ARC AAA Substitute/Replacement

[LaserMod]

Hi all,

I have a quick question for you guys into the LED tech... I am looking for an LED flashlight...the ARC single AAA seemed perfect in terms of reliability, brightness, durability, lifetime etc.

I have searched and searched for this flashlight although I found instantly that the company is no longer wih us anymore - is there a rival or close reccomendations and if so how does it measure up to the original ARC - with 1 x AAA.

...or does anyone know the whereabout to get the original and best ARC AAA... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Thanks. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinser2.gif

 

[watt4]

ebay, or put a WTB (want-to-buy) here on cpf

 

[CroMAGnet]

andrewwynn is making this new limited light and it will replace my ARC AAA. Check out this thread, it's a great read, from the beginning. Brass AAA

 

[cy]

I've got ARC AAA and ARC AA available. please PM if interested

 

[LaserMod]

So basically the orignal ARC AAA has not been beaten yet...

BTW sent you a PM 'Cy.' /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[PhotonBoy]

I've read elsewhere on CPF that Peak LED is or will be selling an AAA in a 'prototype' body that closely approximates the Arc AAA, at least in form factor. I'm not sure how their electronics compare though.

Many of the later Arc AAAs suffer from a problem where the light won't start up immediately; you need to turn it off and back on again for it to light up.

In the meantime, the Dorcy 1LED 1AAA light is an inexpensive and very usable light. I have both the Dorcy and the Arc AAA and I generally use the Dorcy about 5 times as much as the Arc. Its tail cap switch is much more friendly and easy to use. Buy one, then wait a year until an Arc clone or a 'Super Arc' becomes available. 5 mm LED technology won't stop advancing IMO.

 

[Robban]

[ QUOTE ]
PhotonBoy said:


Many of the later Arc AAAs suffer from a problem where the light won't start up immediately; you need to turn it off and back on again for it to light up.


[/ QUOTE ]
So that is normal then? I just got myself an ArcAAA and I have this problem. I thought I'd gotten a lemon. How do I determine what version I have of the light?

Sorry to "hi-jack" your thread, hope you don't mind too much.

And to be more on topic. Here's a link to where peak were selling the "prototypes" before. Now they only have the brass flavour left:
http://www.peakledsolutions.com/disc.html

 

[paulr]

The closest current-production light to an Arc AAA right now is the Peak Led Matterhorn series, www.peakledsolutions.com

 

[PhotonBoy]

Arc AAA Intermittent operation link

Based on what I've read, I don't think there's an easy way to determine if a given Arc AAA has the problem other than to try it out. YMMV.

 

[LaserMod]

Cheers for the info /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinser2.gif Just ordered one of the Peak LED AAA.

 

[JohnJ80]

I have an Arc AAA and I also just recently ordered a peak 3 led AAA light. i actually like it better. While it is a tad longer, it is much brighter and has much better throw. I liked it so well, I ordered two more - one with red leds and one with snow white ones. This is a great light.

J

 

[LaserMod]

I am assuming the snow LED's are the same as the white but without the blue tint - yes? I just oredered the 3-LED version - thanks for the reccomendation. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[davidra]

I was lucky enough to get a few of the "prototype" tail lug models in HA with three snow leds. Never really thought I'd like it as much as the Arc, but I've ended up giving the Arc to my daughter. Not as much spill, but much better throw and more overall light output. Can't wait for the short bodied Luxeon they keep hinting at.....

 

[JohnJ80]

Yes, I believe the snow leds are the same as white but without a blue tint. they are very nice.

J

 

[jayflash]

The Arc AAA was the first light I purchased because of the CPF. It was also my first LED, smallest, regulated, HA-III, EDC.

Substituted yes - replaced? NEVER.

Happy New York.

 

[Robban]

Does anyone have a picture of an ArcAAA next to one of the peaks (Matterhorn Collection) to see the difference in size? I recently got an ArcAAA but I'm almost afraid to carry it.

 

[Flying Turtle]

I don't have any pics at the moment, but I did take some measurements. Also, in a fit of boredom, I took some lights to work the other day for a weighing. Here are some figures. All the weights are with batteries.

Arc AAA - 71 mm, 20.5 g
Peak (short body, 1 LED)- 71 mm, 35.3 g
Peak (short body, 3 LED)- 78 mm, 38.2 g
Peak (long body, 1 LED) - 81 mm, 41.3 g
Peak (long body, 3 LED) - 88 mm, 44.1 g

In case you haven't guessed, the Peaks are brass. I don't actually have four of them. Just switched the heads around.
Lately I've been carrying the Peak with the short (prototype) body and 3 LED head. It's definitely more noticeable in the pocket (front pants) due to its weight compared to the Arc, but it's not bad.

Geoff

 

[Robban]

[ QUOTE ]
Flying Turtle said:
I don't have any pics at the moment, but I did take some measurements. Also, in a fit of boredom, I took some lights to work the other day for a weighing. Here are some figures. All the weights are with batteries.

Arc AAA - 71 mm, 20.5 g
Peak (short body, 1 LED)- 71 mm, 35.3 g
Peak (short body, 3 LED)- 78 mm, 38.2 g
Peak (long body, 1 LED) - 81 mm, 41.3 g
Peak (long body, 3 LED) - 88 mm, 44.1 g

In case you haven't guessed, the Peaks are brass. I don't actually have four of them. Just switched the heads around.
Lately I've been carrying the Peak with the short (prototype) body and 3 LED head. It's definitely more noticeable in the pocket (front pants) due to its weight compared to the Arc, but it's not bad.

Geoff

[/ QUOTE ]
Thanks /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I was interested in the 3 LED version but at almost 2cm longer than the Arc I don't think I'll go for it. I hope they get going with the "prototype" again soon.

The weight wouldn't bother me I think. I carried the arc in my pocket while walking around the house a day or so ago. I couldn't feel it in my pocket, at all. That was kind of unsettling :P

 

[voodoogreg]

I thought peak was going to make a "production" ARC length AAA? no? I would like to know, as i held off on the discount
page ones because of that. I don't really want "brass" VDG

 

[vcal]

I was just sent a Peak 3-LED "snow" high power (AL) AAA light by mistake. It's about 4mm longer than my Arc LE, and puts out a much stronger, but narrower beam than my Arc.

The white color of the beam makes my Arc-LE look blue by comparison.
It's just as white as the Luxeon in the Streamlight Jr. Like "snow" /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif