Gransee
Flashlight Enthusiast
I am thinking of updating our blurb on the website about the Arc-AAA with the bit below. What do you think?
Why a $30 flashlight for your key chain?
A "convenient light"
The key chain sized flashlight is probably one of the most commonly used sizes of flashlight. It is also the most likely to get you out of a jam. Larger flashlights typically require a conscious decision to carry them with you. Whereas a flashlight on your key chain can be forgotten until you suddenly need light in a dark room, on the side of the road, etc.
Sure, there are situations when only a larger and brighter light will do. But usually in those situations, you have time to plan and can select which light to take with you as part of your equipment. Key chain sized lights are for unplanned situations. Situations usually, where just a little light goes a long way.
Of course, you don't have to wear the light on your key chain. You can use a lanyard, holster, clip or just wear it loose in your pocket, etc. Because the light is so small, some people pre-place multiple units in their luggage, car, first aid kit, fuse box, etc. That is fine, but the most important place is on your person and carried in such a way you don't have to remember to always bring it with you. Then it is more likely to be there when you need it most.
There are many key chain sized flashlights to choose from. Some use light bulbs but the newer models use L.E.D.s (see below). Other types of choices are what type of battery to use (lithium, alkaline, coin cells, etc), housing choices (metal, plastic) and other features like waterproof, switch type, etc.
For obvious reasons, if you only buy the best in one type of flashlight, it should be the one you use the most. Frequent use wears flashlights out. They are dropped, dunked, scratched, run over, etc. Also, the cost of owning the flashlight over a 1-year period is a consideration. How many bulbs do you replace? How much do the batteries cost?
Another consideration; how convenient is the flashlight?
- Does it use hard to find batteries that you must drive across town to find?
- Can the batteries be replaced in the dark?
- Do you need special tools to replace the battery? (believe it or not, there are quite a few lights that require tools to change the battery)
- Same questions for the bulb: are they hard to find, easy to change, require tools?
- It the switch hard to use in the dark or with gloves?
- Is the light too big to fit on your key chain?
- If you drop it in a puddle or accidentally take it in the pool, etc, is there any reason to worry?
- How long does the battery last?
The key chain should be the most reliable light you own. This is because it gets the most abuse and it is the light you most often use.
The L.E.D.
What is and L.E.D. and how can it make a flashlight more dependable? Light Emitting Diodes (L.E.D.) are a product of the semiconductor age. Like microchips, they are continuing to get smaller, more powerful and less expensive. Just like the transistor replaced the vacuum tube, the L.E.D. will eventually replace the incandescent in most applications. The technology is just starting to ramp up, so expect to pay a premium on the initial purchase price of the flashlight at this point.
That explains what an L.E.D. is, so what are the advantages? For one, L.E.Ds don't normally burn out or break. A typical manufacturer rating on an LED emitter is 80% output at 100,000 hours. That means if you use your flashlight for 2 hours a day, the LED will still be producing 80% of factory maximum after 137 years. This means no bulb replacements for a while…
Most manufacturers overdrive their LEDs (as does Arc) for brightness. This reduces the LED life in the above example down to about 70 years at 2 hours a day (50,000 hours continuous). The Arc-AAA does not drive as hard as most manufactures and we use a heat sink to keep the LED tempurature to a minimum. Our lights are warrantied for 10 years, including the LED.
Two other advantages to L.E.Ds compared to conventional light bulbs are their resistance to mechanical shock and their efficiency. A light bulb powered flashlight can have its bulb broken by simply dropping it from chest height on the pavement. A good LED flashlight can be hurled at the pavement and suffer only a scratch. With their greater efficiency, L.E.Ds will provide more light from a battery change. This can make the difference of having enough light to see or simply being in the dark.
Battery
What type of battery is best to use? It depends on the intended use! Lithiums provide more power density (more "juice" for a given size and weight), operate better in cold weather and have a longer shelf life. The downside to lithiums is that they are hard to find at your local store and they cost more per watt/hour delivered.
Alkaline offer a better bang for the buck and are easy to find. Furthermore, in a pinch you can scavenge an alkaline out of other equipment to get your flashlight working again. Two of the most common cell sizes are AA and AAA. Typically, those 2 types of cells are more likely to be already in use by equipment around you than any other type of battery.
As for cold weather performance, this is less of an issue for a key chain size flashlight. It is more likely to be in your pocket or other warm area and ready for use. Lithium would be good for a light that you stuff in your glove box and forget for several years until you need it.
