Arc LS First Run Converter Questions

I purchased a Frist Run Arc LS from someone years ago. I remember the seller said something about a switch that changes brightness. When I flip the switch I can't tell the difference.

Is the switch really for changing output & is the switch stock? There's a jumper connected to the Luxeon cathode. Is this supposed to be there? The inductor, is it the same spec inductor that the regular Arc LS converters use?

I tried searching for a while but could find anything.

Thanks

If there's a switch, it sounds like the aftermerket "grey" board and not the original first run.

link

IIRC, the original first run had essentially a pair of ArcAAA circuits running in parallel.

The board pictured was not made by Arc but by one of the modders.

peter

The switch is for low and high output. I can't remember the values. The board was made by the gent who started Pierce lights IIRC. http://www.piercelight.com/
Should be a good host for P4 upgrade, etc.

The info on the board can be found in the link I posted above.

I have one of those which was a gift from CPF'r moses, and I think done by his brother. (It's been a few years.) Larry

chimo said:

If there's a switch, it sounds like the aftermerket "grey" board and not the original first run.

link

IIRC, the original first run had essentially a pair of ArcAAA circuits running in parallel.

Click to expand...

Thanks Chimo, your posts in that thread are very informative. I believe there's something wrong with mine. Sometimes when I flip the switch it makes no difference in output. If I play with it I can get it brighter but it makes a high pitch sound when outputting bright. I reflowed all the components with no luck.

I was supecting that the inductor was bad because of the marks on it, the bezel is putting pressure on it when screwed down. My other Arc LS was dim & it had a chipped inductor, I replaced it with a Coilcraft DO1608C-332 & now it's bright again. Looking at the pics in the thread you linked, the inductor says 100 on it & the inductor for my LSH-P says 332 on it. I guess 332 stands for 3.3uH. Can I use the 3.3uH or must I use a 1.0uH inductor like the CoilCraft D01608C-102

Also you mentioned something about the cap that is at R3 that shouldn't be there. Looking at mine it looks like the cap is stacked on top of a resistor. Should I remove that cap?

Thanks.

darkzero said:

Thanks Chimo, your posts in that thread are very informative. I believe there's something wrong with mine. Sometimes when I flip the switch it makes no difference in output. If I play with it I can get it brighter but it makes a high pitch sound when outputting bright. I reflowed all the components with no luck.

I was supecting that the inductor was bad because of the marks on it, the bezel is putting pressure on it when screwed down. My other Arc LS was dim & it had a chipped inductor, I replaced it with a Coilcraft DO1608C-332 & now it's bright again. Looking at the pics in the thread you linked, the inductor says 100 on it & the inductor for my LSH-P says 332 on it. I guess 332 stands for 3.3uH. Can I use the 3.3uH or must I use a 1.0uH inductor like the CoilCraft D01608C-102

Also you mentioned something about the cap that is at R3 that shouldn't be there. Looking at mine it looks like the cap is stacked on top of a resistor. Should I remove that cap?

Thanks.

Click to expand...

The cap on R3 is likely for circuit stability. I'm not sure on the inductor - I don't know which version is the original version the 3.3uH or 10uH.

Paul

chimo said:

The cap on R3 is likely for circuit stability. I'm not sure on the inductor - I don't know which version is the original version the 3.3uF or 10uF.

Paul

Click to expand...

Ok, I will leave the cap at R3 then. 3.3uF is what is used on this Arc LS converter:


I'm trying to figure out what this custom First Run converter uses. In bombelman's pic it says 100 on the inductor:


Would that more likely to be 10uF as you mentioned or 1uF?

Your last pic shows a 10uH.

darkzero said:

Ok, I will leave the cap at R3 then. 3.3uF is what is used on this Arc LS converter:

I'm trying to figure out what this custom First Run converter uses. In bombelman's pic it says 100 on the inductor:

Would that more likely to be 10uF as you mentioned or 1uF?

Click to expand...

Edit: mental lapse

tvodrd said:

I have one of those which was a gift from CPF'r moses, and I think done by his brother. (It's been a few years.) Larry

Click to expand...

Yes, get in touch with Moses on CPF. His brother was the creator of this one.



Karl

chimo said:

Your last pic shows a 10uH.

Click to expand...

Thank you chimo! :twothumbs

I remember Moses. Hope he is still around. So Moses' brother is PierceM10?