Dust and Debris Behind Lens of Arc-AAA?

I was taking a close look at the Arc-AAA flashlight that I received the other day, and I have to say that I was surprised at the amount of dust and particles/debris that I see behind the lens (coating the reflector and LED).

I was getting ready to do some macro photos of the flashlight and was inspecting it more closely than I had since I first got it. When I actually did some shots of the reflector area, the particles behind the lens really stood out. But it didn't really take the macro lens to see all the dust and particles -- it can actually be seen with just the naked eye and especially under very slight magnification. But after I did the macro photos...ugh. There really seems to be a lot of particles of something or other in there.

Does this seem normal?

I was going to show off the macro photo that I took, but now I'm almost too embarrassed to do so. I don't want anyone laughing at my Arc-AAA, you know. (Or writing "Wash Me" on the side of the reflector with with some tiny, finger-like object.)

I'll probably go ahead and post a couple of images here (after I get a closer look at them myself) so I can get an opinion or two. I don't think all that dust will actually hurt anything, but still...it doesn't look very nice.

The Arc AAA has a bare LED so I assume you mean yo see dust inside the exposed LED dome itself. That is not an Arc problem but a Nichia (or whomever..) problem and, no, I would not be expecting that inside the LED dome itself.

nerdgineer said:

The Arc AAA has a bare LED so I assume you mean yo see dust inside the exposed LED dome itself. That is not an Arc problem but a Nichia (or whomever..) problem and, no, I would not be expecting that inside the LED dome itself.

Click to expand...

Sorry, poor terminology on my part. The dust is on the dome and the surface of the reflector.

Interestingly enough, the same kind of dust particles that are behind the lens are also in nooks and crannies on the outside of the flashlight, too (in a few protected places such as where the small ring attaches to the body of the flashlight). I had seen it on the outside of the flashlight earlier and had thought that I'd wiped it all away, but in spots where I didn't get it all, it looks like (under the macro lens, that is) the same stuff that's behind the lens. I mean, that's not too surprising, if whatever got in there got in during assembly, but I'm kind of surprised that it's still adhering to the outer surface of the flashlight body, too. Fairly persistent stuff, whatever it is.

Something doesn't sound right. I'd be interested in seeing the pictures. In the meantime, throw it in the dishwasher or give it a bath by hand and see if it clears it up.

varuscelli said:

I was taking a close look at the Arc-AAA flashlight that I received the other day, and I have to say that I was surprised at the amount of dust and particles/debris that I see behind the lens (coating the reflector and LED).

....

Click to expand...

It is normal for a light like the Arc AAA to collect dust. Could be pocket lint, pollen, dead skin, etc. If you want to keep dust out of the front, place a rubber or soft plastic cap over the end. I use a cap which comes on the end of coaxial cables to protect the Arc AAA-P I wear on a neck chain.

I don't bother using a cap on another Arc AAA-P I carry in my pocket.

The dust doesn't seem to affect the beam.

this_is_nascar said:

Something doesn't sound right. I'd be interested in seeing the pictures. In the meantime, throw it in the dishwasher or give it a bath by hand and see if it clears it up.

Click to expand...

It's small enough that maybe I could just swish it around in my mouth with some Scope (as long as I don't accidentally 'rinse and spit' it down the drain -- or would it be a good idea to identify the white particulate stuff first? )

I'll have some photos up shortly. Maybe it's nothing way out of the ordinary, but it looks pretty peculiar (with my limited experience).

Al, all Arc AAA's will accumulate lint around the LED; it's because the acrylic dome is exposed. Now, if the lint is stuck between the LED opening at the base of the reflector, that's another story... but I don't think that's the case.

parnass said:

It is normal for a light like the Arc AAA to collect dust. Could be pocket lint, pollen, dead skin, etc.

Click to expand...

Since I haven't shown a photo yet (just getting them ready), my description has probably not been clear enough for anyone to actually picture what I'm seeing. But, this Arc-AAA is pretty much fresh out of the package and has been sitting next to my computer for the few days I've had it here (less than a week). I'm not really seeing how this much stuff would have gotten behind the lens without having gotten there during assembly. Just my hunch, but I can't really envision it happening any other way (at least, I can't picture it as having happened during my few days ownership since it's not even being carried outside of the house at this point).

Again, it's probably no big deal, but I do find it puzzling.

Photos coming in the next post.

BTW, this is one of the several reasons I prefer the Fenix E1 as a pocket light over any exposed LED pocket light (Fenix E0, Arc AAA, whatever...).

varuscelli said:

...maybe I could just swish it around in my mouth with some Scope...

Click to expand...

I'm guessing you're joking.....:laughing:

There are few things which swishing inside your mouth will make cleaner, as opposed to dirtier, and I hope your Arc LED is not one of them...

You keep saying behind the lens, the Arc has no lens in any way shape or form. As for dust on the reflector and LED, just wipe it out with the corner of a t-shirt, good as new.

It's sort of hard to show what I'm seeing since the lens I'm using has such a shallow depth of field. The first photo is actually as far away as I can get from the subject with this lens. You have to be roughly 4 inches or closer to the subject or you're too far away for the lens to be focused. Working distance is about 100mm down to about 40mm, so you're working so close to the subject with this lens that achieving much depth of field is somewhat tricky unless you have LOTS of available light.)

<snipped out idiotic parts from me...>

Nothing to do with my "dust" question, but here's a cool shot...

Marduke said:

You keep saying behind the lens, the Arc has no lens in any way shape or form. As for dust on the reflector and LED, just wipe it out with the corner of a t-shirt, good as new.

Click to expand...

Well, there's my problem. My bad eyes that only assume lens...

There's a big "DOH" for me...

That dust looks normal to me. Mine didn't come with it, but after a while in my pocket it had a nice collection. I think that's just the nature of the beast.

nerdgineer said:

I'm guessing you're joking.....:laughing:

Click to expand...

I'll guess that I was only joking, too...

That's normal. Just rub it off with the corner of a cloth, or rinse it off under the sink spigot.

And now I have to offer my apologies to Arc for seemingly questioning what might have happened in the assembly process. I can't believe I couldn't "see" that there wasn't a tiny lens up front.

I suppose since every flashlight I own has lens up front, my brain assumed its presence (and my eyes, up close, didn't "see" it as not being there).

Brilliant, Al.

Nice photo in your post # 13, there.....

Here's another kind of interesting one. (And look, no dust. )