Factory Seconds: Past, Present and Future

First off, I offered another small number of seconds on our website this afternoon. Once they sell out, we should have more the end of next week. The units we have right now are 500mA hybrids.

Probally the batch after next week's batch will be the 400mA hybrid (longer run time). 400mA is the standard for the LS1 and LS2. We do not plan on offering any other power level for the time being. The goal here is to move this product to a stable state as quickly as possible so we can concentrate on reliable delivery.

In about a week or two, we may have a few rev1 seconds available. This will probally be the last of the rev1 after they are sold.

We are going to stop offering the 1AA pack with the seconds effective immediatly. The 1AA pack does not usally generate enough voltage to run the new rev2 circuits (hybrid and LSx) sufficiently. We have stopped manufacturing 1AA packs because they are discontinued. We have a few left in first quality and we do not want to use them up on seconds by default. You may order them seperatly of course.

The seconds program will continue with the LS2 and LS3. The seconds represent a win-win for both you and Arc. We are able to improve the quality of our firsts and you are able to buy an Arc at a discount.

So effective immediatly the seconds will now consist of a head unit, 123 pack and a 2AA pack. We may offer other packs in the future as part of the kit.

Peter Gransee

I just ordered one, I saw them on the website before reading this message and wondered if they were the hybrids. But now two questions
1. What makes them seconds? I shudder to think they will be a pea green, I already have a pea green second.
2. At 500mA is the LED being driven over spec? Will it have a long and happy life?

Dark star,

I don't think you'll have to worry about the green corona too much. I've purchased two SLS units this month and both are very nice.....very white.

They each had minor blemishes in the anodizing on some battery packs (Very minor) but other than that, color, fit, finish and beam quality were right up there.

I just ordered one. The 500 mA was "a mistake" according to Peter. The downside is that if run for an hour non-stop on a hot day with two lithium AA's it might get hot enough for the automatic protection circuit to shut it off for a minute to cool off.

Peter wouldn't confirm that these rejects will certainly be the brightest LS's thus far, but did concede that the odds were that the average 500 mA LSS would be at least 10% brighter than the average 400 mA LS first. The early LS seconds that I and others bought were regulated to something less than 400 mA -- probably 350 mA.

Did I mention that I ordered one of these unacceptably powerful seconds?

Originally posted by JohnG:
...I've purchased two SLS units this month and both are very nice.....very white.

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">I'm "green" with envy. But I suspect you got some firsts that had the flex problems fixed and then were reissued as seconds. Darn, I should have gotten in on those. I use my arcs ( 3 white, 2 cyan and an orange-red ) for hiking ( the red and cyan together make an almost white light that is VERY bright), I have hopes this 500mA LS may be bright enough for a bike. But from my experience the pea green arcs not only have the tint, they seem darker then a pure white.

"I suspect you got some firsts that had the flex problems fixed and then were reissued as seconds."

Well, you're probably right. That thought is what pushed me to buy one.........and then, another.
I too had a pea green SLS. But not no more!

You snooze, you loose. The high-powered seconds are all gone.

Originally posted by MY:
You snooze, you loose. The high-powered seconds are all gone.

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">That's why they are called seconds, they are available for sale for a few seconds. And I was just about to order another one.

It changed from in stock to no stock while I was filling in the details...

We should have more the end of next week!

Peter

Peter,

I sent you an email from my hotmail account, did you receive it ok? Cause some people don't like receiving mail from hotmail accounts.

YC

Yes, I got two this evening. I will try to get to them this weekend.

Peter

What will be the pricing for LS2 and LS3 seconds? Or too early to tell?

Or, shudder, maybe Arc's new location and pre-production planning will eliminate seconds altogether. :-(