Although rechargeables typically run the light at a slightly dimmer level compared to alkaline (the cell voltage is different), they offer the best value. Remember that the shelf life on rechargeables is less. They tend to self-discharge in a matter of months so they require recharging after a while even if they are not used.
The Arc-AAA is the only key chain sized LED flashlight in the world that uses a common AAA cell. All other LED key chain sized flashlights use harder to find and more expensive coin or cylindrical cells. We call those coin cell lights "disposable" because they look great in the package but not as convenient to own for prolonged periods of time.
The nature of a key chain sized flashlight dictates that you will be constantly using the light. This fact in itself is a force multiplier. As a result of constant use, you are more aware of the health of the flashlight. You are less likely to go to use the light and find that the batteries are dead, the inside is corroded, the switch is broken or someone borrowed it and did not put it back. True, you end up using the light more and changing the battery more often, but because it uses an easy to find AAA cell, battery changes are less of an event than they could be.
We have found that a common AAA alkaline will last several months in the Arc-AAA with typical use (about 5 minutes a day). If used continuously, a common AAA cell will last about 5 hours at more than 50% brightness.
Housing
With housings you basically have two choices, plastic or metal. Plastic is lightweight and inexpensive. It also can be molded in to more interesting shapes. Metal is more rugged and is more likely to last a long time. Plastic flashlights will shatter under the same loads that metal flashlights can easily shrug off. Plastic can also be corroded by brake fluid or other common corrosives.
Most metal flashlights save money by using either a painted surface or a "type II" anodize finish. Notice how shiny the once black metal gets after sitting in your pocket with the keys? That is the result of a cheap finish. The best anodize finish is what is called a "Type III" or "HA" finish. It is about 55 on the HRC hardness scale. You can see how a hard finish is especially important for a key chain flashlight because it lives next to other metal objects, which constantly scratch it.
A corrosion resistant coating called, "chemkote" or sometimes called, "clear alodine" can also be applied to the interior of the flashlight. This coat improves electrical conduction to the battery and reduces corrosion caused by humidity, water and most importantly: batteries.
Waterproofing is also important in a key chain light. Probably more so than the light you keep in the house or in the car. Key chain lights get dropped in puddles, commodes, streams, pools, etc. They also are used in rain, washed in the sink, etc.
Regulated versus Un-regulated
What is the advantage to a "regulated" flashlight? Power regulation maintains a more consistent brightness over the life of the battery. Notice how a regular flashlight gradually dims as the battery dies? This is irritating when you need all the light you can get. Most of the battery life in a typical flashlight is spent at noticeably less than maximum brightness.
The Arc-AAA is the first key chain sized flashlight to use a regulator. It is also one of the few flashlights in any size to use a regulator. It is not a perfect regulator, the light will dim somewhat as the battery discharges, but it is definitely an improvement. Side by side comparisons with the Arc-AAA and other popular key chain flashlights shows the Arc maintains a much more consistent and noticeable brightness over the lifetime of the battery.
For example, take a name brand, Lithium powered key chain flashlight. Run it and the Arc for 5 minutes (a typical task length). Notice that even after a minute the lithium light is noticeably dimmer than the Arc-AAA light. As time progresses, the lithium gets dimmer and dimmer while the Arc-AAA maintains almost its full brightness.
Testing by an independent lab showed the Arc-AAA to maintain 80% of its original brightness with a battery that had only 40% remaining capacity (0.9 volts)!
Converter
The Arc-AAA also contains a miniature "DC-DC converter". It is one of a very few number of flashlight designs in the world (of any size) that has a converter circuit. Basically, the converter boosts the battery voltage to help the regulator do its job. As the battery voltage drops, it eventually gets too low for the regulator to do anything with it. The converter allows the circuit to drain the cell almost completely dead.
Remember, conventional flashlights leave you no choice but to throw away "dead" cells that still have 30-40% capacity remaining because their light bulb simply cannot produce any more light from that battery voltage (you get what is called a "death spiral").
Regular L.E.D. flashlights can usually drain the battery as low as our converter can also. But since it is un-regulated, it dims faster than the battery voltage drops. Some slick manufactures have capitalized on this effect by claiming "100 hours", etc of run time for their LED flashlight. Yes, their flashlight will produce 100 hours of light, but the bulk of that run time is at a dim level. For example one "100hr" coin cell model is less than ¼ of the original brightness after only 1 hour. Will the average consumer use their batteries up to the 100th hour? Unlikely- you bought this fancy light for it's brightness so, in the trash the batteries go as soon as they get too dim! More batteries with remaining capacity in the landfills!
