ARC-LS LED Waterproof?

[icest0rm]

I took my new Arc LS LED camping over the weekend and ended up dropping it in a shallow creek. Now there is water inside the lens and on the reflector as well. Upon close inspection the lens assembly appears loose inside the aluminum housing and "rattles" when shaken. Are these expensive toys supposed to be water proof? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[ChrisA]

the recently produced arc-ls (marked 'lsl' or 'lsh') should be waterproof... you may have purchased an 'old' ls1 (marked 'ls led') which is only water resistant.

anyway - hopefully peter will chime in.

chris

 

[Gransee]

First, icestr0rm, this sounds like a defective unit because the lens is loose. The loose lens of course inteferred with the water sealing of the unit so it leaked. My apologies. Now, it is unusual for a new unit to have a loose lens (infact, I don't think I have seen one). But if this was an older design (say >6 months), the possibility of a loose lens is increased. If you remember from the QC list I published here, one of the things we check for is the presence of a loose lens.

At any rate, you have my apologies and this is covered under our 10-year warranty. Please send the unit back. We most likely will replace the entire head.

Peter

 

[icest0rm]

Thanx for the response!

I purchased the unit from The LED Light on 3/31/03
It is marked "First Run #1036"

Do I return it to The LED Light or somewhere else?

icest0rm

 

[Gransee]

It is a "First Run" unit?!! That is definately a >6 month old unit.

All warranty returns are made to us directly, regardless of where you have purchased it:

Arc Flashlight
1835 E. 6th Street
Suite 21
Tempe, AZ. 85281

Peter Gransee

 

[icest0rm]

Peter:

Should I send whole unit or just the lamp assembly?

icest0rm

 

[Gransee]

It is best to send the entire light as used. Please send the head and power pack.

Peter

 

[PieThatCorner]

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif The Gransee backed warranty at work... outstanding.

-Jim

 

[chamenos]

i think a "first run" unit would be a collectible /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Gransee]

If it is as old as I think it is, it may be before we even started claiming water resistance. Ask your dealer or us if you are not sure what you are getting.

Peter

 

[LED_ASAP]

It could have been the GREY KIT product---remember someone bought 2000 of those? That's 4000 lights on the market /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[icest0rm]

Peter:

Here is tracking info for my leaky light:

http://www.airborne.com
17645343450

 

[Gransee]

icest0rm, I will cc Merri on your post. FYI, she's the one to contact on returns. She is much better organized than I. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif She'll ask me for help if your email is too complicated.

"Led mods", not that many g-kits were sold. They actually are a fairly rare item.

Btw, the current LS series (LSL, LSH) will leak if the tail switch is loose. But if it is snug, it should have no problem with 50 feet or more of water. In the 30 lights (randomly sampled from production over a 2 month period) we pressure tested, the ones that leaked had loose tail switches.

Peter

 

[JackBlades]

Should the threads of the tail switch be lubed at all? I snug mine down to slightly compress the flange of the rubber, but I've wondered if I should lube the white plastic threaded portion..........

 

[Gransee]

I don't recommend lube on the tail switch.

The nylon doesn't really need lube from a friction standpoint. Lube also won't make it that much more waterproof since you have the body spring interupting the threads. Using lube may even interfere with the electrical contact of the body spring to thread surface.

Peter

 

[JackBlades]

Thanks! I will keep it free of lube then.