Mag-Lite corrosion cleanup suggestions

[Alstep]

Needed my mag-lite last night and no light. Dead batteries, corroded so bad they wouldn't drop out. Had to drill a hole in them, insert a big wood screw, and draw them out like a wheel puller. Now what can I use to neutralize the corrosion and clean this thing up??? Any suggestions???

[hiram]

Without the batteries in the light, the chemicals are gone. I think the corrosion will stop.

My idea for cleaning is to get a 12 ga bore brush and wrap a wad of steel wool around the brush. Screw the brush onto a a short section of cleaning rod and connect to an electric drill and go to town. Maybe some spray in the tube will help.

[TenTea]

Same thing happened to me last year.
What a pain to get those batteries out!
I'm sure there are better ways, but flooding with light oil, scraping, brushing and compressed air did the trick for me.
Takes some elbow grease to be sure.
I think I used some big wooden dowel wrapped in hardware cloth too.
The new batteries have been doing well slathered in a sheen of gun grease!

[dbosman]

Use a light acid, such as vinegar, to neutralize the alkaline from the batteries.

[MtGun44]

Traces of the chemicals are still there, since they are alkaline you need a harmless acid
to neutralize it. I'd suggest a citric acid solution (Lemishine, in the grocery near the dishwasher
stuff) with warm water and change it a couple times. Scrub really good.

Citric acid is harmless to you - you could drink it - but it will react with the traces of
battery contents to neutralize it and clean up the metal.

Bill

[dilly]

Another option is coke.

[Bullshop Junior]

Needed my mag-lite last night and no light. Dead batteries, corroded so bad they wouldn't drop out. Had to drill a hole in them, insert a big wood screw, and draw them out like a wheel puller. Now what can I use to neutralize the corrosion and clean this thing up??? Any suggestions???

Throw away the mag light. They are junk. I got a 15$ led light from tractor supply. Have put batteries in it the 6 months I have it and I use it almost daily.

[Wally]

Throw away the mag light. They are junk. I got a 15$ led light from tractor supply. Have put batteries in it the 6 months I have it and I use it almost daily.

IMHO they should coat the insides with some sort of plastic so that they cannot corrode...one can get smaller LED flashlights that cost $7~15 that are brighter and handier...

[wills]

I have some mag lites too, and they are old. Nowdays you can get more light out of two AA batteries.

http://www.coleman.com/product/ct20/2000009449#.U5DYiWIo73g

[Gunor]

LED - is the way to go. I bought a 3 pack from Costco - LED - 3 AAA - 250 Lumens. Better than any mag-lite. less than $20 for the three.

BTW: I even bought a 2 cell Mag-lite @ Costco - $22.... still better then the old ones.

Mag-lite - best light for stomping things.....

Geoff in Oregon

[Lee]

I've got several, several, Mag-Lites here. Of course I change out the batteries in them every 6 months, just like the smoke detectors. When your house burns down, don't whine about the battery corrosion in your smoke detector. And yes, late last summer my house almost burned down. Fresh batteries saved my heinie!
And yes before I learned that lesson, I corroded a Mag-Lite, and 2-3 sooper dooper el-cheapos due to battery corrosion.
And yes, I got a lot of battery powered stuff, except for the couple flashlights, all unloaded right now, I don't need a right now laser bore sighter. But when I do, I can pop in a couple batteries and go. Not go : "Oh K**P!!!"
Discipline. Keep your powder dry. Keep your boots shined. Keep your batteries fresh.
It works for me, now.....................
P.S. Google LED MagLite bulbs. You can upgrade most any model you have. But if you got no discipline, the batteries will still corrode.....
P.P.S. Beware of extra speshul "Duracell" battery deals. They sure do say, "DuraCell", and they also sure do say in small print.... ROC Made in China. ........ Just sayin......

[triggerhappy243]

it is not the mag lite that is the problem. it is the batteries that are the problem. the batteries leak... plain and simple. keep em fresh and out of the heat and they will be fine.

[DeanWinchester]

These days you can get a very bright LED flashlight cheaper than the cost of premium batteries if you look around. Use them and pitch them. I've seen LED flashlights for $1 that are brighter than a maglight.

[leadman]

I bought an LED conversion for my Mini-Maglite and it is very bright. Also came with a push button switch for the bottom of the light. I stay away from Ray O Vac batteries as the leak in a very short time. The Duracells seem to be the least leaky, but will leak if left to go dead sometimes.

[troy_mclure]

ive fixed a few maglights. best was yo remove the corrosion without lots of scrubbing is muratic acid. its loke $6 1/2gal. pour the acid in the light and let it sit for about 10 mins. pour out rinse with hot water. dry thoroughly.

