Green Arc AAA Problem

A while ago I got a green (not turquoise) arc aaa off of bst. When I got it, it worked just fine. I had a shortage of aaa batteries at the time so i just took the battery out and put it in my white arc aaa. Yesterday I put a fresh battery in and it wouldnt turn on. I tried the remedies I could remember. I tried wiping off the contacts, and I even tried putting the head in a different body (just in case). It won't even flicker. Anybody got any ideas?

<<<<<< In fact, that is it over there as my avatar.

Ok, have you tried the roll crimp? I'm pretty sure the green is pre-3.1 so it probably wasn't done.

But before you do that, try this:

First, with the head off the body, rig the head to a battery with a paper clip. If it works, then something is wrong with the body to head contact.

If not, try this:

Take the head off and short the solder blob to the threads with a paper clip or wire or anything metal for about ten seconds (to discharge the capacitor). Screw the head back on the tube w/battery and see if it works. If it does, it may be an internal circuit problem. I've been doing some tests on an intermittent unit and that seems to be the problem. The cap. is charging up too high at .62 volts when the norm. is .34 volts. The light may then work until you turn it off and then not work again until the capacitor is discharged again.

If this doesn't work, try the roll crimp.

Let us know how it goes. Hopefully you can fix your avatar generator. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif If not, I think ARC will cover it under warranty.

Thanks. I'm not to great at soldering though, becuase I've never done it before in my life (16 years next monday). However, it can't be too tough so I'll give it a try. I really hope it works.

Whoa there BigMac... don't go grabbing your solder and start tearing it apart!! Think what Gyverpete meant is just touch the soldered part to a metal object to discharge the capacitor... now, don't go taking it apart... not just yet anyway! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Especially when I'd assume its still under warranty lol.

I was just kidding about the soldering. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif I would not trust my self with a solder gun within 20 feet of my lights unless it was absolutely necessary.

I guess I shouldn't have said "SOLDER blob". /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif

Maybe "positive contact" or "+ contact" would have been better.

So, BigMac how did you do?

Well, I tried wiring it up to a battery, which didn't work, and discharging it, which didn't work. I am gonna try the roll crimp sometime today.

Anything?

I've been really busy, I'm gonna try the roll crimp either tonight or tomorrow morning.

Sorry, didn't mean to be pushy. Just a little excited. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/popcorn.gif I hope it works. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

It's ok. I attempted the roll crimp last night, but couldn't get it to work. However, I have never done the roll crimp before and I'm not sure that I did it right. You are just supposed to fold the lip of metal towards the inside, right? Well, I don't see how that might improve a connection, because on mine there is epoxy (or somthing that loks like it) along the inside rim, and only about a millimeter stiks up above it. Is there somthing I don't understand?

Peter posted this
AAA maintenance thread which goes through everything, incl. the roll crimp. The pics are a bit blurry and the page takes a while to load, but it's very detailed.
I figure you might be concerned about sending it in to ARC because the green is discontinued. They may have some put away, but I don't know. If you find that you did the crimp correctly and it's still no-go, you might want to email Peter. If he doesn't have a green one, he might send you a turquoise, and you'd be able to try trading it on BST for a green. Just a thought.

I looked at that thread, and I think I might have found the problem: I cannot find the tin ring mentioned. Is it possible that the colored leds were discontinued beofre that was put in?

Edit: I think I figured it out. Is it underneath some kind of cover? The picrtures are a bit too blury.

The ring is the negative contact on the circuit board, I think. That should be what the aluminum gets crimped against. Peter mentions in the thread that if the crimp won't work, applying a small dab of solder may do it. You mentioned being hesitant to solder, but this may be your last resort. I would rather encourage you to email Peter for advice, or wait for him or someone else with more expertise in repair than myself to post here. I'm tapped out of ideas. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Well, I understand what the ring was for, but I can't seem to find it. Before I rip the thing apart lookin for it, I am just going to email peter. Thanks for your help anyway.