Difference between Arc AAA and Inova minilight?

I have an Inova keyring light that I love and very often comes in handy.

What is the difference between it and the Arc AAA? It seems that the Inova is a bit more conveniently sized, but maybe that's just me.

Is the Arc brighter? How do the runtimes compare?

Thanks!

Inova: cheaper, uses more expensive batteries, smaller, initially brighter

Arc: cheaper batteries, larger, shorter overall runtime, longer bright runtime (boost regulation), no momentary, waterproof

The Arc AAA is much smaller - 2.7 inches long by 0.5 inches in diameter.
The Inova Minilight is 4.625 inches long and not sure how big around.

[ QUOTE ]
glen said:
The Arc AAA is much smaller - 2.7 inches long by 0.5 inches in diameter.
The Inova Minilight is 4.625 inches long and not sure how big around.

[/ QUOTE ] We have a misunderstanding. I'm talking about the microlight you put on your keyring, not the X1.

np.
I think that is called the micro light and the other is called the mini light.

So the Inova keyring light has a longer overall runtime?

I still have this desire for an Arc AAA... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/twak.gif

I had been carrying a Princeton Tec Pulsar (similar to the Inova & Photon) keyring light for years, but
just switched over to an Arc AAA. The Pulsar had a longer runtime and significantly smaller size, but the
Arc AAA is a much better light. Although it's bigger, it still fits in my pocket comfortably. Although the
runtime is only 5 hours, as opposed to 12, the light is regulated so I will have 5 hours at full brightness.
The battery is cheaper too. I've also had some minor problems with the Pulsar switch as it gets finicky
at times. Sometimes the light will flicker on and off if I just jiggle the key ring. Other times I have to
really pinch hard to get it to turn on. I've only had my Arc for a couple of days, but I can tell that it
really is just a great product. The Arc is more than twice the cost of the other keyring lights, but it is
definately worth it.

-jim

Re: Difference between Arc AAA and Inova minilight

The Inova keychain light is unregulated. It will keep giving off some light for quite a long time, but will already have gotten awfully dim while the Arc AAA is still going strong. You'll want to have changed the batteries long before the Inova really craps out.

The Arc AAA will also drop into a very dim unregulated mode when its battery gets weak. However, turning off the light and letting the battery recover for a few minutes will get it going strong again and you can get at least an hour or so of additional useful runtime out of it that way. You don't really have to worry about the Arc crapping out unexpectedly and leaving you in the dark.

I think most contemplation about what's the best keychain light leads inevitably to the Arc AAA. It's just more solid and reliable than any of the coin cell lights I've seen, has longer useable runtime, and it's much easier to find replacement batteries for it. The Inova is probably the best of the coin cell lights but I'd buy an Arc instead. The main attractions for me of coin cell lights is 1) they're so small it's easy to carry several of different colors (I have a red and a green Photon II on my keychain in addition to the Arc AAA); and 2) they are cheap (Countycomm sells some perfectly servicable ones for $1.00 each in batches of 20--I bought a bag of them and have been putting them all over the place, giving them away, etc). The Inova (at least in white) doesn't really fill any of those niches even though it's a nice light for its type.

Finally, if you really want a long-running coin cell light, get one with a yellow LED. These run on lower voltage than white LED's, so they tend to use a single CR2032 cell instead of two of the smaller CR2016's. So they use a higher capacity battery and run at lower current. With an Arc AAA and a yellow Photon on your keychain, you'll have many hours of light available.

Re: Difference between Arc AAA and Inova minilight

Best thing I think about the Arc AAA are the fact that it's so well put together, waterproof, regulated, and that the running costs are near zero. In my case anyway; my digital camera takes 4 AAA's, and gets a reasonable amount of time out of them, but they're still well enough when they comes out of the camera to run the Arc for a couple of hours at least. Hence I have a section in one of the drawers here of semi-used AAA batts for the Arc and PL-383 (That's hardly keychain sized though!). Go for the Arc, that's my advice. It's more expensive, but it is worth it in my opinion. Just a lovely little piece of engineering.