[MT Gianni]

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?240610-Return-of-the-Wiljen-Lights

Closed now but you can pay 15 times as much and not get as good a light as a Wiljen. My wife works at a cave and every other guide is in awe. I use zoomies for everything.

[GT27]

Baking Soda will clean,and neutralize any acid residue left,also use a wire brush,"been there,done that"!

[rockshooter]

I've used alcohol on long q-tips for years to clean corroded battery stuff- works fine. I do agree with the Costco 250 lumen 3-pack idea tho.
Loren

[joesig]

Don't you know, batteries never leak in the $2 flashlights!

I will second the Mag Lites are nice and I do like the ability flood to beam.

The temps do it. I thought that it was Eveready but Duracell got me once too. (Two D cell lights) The Eveready light went back to MagLite but the shipping was about the same as a new light. I then checked my others and found the Duracell that is salvageable. I planned to scrape it all out.

I have a Rayovac lantern with a 6V Rayovac lantern battery that still works after 25 years!

I have since gone over to LED head lights. Nice having both hands free is great.

[Garyshome]

I have 4 mag lights already I don't need all of you telling me how much stuff I now own. I have had these since before led's were available, these make great under the car seat lights, pretty good clubs too!

[KYCaster]

Before you try to clean it, call the battery manufacturer and ask if they will replace it.

http://www.duracell.com/en-us/battery-care-and-disposal/duracell-battery-guarantee

http://www.rayovac.com/Contact-Us/Warranty-And-Guarantee.aspx


Jerry

[AkMike]

Send the flashlight and batteries back to the battery mfgr. They'll replace it free.

[Screwbolts]

It is hard to imagine that it wasn't untill the 16th post that Wilgen lights came up. With the best custom lights being offered for sale here on CB, it is impossible to imagine another mag-lite in this Family.

Ken

[dbosman]

I've sent battery operated devices to the battery company and they didn't replace anything.
They cleaned the contacts and neutralized the crud.

[joesig]

MagLite has a deal with Eveready and Duracell that the flashlight is returned to them for replacement. When I had to do it, it was to Canada. Postage was NOT cheap!

[ShooterAZ]

Throw away the Mag-Light, and get a new one. They are good flashlights and will take a beating. I own several, in various sizes. If you plan on using for emergency uses (as I do) you should replace it. Just my $.02.

[dragon813gt]

Buy a Streamlight, problem solved ;)
I stopped buying MagLite because they're LED lights aren't solid enough. After awhile you have to start tapping one the light to get it to come on. And then it goes off at wrong time. The regular lights are fine and I still use them w/ no issues.

As far as corrosion, a little Coke will clean it up if you wanted to do it yourself.

[Hamish]

Keep watch for the next Wiljen lights Group Buy and buy 2 zoomies for every flashlight you *think* you need, buy rechargable batteries, and never, ever have a problem of this sort again,,,,

Zoomie, knife, lighter, left front pocket. No exceptions,,,,,and yes, I've got a corroded Mag sitting on the bench. Maybe it will become a suppressor someday,,,,,,,

[Bad Water Bill]

If you have little ones like Hamish does,better start up stocking lites NOW.

Shortly they will be playing TAG with the lites and you will never have a fully charged lite in your house again.:bigsmyl2:

[firefly1957]

I have some old aluminum flashlights and a newer Maglite all in 5 cell the older ones are a Prolight and two Bianchi those are from the 70's i use them for light but also in needed for defense. I have stopped two dog attacks and killed a fox and deer that i hit with the car with them i am also sure two thugs thought twice at them appearing and left for easier pickings. Having lights that long and keeping them working has shown me that the old ones are better because both end come of to make removing corroded batteries easier. I clean the corrosion with lots of water and have used weak acid but do not like to i used a drill to spin copper pads on a dowel the remove lumps of corrosion then more water dry thoroughly and lightly greased the inside of the light. Then reassembled with fresh batteries i found in the past Rayovac batteries were most likely to leak that my no longer be true. ONE NOTE IN BIG YELLING LETTERS SOMEONE SUGGESTED MURIATIC ACID NEVER USE IT ON ALUMINUM IT WILL EAT IT UP FASTER THAN YOU WILL BELIEVE!

[Petrol & Powder]

Definition for Flashlight : metal tube used to store dead batteries.

[MT Gianni]

For a sidetrack I remember a joke Waksupi told awhile back about the new guy at the Rondevous. He shot OK and was having fun and it came time for the liars contest. He claimed he had no ideas and just blurted out the truth. "I have 5 flashlights and three brother in laws and they all work". The crowd wandered off amid words of dirty, rotten, no good ringer, how we supposed to compete with that, etc.
I guess i have over 20 flashlights and if 15 worked I would be a happy man.

