low level strobe???

fvjr · Aug 4, 2004

I just noticed that my ARC4 (which I have had for 2 weeks) has a low low level strobe that is on constantly. It is so low that you have to look right into the light to see it.

What is that?

I have tried the different option menus and can not seem to get it to shut off. I also removed the battery and it seemed to go through all the light levels without skipping when I put it in again.

gregw · Aug 4, 2004

Look in the Arc Flashlight FAQ under the Arc4 and you will see this section:

"Faint LED Flash when Arc4 is off:

When the RFS is turned on, the software turns the uC on periodically to drain any residual charge on the input capacitors through the LED. This creates a very dim flash. If this were not done, the unit would take forever to reset when then power is changed because of the hefty capacitor on the input.

It may be more visible when the light is cold because the LED becomes more sensitive to voltage at lower temps.

Turning the RFS off will shut off this housekeeping function but the light will take longer to reset. If you want to have the RFS off but also speed up the reset, press the button inside the head with your finger when you open the pack to change the cells. This will drain the capacitor within a few seconds. "

fvjr · Aug 4, 2004

This has been running like this for hours. I tried to shut that off by pushing clicking the inside of the head but it is still flashing.

If this is normal I won't worry about it.

Thanks for the link!

gregw · Aug 4, 2004

You can't turn it off by pushing on the clickie. You'll need to go to the options menu and turn of the RFS function. However, it is normal, so don't worry about it.. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Gransee · Aug 4, 2004

If it is flashing quickly I would say it is not the Cap drain routine. That occurs about every 2-4 seconds. To confirm this, shut off RFS and see if goes away. If it does not go away, it is something else. I have seen one unit that flashed dimmly when off at about 5hz. This had a PCB defect and was replaced under warranty. This may be what you have and it is rare.

Peter

soltrain · Aug 8, 2004

Speaking of strobe - you can get a really cool strobe effect by locking out your Arc4, and then repeatidly trying to turn it on. Each time it will double flash, and if you keep on doing it - you'll be on your way to a mobile rave party!