A year or so ago I had to return the AAA I got because it wouldn't turn on sometimes. Now the replacement is doing the same thing. It happened very infrequently at first but as the battery discharges, it happens much more often--to the point where every time I used it, it only came on 50% of the times I twisted it. Then I replaced the battery & it's back to "normal": it turns on about 90-95% of the time. I've cleaned all the threads/contacts MANY times; I removed the foam ring too; it makes no difference. This is unacceptable!
This is the 2nd Arc that's doing this so I don't think this is just a defective unit. I saw the other thread about reliability and I've read many people talking about the AAA not turning on the 1st twist, but it always does on the 2nd. Even that is unacceptable. I was so frustrated with the stupid Solitaire and at first I thought the Arc was blowing it away--and it certainly does in terms of brightness & bulb issues--but it appears now it has the same problem, to a lesser extent.
Can simple battery-to-solder switching ever be reliable? Especially at 1.5V? I think a redesign is in order to make this the best AAA unit possible.
I like the idea of a reliable sealed switch unit inside, under the head. Gold contacts or whatever are most realiable for this application. Come on, how hard can this be!? Or maybe a mini tailswitch like the LS? I wouldn't care if it cost $15 more. (Though I realize the light has to appeal to more than just myself /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif ) But then maybe the current design could be continued, and introduce a more expensive deluxe version with the new switch and also two brightness levels? Okay I'm getting ahead of myself, but that IS an issue that's always bothered me about flashlights in general: often you only need like 50% of the output but you're forced to waste light/battery power regardless. That's why an LS5 is definitely on my list /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
Anyway I'm not trying to be negative but I just think the AAA design as it is, is not ideal. Feel free do disagree!
This is the 2nd Arc that's doing this so I don't think this is just a defective unit. I saw the other thread about reliability and I've read many people talking about the AAA not turning on the 1st twist, but it always does on the 2nd. Even that is unacceptable. I was so frustrated with the stupid Solitaire and at first I thought the Arc was blowing it away--and it certainly does in terms of brightness & bulb issues--but it appears now it has the same problem, to a lesser extent.
Can simple battery-to-solder switching ever be reliable? Especially at 1.5V? I think a redesign is in order to make this the best AAA unit possible.
I like the idea of a reliable sealed switch unit inside, under the head. Gold contacts or whatever are most realiable for this application. Come on, how hard can this be!? Or maybe a mini tailswitch like the LS? I wouldn't care if it cost $15 more. (Though I realize the light has to appeal to more than just myself /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif ) But then maybe the current design could be continued, and introduce a more expensive deluxe version with the new switch and also two brightness levels? Okay I'm getting ahead of myself, but that IS an issue that's always bothered me about flashlights in general: often you only need like 50% of the output but you're forced to waste light/battery power regardless. That's why an LS5 is definitely on my list /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
Anyway I'm not trying to be negative but I just think the AAA design as it is, is not ideal. Feel free do disagree!