A conventional flashlight with a light bulb has even more problems with low voltage. For example, drain an AAA battery down to 0.9 volts in a popular aluminum key chain flashlight (name brand seen everywhere). The flashlight will now only have a faint red glow or none at all. Take the same battery out and place it in the Arc-AAA. You will get enough white light to see your way through a building, read a book, setup your tent, etc. This is a vivid example of the Arc-AAA's converter at work, which you can try on your own.
Summary
There are many manufactures of Key chain flashlights. It is a very popular (and increasing) segment of the flashlight market.
Flashlights come in all different sizes from key chain sized to lantern sized and prices from a few dollars to well over $2500 (HIDs typically). The key chain size light is the most likely to be used on a daily basis and the most likely to get you out of a jam. As a result, more attention should be paid to the selection of which key chain sized light you will carry.
The Arc-AAA:
· No bulb to burn out- uses a rugged LED
· Simple operation- Twist head to turn on or reverse to change battery
· Single AAA cell – no expensive lithium batteries required
· Knurled body for use with gloves
· Fits on key chain, lanyard or in pocket
· 9 LED Colors Available!
· Rated to 10 feet water resistance (independently tested to 50 feet for 10 minutes)
· Type III HA Aluminum in black or natural finish
· Battery management system prevents rattle, high impact related damage, reverse polarity and partial connection
· Chemkoted interior for extra corrosion resistance
· O-ring is oil/gas resistant (free lifetime replacements available)
· 5 hour run time on ordinary alkaline cell
· 10 Year warranty/30-day satisfaction guarantee
· 2.7 inches long by 0.5 inches in diameter
· Weighs 0.75 ounce w/battery
· 20 candela typical output power (white)
· Retail ready blister pack with Duracell AAA, Warranty and UPC included
· Made in USA!
· $28.95 list (all colors except UV, which is $44.95)
Arc Flashlight
2162 W. Osage Ave
Mesa, AZ. 85202
www.arcflashlight.com
[email protected]
(480) 752-8554
(480) 775-1457 (fax)
Why a $30 flashlight for your key chain?
A "convenient light"
The key chain sized flashlight is probably one of the most commonly used sizes of flashlight. It is also the most likely to get you out of a jam. Larger flashlights typically require a conscious decision to carry them with you. Whereas a flashlight on your key chain can be forgotten until you suddenly need light in a dark room, on the side of the road, etc.
Sure, there are situations when only a larger and brighter light will do. But usually in those situations, you have time to plan and can select which light to take with you as part of your equipment. Key chain sized lights are for unplanned situations. Situations usually, where just a little light goes a long way.
Of course, you don't have to wear the light on your key chain. You can use a lanyard, holster, clip or just wear it loose in your pocket, etc. Because the light is so small, some people pre-place multiple units in their luggage, car, first aid kit, fuse box, etc. That is fine, but the most important place is on your person and carried in such a way you don't have to remember to always bring it with you. Then it is more likely to be there when you need it most.
There are many key chain sized flashlights to choose from. Some use light bulbs but the newer models use L.E.D.s (see below). Other types of choices are what type of battery to use (lithium, alkaline, coin cells, etc), housing choices (metal, plastic) and other features like waterproof, switch type, etc.
For obvious reasons, if you only buy the best in one type of flashlight, it should be the one you use the most. Frequent use wears flashlights out. They are dropped, dunked, scratched, run over, etc. Also, the cost of owning the flashlight over a 1-year period is a consideration. How many bulbs do you replace? How much do the batteries cost?
Another consideration; how convenient is the flashlight?
- Does it use hard to find batteries that you must drive across town to find?
- Can the batteries be replaced in the dark?
- Do you need special tools to replace the battery? (believe it or not, there are quite a few lights that require tools to change the battery)
- Same questions for the bulb: are they hard to find, easy to change, require tools?
- It the switch hard to use in the dark or with gloves?
- Is the light too big to fit on your key chain?
- If you drop it in a puddle or accidentally take it in the pool, etc, is there any reason to worry?
- How long does the battery last?
The key chain should be the most reliable light you own. This is because it gets the most abuse and it is the light you most often use.
The L.E.D.
