New Arc Products for Winter 2002...

Greetings!

As some of you may know, we at Arc Flashlight have been quietly working on several new products for the past 6 months.

Some of you have speculated on what we would release. In forum posts and chat rooms, people have asked me to provide some sort of glimpse into the future of Arc. I apologize that I haven't always been able to talk about what we have been working on.

But the projects have now progressed far enough that we can announce them for release this winter.

All of these new designs center on versions of the "Luxeon Star" (LS) flashlight we first introduced to the public last year. The Arc-LS was the first production flashlight available with the new LS LED as a light source.

As most "flash-a-holics" can tell you, the LS LED is much brighter than the 5mm types typically found in LED flashlights. This increased power output has allowed us to create the kind of lights you have asked for. Lights that are much more compact and powerful.

The Arc-LS is a light ahead of it's time. And it has had some teething problems. We have made many improvements to the basic design since last year.

About 6 months ago, we came to the conclusion that to improve the light to the next level, an entirely redesign would be necessary. We are calling this new design phase, "Revision 2". Or simply, "Rev2".

Rev2 includes a new housing, power packs, circuit and support for new LEDs.

Note: we will post pictures later on as these units start coming from production.

The current Arc-LS version is called the "LS1". It uses the rev1 parts with the Low Dome LS emitter.

The rev2 parts are as follows:

Rev2 Housing

- Waterproof to 50ft
- Slightly smaller in diameter than LS1
- One piece head construction limits anodize mismatch
- NX05 optics protected behind AR coated Lexan
- New heat sink design increases heat dissipation by several times compared to the rev1 housing
- Gold button contact
- Compatible with rev1 and rev2 power packs

Rev2 Power Packs

- Slightly longer than rev1 counterparts to make room for new tail switch
- Battery retention spring replaces rev1 retainer and allows better battery management
- Waterproof to 50 feet
- User replaceable tail switch
- Tail switch is dual mode: light press for momentary, full press for latching on/off
- 1AA size discontinued, new 2x123 size announced. This brings the total packs to 1x123 (default for all LS series), 2x123, 2xAA)
- Backwards compatible with rev1 housings

Rev2 Circuit (PCB)

- Designed and tested by CPF's very own designer, "Dat2Zip" (Wayne). We looked at several designs from the CPF and elsewhere. Wayne simply blew away the competition in meeting our strict requirements.
Wayne has signed a NDA so please do not ask him for details on our circuit
- Current regulated for more consistent response and better protection
- Much higher power output than rev1
- Thermally protected
- Very compact (allowing a smaller housing to be used)
- 1.4v cutoff prevents the use of the 1AA pack but does protect rechargeable cells from excessive discharge
- Higher efficiency than the rev1
- Aggressive heat sink measures taken for future LED capacity. Extended testing with high power emitters.

Here's our timeline:

September:

Rev2 123 Power Pack ($30 SRP)

October:

Rev2 Housing
Rev2 PCB
New High Dome Whites ("LS2")($150 SRP)

November:

Rev2 2xAA Power Pack ($40 SRP)
Rev2 2x123 Power Pack ($40 SRP)
New 2W white model ("LS3") ($200 SRP)

Note, to keep our product line simple. We will only be making the LS1 and LS2 for a short time. The LS3 will then replace all previous versions.

Note: Prices shown are for a complete flashlight! We do not require you to buy extra bodies, bezels, etc just to cobble together a working flashlight. We ship you a complete solution optimized for LED technology.

LS1 ($120 list)
1W Low Dome White emitter, all rev1 parts
Package includes head and p-123 pack (rev1)

LS2 ($150 list)
1W High Dome white Emitter, Rev2 parts
Package includes head, p-123 pack (rev2), Duracell 123, and nylon carry case with Arc logo.

LS3 ($200 list)
5W High Dome White Emitter driven at 2watts. All rev2 parts
Will become standard product
Package includes head, p-123 pack, Duracell and nylon case

Custom made Arc 123 Nylon case is a special item and not sold separately.

P-123 ($30 list)
1x123 power pack w/tail switch and lanyard loop

P-2X123 ($40 list)
2x123 power pack w/tail switch and lanyard loop

P-2AA ($40 list)
2xAA power pack w/tail switch and lanyard loop

Why are we derating the 5W emitter at 2W in our designs? Heat and run time is the reason. Even at this power level, this light is very warm during normal operation.

The default pack for the 2W is the 1x123 pack. The optional 2x123 pack ($40) overdrives the design to about 3 watts of power. The flashlight is very hot after 20 minutes with this pack. Run time with 1 123 cell at 2 watts or 2 123 cells at 3 watts is about 1 hour. Run time with 2 AA NiMHs at less than 2 watts is about 1 hour as well.

The LS3 beam is about 4x larger than the LS2 beam. The LS2 beam is about 1/2 as large (more focused) than the LS1 beam. These lights are best for illuminating targets in the medium range.

Future accessories planned include an 'A' size rechargeable pack, switch guard (allows standing on end, etc) and clip.

The LS is only offered in white LED and Natural HA finish.

Factory seconds of each model may become available at a discount.

Dealer prices will vary. Stock will be limited!

Peter Gransee
Arc Flashlight

Can't wait!!

**EDIT**
Wait Peter. I'd never critizise Arc lights or notin' but are you telling me that to get a LS3 with all 3 power packs it's estimated I'll have to spend close to $300 you're kidding right?

Yow! It sounds absolutely wonderful. WoooHooooo!

Originally posted by Gransee:
...Factory seconds of each model may become available at a discount....

Click to expand...

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">please,please,please,please let the "may" become a "will".

Thanks for the heads up Peter. I can't wait to get my hands on these. Kudos for the rear tac switch idea. I think that will improve the feel of the light a lot. I can't wait to see pictures of the new beams (and the lights).

Well, that was alot to digest. Thanks Peter!

Still, I can't help but feel a little disapointed. I was hoping for a new AAA LE with the light output of my SF 6P.

Originally posted by John Frederick:
Well, that was alot to digest. Thanks Peter!

Still, I can't help but feel a little disapointed. I was hoping for a new AAA LE with the light output of my SF 6P. ;p

Click to expand...

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">I heard Surefire built a 5W prototype, and it started fading out and overheating after a few minutes. I think Peter's making real progress.

The only other way around the heat issue is to simply make it shut off (or dim down) after a certain temperature is reached. This would work fine for short pulses (which is the way I use long throw lights 98% of the time), but I can understand him not wanting to build such a light, since I don't think the public, military, etc. would accept that.

Sounds fantastic! Having a tailswitch while retaining waterproofing will be great. I never feel quite comfortable with a water "resistant" design.

The PCB sounds a lot like the BADBOY design dat2zip has been working on. Is it fully regulated up to the cutoff point? Also, what is the power output of the LS2 and LS3 in milliamps?

Can you say any more about the tailswitch? Does it have a lock feature to prevent it turning on accidently in a bag or pocket? I can't wait to see some pictures, but I understand that you aren't quite ready for that.

I think underdriving the 5W LS is a good call. Hopefully someone will figure out eventually how to get a small light to drive one at full power without burning up, but I'm excited to see a high power LED in something smaller than a 3D maglite (which is probably closer to the size that we'll see most early 5W mods).

Thanks for keeping the 2AA pack as an option, too. 123s have a lot of advantages, but for price and availability I still love the 2AA pack on my SLS1 (is that what we call them now?). It's a great fit in the hand, too.

Is the runtime on the LS2 comparable to the LS1 runtime? If the circuit is more efficient it might be better, but if it is a flatter discharge then I guess it might be shorter, too.

I have other questions, but I'll stop now

This is really exciting, Peter! Congratulations on getting to this point! I hope that the experience you've gained from the LS1 will make this a smooth ride.

- Russ

Note the one hour battery life Peter described for the LS-3. Am I missing something, or will this future model bring LED technology back to where Surefire and the rest of the incandescent flashlight companies are currently (one hour burn times)? I thought one of the big selling points of LED's was long life.

Ok, I understand that you will be making the LS2 with the "rev2" parts. That includes the waterproof head, and the lexan protected LS right?
Also how much brighter will the 5 watter driven at 2 watts be than the LS that is out now? I really really really really want one of those Rev2 kits! The other day, I said to my self,"self, if Peter ever makes a waterproof Arc LS, buy one", the same week I hear about the new Rev2! Wow.

Can I buy just the Rev2 head to put on my existing
2AA pack? I really like the existing 2AA pack, and don't think that a tailswitch would be that big of an improvement unless it was a lock-out switch.

