unit I'd found Goodwill, great video.
Great video. My problem is that I cannot get the battery end cap off. It is fused on. I’ve tried putting it in a vise and using channel lock pliers and it will not budge. Just order a new one (old one). They’re pretty cheap these days.
Best video on the switch fix I've seen so far.
Gracias totales! thanks !
Thanks for making this outstanding video!!!
Mac V Sog Thanks for the view! Share and subscribe!! :)
only suggestion I have would be to apply a little di-electric grease on contacts after cleaning them. this will slow future corrosion and prolong the life of your cleaning efforts. I haven't torn mine down yet, but plan to grease it when I do.
Thank you!
If you have some burst batteries that are really stuck then just releasing the screw won't be enough.
The front stop for the switch is an internal c clip. You can pry it out of its groove with a small screw driver. This allows you to pull the switch out the front. Once you have an empty tube with just the batteries in it, you can get really aggressive with a drift or press.
i dont know how you were able to remove the c-clip. i can just barely see it under the switch housing and i tried using a miniature flat blade screwdriver but doesnt seem to be a way to access it. I wish this was one of the older models that allowed removal of the switch housing using a spanner wrench. The geniuses at maglite had to install that damn c-clip. So now i still have batteries jambed inside the tube.
mine fell out and now i don't know where it goes
the narrative was great but the up close was bad i know u tried but in the future concentrate more or on the quality i would have enjoyed it so much more good luck
thanks. your video helped me a lot
Thank you. It really is an over complicated design with far too many points of connection that can tarnish and corrode.
Not only should you not lose the pointed setscrew in the nut, but be VERY careful not to break the nut free from the think metal strip which conducts the current from the negative side of the housing / battery, to the bulb. I barely touched mine, and the nut, which was apparently spot welded to the strip, broke free. Once it is loose, forget ever having any reliable current flow.
Buen dia disculpen alguien save que medida es la llave que mete para desatonillar el boton que va dentro de la lampara lo que pasa es de que no se si es Torx o Hexagonal gracias por su atencion y el video esta al 100%
i know i am late to this, but . . . NEVER sand any terminal ends. you will remove the conductive coating .
to clean use white vinegar and baking soda . . just a little bit of both.
other than that . .. good job. i have a internal battery spring i have to re-seat .
Thanks for the informative disassembly and assembly of the switch. There was no info on the updated bulb and the assembly. Would you, therefore please let’s have detail on that?
THANKS SO MUCH
All I wanted to know is if you remove the bulb socket /switch assembly, do you gain access to the top of the batteries so you could drive them out with a dowel and hammer.
There is a ring spring lock in the top of the switch area, how did you get that off?
Right Job, Thanks
Nate Sand I was using your video to disassemble my 3D Maglite so I can thoroughly clean the battery tube. To eliminate water damaging the switch I want to break the Maglite down to just the aluminum battery tube and then clean the entire battery tube. All was good until I got to the using the Allen wrench to remove the switch assembly. I was not able to break loose the switch assembly even with the Allen screw backed out. There is a white scale along the entire battery tube but with some coaxing I was able remove the batteries but I think there may be some scale that prevents me from sliding the switch assembly out the back of the battery. I have not tried even tapping on the switch assembly but I think I may have to do that next. Any thoughts?
A second question; once I get the switch out I intend to clean the entire battery tube and I am looking for any thoughts as to a good cleaning solution. I tried water and baking soda on the lower end of the battery tube and after a lot of elbow grease it did begin to remove the white scale. Any ideas would be appreciated and I want to thank you for your efforts in making this video. Videos like yours make repair jobs for amateur DIYers like me much easier and more successful. Thank You!
RonTNJ just throw it away and buy another one they are not worth the hassle
did you heard about an camera focus?
Nice video Nick, thank you very much! I removed the button cover it’s a plastic assembly and I don’t see an Allen screw. Any ideas how to get the bulb assembly out? I’m trying to clean the positive contact it’s a bit corroded. It’s a 20 year old (it’s funny it looks like brand-new!) Maglite 3x 3 Cell batteries. In the meantime I scraped it a bit with a lawn screwdriver and got it working but would like to take it apart and clean properly. Can I convert the incandescent bulb assembly to LED with one of those little adapters?
Should you feel resistance when turning the Allen wrench?
