Arc AAA abuse
- Thread starter sylvestor
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LEDagent
Flashlight Enthusiast
well...my Arc AAA went through a heavy wash cycle and it still worked perfectly afterwards.
While cleaning the innards of the unit with rubbing alcahol, i accidentaly got some on the foam retainer, not knowing that alcahol damages foam (and your kidneys...well the stuff you drink anyway). To this day i have not sent in for a replacement yet so i'm running my Arc AAA without a foam retainer. And it still works...
I've dropped mine on tile and concrete without any problems.
Sometimes I attatch it to a lanyard and swing it about because it looks cool when it's in motion. Sometimes, though, it slips from my finger as i twirl it around, and most of the time it hits a wall...HARD. But it still works.
It did die recently however after i left it overnight in my car's change compartment. But it turns out my problem is shared amongst a few other Arc AAA owners, and a SIMPLE fix was all i needed to get it up and running again. I don't think it died because of the heat inside my car. I heard a story once of someone losing their Arc AAA in their truck for a month or so. He said that the temperature changes were extreme, especially in the car. He said he found it and it turned on without a hitch. He also opened light to see if their was any leakage from the battery, and it turns out there was none.
The Arc AAA is a tough little thing and it is probably the best 20 bucks i've spent. Peter Gransee has truly made a great product AND company!
While cleaning the innards of the unit with rubbing alcahol, i accidentaly got some on the foam retainer, not knowing that alcahol damages foam (and your kidneys...well the stuff you drink anyway). To this day i have not sent in for a replacement yet so i'm running my Arc AAA without a foam retainer. And it still works...
I've dropped mine on tile and concrete without any problems.
Sometimes I attatch it to a lanyard and swing it about because it looks cool when it's in motion. Sometimes, though, it slips from my finger as i twirl it around, and most of the time it hits a wall...HARD. But it still works.
It did die recently however after i left it overnight in my car's change compartment. But it turns out my problem is shared amongst a few other Arc AAA owners, and a SIMPLE fix was all i needed to get it up and running again. I don't think it died because of the heat inside my car. I heard a story once of someone losing their Arc AAA in their truck for a month or so. He said that the temperature changes were extreme, especially in the car. He said he found it and it turned on without a hitch. He also opened light to see if their was any leakage from the battery, and it turns out there was none.
The Arc AAA is a tough little thing and it is probably the best 20 bucks i've spent. Peter Gransee has truly made a great product AND company!
Darell
Flashaholic
I did an official Arc AAA torture test last December. Very scientific, as you would exepect from Mr. Science. But alas, it appears to have been lost in the server move.
Mine have been worn by dogs, flushed in toilets, washed *mulitple* times in the laundry machine, thrown on the floor, eaten by a two-year-old. There aren't many places that my Arcs haven't seen. You know the saying "where the sun don't shine?" Well, the Arcs do.
** Edit: Found it!
Mine have been worn by dogs, flushed in toilets, washed *mulitple* times in the laundry machine, thrown on the floor, eaten by a two-year-old. There aren't many places that my Arcs haven't seen. You know the saying "where the sun don't shine?" Well, the Arcs do.
** Edit: Found it!
LEDagent
Flashlight Enthusiast
Oh no...you want to repeat the experiment?
Just kidding.
If there was a law against flashlight abuse, i think you, me, Craig, and many other CPFers would be locked up for a very long time. The flashlight gods only know how many Maglight AAs i've buried.
Just kidding.
If there was a law against flashlight abuse, i think you, me, Craig, and many other CPFers would be locked up for a very long time. The flashlight gods only know how many Maglight AAs i've buried.
Darell
Flashaholic
Whoo hoo! Found it! I'd forgotten that it was posted long before there was an Arc forum:
Arc Torture
Arc Torture
LEDagent
Flashlight Enthusiast
"So when my daughter saw me using it so much, she had to have it - so I gave it to her. She shoved it up her nose, buried it in the house plants, dragged it along the floor and concrete outside, dropped it in the dog's water bowl, and just carried it with her everywhere she toddled."
She dragged it along the concrete?! Ouch! How's the finish...is it still in good condition? I've nicked it on a sidewalk curb before without any scratches...but i've never dragged it on concrete.
BTW, another thing i've done with my Arc...my Arc LS, was attatch it to the hood of my friends RC car. The cyan Arc lS was so bright that it illuminated the ground and objects in front of it like a miniature fog light...it was cool. He accidentally hit the bezel on the concrete curb when he lost control of the RC. I got angry with him but was releved to see that it was still shining bright AND with no scratches to the HA finish. NICE! Then we continued to play with it some more until HIS battery ran out.
She dragged it along the concrete?! Ouch! How's the finish...is it still in good condition? I've nicked it on a sidewalk curb before without any scratches...but i've never dragged it on concrete.
BTW, another thing i've done with my Arc...my Arc LS, was attatch it to the hood of my friends RC car. The cyan Arc lS was so bright that it illuminated the ground and objects in front of it like a miniature fog light...it was cool. He accidentally hit the bezel on the concrete curb when he lost control of the RC. I got angry with him but was releved to see that it was still shining bright AND with no scratches to the HA finish. NICE! Then we continued to play with it some more until HIS battery ran out.