BTW thanks Peter for making all our dreams (mine at least) come true!

I'm bothered by that 1 hour or so runtime for the LS3, too.

One of my primary reasons for liking the current Arc LS is that it gives a couple of hours of good bright light from 1 123 battery.
If the LS3 is down to just a 1 hour runtime, I don't think I'd bother..

I would have liked to see a battery setup for this which would give us a couple of hours of runtime.
Seems to me that the 5w really isn't suited to a small light like this. I think moving purely to the LS3 with just a 1 hour runtime would be a mistake.

I for one would rather see the 1w version continued and perhaps dropped in price, than have just the 5w with a short runtime as the only option.

Just my thoughts..

Graham

Originally posted by Graham:
I'm bothered by that 1 hour or so runtime for the LS3, too.

One of my primary reasons for liking the current Arc LS is that it gives a couple of hours of good bright light from 1 123 battery.
If the LS3 is down to just a 1 hour runtime, I don't think I'd bother..

I would have liked to see a battery setup for this which would give us a couple of hours of runtime.
Seems to me that the 5w really isn't suited to a small light like this. I think moving purely to the LS3 with just a 1 hour runtime would be a mistake.

I for one would rather see the 1w version continued and perhaps dropped in price, than have the 5w with a short runtime as the only option.

Just my thoughts..

Graham

Click to expand...

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">I am bothered by that $300 price tag (LS3 + AA and 2x123) so I too would rather see the LS2 come out and stay out for awhile! hmmmmmmmmm.....

The more I think about it, the worse this looks - while I'm sure the light will be available from dealers for better than the $200 SRP, leaving this as the only Arc LS version available seems like a bad idea.
The people willing to spend $200 on a light with just a 1 hour runtime are much more likely to go to Surefire, I would think - far more bang for your buck.
Not that I think the Arc LS is a bad product, but it needs to offer something the others don't.
The current Arc LS/123 offers a very bright, very robust light, with good runtime, in a very small package.

The LS3 would be (I imagine) a similar size package, but brighter, with less runtime, and much more expensive.
I don't know about others, but the additional brightness would not make up for the shorter runtime and higher price, to me. The current Arc LS fills a niche very well, but this new one sounds far enough out of the niche not to be of any interest, to me anyway.

Graham

Ah...but Graham...what about that delicious looking "LS2" that they're only going to produce for a few weeks? A LS1LE of sorts...

Yeah, but the key is that its only temporary. I'd hate to see Arc drop the 1w LS series completely..

Graham

Thanks, Peter, for a truly illuminating look at what's coming. That kind of openness is really welcome, and the post should be carved in stone here somewhere so anyone who joins the forum will see it first.

I am delighted with my LSS-1, and desperately telling myself that I just don't need any more light output than that, I would hate the extra length of the new tail switch, would not be able to use the single AA, would have a hot light, would give up battery life and would have to get a home equity loan to afford it. But you can probably expect my order at some point, because the LS is the best thing I have ever put in my pocket.

i'm very excited by the new lights, and will more than likely try to obtain one as money permits...

however, the current arc-ls is very well balanced on a number of fronts... the price (esp for seconds) is right, the output is great, and the three kinds of battery packs rules. the 123 battery option just isn't as attractive to me as being able to use AAs... the one AA holder is fab. less than $0.50 per battery for a whole lotta light? killer.

the few dying 123 batteries i've gotten from other uses work okay, but the unit is almost too small in this mode to hold onto! yikes.

the 2W (esp with 2 123s) seems tactical enough, with a "bulb" that won't burn out and fairly waterproof too. not bad. still, for work that requires less light, the LS1 as i guess it'll be called, is for me. i better order a few of those!

Thanks Peter for giving us some great news! I think the prices you quote are fair for a leading edge technology piece of hardware and I'm going to start saving now!

Holy Zooks, Batman! Yeah, yeah, yeah. You people that are talking about runtime, costs and so forth are not shaking my faith in P.G.

Moore's law will carry the day and technology always goes forward. Arc will be at the front, shoving the envelope once again. Count me in for one.

Note to wife:

I found my Christmas presents!!

Both the LS2 and LS3.

Edit: LS2 for B-day, LS3 for X-mas.