Re: Difference between Arc AAA and Inova minilight

What digicam do you have that uses 4 AAA's? Most use AA's or proprietary lithium ion packs.

I'm sad I missed out on the Arc AAA sales. I find myself wanting a couple more just to put away in case the supply dries up someday.

Re: Difference between Arc AAA and Inova minilight

I don't have the Innova, but I think the Photon II white is similar so I'll compare that and the Arc AAA.

The Photon is well made and works well. It was my first LED light and first EDC.
I think it was Photon that started (or at least popularized) the LED flashlight revolution. For that I am grateful to them.
The switch works great and the plastic is very tough. It's rain resistant but not waterproof to any depth. The LED in my photon is very white and no artifacts. Better than any of my ARCs. The battery life is so-so. It starts out brighter than my Arc, but after about ten minutes, they're equal. I seem to get about 1-2 hours before it's too dim for me. It'll probably go the advertised 12 hours but very dim by then. The batteries can be expensive at $3-$6 per feeding, and not available everywhere. It's small size is its biggest advantage. Fits anywhere. NO ONE should be without at least a Photon, Innova, or similar keychain light.
-----
The Arc AAA is very well made. Looks and feels like a professional tool. Aggressive knurling, hard anodized, and a well designed lanyard attachment. It's larger than the Photon, but not considered big by any means. Tiny when compared to the CMG. The twist switch may be hard to turn when new but will ease over time or can be tweaked for smoother action. The tightness is probably to preserve its 50 foot waterproof rating but because the head is potted (sealed), this light will run even if water were to get inside the battery tube! I've tested this to be true. Battery life is advertised at 5 hours, but I generally change it after about 3 hours because it does dim slowly, but batteries are cheap and readily available, so no problem. The empty battery tube makes an effective whistle when blown accross the top.

So if size is your main priority, the Innova or similar keychain light is great. But my personal choice is the ARC AAA. IMO, it has the best balance of size, quality, durability, reliability, and brightness. It's my favorite light, used for 90% of my needs and rides comfortably and inconspicuously on a neck lanyard under my shirt, 24/7. You can't go wrong with the AAA.

Re: Difference between Arc AAA and Inova minilight

The Countycomm $1.00 lights not as well made as Photons, they have no constant-on switch, and you can't replace the batteries (ultrasonic weld). But they use two CR2016's which means you can pop them open and use them as a source of cheap replacement cells for your Photon if you want to do that (and you also get a white LED to play with). Personally I think they're very useful as-is and I've given away a bunch of them and stuck a bunch more in various places. I'll probably buy another 20 of them soon.

Kevin at batterystation.com (CPF dealer) also sells replacement coin cells at low prices if you want to get a supply.

Re: Difference between Arc AAA and Inova minilight

Good thought, paulr.

I've bought 40 of the countycomm lights. The ones I got were not ultrasonic welded. It comes apart just like the Photon I. Most of them had a clean beam, no/few artifacts. Some were bluish, others very white, and others geenish. A few were excellent, ARC/Photon bright. Most were reasonably bright and a few were too dim to use. The good ones go out as gifts and I use the batteries from the worst ones as refills. They're a great value. Even if you just scavenge the batteries from them for your better coin cell lights.

So if you prefer the smallest light possible, stick with the Innova, and get countycomm lights and you'll have batteries for the next few years, and a few to give as gifts.

But get the ARC anyway! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Re: Difference between Arc AAA and Inova minilight

Hmm, maybe my Countycomm lights aren't welded either, it does look like they are but I haven't opened one yet. Thanks!

All the ones I've tried so far have been quite bright and pretty badly blueish/purplish when compared with my already purpish Arc AAA. I don't care though. They're perfectly functional for either walking around in the dark or for stuff like looking at maps. The color rendition may be a little funky but there's enough spectrum to be able to easily see different colors on the map, unlike if you use a monochromatic light. If I scavenge batteries from them I'll also scavenge the LED's to make a headlamp or something.