[LeftyDon]

Baking Soda will clean,and neutralize any acid residue left,also use a wire brush,"been there,done that"!

If the batteries were alkaline then baking soda is the wrong thing to use. You need acid. So vinegar or other mild acid. If the old style standard batteries then B.Soda is the correct thing for them.

[MtGun44]

"baking soda will neutralize acid residue" - true but the batteries don't
leak acid - this is why they are called "alkaline batteries" ! They leak
alkalie - which is a base, opposite of an acid, so you need an acid
to neutralize them.

I bought a drop in replacement LED bulb years ago for my big 5 D-cell
Maglite and BOY does it put out the light! Batteries last FOREVER, too.

Bill

[Petrol & Powder]

Bill, do you remember where you found that LED replacement? I'd like to put one in a 4 D-cell Maglite.

[CGT80]

I also upgraded my D cell mag lite to LED. Home Depot had the kit. I haven't had any problems with batteries going bad in my mag lites. Mag lite is based about 15 minutes from where I live. I would just drop the light off to them if there was a problem.

Those Wiljen lights looked cool. I will have to keep an eye out for another group buy. I would probably get the biggest one and a side click. The rechargeable batteries would be great.

[Hamish]

If you have little ones like Hamish does,better start up stocking lites NOW. Shortly they will be playing TAG with the lites and you will never have a fully charged lite in your house again.:bigsmyl2:

Actually, I should have mentioned in my original post that my two year old twin grandsons have been giving the Wijen Zoomies the American Tourister Gorilla luggage handler treatment for about nine months now with zero problems. And I mean throwing and whacking and dropping them in the dogs water bowl and,,,,,,,[smilie=1:

[10x]

The mag lite is durable and reliable until the bulb burns out.
Cheap led lights, not so reliable. The batteries sometimes last longer than the switch.
I used to carry a 2 AA cell mag lite and found it to be the best option.
The best flashlight I have is a $2. plastic 2 AA cell with a $4.00 1.5. volt led replacement bulb. I have had this flashlight for over 3 years, use duracell batteries and it has given me the best value ever for a flash light.
The first flash light my family owned was a RayOVac given to me by a friend when I was 16 ( I still have it....) - now upgraded with a 1.5 volt LED bulb.

[Hawkeye45]

I still have my 70's kal-lite 6D cell (otherwise known as the electric sap) that I used on patrol. Made a tube from wax paper and slid it in before putting in the batteries, works for me. If you do try this don't use the microwaveable wax paper, it has tiny holes in it.

Mr. Ed

[troy_mclure]

I have some old aluminum flashlights and a newer Maglite all in 5 cell the older ones are a Prolight and two Bianchi those are from the 70's i use them for light but also in needed for defense. I have stopped two dog attacks and killed a fox and deer that i hit with the car with them i am also sure two thugs thought twice at them appearing and left for easier pickings. Having lights that long and keeping them working has shown me that the old ones are better because both end come of to make removing corroded batteries easier. I clean the corrosion with lots of water and have used weak acid but do not like to i used a drill to spin copper pads on a dowel the remove lumps of corrosion then more water dry thoroughly and lightly greased the inside of the light. Then reassembled with fresh batteries i found in the past Rayovac batteries were most likely to leak that my no longer be true. ONE NOTE IN BIG YELLING LETTERS SOMEONE SUGGESTED MURIATIC ACID NEVER USE IT ON ALUMINUM IT WILL EAT IT UP FASTER THAN YOU WILL BELIEVE!

it takes about 20 mins for the muratic acid to start damaging thee aluminum.

[firefly1957]

Troy not sure what you have but the acid i use eats aluminum instantly making lots of bubbles and black crud , Now in areas that are still anodized it does take longer.

I was going to mention last Christmas i bought a 650 lumen 3 "D" cell L.E.D. light at home depot i am very happy with it supposed to last 15 hours on a set of three batteries and has 400+ yard range . The housing is tough enough to use as a club also.

[MtGun44]

Not really sure, just was looking online. It had to be a 6V rated bulb - and now that I think, not sure if it is a 4 or 5 D-cell Maglite. I'll poke
around a bit and see what I find. If I can find it, I'll post a link. Best upgrade I ever did - great, bulletproof light, and now it is about 5-10
times as bright with a very long battery life.

