Arc & E0 question/observation

[Alero]

I noticed an interesting difference between the arc and the E0 this week while fidgeting with both. When using a nearly dead battery, the E0 just lights up normally but with low output. But the Arc does a strange thing. It sometimes lights right up, but sometimes can take up to 10 seconds before it will suddenly come on. I can twist the head to the on position, lay it on the table, and wait a few seconds, and it will just turn on. Is there something in the circuitry that makes it need to build up a charge from a dead battery?

I almost think there's some sort of small capacitor in there because of this and also because of the way the Arc turns off. The E0 just turns off, but the Arc fades out for somewhere between a half second and maybe a full second. So it's storing energy somewhere in there.
My Arc is the FrankenCamo version by the way, so it's got the old 3.3 head if that matters. But I'd imagine the circuits are the same in newer ones.

Anybody else notice this?

Oh, also, I don't have any AAA that is so dead that it won't light one of the lights. Anybody know which one will still light on the most depleted battery? I'd bet on the E0, but I really don't know.

 

[techwg]

the arc's circuit is not as advanced as fenix's, so fenix will always work for you.

 

[warlord]

If I'm not mistaken they use inductors and regulators to raise the voltage. This is a simplified way to explain the arc aaa behavior:

http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/inductor1.htm

 

[Alero]

Must be an inductor! I should have known this! I build loudspeakers as one of my other hobbies and I use inductors all the time for the low-pass feature in crossover designs.

Interesting stuff. I wonder if the Arc has a more simple design which makes it more reliable?

 

[nerdgineer]

Must be an inductor!...I wonder if the Arc has a more simple design which makes it more reliable?

The difference in circuit design complexity between the Arc and E0 is very unlikely to create any meaningful difference in reliability of the electronics in the 2 lights. Other factors would overwhelm any complexity "differencies" between the 2 circuits: e.g. is there a PCB? (old Arc AAAs didn't have one), what kind of PCB, how bonded, how prepared, how/if sealed, quality of components, manufacturing process (by hand, by automation), test processes (infant mortality tests, shake and bake, or what?), and on and on. This does not take into account mechanical design (E0 twisty design does not require electricity to be conducted through the threads, making it more reliable than the Arc design which does), mechanical mounting (crimp? threaded retainer ring? what?), potting, other kinds of testing, and so on.

So, in my opinion, no, it does not...