ARC-AAA Torture Test

Over the next several weeks, as time permits, I'm going to subject a randomly picked brand new ARC-AAA thru a series of torture tests which should be the likes of something no flashlight should ever be subjected to.

I'd like your suggestions of what particular tests this poor ARC-AAA should be subjected to. I will attempt to log pictures throughout the entire torture testing process.

Be creative and please try to limit it to only one suggestion per person. If time permits and I get through the entire testing process with a light that still functions, you'll be able to post a second suggestion for testing. I'll try to perform all recommended tests, with the exception of anything which involves human or animal body cavities.

I am doing this to prove that the ARC-AAA (in my opinion) is one of the most durable lights available. I've always wanted to do this, however I wasn't willing to trash something in that price-bracket, however with the specials which have been going on, I have no problem doing so now.

Put it in a zip-lock baggie full of water and freeze it. Some nice sub-tests from there would be to leave it turned on as you freeze it and then break the frozen block with a hammer (a BH hammer?) to retrieve it. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Strap or weld the Arc to the blade of a reciprocating saw like a Sawzall (use an already-worn-out blade if you're going to do something like welding). Run the saw for a minute, basically shaking the flashlight up and down a few hundred times a second. Then see if the light still works. For extra torture, remove the foam washer before shaking, since sometimes people lose the washer and you should expect the light to work ok without it.

The weak part of the Arc AAA is probably the solder blob that forms the + battery terminal. It would be a better light if it used a gold contact like the Arc LS, but that might add too much to the price.

The water freeze test has already been done by Saaby.

How about feeding it to a dog?

Here is the Arc Freeze test

How about putting it over an open flame?

The real test though is dropping it off at a pre-school for a week. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I got one!
Put one in a soup can and drag it behind a bicycle for a good 10 mile ride. That should jar it up a bit...then do it in a car at 30 MPH and see what it does.

Put it in a blender (that is probably worse for the blender than for the flashlight).

i think a garbage disposals already been done...so i won't suggest that...

do you hav any really tall buildings? dropping it from the 10+ story would be nice, but not if it landed on someones head /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif

Stuff it in a box and ship it UPS. Now that's torture. Or maybe take it to the track and tie it to a car and see what happens after a (couple?) 150mph+ run(s).

practice casting plug.

give it to a 2 year old for 1 hour.

Shoot it /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif.

Hello this_is_nascar,

There has been a lot of question of how durable the finish is. It might be interesting to put one in a paint can with some gravel and put it on a paint shaker for a short period of time.

Tom

I don't think the AAA is very vulnerable to either shock or abrasion - there may be some amount of shock that will damage it, especially if it lands or is hit on the edge of the bezel, but it's probably a ridiculous amount.

My bet is the real killers for this design are a longitudinal crush, where all the pressure is on the threads, and similarly, a flex on the same axis, which would tend to tear the head off and/or flex the body.

Just popping the thing into a vice would yield fascinating information about its real strength for the crush.

The flex would involve tail into a vice, head secured into a block of wood or suitably sized pipe, then bend.

Save these for last... it might take some doing, but I'm pretty confident either one would kill it.

Just banging the thing around (blender), dropping it off things (skyscrapers), throwing it into fires (short of the Al melting point), freezing it (liquid nitrogen), running over it with cars (dumptrucks, semis) etc. will wear it down to a shiny smooth finish, but shouldn't impair its function any. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

i tend to agree with deanster...the only thing that struck as a weak point on the arc AAA was the thin walls of the battery tube. even then, it proved very resistant to all the abuse i dished out to it on a daily basis. i once dropped my arc AAA hard enough to put a dent on the edge of the bezel which distorted the reflector slightly, but even that didn't impede on the function of the light /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Shoot it with a .50 cal BMG.

True, we know how that's going to turn out, but it'd be entertaining to see a video clip of.

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Frangible said:
Shoot it with a .50 cal BMG.


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Shoot it as a .50 BMG... make a little adapter to fit the casing and we could have some interesting night photos /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

the way i see it, there's no way to induce mechanical or electronic failure in an arc AAA, except maybe a really strong emp blast to the head. the only way you can destroy an arc is if you completely compromise its structural integrity, which is what a .50 BMG round should be able to do /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif then again, if the round hits just the battery tube the head might survive /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

How about heat fracture?
Put it in an oven a while... get it as hot as you think it will suvive.. then throw it straight into a bowl of ice water! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif