Old Arc AAA Heads, Multiple Colors

Hey guys, so i stumbled upon a bag of old heads that Peter Gransee sent me 5-6 years ago when one of mine went dead. (That was the customer service that hooked me!)

Looking back, i have no idea now what i've got or what its worth to those of you out there with your collections still intact.

(I started collection at the wrong time and thus lost all the Arcs i had :-( during the end of high school years)



I had two of them light up bright green, the rest i can't get anything to happen.

I'm guessing still mod potential?

Anyone care to ring in on what i should do with these?

-Alex

Welcome (back?) coolal

These AAA heads are interesting since ARC hasn't produced coloured versions in a few years. Early ARCs used a different thread pitch than the current model, so these heads may or may not fit with the ARC-AAA and Peak Matterhorn accessory bodies sold seperately.

A common problem with AAA's is bad grounding, sometimes causing intermittent light or no light at all. Try bringing them back to life with some ProGold applied around the roll crimp, or take a small flathead screwdriver and tap the edges to close up any gaps between the crimp and circuit board to improve the electrical path.

EDIT: Here's a link with more info on ARC-AAA troubleshooting, HTH.

http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=93135

Good luck!
Derek

Thanks so much for the info! Yea it seems my old account was probably deleted in some server reset or upgrade in the years since i logged in last.

I origionally had the CPF Limited Edition Arc AAA, and then 2-3 others. Friends slowly lost the others, and a house keeper decided she liked the special edition.

Hopefully the CAMO edition will come today via FedEX. I'll test these heads on that body to see what works.


Anyone see some modding potential?

-Alex

Hi Coolal,

Nice heads you have there. These heads can usually be modded for luxeon/Cree with moderate modding (both mechanically and electrically).
Just to give you an idea on the modding possibility, check out the mod I have done in the past (link is on my sig)

Hmm, looks like any modding options for these heads involves drilling out the heads?

I'd LOVE the thought of a CREE XR-E in that head, but haven't the slightest idea or skill.

Just tapping my fingers waiting for the FedEX truck to come.

Finally we be back in the ARC family.

Once i can retest these lights, i'd love to provide an ARC modder with a bunch of heads in return for one really cool mod.

Anyone with an Arc AA want to create a 2 watt pocket torch? Even possible with <30secs runtimes? I REALLY would love a two stage ARC AA. But i don't think it's possible from what i'm reading, at least at the power i want.

It's amazing that LS and CREE's fit in the head. I'm deff looking forward to what potential someone can come up with for these heads.

-Alex

So finally tested the heads in my new ARC Camo. There are 4 green heads, one looks like it's about to give.

A shorter reflector, about 1.5mm shorter, is the cyan and blue. One of each.

I've got around 8 P4 CREE XR-E's on order now.

Worth the time to mod this into a pocket torch? Or does someone have an ARC AA i can trade all the heads for and a couple emitters (plus cash of course! to construct a two stage ARC AA with a P4 Cree?

-Alex

MillerMods does the best Arc AAA mods, in my opinion - he said that the Cree output doesn't work well at all in the Arc AA (I think b/c too shallow a reflector). He does do AAA mods w/ the Crees though. Check his thread out in Custom B/S/T.