What is and L.E.D. and how can it make a flashlight more dependable? Light Emitting Diodes (L.E.D.) are a product of the semiconductor age. Like microchips, they are continuing to get smaller, more powerful and less expensive. Just like the transistor replaced the vacuum tube, the L.E.D. will eventually replace the incandescent in most applications. The technology is just starting to ramp up, so expect to pay a premium on the initial purchase price of the flashlight at this point.
That explains what an L.E.D. is, so what are the advantages? For one, L.E.Ds don't normally burn out or break. A typical manufacturer rating on an LED emitter is 80% output at 100,000 hours. That means if you use your flashlight for 2 hours a day, the LED will still be producing 80% of factory maximum after 137 years. This means no bulb replacements for a while…
Most manufacturers overdrive their LEDs (as does Arc) for brightness. This reduces the LED life in the above example down to about 70 years at 2 hours a day (50,000 hours continuous). The Arc-AAA does not drive as hard as most manufactures and we use a heat sink to keep the LED tempurature to a minimum. Our lights are warrantied for 10 years, including the LED.
Two other advantages to L.E.Ds compared to conventional light bulbs are their resistance to mechanical shock and their efficiency. A light bulb powered flashlight can have its bulb broken by simply dropping it from chest height on the pavement. A good LED flashlight can be hurled at the pavement and suffer only a scratch. With their greater efficiency, L.E.Ds will provide more light from a battery change. This can make the difference of having enough light to see or simply being in the dark.
Battery
What type of battery is best to use? It depends on the intended use! Lithiums provide more power density (more "juice" for a given size and weight), operate better in cold weather and have a longer shelf life. The downside to lithiums is that they are hard to find at your local store and they cost more per watt/hour delivered.
Alkaline offer a better bang for the buck and are easy to find. Furthermore, in a pinch you can scavenge an alkaline out of other equipment to get your flashlight working again. Two of the most common cell sizes are AA and AAA. Typically, those 2 types of cells are more likely to be already in use by equipment around you than any other type of battery.
As for cold weather performance, this is less of an issue for a key chain size flashlight. It is more likely to be in your pocket or other warm area and ready for use. Lithium would be good for a light that you stuff in your glove box and forget for several years until you need it.
Although rechargeables typically run the light at a slightly dimmer level compared to alkaline (the cell voltage is different), they offer the best value. Remember that the shelf life on rechargeables is less. They tend to self-discharge in a matter of months so they require recharging after a while even if they are not used.
The Arc-AAA is the only key chain sized LED flashlight in the world that uses a common AAA cell. All other LED key chain sized flashlights use harder to find and more expensive coin or cylindrical cells. We call those coin cell lights "disposable" because they look great in the package but not as convenient to own for prolonged periods of time.
The nature of a key chain sized flashlight dictates that you will be constantly using the light. This fact in itself is a force multiplier. As a result of constant use, you are more aware of the health of the flashlight. You are less likely to go to use the light and find that the batteries are dead, the inside is corroded, the switch is broken or someone borrowed it and did not put it back. True, you end up using the light more and changing the battery more often, but because it uses an easy to find AAA cell, battery changes are less of an event than they could be.
We have found that a common AAA alkaline will last several months in the Arc-AAA with typical use (about 5 minutes a day). If used continuously, a common AAA cell will last about 5 hours at more than 50% brightness.
Housing
With housings you basically have two choices, plastic or metal. Plastic is lightweight and inexpensive. It also can be molded in to more interesting shapes. Metal is more rugged and is more likely to last a long time. Plastic flashlights will shatter under the same loads that metal flashlights can easily shrug off. Plastic can also be corroded by brake fluid or other common corrosives.
Most metal flashlights save money by using either a painted surface or a "type II" anodize finish. Notice how shiny the once black metal gets after sitting in your pocket with the keys? That is the result of a cheap finish. The best anodize finish is what is called a "Type III" or "HA" finish. It is about 55 on the HRC hardness scale. You can see how a hard finish is especially important for a key chain flashlight because it lives next to other metal objects, which constantly scratch it.
A corrosion resistant coating called, "chemkote" or sometimes called, "clear alodine" can also be applied to the interior of the flashlight. This coat improves electrical conduction to the battery and reduces corrosion caused by humidity, water and most importantly: batteries.
Waterproofing is also important in a key chain light. Probably more so than the light you keep in the house or in the car. Key chain lights get dropped in puddles, commodes, streams, pools, etc. They also are used in rain, washed in the sink, etc.
