ARC4 fixed but curious

[McShawn]

Hey guys, I was curious if any of you have had a similar experience. I sent off one of my ARC4 rev2 for switch repairs, along with a AAA. I got the ARC4 back but it had a tag and written on it was my name, ARC4 and 2nd. Any idea what the 2nd means. The light was purchased from ARC as new for full price. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/whoopin.gif

 

[McShawn]

The 2nd could possibly mean rev2 but I wanted some other's input.
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/broke.gif

 

[LifeNRA]

Have you asked Peter? I did not mean that to sound smart but that is the first thing I would have done. I would email him or phone him during business hours.

 

[McShawn]

I phoned but was told only Meri could answer my question, since she handled my repair, but she was gone. I am sure it is nothing but it makes one wonder.

 

[LifeNRA]

I am the same way sometimes. I get a question in my mind and I cannot rest until I get the answer. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[PeLu]

The expressions 'second' and Rev2 should be held apart as much as possible. Even when Peter would have called it Rev B it could be misleading.

 

[indenial]

I have a new problem with my ARC4R2. Whenever I click it on the light blinks quickly one time. Why would it do this?

Edit: I have replaced the battery and that has solved the problem for now.

 

[kakster]

It sounds like the battery was starting to go flat. The ARC4 steps down to the next lowest level when it detects the battery doesnt have enough power to sustain the current brightness level. It also does the same if it gets too hot.

 

[indenial]

Unfortunately, new problems have arisen.

1) after the flashlight is turned-on to the highest setting for two minutes it begins to flicker at a regular pulse and becomes impossible to turn-off with the tailswitch. I have to turn the tailcap to shut it off. I've tried resetting it and that did not work.

2) I am unable to enter the options menu. I have pressed for over 10 times on at least five occasions and it won't engage.

I think I'm ready to request a refund.

Edit: Great: An intermittent problem. This morning the flickering takes longer to start and I was able this time to click the light off. For the record, this light has been sitting in a drawer for most of the last month, except for the four days it was sent out for repairs. Uggh.

Re-edit. The problem has returned. I'm off to the post office.

 

[NewBie]

I wonder if this flicker issue is related at all to the minor flicker issue on the Rev. 2.

Sorry to hear about the quirks.

Since it is Sunday, and in most places, the post office isn't open, have you tried cleaning the contacts and everything really well?

 

[indenial]

Mine is a Rev2, and I haven't the foggiest. I replaced the battery, but didn't clean anything. I would have thought it would have been cleaned, etc., when I sent it in the first time. I've decided to exercise my rights as a consumer and request a refund. Too many problems for such an expensive product IMO. BTW, there is a USPS station open 7 days a week where I live. Thanks.

 

[McShawn]

My ARC4 that I just got back, still has one problem, well two actually, the light still flickers on high power, something that I included on my return memo, it is a strange flicker, it goes bright, dim, bright, dim about 8 times but if I select a lower power level it does not do this. I have tried a new battery. The 2nd problem is the new tail end they put on at ARC is cut crooked. It threads ok but on side is 1/16" higher than other. strange.

 

[fluorescent]

my arc4 was sent back for switch problems... it looks like it was put on a grinder to make it shorter... it is also uneven like yours McShawn...

 

[NewBie]

Maybe the grinder wheel had a taper. What part exactly was ground down, and where?

 

[McShawn]

On my Arc4 the threads that fit into the light head section has the problem. I worry about this possibly causing a contact problem or heat dispersal problem.

 

[Rothrandir]

i'd be willing to bed that it's part of the end of the bar, and since bars tend to be uneven from the suppliers on ends, they were only faced down enough to make it the right length on half, but some portion of the bar was smaller in length, which is why the rough showed through?

for example, a bar may come from the supplier like this:
<font color="white">.</font> /```
<font color="white">.</font>/____

so when it's machined to the "proper" length, it looks like this:
/````
|___

of course, there are countless explanations as to why this would happen, but i think this is the most likely. especially if the edge is rough.

 

[McShawn]

You are probably correct, Rothrandir, it looks similar to your second example but more extreme, with a dip also.
I emailed Meri, yesterday, but she has not gotten back to me yet about this and the flickering problem.
\
/
|___

 

[NewBie]

I just got my Rev.2 ARC4+ this week, and it was ground down like folks are talking about, and came complete with the aluminum grindings throughout the flashlight. The switch still has bad issues. I tweaked on it enough so that it would allow me to get into the "programming menus". I don't feel or hear a detent at all, is it supposed to have some sort of detent or click?

: (

 

[Dave Wright]

These reports of rough grinding are disappointing. I hope that Peter will weigh in with some data.

The switch should have a small amount of noticeable travel, and should have a barely perceptible "thud" or "thunk". You can get an idea of what to expect by removing the entire tail and pressing directly on the center of the head's gold switch assembly. That feel should be present during normal operation, though it is damped and less obvious.

FWIW, my R2 has more of a "thunk" on the switch's return stroke. I usually feel nothing on the way down.

The bottom line is whether or not you can reliably operate the light and access the brightness/options controls. Switches that commonly miskey need to go back to Arc. Even in best tune the switch will not provide a clean "click" and 100% positive operation like the button on your computer mouse. IMO this is issue #1 in the Arc/HDS race. I imagine both companies understand the importance of coming out with a new switch that is rugged, positive in action, and offers a consistent 2 - 3 pound click force.

 

[NewBie]

[ QUOTE ]
Dave Wright said:
Even in best tune the switch will not provide a clean "click" and 100% positive operation like the button on your computer mouse. IMO this is issue #1 in the Arc/HDS race. I imagine both companies understand the importance of coming out with a new switch that is rugged, positive in action, and offers a consistent 2 - 3 pound click force.

[/ QUOTE ]

Very true. The battery mass alone causes a major dampening of the snap dome switch click/kick that is located in the head assembly. In the Boeing 747/57/67/27/37, many of the Avionics units have snap dome switches, but you'll see they stack the internal snap domes right on top of each other, in order to yield a quite significant physical, mechanical, and audible click/kick that can very easily be felt above the vibration, and clearly be heard above the roar of the engines.

Snap domes are really cheap, in the pennies, and in volume they are under one cent.

They are very easy to make, put some traces on the PCB for contact, put a *smooth* sidewall mechanical retainer for the dome, drop in several domes for incredible clicks, and lay a piece of tape across the surface to retain the domes. If you need operation above normal temperatures, a silicon adhesive with Polymide backer tape can be used to allow operation to 260 degrees Centigrade, and will continue to work fine down to -73 degrees Centigrade. (-100 Fahrenheit to 500 degrees Fahrenheit). (though your battery or luxeon might not handle those temps) /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/faint.gif

3M 5412 Polymide tape:
3M Polymide backer, silicone adhesive

Snapdomes made local, right in Loveland, Colorado:
Snaptron domes