Request assistance from modders of the ARC LSL

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Newly Enlightened
Joined
Dec 6, 2005
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I was on a 4-day business trip at the end of February and found myself accompanying a friend to a swap meet during some personal time.

One of the sellers had a bunch of old flashlights; mostly Maglites. At the middle of the pile was a dirty, nasty greenish-looking Minimag AA-so I thought.

I asked to see and handle it. It was a ARC LS; "First Run" is inscripted on the bezel. It piqued my interest immediately since I had no idea that ARC made a larger light than the AAA model.

I had no idea how to activate it since it did not have a switch. I twisted the head and got nothing. The seller said that it was dead. I said that I wish to test it with the batteries from my Fenix L2D-CE. No output was the result as I asked the seller how this was used.

He said that he used it to work on automobile engines. Immediately I made the connection between the hirsute gentleman's dark, greasy hands and the layer of motor oil vividly coating the entirely of an otherwise unblemished, hard-anodised AA flashlight.

I asked him what he would accept for it. He said $3.00!

I whipped out a $5.00 and did not ask for change.

If nothing else, I could use it as a kubaton.:crackup:

After I thoroughly removed the oil, I placed it in a plastic bag and placed it in the bottom of my suitcase and almost forgot about it until my wife emptied it of my dirty laundry when I returned home. She said something smelled like motor oil and that it was my socks.:crazy:

TSA strikes again. The plastic bag was opened but was NOT resealed.

Anyway, I just recently began modding some of my lights. All of them were easy to do so I thought I'd give this one a try. Bad news.

It took some doing with 2 strap wrenches to separate the head and bezel.

What I found was epoxy underneath the LED. I had to chisel it loose and carefully use an Exacto scraper to removed the remnants.

I used needlenose pliers to remove the ring that held the optic.

I carefully removed the excess epoxy, but am not able to remove the PCB. I need help here since an extensive search and very tentative access to CPF the last two days has not made my efforts entirely fruitful.

Thank you in advance for any help.


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as you found out, ARC LS first runs were epoxy together and are generally not modable (exception were hybrids with green/brown boards).

luck of the draw on how much damage is done upon opening. usually a few parts will tear from board. first run boards were designed by wayne yamaguchi and were voltage biased boards.

ARC LS first run was world's first production LED light and came with three bodies. 1x CR123, 1x AA and 2x AA. truly a classic light!!

was light working with fresh batteries before opening? first runs are very difficult to open up without damaging body.
 
cy,

As I mentioned in my first post, the LS was completely dead when I purchased it.

I was very careful when I opened the head and found the LED dome darkened-appearing to be burnt.

The PCB was completely covered with dark epoxy; cracked in various locations.

I did a great job avoiding damage to the body, head, and bezel-not one scratch. I cleaned it thoroughly and reattached all the parts and they do so smoothly.

My idea is to remove the original PCB and replace it with one from the Sandwich Shoppe.

How do I remove the PCB?
 
pcb will pop out most times with a push. sometimes board is stuck pretty solid and refuses to come out without a hard wack.

sandwich shoppe boards are generally .5 in diameter or too small to fit inside first run head. goldserve was making boards for first run for a short while
 
Since it looks like the board it pretty much killed, just put something through the back (1/2" copper pipe fits nicely) hold the body and tap the pipe down on something solid.
 
First run mods with Sandwich Shoppe boards are non-trivial. Apart from getting a first run board from someone who may have a spare, the easiest mod you could do would be a direct drive mod using a low Vf Seoul, or a Red or RO Lux and what's left of your first run board. Either should be plenty bright if fed lithium AAs. A few minutes looking at the first run board and you'll figure out where to bridge across the traces.
 
If I find a way to remove the old board, I contemplate using a BB or SOB converter and an SSC P4.

What reflector will fit?
 
If I find a way to remove the old board, I contemplate using a BB or SOB converter and an SSC P4.

What reflector will fit?

I think I have McR16's in mine, no mod necessary if you use a bit of creativity. The absolute brightest First Run I have houses a Flupic and a Lux K2-TFFC, it is actually brighter than a KL4 modded with an Acorn driver pushing 1.517 amps with the same emitter. All this on 1xRCR123, woohoo.:twothumbs I keep mentioning this light all over the forum, but I just can't help it......I LOVE IT:kiss:

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This getting interesting. I'm off to do more research on the Shoppe. Thanks.
 
I think I have McR16's in mine, no mod necessary if you use a bit of creativity. The absolute brightest First Run I have houses a Flupic and a Lux K2-TFFC, it is actually brighter than a KL4 modded with an Acorn driver pushing 1.517 amps with the same emitter. All this on 1xRCR123, woohoo. I keep mentioning this light all over the forum, but I just can't help it......I LOVE IT
Eurgh, that emitter is just crying to be replaced by a SSC...
 
FWIW, a Seoul LED and Khatod 17mm reflector are a perfect fit in the LS. The height does not require any adjustments, and the fit of the reflector in the opening is very good.
 
wow, that is an absolute STEAL on a first run ARC-LS... he clearly didnt know what he has...good job..lol

Crenshaw
 
I think I have McR16's in mine, no mod necessary if you use a bit of creativity. The absolute brightest First Run I have houses a Flupic and a Lux K2-TFFC, it is actually brighter than a KL4 modded with an Acorn driver pushing 1.517 amps with the same emitter. All this on 1xRCR123, woohoo.:twothumbs I keep mentioning this light all over the forum, but I just can't help it......I LOVE IT:kiss:

DSC01935.jpg


DSC01928.jpg

Why McR-16 & not McR-18? I put McR-18s in mine. Is the beam floodier with a McR-16 compared to McR-18?
 
The Luxeon K2 is less efficient than the SSC P4. If your SSC-modded ArcLS is less bright than the K2-modded one, then the SSC is being driven at much less current.

Bring it up with Milky, he does all my mods......and we all know he knows nothing about this stuff.:thinking:

edit - This is not the OLD K2 emitter, it is the NEW K2-TFFC. Perhaps this is why you are a bit confused.:shrug:
 
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FWIW, a Seoul LED and Khatod 17mm reflector are a perfect fit in the LS. The height does not require any adjustments, and the fit of the reflector in the opening is very good.

How much different is the Khatod 17mm than the IMS17? Unexpectedly I put an unmodded IMS17 with a SSC P4 in one of my LSs & the beam is tighter than my other LS with a McR-18 Seoul.

I like the beam better with an unmodded IMS17 than the McR-18 Seoul. Seems like there's no need to shave .030 off the IMS17, I don't think the beam could get any tighter?

Left: IMS17, Right: McR-Seoul (Both LSs @ 611mah & USXOH)
USXOH_IMS17_McR18Seoul.jpg
 
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