Try this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HQRP-3W-LED-Bulb-fits-Mag-Lite-3-4-5-6-Cell-C-D-LMSA301-LMSA401-LMSA501-LMSA601-/390759563949

or this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/High-Power-LED-UPGRADE-BULB-3W-200LM-for-MAGLITE-3-4-5-6-D-C-cell-flashlight-/151318206746

Not sure if these are the same, but mine is just a drop in bulb, no changes to anything else. Some systems have multiple LEDs
and different reflectors, etc.

Bill

[Petrol & Powder]

Thanks.

[MtGun44]

Just ordered a pair of these, have two other big D-cell Maglights to upgrade.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/390858017603

Bill

[Bad Water Bill]

Please let us know how well they work.

[wills]

Tasco now has a 3 pack of 250 lumen led flashlights for $20.

[10x]

Just ordered a pair of these, have two other big D-cell Maglights to upgrade.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/390858017603

Bill

do a search on Dorcy Led bulbs
http://www.amazon.ca/Dorcy-41-1644-Lumen-Volt-Replacement/dp/B003MP8MGO/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1405682967&sr=8-3&keywords=dorcy+led

[wills]

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/forum.php
Flashlight Enthusiasts
http://www.batteryjunction.com/?gclid=CLqE2an9zr8CFdBi7AodIksAmQ
Nice selection of flashlights.

[wills]

http://www.batteryjunction.com/lumensperdollarguide.html?utm_source=2014_1_9_lume nsperdollarguide&utm_medium=rotator_homepage&utm_campaign=2014_1_9_lumensperdollarguide

Most lumens per dollar.

[jcwit]

Ya right, I'm going to spend $89.00 to $279.00 bucks for a flashlight!

And folks get uptight about $80 to $90 bucks for a brick of .22's.

[Pinsnscrews]

If you have to start tapping your maglite to get the bulb to stay on, replace the spring in the buttcap. It doesn't have enough tension to hold the batteries in place.

I still have the very first 2AA Maglight I ever bought. Originally, the first upgrade was to the then new Xenon Bulb. I have replaced it once since then. It rode for a number of years inside a PVC tube zip tied to the frames of various motorcycles, but it always worked. I have a 4D cell that is going on close to 20 years old. Other than batteries, and maybe 1 or 2 bulbs, it has never let me down. I replace the spring in the buttcap at the same time I replace the bulbs. I do plan on upgrading to LED's here sometime. Either a Single or Triple for the small 2AA and what ever I can find in a multi for the 4D. I do have a small 2AAA that has never had a battery in it. The batteries are sitting in the box with it, and get replaced every time I replace the batteries in the computer keyboard. Batteries for the maglight go into the keyboard, new batteries go in with the flashlight.

[Bad Water Bill]

One day I was talking to a group of Mag Lite reps at a show and mentioned that my 2 AA cell lite had a reflector that was going bad.

I now have a "lifetime" supply of spare parts.[smilie=s:

Great folks to deal with.

[wills]

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?94088-new-tasco-1W-luxeon-flashlights

[a.squibload]

Just ordered a pair of these, have two other big D-cell Maglights to upgrade.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/390858017603

Bill

That's what I got for my 2 D cell maglight, brighter than the bulb
and takes less current.

Found this in a Jeep I bought...
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-YU1XjiwGLVg/U8ucNHGzo_I/AAAAAAAAA6Q/xjx5EDbBXQo/w621-h466-no/Mini-Maglite+AA.JPG
Red, blue, & purple.

[Just Duke]

Baking soda.

[Just Duke]

That's what I got for my 2 D cell maglight, brighter than the bulb
and takes less current.

Found this in a Jeep I bought...
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-YU1XjiwGLVg/U8ucNHGzo_I/AAAAAAAAA6Q/xjx5EDbBXQo/w621-h466-no/Mini-Maglite+AA.JPG
Red, blue, & purple.

Are those not rainbow colors? Did it come from San Francisco?

[MtGun44]

Bill,
I got an installed the new light bulb (LED) - it works great. Much better
than the original an now it is shockproof when on.

Bill

[a.squibload]

Are those not rainbow colors? Did it come from San Francisco?

Don't know, don't wanna know!

[Smoke4320]

Don't know, don't wanna know!

Question is... WHERE's it been ?

[cpileri]

after reading this timely thread, i tried some citric acid solution. bubbled for a few seconds and the corrosion fell right off. toothbrush with amsoil metal protectant on it took care of the rest. just need to let it dry and try it out.
C-

[HATCH]

I own five mag lites. Keep one in each car, one in the utility room and one in the shop.
The ones in building are hanging up with the little plastic holders. I replace the batteries every 6 months even if they were never turned on.