DIY Maintenance: The Arc-AAA Series

As requested, here is a step by step process for servicing your Arc-AAA. The BBS limits me to 8 pics per post, so I split this into three posts.

While users with slow modems load all the pictures /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif, let me repeat what we always say: If your Arc ever gives you any problems, send it back for a repair or replacement. We only offer the service tips for those who don't want to ship their Arc back and would rather service it their selves.

Some tools are required of course. I used various screwdrivers and a soldering iron.

Ok, here we go...

Here's today's test subject. This is the 2.5v LE that has been on my keychain since last year. Notice the body is worn and has character. Also, this unit has the old "o-ring alignment" problem. Remember that? See how the o-ring is not completely concealed under the lip? I won't be taking it to 340 ft anytime soon, but I do like it to look cosmetically superb, so we are going to fix that.



To get started, separate the head, body and cell. Notice the Duracell has been in the light for a while. Yes, the battery does turn with each use. This keeps the contacts clean.



Let's look inside the battery compartment. Notice that that as a 2.5v, it does not have the gold-colored chemkote interior. That is fine though because the Duracell has never leaked or give me any problem. Nice shiny interior as you can see. If this was just a little dirty, a pipe cleaner or wad of tissue does the trick. Alcohol or some other metal safe cleaner can also be used. If it really fouled (say a battery leaked), we could use a tuft of steel wool or scotch bright to clean it out. This particular example does not require any work.



Although this particular unit does not have the flicker problem, I will show you how to fix it. Here we have the head ready for service.



First, we need to remove the foam battery retainer. Note: Arc provides free replacement retainers and o-rings. Just send us an SASE w/a note for how many you need.

Here I peel the retainer off with my finger nail. The adhesive we used at the factory is pretty good stuff so the retainer is not going to come off easy. Notice how an entire layer is still sticking to the PCB.


So, I got out my screwdriver and scratched the remains off. The back of the PCB is pretty hardy so you don't have to baby it.



Not a very good pic (my digicam has problems w/close-ups and this is with the "macro" setting). This shows the retainer is completely removed.

Next, I used a soldering iron to soften up the black potting epoxy. We use this epoxy during manufacturing to seal the head and make it waterproof. It is normal to have a thin layer on the back of the PCB. It softens with heat so I use the iron to remove the large chunks (if any).



This is optional. While the head is still quite hot from the solder iron, I mashed the pcb down a little with my screwdriver blade. This helps reseat the board tightly inside the head. Not sure if this helps, but it can't hurt right?



Ok, now we have a cleaner pcb. Notice the shiny ground ring around the edge of the PCB. This is a tin trace. We want to make that contact the case somehow. There are two rings. One on the inside and this one you can see on the outside. The one on the inside we can't do much about because the head is sealed. If your light is flickering, it is usually because the inside ring has floated off it's shelf and broke the ground contact. By crimping the lip down onto the back ring, we can fix this ground problem by both pushing the pcb back against the first ground and creating a new ground path. Sometimes this crimp doesn't work or we can't get a good curl. In those cases, placing a blob of solder to short the case against the ground ring works like a charm.

Note: if you are sure you have a 3.1 version, this crimp was already added at the factory for you. We found this crimp to be effective and so it was immediately added to all production units.



OK, here I am using a flat screwdriver to put notches in the lip around the pcb. What this does is cause the case lip to fold down onto the ground ring. This takes some finesse. You want to hold the blade at an angle so the lip folds over instead of just mashing down. But this is tricky though because the head keeps falling over. A vise would be really handy.



OK, now we are cooking. Notice the nice series of curls all around the lip of the housing? Each one of those provides a potential ground contact and helps hold the PCB against the front contact. In manufacturing the 3.1 versions, we use a special cup that folds the entire lip in one quick operation.



OK, that should fix the flickering problem (if you had one). Next, some odds and ends. This particular unit had some gunk in the threads. I used my small screwdriver to clean that out. Be careful though, if you mess up the threads by nicking or gouging them, you are screwed. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

If the gunk is to small to get with the blade, you can soak the head in light oil (3 in 1, etc) to float the particles, use air to blow it out or roll it on a tissue to sponge it out. Make sure you get all the oil out before you put the new retainer on because the oil gets soaked up by the foam and is messy. Use grease to lube the threads afterwards.



Use a soldering iron to resurface the positive battery contact. This will restore is to it's original shiny state. I usually let it cook for a few seconds to burn off the impurities.

Remember, on this particular unit, the o-ring did not completely conceal in the off position. This is easily fixed by lowering the height of the solder contact. I used a solder wick to remove all the solder and then add some new solder. I added just a little so the end result was a contact that was a lot lower than the original contact. Notice in the final pictures below that the o-ring is now nicely concealed.



Check the reflector and LED for scratches. This was fine, which usually is the case in most old units we see. You can use toothpaste, etc to polish both if necessary.



