Arc LS 500mA Hybrid runtime results & mini-Review

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Sean

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How well/bright do the current selling Arc LS hybrids work on 2AA rechargeables (NiMH 1600 & 1800 mah is what I have) compared to just the single 123 cell or to 2 AA lithiums? I have a first on the way and want to know what to expect.
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Update: I recieved my Arc LS and I guess it's a 500mA version because it has the brown board.

See more info & runtime results below...
 

Saaby

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Hmmm...it's a good question, just not one I have an honest answer to. I don't know that others do either.

Here is what I would guess though

AA Lithiums--brightest, long runtime
CR123--Next brightest. Shorter runtime, portable
Regular AAs--Same brightness as CR123. Long runtime.
Rechargable AAs. slightly dimmer than Regular AAs. Cheap to run.
 

dark star

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I have the latest LS (hybrd-400ma), it runs about 2 - 2.5 hours on a set of 1600 mah NiMH AA batteries. On the old LS1 I got closer to 3 hours - but this new one is quite brighter and a wonderful tint. I got two-they are both by far the best white flashlight I got from Arc. I kind of like the flicker when shifting to moon mode - it lets me know to replace the batteries.
 

Termac

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I can't comment on the latest Arc LS, but I've been using the same pair of 1600 NiMHs with my 0.9 LS for 10 months now, and I use it a lot. First of all, I had to select a brand that was most resistant to butt end colapse because my first choice Sanyos seemed to be weak in that regard. I ended up using Rayovac 1600s, but they also dimpled signifigantly over time. Recently, I dropped the unit onto hardwood floring, after which it would not light. The butt ends had further colapsed in the impact , and I wasn't closing the curcuit when I tighted down. So now I will have to build up the butt ends with solder, but I wonder what is going on inside the cell in this crush area. As for building up the battery contacts with solder, this is a routine that is also usually required with 123s on my particular kit.
 

Sean

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Originally posted by Termac:
I can't comment on the latest Arc LS, but I've been using the same pair of 1600 NiMHs with my 0.9 LS for 10 months now, and I use it a lot. First of all, I had to select a brand that was most resistant to butt end colapse because my first choice Sanyos seemed to be weak in that regard. I ended up using Rayovac 1600s, but they also dimpled signifigantly over time. Recently, I dropped the unit onto hardwood floring, after which it would not light. The butt ends had further colapsed in the impact , and I wasn't closing the curcuit when I tighted down. So now I will have to build up the butt ends with solder, but I wonder what is going on inside the cell in this crush area. As for building up the battery contacts with solder, this is a routine that is also usually required with 123s on my particular kit.
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">I had the same problem with my v1.0 SLS.
The way I fixed this was to take the spring out of a 2 AA minimag and enlarge the bigger end of the spring and place it into the 2AA battery tube. It works great, no more battery damage and the spring doesn't fall out either.
 

jack_flash

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Just measured with my two weeks old ARC sLS hybrid white (green PCB):

Measurement at maximum ("hot spot"), 1 m, +/-3.5% accuracy, after 5 minutes with new cells:

1) 1x 123: 280 lux
2) 2x NiMH 1.6 Ah: 230 lux

With the unused ARC sLS I got a reading from 290 lux with a 123 cell. Degradation of the LED? Maybe more a contact problem.
 

Alan

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Isn't the hybrid and Rev2 circuit is fully regulated? If so, NiMH and 123 should put out same brigtness, isn't it?

Alan
 

jtivat

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Originally posted by Alan:
Isn't the hybrid and Rev2 circuit is fully regulated? If so, NiMH and 123 should put out same brigtness, isn't it?

Alan
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">I thought it was just a better circuit but still not fully regulated, but I am not sure.
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brightnorm

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Originally posted by jtivat:
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Originally posted by Alan:
Isn't the hybrid and Rev2 circuit is fully regulated? If so, NiMH and 123 should put out same brigtness, isn't it?

Alan
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">I thought it was just a better circuit but still not fully regulated, but I am not sure.
smile.gif
</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">I don't recall Peter ever mentioning full regulation.

Brightnorm
 

Alan

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It's my fault and I jumped to my own conclusion that it might be the same circuit as BB400. I think Peter modified it for runtime optimization.

Alan
 

Sean

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I got my 1st Arc LS "First" today.
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First the bad news:
frown.gif


Well, I was really hoping for a 400mA version because of the short runtimes I've been hearing about with the 500mA hybrids, but the version I got has the brown board so I assume it's a 500mA version.

The HA has some slight wear on one side on the knurling. The other side has a small spot of what looks to be bare aluminum showing. Not on the surface of the knurling but in the groove itself. Although not very large it is noticeable and odd, since I don't have a clue how this could have happened.