Depends on how old yours is. You might just have to put a little pressure on the key for it to budge
How did you remove the bulb housing? I have the same type of mag light but cannot remove the bulb housing.
One more thing... Most of these parts are PLATED for maximum conductivity. If you take sandpaper to the metal strip, nut, etc., you will be down to bare steel, which DOES NOT conduct current well. Much better to use a LUBRICATING contact cleaner on the parts than sandpaper, or anything abrasive.. DO NOT USE a non lubricating contact cleaner. Once the lubricant is removed from the contacts, the plating will corrode fast.
li Electronics engineering technician with 36 years experience.
I have an old 2c and i cant remove the clicker i have used the allen wrench and no luck
You sure it is a 9/64 setscrew? I've inserted the allen wrench and it appears it is unscrewing, does it have to come completely out? After doing so I push the assembly from both ends and it switch assembly doesn't move, any suggestions.
The screw doesn't come out, just back it off a couple of turns. If the housing does not move it probably has some corrosion, or dirt, holding it back. Take the bulb out, and gently tap the housing backward using something to spread the load across where the bulb projects from.
BELEZA!
My maglight 2d is from the 80s and there is a screw down plastic washer on the front end of the switch assembly, I have undone it and the Allen screw in the switch but nothings moving even if I bang it with a hammer and screwdriver, any ideas?
Great! Très bien! pls insert in TH-cam : " demontage et remontage total lampe torche Maglite grande taille" for french speaking mates
Thanks for zapping me eyes, twice early on, should focus and think about what the viewer is seeing. It is not an action scene. Haha. Start from the beginning. Can't get the end cap off.
You could have done this at two feet away to stay in focus.. never the less thanks.
I really hope you can re do this with all of the process in shot 👍 good useful video otherwise
I would have to dig one of these out to redo it. I don't know if I even still have this one.
Focus please
Hi friend, I have a ml150 lr maglite and I don't know how to disassemble the power switch since it doesn't turn on
9/64 won't even fit in the first hole on my 5 D cell Maglite. 5/64 goes through but then falls all the way through to bottom out. No happy medium in between. Wanted to get ti loose so I could push against it to help push out the corroded batteries but looks like it's a lost cause.
My batteries are corroded and stuck in.
there are several videos on removing stuck corroded batteries. in the past I have used a 1/4" steel rod (one end ground to a slope o 1" to sharp end), also a 3/8" long drill to help remove the pieces. can be a very tough job, set up a schedule or dates to remove, replace, check batteries. regards
Any ideas on the end cap? Its like glued to my 25 year old one.. Cant get it open.. Tried using vice but it just wont open.. I have oiled it and soaked used so many methods..
Pls help me
Buy a new one.
Did they change them so the switches can't be removed?
out of focus
when its out of focus - don't upload it - re do it until you get it right !
hmm...I just took the bulb and magnifier out and doused it with vinegar....good vid though nice instructions
Hi, How do you remove the switch on an L.E.D. 2 d cell maglight? There doesn't seem to be an Allen nut to release.
The newest model LED Maglites use a T9 Torx instead of a 5/64 Allen, and you may have difficulty getting one to fit through the switch housing.
In the words of AvE, "focus you fack!"
Tried every size Allen wrench , certainly not 9/64 and nothing else works , any suggestions ???
Same problem here
Obviously you need a solvent to remove ALL of the oil on the bulb.
The screw locking switch and slider screw are not Allen. These are 5-point star, T9 and T8.
Mine used a T9 Torx (six-point star), not a five-point star.
+Mike Henry Yep. 6 - point star. I used 2.0 tool on D cell. Pittsburgh CR-V 2.0 tool from Harbor Freight tools.
Fuzzy.
Very informative and interesting video but can't figure out why the lamp goes out when I screw on the end cap. How is it loosing the ground contact by screwing it more than 3 threads tight. Making me crazy.
There’s no bolt under my button
cant get a 2mm or a 5/64th to loosen the set screw
Not sure
Weich size hast the Imbus
WHAT CURRENCY IS THAT $20?
what gives I can't get it to unscrew @ 1:51 the only size I have to get down there with is 5/64
Can't get mine to work either
2mm hex
I did all this and it still don't work, time to give my maglight the sledge hammer