OK, almost done. I couldn't find a new retainer so I am going to use it for now like it is. It will work fine without a retainer, the battery just rattles in the off position when you shake the light. I will have to get a new retainer tomorrow when I go to work. If this was you, pretend that you are waiting for your SASE to come back with your new retainers. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

When you get the retainer. Peal off of the back, press it against the PCB nice and firmly. Make sure you line it up of course. The retainer comes with an adhesive backing that is pressure sensitive. This means you need to press it tightly against the PCB to set the adhesive. It only takes a few seconds.

Notice I got a new Duracell while I was at it.



We are done and the light is ready to go back into faithful service.



Let me know if you have any questions. If you change your mind on doing this yourself, just send it to use and we will take care of it for you.

Peter Gransee

Nice Peter Very handy and helpful. I just need to get around to sending mine in you you but I am meaning to clean the contants first...

Oh and one more thing, what kind of Honda do you drive?

A civic of course...

A car that doesn't have to be babied. Simple "point a to point b" type while looking quite nice.

Same as what I shoot for with my lights..

I hope you find the pictorial helpfull!

Peter

Very very helpful! Now I know what to do when I'm bored..

YC

Very informative. Still, I'm glad I sent it in instead of taking on the project myself. I do, however, have a suggestion for cleaning the threads.

Instead of a jewelers screwdriver, which seems unable to get into the bottom of the threads, I'm using a little nifty tool from Sears.

I forget exactly what it's called and I can't find them in the catalog but it's very similar to a miniature scratch awl. I think it might be a plumbers O-ring removal tool. They come in set of four and have hooked, bent, straight and one other. With a paper towel or shop rag, the threads come out very clean every time. No muss, no fuss.

Just my insomniac 2:24 AM .02 worth.

[Edit] I just found them on the Sears site. They are officially known as the Craftsman 4 pc. Hook and Pick Set with Cushioned Grip Handles. $7.99 for the set. These are nicer than mine because the new ones have the cushion grip.

My 2 cents..
Great pictures..exactly what I have been doing.

So as not to botch up the threads..
Pour a small amount of alcohol on a small cloth.
"Screw" the head back and forth into a fake hole you make with your fingers.
It shines like new after a few screws..

For the anal-rententive flashalcoholics... :

Take a Q tip , cut it in half.
Take one of the halves, put it in a drill or Dremmell etc...
Dip it into a small amount of Pearl Drops etc.
Polish the bulb. It will really shine and
all scratches will go missing.

Thanks for the info Peter!

How about an old toothbrush dipped in some alcohol to clean the threads out??

Thanks!

WTF is Pearl Drops?

WTF is Pearl Drops? This is a tooth polising product found at supermarket.

Originally posted by sotto:
How about an old toothbrush dipped in some alcohol to clean the threads out??

Thanks!

Click to expand...

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">I've always used an old toothbrush and dishsoap to clean the aluminum threads in my Arcs and Infinity. I haven't tried alcohol, but I'll do that the next time around.

Originally posted by PhilAlex:
WTF is Pearl Drops?

Click to expand...

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Sorry! LOL
rycen is right.
It is a tooth polishing paste just a little more abrasive than regular toothpaste. It will polish off easily very light scratches on the lens and shine up things.

As an alternative to the hammer-screwdriver method, try just rolling the Arc AAA lip--at about a 45 degree angle--against a very hard surface with some pressure. The top of a vice works well or the head of a hammer or an old piece of smooth steel. The result is much cleaner and literally is a roll crimp. I also just carefully scraped the excess bead of black epoxy away with an exacto blade rather than melt it with a soldering iron.

Of course, I didn't have the flicker problem to begin with, so I can't for certain that it works, but it didn't cause any new problems. My moto: "If it ain't broke, then rip it apart to find out why."

sorry, maybe it's my perverse Mac, but the photos are totally blurry. I have no idea what is being done in them, especially the critical "putting notches around the pcb" - I doubt other people, other than those that have already performed the fix themselves, can see what the heck is going on! It's a blurry blob to me..I still have no idea how to do the fix, and wouldn't try at this point. I need new sharp clear photos, please!

It's probally the photos. I didn't find out until I was done with the servicing that the macro mode didn't render the pics very well. I will find another canidate and repeat the shoot. It may be later this coming week before I get to it.

Peter

Mr Gransee,
I am still "ready willing and able" to take photographs for you. Just let me know what you want.

Michael
[email protected]
IC-LEDs

Just bringing this topic back up. If clearer photos can be posted, this thread would be great to save for future reference for a non-tech like me. Technical explanations whiz by way above my head, so those pictures make all the difference. There is no rush, but I didn't want this topic to get buried or forgotten... Thanks!

For the "putting the notches around the base of the head" - here is what I did to my Infinity - 4 notches around the outside. This is a much clearer picture as an example. Peter just did it a lot more around the base of the Arc head than I did.