Regulated versus Un-regulated
What is the advantage to a "regulated" flashlight? Power regulation maintains a more consistent brightness over the life of the battery. Notice how a regular flashlight gradually dims as the battery dies? This is irritating when you need all the light you can get. Most of the battery life in a typical flashlight is spent at noticeably less than maximum brightness.
The Arc-AAA is the first key chain sized flashlight to use a regulator. It is also one of the few flashlights in any size to use a regulator. It is not a perfect regulator, the light will dim somewhat as the battery discharges, but it is definitely an improvement. Side by side comparisons with the Arc-AAA and other popular key chain flashlights shows the Arc maintains a much more consistent and noticeable brightness over the lifetime of the battery.
For example, take a name brand, Lithium powered key chain flashlight. Run it and the Arc for 5 minutes (a typical task length). Notice that even after a minute the lithium light is noticeably dimmer than the Arc-AAA light. As time progresses, the lithium gets dimmer and dimmer while the Arc-AAA maintains almost its full brightness.
Testing by an independent lab showed the Arc-AAA to maintain 80% of its original brightness with a battery that had only 40% remaining capacity (0.9 volts)!
Converter
The Arc-AAA also contains a miniature "DC-DC converter". It is one of a very few number of flashlight designs in the world (of any size) that has a converter circuit. Basically, the converter boosts the battery voltage to help the regulator do its job. As the battery voltage drops, it eventually gets too low for the regulator to do anything with it. The converter allows the circuit to drain the cell almost completely dead.
Remember, conventional flashlights leave you no choice but to throw away "dead" cells that still have 30-40% capacity remaining because their light bulb simply cannot produce any more light from that battery voltage (you get what is called a "death spiral").
Regular L.E.D. flashlights can usually drain the battery as low as our converter can also. But since it is un-regulated, it dims faster than the battery voltage drops. Some slick manufactures have capitalized on this effect by claiming "100 hours", etc of run time for their LED flashlight. Yes, their flashlight will produce 100 hours of light, but the bulk of that run time is at a dim level. For example one "100hr" coin cell model is less than ¼ of the original brightness after only 1 hour. Will the average consumer use their batteries up to the 100th hour? Unlikely- you bought this fancy light for it's brightness so, in the trash the batteries go as soon as they get too dim! More batteries with remaining capacity in the landfills!
A conventional flashlight with a light bulb has even more problems with low voltage. For example, drain an AAA battery down to 0.9 volts in a popular aluminum key chain flashlight (name brand seen everywhere). The flashlight will now only have a faint red glow or none at all. Take the same battery out and place it in the Arc-AAA. You will get enough white light to see your way through a building, read a book, setup your tent, etc. This is a vivid example of the Arc-AAA's converter at work, which you can try on your own.
Summary
There are many manufactures of Key chain flashlights. It is a very popular (and increasing) segment of the flashlight market.
Flashlights come in all different sizes from key chain sized to lantern sized and prices from a few dollars to well over $2500 (HIDs typically). The key chain size light is the most likely to be used on a daily basis and the most likely to get you out of a jam. As a result, more attention should be paid to the selection of which key chain sized light you will carry.
The Arc-AAA:
· No bulb to burn out- uses a rugged LED
· Simple operation- Twist head to turn on or reverse to change battery
· Single AAA cell – no expensive lithium batteries required
· Knurled body for use with gloves
· Fits on key chain, lanyard or in pocket
· 9 LED Colors Available!
· Rated to 10 feet water resistance (independently tested to 50 feet for 10 minutes)
· Type III HA Aluminum in black or natural finish
· Battery management system prevents rattle, high impact related damage, reverse polarity and partial connection
· Chemkoted interior for extra corrosion resistance
· O-ring is oil/gas resistant (free lifetime replacements available)
· 5 hour run time on ordinary alkaline cell
· 10 Year warranty/30-day satisfaction guarantee
· 2.7 inches long by 0.5 inches in diameter
· Weighs 0.75 ounce w/battery
· 20 candela typical output power (white)
· Retail ready blister pack with Duracell AAA, Warranty and UPC included
· Made in USA!
· $28.95 list (all colors except UV, which is $44.95)
Arc Flashlight
2162 W. Osage Ave
Mesa, AZ. 85202
www.arcflashlight.com
[email protected]
(480) 752-8554
(480) 775-1457 (fax)