Retro Prepping!

[Reservior]

I mentioned, I think, in a post I made in the how are you prepping thread, that I needed to clear out our under stairs cupboard to can move the safe to a more secure location (I can bolt into a solid wall).

Started this dreaded project this afternoon and guess what I found?

An AAA Mini Maglite. This isn't the Solitaire but the handheld one. Still in its box with the instructions and the removable pocket clip. I have no idea when this torch last saw the light of day, or indeed, was used in the dark but it's years, possibly even a decade . Switched it on and it still works, albeit it's not very bright, those AAA Energiser batteries have lasted well! This is not Cree or even LED technology, no, it has a miniature light bulb at the bright(er) end.

I don't want to get to emotional about it but it was a bit like being reunited with an old friend

So, I've just spent £4.50 on an LED conversion kit for it, from a seller in Hong Kong. I think my old mate deserves it.

Before someone pipes up and says I've wasted my money, I know that. I have far better torches than this one will ever be and can buy a better one for less than £4.50.

I don't care though!

[JamesMR]

Things that hold sentimental value are worth more than things that haven't, you get people spending £1000s on a car when it just wants scrapping because they love it

Good stuff

[Reservior]

Just thought I would share, I'm fondling it right now

[Plymtom]

It is happy you found it, reminds me of the Manitou, they say everything has a spirit, I say you can place something of your own in inanimate objects, so feeling connected with the maglite is perhaps not as daft as it sounds, an heirloom in the making

[Attack Warning Red]

I have the smallest Maglite (Solitaire?) in my keyring, were it's lived for the better part of ten years. Normal, old-fashioned light bulb. It's come in handy many, many times. Even just to help me get to my main torch in my EDC...

[scotsman]

Just thought I would share, I'm fondling it right now

Can you PM me your address please ? i`d like to send you the invoice for cleaning the coffee i just spat all over my monitor

I have an old energizer headlight runs of a single AA and you can adjust how bright the cree is lasts a fair while i`d be gutted if it broke lol

[Reservior]

We have all read how easy it is to convert these, havnt we? You take out the old bulb and refit the new led?

Well, I think, I'm pretty good with stuff like this, I know my way around car engines and other mechanical stuff. I have a workshop at home which I spend as much time as I can in, working on various projects. So fitting an led, which directly replaces a bulb is easy so I started the task full of confidence .

Misplaced confidence, it seems.

Now, it may well be that the led conversion I ordered, doesn't work. However, on taking the torch apart to fit it my hearing picked up the sound of 2 separate items landing on the floor. Found both of them, it was obvious where one part should go, less so the second

So, as I type, it doesn't work and I'm out of natural light to have another go at stripping it down.

Thankfully, I have a day off tomorrow so have plenty of time to perform this 'simple' task.

[hobo]

Just thought I would share, I'm fondling it right now

Fondle away!

Me and the lads all have LED-converted Solitaires (+ OH demanded a pink one ) and LED-converted camo Mini Maglites with IQ switches.

Think I may have to have a play with mine now (oo-err!)