The Inova is actually somewhat bigger than the Photon but it seems better designed.

There are several other coin and button cell lights that are considerably smaller than the Photon, by using smaller batteries. The smallest is the Tag light which uses a pair of CR1220 cells (that means 12mm diameter, 2.0 mm thick; a CR2016 is 20mm diameter and 1.6mm thick). But it's apparently not that well made.

Re: Difference between Arc AAA and Inova minilight

Hello Drjones,
I have an Arc AAA LE and a photon II.

I have been carrying both lights on my keychain for quite some time.
The Arc AAA is one tough little light.
I had a smaller led light some time ago that used four tiny batteries(I got the light real cheap from a buddy).
Well, it came apart and lost two of the batteries.
I would recommend the Arc AAA. One AAA battery. Hard anodized case.
Good amount of light for 5 hours, regulated.

Hope this helps you.

Re: Difference between Arc AAA and Inova minilight

i have a photon III and an AAA.
my wife has a photon II on her keychain and an AAA she uses EVERY night for 10 minutes to an hour.

neither of use know if the photons work. we dont use them. they dim too quickly, batteries are a pain and cost more and the runtimes (of useful light) are so disperate. the AAA is worth any extra heft and will outlast a photon many times over.

Re: Difference between Arc AAA and Inova minilight

I"m in the same boat as gyverpete. I've got both on my keychain /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif I've got a photon style generic light from countycomm.com and an ArcAAA. The photon style light is a knock off and doesn't have any of the fancy features of the real photon, but for a quick squeeze to find the keyhole you can't beat those little lights. If you need something to actually look around anywhere then you defintely want the Arc. I have no problem having both on my keychain, fits in all my pockets. But I only carry like 4 keys and my car doesn't have one of those transmitter things, so there is little else on my keychain but flashlights!

Re: Difference between Arc AAA and Inova minilight

I started out with a Photon III before I discovered the Arc AAA. It was nice and bright when I first got it, but I was really disappointed at the runtime. Within 10 minutes of use it is noticably dimmer and it continues to drop steadily over time. I bought some cheap batteries online, but even so I had to change them way too often to keep the light bright. The Photon III has flashing modes and little kids get a kick out of that, so I'd often let a nephew play with it for a while (warning: always use a waterproof light for this) and it would usually need new batteries afterward.

The Arc AAA lives on my keychain now and I don't see it being replaced any time soon. I hardly ever have to replace the AAA cell and it is nice to have something durable and waterproof. Also, the Arc protects the LED at least somewhat from scratches which is a plus on the keychain.

I also found that the Photon kept getting turned on in my pocket which didn't help the battery problem any. I'd sit down and a key or coin would end up pressed against the switch for a couple hours. No problems like that with the Arc.

- Russ

Re: Difference between Arc AAA and Inova minilight

I forgot to mention that I don't use the Photon II white anymore. I used to EDC it a few years ago but the runtime was unacceptable for what the feeding cost; at the time $6 every few months. So I started carrying the Photon II yellow. It's bright enough for most close up tasks and the battery life is MUCH longer. Still on original batteries 2+ years later. I still 24/7 carry it on a lanyard, but it NEVER gets used since I got the ARC /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif 6 months ago.

I tend to be over prepared so the Photon is a back-up for my back-up. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif . Maybe you could keep the Innova on your keyring for quick, short usage, or backup. It should last long that way. And carry the ARC on a neck lanyard or clipped on clothing for regular use.

Re: Difference between Arc AAA and Inova minilight

I used to carry a white Inova on my key chain & a turq ARC AAA on a lanyard around my neck. I still carry the ARC, but twice I had the Inova come on in my pocket & run the batteries down, so I quit carrying it. Don't know how it happened as the switch isn't that easy to activate. There is a place on the net you can get 50 Maxell CR2016's for $7.95 + $5 shipping. Makes for a cheap battery change.