Arc LS Versatility: mated to SF E1 body

I don't think that any one will argue the brilliance of Peter's Arc LS. Certainly there are brighter lights using the Luxeon Star and I suspect Peter's next generation LS will be brighter within safe parameters.

Additionally, I don't think anyone will argue the fact that the current Arc Battery holders are certainly functional if not feature rich. The 123 holder makes an incredibly compact unit.

I personally prefer the LOTC and the SF E1 as discussed mates with a simple modification to the Arc LS head. This combo has become part of my EDC and it's great.




This may appear a rehash of previous posts but I would like to point out one subtle difference. The light in the photo is being powered by a single AA battery. I had a feeling that I had been missing something and it finally came to me. The mod needs a 1/2" spacer for the 123 to work. A AA battery fits in without a spacer. It will actually work without a "fattening" sleeve around the AA but I think a simple expansion sleeve would be a good idea.

I just discovered that a light I really like has a bonus feature! I'll probably stick with the 123's but it's nice to know that in a pinch, this light can be fed on lower, cheaper octane.

- Don

EDIT: [ Peter, I don't know where you stand on a production tail switch battery holder. You have probably already considered what I discovered here. For what it's worth, I would vote for a holder that was deep enough to take the AA and require a spacer for the 123. The light's overall length is still great.]

I like the LS with the 123 simply because it'll fit in my watch pocket with a short lanyard attached to my belt loop to keep from loseing or droping it. Also it allows me to use the 123's that have gotten too weak for the E2. TX

Wow - now that's a great idea. Putting a AA in there never occurred to me.
That adds even more to the usefullness of the Arc LS/E1 combo.

Great idea, Don. I think its more than worthwhile to sacrifice a little in terms of size compared with the Arc LS/123, for the additional functionality (push button activation, choice of 123 or AA battery in the same case)

Graham

Today I replicated Aragorn's E1e/LS mod since I had an E1e lieing around not being used. I love the way the two meld as if they were meant for each other. My two favorite companies in one unit.

That's freaking brilliant, Don. You are now officially the Flexibility Master!

I'm onboard with making a single holder that'll do a 123 and AA all in one. It could even be fancy enough to have a soft, long spring so that no adapter would be needed. Or maye the threads can be lengthened so you simply have to screw holder in further to use a 123. Man, good thinking!

UPDATE: The new Arc LS1's that I have seen all have a thicker foam retainer and the tension in the spring of the SureFire E1 body is not strong enough to compress this foam and make electrical contact on the 123 battery.

As a result, I have made an extension insert that goes in front of the 123 battery. A 3/16" diameter X 1/2" long contact extension can be centered in a non conductive plug that is roughtly the diameter of the 123 battery. This extension passes within the ID of the foam retainer and there is no contact or compression of the foam. The SureFire spring and mom tail switch work great as a result of not needing to compress the foam retainer.

Initially, I had turned a thin wall delrin sleeve for the AA battery. I have found that a piece of the 1/2" vinyl irrigation tubing that is cut length wise twice; removing about a 1/4" strip of the tubing, makes a perfect and simple expansion jacket for the AA battery:





I used a Ti pin for the contact extension in a turned delrin insulator plug because I have the materials, a lathe and I am a NURD. There is no reason a piece of brass stock centered in a wood dowel wouldn't work as well.

To reiterate, the only modification required to flashlight components here is the removal or grinding down of a shoulder on the E1 body where it flares in diameter, just behind the O-ring. This is a relatively benign modification with fantastic results.

EDIT: [ The shoulder of the E1 body where the modification has been made is hidden under the skirt of the Arc LS head at all times so only your battery changer knows the truth ]

- Don

A very cool, but very expensive mod! Nicely done!

Yeah, you certainly need to swallow the big pill of buying two expensive lights, and only using half of each. BUT - The beauty of this mod is that nothing done here prevents either flashlight from working in complete stock form. While the shoulder is ground down on the E1 (really, not all that much is removed), it still functions perfectly as a stock E1. That feature is somewhat unique to this mod. Usually the stock light never sees the light of day again...

It is a beautiful thing in both form and function. Sure was nice of Arc and SF to use the same diameters, threads, finishes, voltages, etc. It'll be fasciniating to see how this'll compare to the KL1.

I think the only thing this mod is missing is a lanyard hole. Don fixed the problem with his sexy delrin ring - I went with the less elegant solution of simply splicing an eye very tightly right behind the head. Works OK, but I'd sure like something where the lanyard stays out of your way when in use.

Hey - one other thing Don. How did you manage to filter the green corona out of the shot?

I am new to this forum and to flashlight addiction in genveral. But I have gone nuts!!! In the past 14 days I have bought 1 Arc AAA, 3 Arc LS's, 1 Surefire E2, 1 Surefire 12Z, already own a 10X Dominator (had it about a year), a Surefire 9N, And a AAA custom LED Brickmen that Wayne was auctioning...

Well after seeing this post, I rush ordered an E1, got it today, grinded it down, and DANG, it is soooooo cool on SL head. It was so easy. I had never done any modification before, but this was so simply. All I need now is some type of spacer for the 123 battery. Any suggestion that are VERY simple?

BTW, don't ever try the E1 lamp in the E2 with 2 123 batteries. I did! It was bright....for about 1/8 of a second, then dead I know, I know...that was dumb.

Crap, now I have order the MN02 and E2E head for the E2 along with that GGG "Teeth" bezzle. Can't wait!!!

Help....I can't stop...............

I may just be dreaming here but looking
at McGizmo last post (with the picture of
the black contect spacer).

What about putting the AA type of foam
spacer on the Arc-LS head, Then making
a spacer for the 123 that had a fake
AA "head" on the top.

That way you could have a good quiet AA
light and still have a 123 light that you
don't have to crunch the foam spacer to use.
Make since?

Catdaddy,

If you want real simple, get a #10 screw that's 1/2" long and 3 #10 nuts. Put the nuts all the way down to the screw head. Now fatten up the nut section by wrapping electrical tape around it until it is similar in diameter to the 123 battery. Let the head of the screw contact the battery and the threaded end come up and contact the + contact in the Arc head. I'd sand or grind the end of the screw so you have a nice smooth contact surface. You can also stack some nylon washers between a single nut and the screw head. Use a little care on allignment when you make your assembly. One nice feature with this system is that you have a spring that keeps you from driving the battery and spacer hard into the LS head.

I bet the E1 head stays in your drawer.

In fact, know anybody who wants a couple.....

Thanks for the fast reply. I will try it tomorrow.


I too have an E1 head for sale and would love to trade for an E1 body.

if they are E1E i'll take one.

Update: I confirmed that the E1 body will also host a NiMH A size rechargeable; atleast the kind that Jolly Roger uses.

Josh, If you are refering to the SF heads, unfortunately they are E1 and not E1E.

- Don