Arc Flashlights 2002

Hi!

This is a general discussion thread for Arc flashlights, future products or any other question you would like to post to Arc Flashlight, our distributors, the reviewers, etc.

Some quick facts:
<UL TYPE=SQUARE><LI>User "Flashlightguy" is Steve Gibson our National Sales Representative.
<LI>Our company website is www.arcflashlight.com<LI> The official FAQ is here<LI> Sometimes all of our product names, etc can get a little confusing. We basically make two flashlights, the Arc-AAA and the Arc-LS. All our models come from the LED colors, shell colors, accessories, etc of these two flashlights.
<LI> The CP forums are privately owned and not affiliated or controlled by Arc flashlight in anyway. Like you, we are guests of the system operators.
[/list]Welcome!

Peter Gransee
President
Arc Flashlight LLC
Mesa, Arizona USA

Legal Disclaimer: We get many suggestions for new flashlight inventions via email, etc. If you want to keep your idea secret or make money from it, do not send it to us or post it here in the forums! All messages posted here and emailed to us are public domain.

Greetings, Peter. Happy New Year. Thanks for starting this thread. The other one was getting a bit long. The LS is very nice. It was worth the wait. Well done. Thanks for a fine product: it is now Every Day Carry.

Hey guys, have any of you that own the Arc LS tried it with Lithium AA's yet? If so, is there any difference in brightness compared to Alkaline AA's? How do they compare to the 123's? I apologize if this has been covered previously, but I'm just curious.

Thank You Peter for those Luxeons for experimental purposes, I have already tried mounting one in a Brinkman 2AA legend, the light output is amazing about like 10 of the newest Nichias at 6400 mcd.It was a bear making the heatsink small enought to fit in the head! I sincerely wish I could purchase the mini dc/dc controllers you are using just by themselves,It is primitive just using dropping resistors. Also I too wait for both of my Arc flashlights from you. Yes the other thread was long but then again isnt it nice being so popular?

At the risk of helping to make THIS thread hugely long...

Yay for the new thread!

Let's see just how many Arc products I can buy this year! Ready?..... GO!

Darell - I'm up to 7 already.
2 LE's, 4 AAA White (gifts) and 1 AAA Turq.
(Sorry Peter, got ansee and had to have the first 2 - you were backordered, then realized I needed the LE you're shipping me for my wife, and just yesterday ordered the 4 AAA Whites from BrightGuy for the annual camping trip's mementos). I guess you could say I'm pretty darn impressed, and the wife wants the LE for her truck (useful for finding pacifiers my young daughter has hurled).

The 4 AAA White's are being laser-engraved next week ($22 - not bad eh) and then attached to GloCord reflective lanyards (as the AAA Turq presently is around my neck for testing) along with a Glowring. The idea is that they will make great tent lights, and be easily found in the dark with the Glowring. The neck lanyard is perfect for trips to the "rustic facilities based on pit technology" that we will be implementing while camping in Northern Canada.

While ordering some Spyderco Ladybugs to add to the goodies for the gang I mentioned to New Graham owner Mike Dye that he should investigate your product. Be curious if he calls you, or you might want to sick Mr. Gibson on him.

I'll probably do an LS later in the year, sounds like a great light. Have any idea when the bulbs for the LE will run out since it was limited production? Have any replacement plans?

Peter, would you like me to lock up the old thread? Locking will not delete it. Just prevent new posts to the thread.

Actually, I should post an LE Availability Report.

Nichia still has not received anymore SB1 rank whites. It has been 3 months since they had any in stock and it is hard to say when they will get any more. We bought up all we could but our stock has been going quickly since then. We have enough to last maybe another week or two actually. The distributors may have some for a little longer than that. The past 2 weeks they have been going quicker than usual so it has been hard to predict when they will run out.

Peter Gransee

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by DavidW:
Peter, would you like me to lock up the old thread? Locking will not delete it. Just prevent new posts to the thread.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Good idea David. Thanks.

Peter

Hello everyone, and welcome to the new thread. I guess the "ARC family and friends" must have come close to setting a new thread posting record!

I will be representing ARC Flashlight at the upcoming SHOT Show Convention in Las Vegas Feb. 2-5. Please stop by and say "hello" if you can. Also, please tell your local sporting goods store to stop by and see our display, as our retail packaging is now ready - and I'll be visiting with retailers regarding ARC's introduction into retail stores.

Hope everyone has a "bright" New Year!

Steve

Any news on the (blue) Arc AAA LE CPF forum light?

Bucky

Hi Peter

My order for an ARC-AAA LE and an ARC-LS is currently on hold whilst the ARC-LS's come into production.

As I have a current order, does that mean one of your limited remaining ARC-AAA LE's will be held for my order?

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by fivebeans:
Hey guys, have any of you that own the Arc LS tried it with Lithium AA's yet? If so, is there any difference in brightness compared to Alkaline AA's? How do they compare to the 123's? I apologize if this has been covered previously, but I'm just curious.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yes, AA double pack is slightly brighter and reviewers charts have noted that it also has a longer, more steady discharge then alkaline's. Makes the light nice and light (weight wise) as well. I believe I saw that in single pack's the difference is even more pronounced compared to single alkaline.

Either double pack AA lithium's or alkaline's are brighter then CR123 pack.

This is all from memory so correct me if I'm wrong!

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Bucky:
Any news on the (blue) Arc AAA LE CPF forum light?

