Maglite facts for kids
A Maglite (sometimes spelled Mag-Lite) is a famous brand of flashlight made in the United States. These flashlights are built by a company called Mag Instrument, Inc., located in Ontario, California. The company was started by Anthony Maglica, and the first Maglite was introduced in 1979.
Maglites are mostly made from a strong, lightweight metal called 6061 aluminum. This metal is also "anodized," which means it has a protective, colored coating. Maglites are known for their special beam that you can adjust, making it wide or narrow. You can find them in many colors like black, silver, blue, red, green, purple, and gold.
When they first came out, Maglites used krypton or xenon light bulbs. But today, most new models use bright LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes). You can still find some older models with the original bulbs.
Maglites come with many cool accessories. These include belt holsters to carry them, special brackets to mount them, and different colored lenses. You can also get attachments like fiber optics to bend light into tight spaces. There are even LED parts you can buy to upgrade older Maglites.
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History of Maglite Flashlights
Mag Instrument has released many different flashlight sizes and types over the years. Here's a look at when some of them first appeared:
- 1979: The first Maglites, using D and C battery sizes, were sold. They were made for police, firefighters, and industrial workers.
- 1982: The MagCharger was introduced. This was a larger, brighter flashlight that could be recharged. It became popular with public safety and emergency workers. It used a special halogen bulb and a rechargeable battery pack.
- 1984: The Mini Maglite, which uses two AA cell batteries, became available. This was Maglite's first smaller flashlight for everyday use.
- 1987: An even smaller Mini Maglite, using two AAA cell batteries, was released.
- 1988: The Maglite Solitaire came out. This tiny flashlight uses one AAA battery and is often used as a key chain light.
- 2006: Maglite started making flashlights with powerful 3-watt LEDs. They also offered LED upgrade parts for older models.
- 2008: The MagCharger was improved with a better rechargeable battery and a brighter halogen bulb.
- 2009: New LED technology was added, making the lights even brighter and helping batteries last longer.
- 2010: The Maglite XL100 was released. This flashlight had a cool feature: you could control it with motion using a built-in sensor. The simpler Maglite XL50 also came out, with three easy-to-use modes.
- 2011: More LED and rechargeable flashlights were introduced, like the ML100 and ML125. The XL200, a brighter version of the XL100, also appeared.
- 2012: Many new LED models were released, including brighter Mini Maglites (AA Pro and Pro+). The Maglite Mag-Tac, a tactical flashlight designed with military input, was also introduced. It was the first Maglite to use CR123A batteries.
- 2013: An LED version of the powerful MagCharger was launched. It offered a very bright 680 lumens and could switch from a narrow spot to a wide flood beam.
Different Maglite Models
Maglite makes many different flashlights. Here's a table showing some of the main models, and if they come with older incandescent bulbs or newer LED lights:
| Model | Incandescent (older bulbs) | LED (newer lights) |
|---|---|---|
| Solitaire | Maglite Solitaire | Maglite LED Solitaire |
| Mini Maglite | Mini Maglite 2-CELL AAA | Mini Maglite LED 2-CELL AAA |
| Mini Maglite 2-CELL AA Xenon | Mini Maglite LED 2-CELL AA | |
| Mini Maglite LED 3-CELL AA | ||
| Mini Maglite PRO LED 2-CELL AA | ||
| Mini Maglite PRO+ LED 2-CELL AA | ||
| Maglite XL | Maglite LED XL50 | |
| Maglite LED XL100 | ||
| Maglite LED XL200 | ||
| Maglite LED XL300 | ||
| Maglite D | Maglite 2-CELL D | Maglite LED 2-CELL D |
| Maglite PRO LED 2-CELL D | ||
| Maglite 3-CELL D | Maglite LED 3-CELL D | |
| Maglite 4-CELL D | ||
| Maglite 5-CELL D | ||
| Maglite 6-CELL D | Maglite LED 6-CELL D | |
| Maglite 7-CELL D | ||
| Maglite C | Maglite 2-CELL C | Maglite ML100 LED 2-CELL C |
| Maglite 3-CELL C | Maglite ML100 LED 3-CELL C | |
| Maglite 4-CELL C | ||
| Rechargeable | MagCharger - NiMH/Halogen | MagCharger LED and ML125 |
| Maglite MAG-TAC | Maglite MAG-TAC LED 2-CELL CR123 |
Maglites and Law Enforcement
For a long time, police officers and security guards often carried Maglite flashlights. Because of their strong build, some people used them for more than just light.
In 2007, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) decided to switch to smaller, lighter LED flashlights. This change was made to make sure flashlights were used only for lighting up dark areas and not for other purposes. This new policy helped keep both officers and the public safe.
Images for kids
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Most Maglites have a spare bulb in the tailcap. LED lamps have a long life, and do not usually need to be replaced. Some LED Maglite models have a spare incandescent bulb.
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Closeup view of a 4D Maglite with the factory-installed Luxeon LED module. The inset shows the LED module with the reflector assembly removed.
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The 2xAA Mini Maglite in four colors
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Mini Maglite and belt holster
