Cheap and easy to do. Giving a 2c Maglite 6D performance step by step

[3rd_shift]

(1st picture below)
On the far left, I took about a quarter inch off of the tailspring and reshaped it with 2 sets of pliers.
This is so that the tailspring doesn't squash the batteries quite so hard.

In the middle, I got a 5/8ths inside diameter heater hose from an auto parts store.
I then cut it to 4 inches long and slit it down one side to hold 3 cr123 lithium batteries.
This whole thing drops right in there perfect into the light's battery tube. :-)

On the right, I swapped out the 2 cell bulb with a Maglite 6 cell krypton bulb.
Then put another 6 cell bulb into the spare holder in the tailcap.

(Optional) On the far upper right is an optional charger with rechargeable lithium ion batteries.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v313/3rd_shift/IMG_03671.jpg

Below, I reinstalled the 2c's old 2cell bulb into a 2D I had handy and took this picture of the 2 side by side to show the significant improvement.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v313/3rd_shift/IMG_03681.jpg

I'm getting about 80-90 minutes of runtime out of the cr123's.
A 90 - 100 minute runtime is what the 2 optional 18500 batteries are giving this light.
Nice and cheap backup flashlight for under $30.

[N. A. Corbier]

If you feel like building something like this... Get the rechargable batteries. :) LiOn batteries are eaten like candy in Surefires and other lights that take them. :)

[3rd_shift]

I got the rechargeable cells and charger from here. (http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=140362)

2 18500's are the recomended size for the 2c Maglite.
These are a tighter and rattle free fit than the cr123's.
I would kinda recommend the "protected" versions of the rechargeable batteries that are now available there.
These are much safer and more goof proof to charge.
The 2 blue batteries I showed are older unprotected 18500's that have not blown up yet. :eek:

Other 3x cr123 batteried flashlights are are usually too small inside and will need 2 17500's instead.
In some cases, even 17500's are still too wide.