Bucky<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

It is due to be part of the next run of Arc-AAAs. They are supposed to be ready by the end of the month (the next run of AAAs had better be in time for the SHOT show!). The B1S LED is running out faster than usual so we will have to put the B2S LED in the CPF edition.

Peter

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Flagone:
Hi Peter

My order for an ARC-AAA LE and an ARC-LS is currently on hold whilst the ARC-LS's come into production.

As I have a current order, does that mean one of your limited remaining ARC-AAA LE's will be held for my order?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Send me a note with your order number and ask us to split the order. Otherwise we would be comepletely out of the LE by the time the LS shipped.

This is true for anyone else who has a LE/LS combination on back order ("on hold").

Peter

I posted this in the led forum, too...

Well, I must say, examining the exterior of the ARC-LS gave me the impression that this was truly a precision tool. I like the knurling. While it's not "grippy" and deep like the ARC LE, it is effective. It's not overly knurled, but it isn't ineffective either. I think it's just fine. Maybe just a little bit deeper?

Well, for the light output, I like it! It's bright...and very white. Especially when compared to the ARC LE, it's white beam is a welcome addition. The ARC LE looks VERY blue in comparison. I wonder how a regular ARC AAA would compare! The ARC LS is not at all blue, but not yellow either. My light is just a really nice soft white. The greenish/yellow ring that others have noticed isn't too noticeable at distances further than 2 feet or so. Sure, when you shine the ARC-LS closely up against a wall, you can see the ring on the outside of the beam spot, but it just blends in at distances greater than 2 feet. It's not too bad...

My foam retainer ring was also not centered. It seems it wasn't glued on correctly (glued on off-center). I don't mind too much about this. I plan on switching it out with the newer ones Peter is sending out anyways. I haven't tried it with a CR123 yet, so can't tell you if it works ok. It works fine with the 1AA and 2AA setups, though. http://briefcase.yahoo.com/bc/rogerkang/vwp?.dir=/LEDs&.dnm=ARC+LS_Inside+shot+of+head.jpg&.src=bc&.view=l&.done=http%3a//briefcase.yahoo.com/bc/rogerkang/lst%3f%26.dir=/LEDs%

I did notice that there is "too much" space for the batteries in the power packs and this allows battery rattle. Peter, I think you can reduce the inner diameter (and the outer diameter) of the power packs just a tad... http://briefcase.yahoo.com/bc/rogerkang/vwp?.dir=/LEDs&.dnm=ARC+LS_battery+fit.jpg&.src=bc&.view=l&.done=http%3a//briefcase.yahoo.com/bc/rogerkang/lst%3f%26.dir=/LEDs%26.src=b

The other thing I'm bothered about is the off-center beam on my ARC LS. It's not grossly off center, but enough to be annoying. I wish I could take the head apart and recenter it myself...and then reglue it myself. The head of the ARC LS seems like it can come apart (the part near the top?) but of course I didn't try...and probably will not try...b/c I don't want to mess with this light.
I think that in a light of this price and quality, there should be extra care taken to center the beam (in line with the optics). I know it's not possible to have a perfectly straight beam...and I think an off center beam is ok, but I think it is more important to align the luxeon emitter with the optics well. This is what I'm talking about here. I think this alignment is very important. Especially when using a precision-machined housing, I would think the alignment of the optics and the emitter could be done ok. ?? Sure, even lumileds might sell off center beams, but when you are separately assembling the emitter and the optics, hopefully you can correct for this off center problem? (Again, what I think is important is the alignment of the emitter and the optics, not so much the alignment of this combined unit in the flashlight. Sure the latter is important, but it is more important to have the emitter aligned with the optics. I think these are not aligned as well as they can be.)


To current ARC LS owners, look carefully into the optics...do you see any weird hairline-type cracks or patterns in the optics? I wonder if this is normal or if this developed as a result of the type of glue that was used in the assembly process. I don't know if it will get any worse, but for now it doesn't seem to affect the light output.

Despite this off-center beam, the light is bright. The flashlight looks serious...like a precision tool. I'll try to post some pics later.

Again, this light is bright. Compared to the other led's I have and use(the Eternalight being one of the brighter, and the 10 led versalux being the brightest multi led), the ARC LS is in its own class. Very bright for this small size.

-Roger
http://briefcase.yahoo.com/bc/rogerkang/vwp?.dir=/LEDs&.dnm=ARC+LS_head.jpg&.src=bc&.view=l&.done=http%3a//briefcase.yahoo.com/bc/rogerkang/lst%3f%26.dir=/LEDs%26.src=bc%26.view=1

Thanks for your response Peter.

I must say though I think you should wait to use the B1S instead of the B2S LEDs even if it takes longer. After all, the only differences between the LE and regular are the HA finish and the LED. If one of those things aren't present then it is not really a LE then I think. Anyway, please consider waiting for the B1S LEDs before making the Forum Light. I have an Arc AAA but have been holding off on getting a LE because I knew the Forum Light was pending. If the Forum Light gets the B2S then I will have to get two more Arc AAA's - and I know you wouldn't want that to happen .

Bucky

I agree with you Bucky. Peter we want the B1S LED........PLEASE

Agreed! Might as well stop the LE run to make as many of the CPF units as possible. The CPF units should be the ULTIMATE LE model, as far as I'm concerned (though I can't imagine that anybody not affiliated with this board ever knew of or purchased the "regular" LE).

I agree also. I would not even consider one if it was inferior to my LE.

Just curious, am I really paranoid for wondering if only having three LEs for personal possession (bought many more for gifts), is sufficient considering we might not ever see this light again?