Darell
Flashaholic
Since this was a fully scientific experiment, all questions were answered in the official "study." I understand though, that some of my technical jargon may easily go over the heads of some laypeople. From the end of the initial post:
"And looking at the cases (after a thorough exterior cleaning with a toothbrush) you can't tell which light was the tortured one (save for one major dent in the lip of the reflector)"
I'm serious here. I still have that light around here, and I can't tell which one it is... I do know which head it was though, due to the ding in the head.
"And looking at the cases (after a thorough exterior cleaning with a toothbrush) you can't tell which light was the tortured one (save for one major dent in the lip of the reflector)"
I'm serious here. I still have that light around here, and I can't tell which one it is... I do know which head it was though, due to the ding in the head.
Darell
Flashaholic
Should be dark there soon, right? Oooh! You're gonna love it, Ryan. Please wait until dark, then turn your Solitiare on. Wait a second, then turn the Arc on. Share with us the first thought that comes to you.
I mean unless it includes any adult language.
I mean unless it includes any adult language.
jmm
Newly Enlightened
I don't know if this calssifies as abuse or insanity but...
I took an ARC AAA UV completely apart (the "old style" with the glass lensed Nichia 375 nm LED). After I got the LED/electronics module out of the crimped head, it was still working, but I had to go further. After I chipped all the potting compound out of the module with an Xacto knife
it didn't work any more, so then I disected the LED.
CPF was down at the time so my voyeuristic thirst for "knowledge" was not being satisfied by reading about what other people were doing, and I was bored. I figured I had two choices:
<UL TYPE=SQUARE><LI>Attempt to modify something and run the risk of disappointment or failure, or...
<LI>Attempt to destroy something, with absolute certainty of success.
[/list]
In pursuing the low risk alternative, I gained even more respect for Peters ability to "fit 10 pounds worth of stuff into a 5 pound bag".
John
I took an ARC AAA UV completely apart (the "old style" with the glass lensed Nichia 375 nm LED). After I got the LED/electronics module out of the crimped head, it was still working, but I had to go further. After I chipped all the potting compound out of the module with an Xacto knife
CPF was down at the time so my voyeuristic thirst for "knowledge" was not being satisfied by reading about what other people were doing, and I was bored. I figured I had two choices:
<UL TYPE=SQUARE><LI>Attempt to modify something and run the risk of disappointment or failure, or...
<LI>Attempt to destroy something, with absolute certainty of success.
[/list]
In pursuing the low risk alternative, I gained even more respect for Peters ability to "fit 10 pounds worth of stuff into a 5 pound bag".
John
Graham
Flashlight Enthusiast
I can definitely identify with option B..
Curiosity can be a wonderful thing..
Graham
Curiosity can be a wonderful thing..
Graham
Darell
Flashaholic
Heck ya! You don't learn anything by sitting around and saying "neat, look at that." No, no. You only get somewhere in this life by going for what's behind Door #2.
I think your story qualifies, John. Well done!
I think your story qualifies, John. Well done!
I like destroying stuff too...my recent quests include a hard drive and a CD-rom. Surprisingly the CD rom yielded some interesting results, but anyway yeah...
I'd tell you my first thought of my Arc after dark but they'd be the same ones as when I got it...first thought was something on the line of "Why would anyone cary that hunk of flint and steel on their keychain when you can have this...and then the film-maker side of me kicked in and I thought this (Which I posted somewhere else but I will duplicate it here)
This is your brain
This is your brain on drugs
Any questions?
So yeah...I love it. I think I'll probably do my own abuse test, give it to my friend Mike for a week and see if it still works
I'd tell you my first thought of my Arc after dark but they'd be the same ones as when I got it...first thought was something on the line of "Why would anyone cary that hunk of flint and steel on their keychain when you can have this...and then the film-maker side of me kicked in and I thought this (Which I posted somewhere else but I will duplicate it here)
This is your brain
This is your brain on drugs
Any questions?
So yeah...I love it. I think I'll probably do my own abuse test, give it to my friend Mike for a week and see if it still works
Darell
Flashaholic
Wow! Don even set up you with a SS Miniclip. You're one lucky guy, Ryan! That is NOT a stock part.
I know it! I have told him thanks about a 100 times but I still feel like I need to do something more...Tell ya what Don, I'll assemble a computer for ya any time ok! Need a computer 10 years down the road?? Track me down
actually, the same ofer is more or less extended to anyone on here, just incase you were wondering...
On with the story, there was a little storm brewing when I got to the party, and I was hoping the power would go out...but it never did. But the Arc did come in handy, had to borrow it's fresh brand new almost fully charged AAA for a remote control for a few minutes, since the Arc is so easy on batteries it was't even a problem even though I've been playing with the light all day. Also, just for kicks, took the dead (and I mean DEAD) battery from the remote and stuck it in my Arc...wow! Yup yup yup, I'm a believer!
On with the story, there was a little storm brewing when I got to the party, and I was hoping the power would go out...but it never did. But the Arc did come in handy, had to borrow it's fresh brand new almost fully charged AAA for a remote control for a few minutes, since the Arc is so easy on batteries it was't even a problem even though I've been playing with the light all day. Also, just for kicks, took the dead (and I mean DEAD) battery from the remote and stuck it in my Arc...wow! Yup yup yup, I'm a believer!
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