I recently found my old 2AA anglehead flashlight from my cub scout days. anglehead as you can see its really beat up. The belt clip is broken, the front portion for housing the colour filters is missing, I think I broke that one too. Hehe... <img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />
Just wondering if anyone knows links to a website that gives instructions with pics on replacing the incandescent bulb with LEDs before I toss this into the bin.

Kenneth

Have you tried the Candle Power Forums?

I second the CPF suggestion. You can DiY any number of ways with or without boosting the voltage up for green-blue-white LEDs. A single red-orange-yellow LED with a resistor in series is all it takes for a simple conversion. Or you may purchase a drop-in conversion - some use a bulb form factor (same base and general form as the bulb); others are a bit different. The ready-made conversions are not cheap. I've converted two [email]M@glight[/email] D-Cells to Luxeon Stars, which are drop-ins - awesome. And two [email]MiniM@g[/email] 2-AA cells to LED - one Luxeon Star and one 3-LED (4 counting the red voltage indicator LED, also pretty much drop-ins. And one Solitare to LED DiY. I would not bother with purchasing an incadescent flashlight for the purpose of converting it to LED - just buy an LED torch to begin with. But to take an oldie like yours and convert it is a GREAT idea IMHO. You will not have any trouble getting specific info over at CPF.

Have fun!

Tom

Pardon my ignorance, but what is the resistance required if I were to replace the incan bulb with a 3mm white LED? I'm not really good with electronics and calculating all that V=IR stuff <img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

Ummm - wrong color. 2 dry cells = 3.0 volts when fresh; less if they are NiCad or NiMH rechargeables. You need to boost that voltage for green & blue LEDs (white is really blue with a phosphor coating) A typical 3mm White LED operates best at about 3.6 - 4 volt with current between 20 and 30 ma. You could run it up to about 100 ma, but LED life will get very short. For a simple LED + resistor conversion,
let's look at an ultra bright yellow 3mm LED for an example:

Operating voltage from data sheet is 2.3v +/- .3v, with max continuous current 50ma and intermittent max current 150ma. Rather than explain the math here, just use any LED circuit calculator such as this one or this one. What you'll get in this case is to use about a 15 ohm resister in series with the LED. (Assuming you want to run near max rated continuous current 50ma at 2.3 volts - it calcs to 14 ohm, but 15ohm is a standard available value in a 10% tolerance resistor). You could get away with a standard 1/8 watt resistor or choose a 1/4 watt if you prefer. That will give you a very bright yellow LED conversion.

But check out several of the ready-made conversions as well. If you get one that is bulb-like, you can freely change back and forth between LED and incandescent. Here is just one supplier's offerings (I have no affiliation with this company or any other in the business). Personally, I can vouch for the EverLED conversions, the Opalec NewBeam conversions (minimag only), and the TerraLux MiniStar2 (also minimag). But there are others, plus it is fairly common to buy an inexpensive white LED torch like a Dorcy and rip the LED/electronics package out to drop into a flashlight like your old buddy, mr. anglehead. IIRC (check with the folks at CPF), the Dorcy 1-AA can be driven by 2-AA also, and around here the Dorcy AA costs less than $6US (OTOH, it's smaller and only takes one AA cell... buy two, convert mr. anglehead with one, and have a small bright pocket torch with the other Dorcy).

If it was me... I like red lamps, so I would do a cheap and simple ultra-bright red LED conversion. 5mms usually have much more output than 3mm, all else remaining equal, but either would do. Or a yellow or an orange... you MIGHT be able to direct-drive a green with fresh batteries, but that's going to be disappointing in terms of output because they like more than 3 volts.

DiY math explanation: http://www.theledlight.com/LED101.html

HTH,

Tom

Hmmm... So I guess 5mm red LED would be a better option. Saves me the trouble of having to machine a replacement piece for the colour filter housing. I use the red filter most of the time anyway.
Red is so common and I think I have some lying around somewhere.
Found this website.http://edusite10.tripod.com/led3/bulb/index.html
Thanks for your help and the links.
I think I better read up on this stuff to get some background knowledge before using white LEDs...

Yeah, that's a really inexpensive, simple, and reversable way to dig into a conversion. With a little more effort - and removing the reflector - you could stuff 5 - 7 LEDs in that flashlight. Most of the hobby store LEDs have pretty low light output - they are more suited for indicator lamps than light sources. High-intensity LEDs are easy to obtain via mail/internet order and there is a huge increase in light output. Just food for thought...

The EverLED "bulbs" are real scorchers - I have one in white and one in red, sitting in 2 and 3 D-cell maglites. Pricey, but awesome performance - just puts a grin on my face every time I switch one on. Beats the snot out of the original incandescent - long run time, no dimming, bright, and tight beam.

The two minimag conversions serve different purpose for me (I would not purchase a minimag simply to convert it, but if you already have one...).

The TerraLux roughly equals the incandescent for throw and has more total light output with very useful and difuse side spill - a much more practical torch than the original incandescent in the real world - plus the run time is longer than incandescent. Fits any 2 pin 2AA minimag.

The Opalec Newbeam has extremely useful flood but does not reach way out there - again, it is real-world more useful for 98% of the uses one would put a minimag to than the incandescent. The run times are fantastic - there is simply no energy left in a battery after it is done - this is a really long-run conversion. Needs to be a "new-style" minimag - although I actually converted an old style switch, it's more trouble than it's worth if you have a new style switch available. All well documented in the on-line documentation. Drop lithium cells in and you have a great performing, rugged, extremely long running practical torch that weighs little more than an empty flashlight.

But again, yak with the modders over at CPF - those folks are an awesome resource.

Tom