The 2 seperate 123 packs I already have don't really work at all, as soon as you try to screw it on the light comes on. The 123 pack it came with works ok but barely screws on as has already been reported and soon to be fixed by Peter so it's not a big deal, just an observation.

Battery rattle is obvious with both 123 & 2 AA battery packs. Has anyone tried doubling up the foam rings to see if this extra thickness helps? The new foam ring is so short that it doesn't seem to do anything. Shaking the LS in the off position you get momentary contact and sometimes it lights up completely on it's own. It does turn on easier than the older versions though.

Now for the good news:

I tested the brightness against the KL1. Using a solar cell and a digital multi-meter I tested the voltage produced by the solar cell when shining the KL1, LS 500mA Hybrid & SLS ver1 independantly at it. The KL1 was brightest, producing ~1.04v max. The LS Hybrid was not far behind at ~.92v max and the ver1 SLS measured ~.40v max.

I was impressed, the KL1 was barely brighter and it is hard to see the difference with the naked eye. The KL1 also had a bigger bluish hotspot with very little corona. The LS Hybrid had a smaller hotspot but a larger corona. The hotspot was white, with subtle hints of blue & violet. The corona was slightly greenish/yellowish & brownish simultaniously. Very pleasing to the eye compared to the KL1's intense blue and the pea grean LS emitters I have seen in the past. The beam was the roundest, best centered I have seen.

To my amazement, I cound measure little difference in brightness between using 1 DL123, 2AA Lithiums or 2AA NiMH (1600mAH) rechargeables! They all measured approx: .92v to .94v (Note: The solar cell is sensitive enough to measure the brighness difference between the KL1 w/1 123 & 2 123's)
I didn't expect that! I bought this light mainly to be used with rechargeables, maybe I got lucky getting the 500mA version, since it seems to like NiMH batteries.

Fearing short runtimes (with this 500mA version) using 2AA NiMH batteries I set up a runtime test. I used 2 AA Energizer 1600mAH batteries that were charged about a week ago. Testing the brightness every 5 minutes I got 1 hour & 15 minutes of continuous runtime with brightness holding steady (measured voltage from the solar cell only dropped from .91v to .89v in 1 1/4 hours. Then it dropped to .45v and continued to fall into moon mode. My testing stopped there. I was surprised to see how flat the regulation was! (as a comparison, the KL1 on the E1 measured 1.02v initially, dropping to .97v after 1 hour, .94v after an 1 1/2 hours and .69v after 2 hours and dropping way down after that.)

Update:

I've just completed a run-time test with a single DL123A. The brightness started at .92(v), dropped to .90 after a few minutes and at 1 1/4 hours was still at .89. That's were it started dropping. At 1 hour and 20 minutes measured output dropped to .57 and I stopped the test. Pretty amazing that I got the same run-time from 2 NiMH AA's & 1 DL123A. Nice job Wayne & Peter!
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I can live with an 1 1/4 hours, especially since I don't need to buy 123's anymore. I'm hoping to maybe get a bit more on freshly charged 1800mAH batteries.



Here are some beamshots:
hybridcompare.jpg


hybridkl1c.jpg


hybridvsnewbeam.jpg
 

Sean

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So does anyone else's beam color look like mine?

I would really like to know what the "regulated" battery life is on the 400mA version.
 

lemlux

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Sean:

My 500 mAh brown circuit board LSS is a little bluer in the center of the hot spot. It is whiter and brighter than my Bad Boy Yellow 416 mA and bluer and slightly dimmer than my 2 LGI's driven on 3 AA NiMHs that Mr. Bulk measured at 500 and 520 Lux at 1 meter, respectively, on alkalines.

I'm partially red/green color blind and I wonder if that's why I've not been able to notice any green hue on any LS Corona I've seen. I suspect the enhanced green I see on a beamshot is not visible to my naked eye with a live flashlight. (faint green looks brown, faint pink looks grey, and certain reds and greens fade into brown to my eyes.)

My observations are consistent with yours. I haven't timed it with my GP 1800's, but it runs well over an hour before slipping into moon mode.

I'm happy with the light.
 

this_is_nascar

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It's difficult to keep track of which version/revision we're up to. As for the 1sts that are shipping for ARC and dealers like BrightGuy, what exactly is shipping?

Is it the one with the brown or green PCB? Is it the one that introduces a lexon lens and better water resistance? Is it the one that is brighter with less runtime?
 

lemlux

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Only about 100 brown boarded 500 mA ARC's were made by 'mistake". They were all sold as seconds.

I understand that all ARCs currently sold as firsts are 400 mA units. Peter recently posted that he received some very high output LS's.

Production specs continue to evolve. I don't know when Peter will declare the Hybrid phase complete and the ARC 2 in production.
 
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