1st Gen. AAA quit working

tbaugh7 · Jan 29, 2006

I have a first Gen. aaa Arc-p that I've been carring for years, and now it dosen't work.
> I changed the battiery then it worked then stopped again
> I used a eraser to try and clean the bottom terminal still didn't fix it

Is there any thing else I should try ?

paulr · Jan 29, 2006

Check the roll crimp and the solder blob.

greenLED · Jan 29, 2006

use the eraser to clean the solder blob

then check the crimp and the solder blob (it may be flatten with use and you might need to re-shape it)

tbaugh7 · Jan 30, 2006

Forgive my ignorance what is a roll crimp and how does one reshape a solder blob ?

carrot · Jan 30, 2006

tbaugh7 said:
Forgive my ignorance what is a roll crimp and how does one reshape a solder blob ?

Roll crimp -- the metal on the head is crimped down to hold the circuitboard in place on older models.
Solder blob -- take a soldering gun to it -- not for the faint of heart or inexperienced.

trivergata · Feb 2, 2006

I'd be in the market if you want to part with it!

Josh

tbaugh7 · Feb 2, 2006

Not a chance, This little baby has been in my pocket every day for four years, and saved my butt more than once....

greenLED · Feb 2, 2006

Did you try cleaning the *threads*? :ohgeez:

Sorry, didn't think about that before (the neg path goes through the threads also).

if that doesn't work, re-shape the solder blob (with soldering iron) and clean up after you're done with that

trivergata · Feb 3, 2006

tbaugh7 said:
Not a chance, This little baby has been in my pocket every day for four years, and saved my butt more than once....

Can't blame a guy for trying........Good luck - I know what it feels like to have your fav go out. The upside is it gives you something to work on without having to buy more parts :laughing:.

Josh

PhotonBoy · Feb 3, 2006

Check that the aluminum bump at the bottom of the battery tube isn't dirty; try a pencil eraser to shine it up a bit.

greenLED · Feb 3, 2006

that's a good point, PhotonBoy. You gotta clean both the solder blob and the bottom of the tube (+ the threads)

mridude · Feb 3, 2006

Gee.....wouldn't it be great if you could just buy a new LED head from P.G...screw it on the old tube....of course if the problem IS the old tube...you're screwed...kinda.
Seriously though, I believe that the new generation ARC AAA has had technical upgrades in the tube as well...no?
A stainless steel 'nub' has replaced the 'solder blob' at the bottom of the new AAA? Same Chemcoat. I suppose this means that your Blob will not flatten under pressure now.

greg_in_canada · Feb 3, 2006

I believe the SS rivet is at the bottom of the tube. The positive contact on the head is still a solder blob. (Based on what Peter has said. I don't have one.)

Greg

Mike723 · Feb 4, 2006

Yea the top contact of the new ARC AAA Rev 4 is still a solder blob.

Christoefor · Apr 2, 2006

tbaugh mine did the same thing, tried deoxit and then cleaned the threads still flickers did you fix yours?

Christoefor · Apr 10, 2006

Read here to try a ball of aluminum foil droped in the battery tube will stop it from flickering, seems to work great! I love Candlepower Forums rock on!

Flying Turtle · Apr 10, 2006

I've been using a tiny steel ring that's about 2/3 the diameter of the battery tube in the bottom of my old Arc AAA. This seems to have cured bad contact problems at that end.

Geoff

Christoefor · Apr 11, 2006

Flying Turtle just wondering where you found the small steel ring at.

Thanks Christoefor

Flying Turtle · Apr 12, 2006

I think the steel ring was part of a keychain. It is not a split ring. You probably could make one from a piece of wire.

Geoff

tibim · Apr 23, 2006

The soldering method is an easy fix. I had the same problem with my ARC AAA. Would turn the head but the light would not turn on. Took off the foam ring and dropped 1 drop of solder on the contact and filed it down to stick out just a little more than before. Glued the foam ring back on and presto good as new.

-tibim

1st Gen. AAA quit working

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