An Arc LS has been my EDC light for a long time now. (It's basically an LSH from just before the naming scheme was changed.) It's a great light, small, tough, and totally reliable, but...there's always room for improvement. Right? [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]
Milkyspit did such a wonderful job of upgrading my Pila GL3 that I asked him to work on my Arc LS too. It came back a few days ago and my old friend may look the same, but it certainly doesn't work the same! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]
Milky upgraded my LS to a Luxeon III bin TVOJ, with reflector, driven at a regulated 665 mA. The beam pattern provides good throw with an intense hotspot. There is no shape distortion. The transition from hotspot to outer flood is smooth, without rings. There are no artifacts that I can see.
I don't have any equipment to test the brightness formally, but I did put it next to a few other lights. It is much brighter than my wife's unmodified Arc LS. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/nana.gif[/img] It seems closer to the output from my Surefire G2/P60!
Can anyone tell me roughly how many lumens a T-bin Lux III at 665 mA could theoretically produce? I am curious...
Milky also managed to rig an excellent two-stage twist-operated switch to work with my Kroll. Backing the battery holder out a quarter-turn drops the output to around AAA levels, which is perfect for me. Despite several days of constant fidgeting the "switch" point has not changed and the low/high function has been bulletproof.
I haven't taken everything apart to examine in detail, but what I've seen of the workmanship is all top grade. The visible results certainly support that.
I'm thrilled with my "new" light! It is everything I'd hoped it would be, plus a few. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]
Guys, thank you for all the kind words. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img] Bob's light was really nice, and I actually played with it (oops! TESTED it) [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] for a couple nights before sending it back. Just by dumb luck, I did happen to snap a couple photos before returning his light...
Modded light, standing.
Closeup of the Kroll stand.
To tell you the truth, I've got some more of those rubber rings and was thinking of making some available on B/S/T. They work great to help any light with a Kroll switch at the bottom stand on its end. I've also stretched 'em over the rear section of MiniMag battery tubes to act as grip rings. Wonder if there would be any interest in these?
[img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thinking.gif[/img]
Anyway, thanks for the repeat business, Bob, and for your continued faith in me. It was a pleasure! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]
I realized that I didn't talk about one of the neatest features...
Milky installed a cylinder of fairly stiff rubber around the rubber-covered portion of the clickie. On the outer end it has cutouts, kind of like the ones on the base of a VIP. The remaining tripod allows the LS to stand up on end without getting in the way of the clickie or the lanyard loop.
The standup ring is functional, looks cool, and doesn't add anything to the overall dimensions. Great idea!
Now that it's been a few weeks I wanted to post a follow up...
...but I can't really add anything except more lavish praise. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]
Milky hit it out of the park with this one! The light has performed flawlessly with daily carry and frequent use. On high it's bright enough that I never feel the need for my G2 (which has now become one of my car lights). On low it seems pretty close to my Arc AAA. (I always want a high-powered light handy, but lower levels are usually what I actually need.) I've even used the tail stand several times to provide area lighting in an unwired storage area. And all of this in the tiny Arc LS form factor.
For me this is the perfect EDC light. Thanks again, Milky!
Nice nice [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] Might have to have him mod my LSH-P, its just green and kinda crappy. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]
Milky\'s mod of my LS
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