Serious Arc4+ Problems!

Hey Everyone,

Need help. Let me say that my Arc4+ was shipped as 1st. When arrived, it had a very small dent in the besel, so I purchased it as a second, and am awaiting the 1st. replacement. That being said, the light worked perfect for about the past 4 weeks. Very bright, perfect function, ect. About 3 days ago, when changing from level 7 to level 1, I noticed that the light took a while to smooth out regulation.(It dimmely flickered a bit) But after that it was fine. Later that evening turned light on again, level 7, was on for a few seconds, then turned off by itself, and for 5 to 10 seconds, would not turn back on. For the past couple of days it has done this to me 4 or 5 times, and the flickering when changing levels has gotten worse.(level 7 to level 1.) Sometimes it won't even get to level 1, it only gets about level 3 brightness. Last night the light did the turn off on it's own thing, and wouldn't turn back on after a few seconds. Reset the light(removed batt. for 3 min.) and nothing happened, reset again for over 5 min. still nothing. Let it set with no battery for about 30 min. and it finally turned on. Played with it for a few minutes, and it seemed to work fine. Today, I am inspecting my gas hotwater heater, need the light, click the button, light blinks one time, shuts off, and haven't been able to get it back on yet. Do not understand, this is really a 1st. in a seconds shell. Does it with new batteries, Duracell ultras and Surefires. Does it right out of my pocket, so it is not to cold. Don't really know what to do! Do you think Peter would fix it for me for a price? Has anyone had a similar experience? Would like to hear from you all. Haven't dropped it or anything, no accidents. Confused!
Thanks,
Brandon

** Have tried numerous new batteries, with the same result. And when the light did turn back on, it went through RFS without a hitch. It has done this on several new cells from Duracell and Surefire.**

Looks like it's the battery's problem. Try feeding it a fresh cell.

It sounded like it was simply the battery, but if you're sure that you're using new, good cells, then it sounds like it's powering down and shutting down thermally. It's either overheating and the thermal is doing what it's supposed to do, or the thermal isn't working properly. My bet is you're gonna have to send it back. Hopefully Peter and company will see this and tell you what to do.

Call ARC and see how they want to fix it.

My first thought is a battery (cell actually /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif ) problem. But you say you've used new cells and the problem persists.

My next thought is that you need to clean the threads and the battery contacts. My 4+ acted up and a cleaning of some black goop off the threads and also of the negative contact in the tailswitch fixed it up just fine. Just use a soft cloth and maybe a little WD-40 as a solvent to clean off the black goop from the threads and the negative contact. Re-lube the o-rings with a little silicone grease and see if that makes your light happy again.

OK, just turned back on. Did the cleaning, and once again replaced battery with a brand new surefire cell. Is working properly again for now. Will update if it acts up again.
Hope not, I love this light, can't stand not having it work right. Can't wait to see my rev.2.

Thanks for your thoughts, will keep you posted.
Brandon

Try a hard-reset by keeping the cell out for 2-3 minutes.

This is the reason why I don't like all the different levels; it adds complexity and potential problems. I prefer the simple on/off of the old LS but I love the 33 lumens of the Arc4.

Hey Guys,
Appreciate the help so far, but I have kind of a, low, update if ya know what I mean. Had some time tonight so I grabbed a box of batteries, the Arc4+, and went and sat in the dark. The very unscientific process I'm about to describe was repeated with 3 random batteries out of 2, 12 count boxes of surefire SF123A's. Results were the same for all three batteries. Ran out of Duracells or would have used them as well. Ok, as I said, with each battery, after playing with the light for less than 3 minutes(turning on and off/switching primary to secondary) the flickering started. It would act like a dead battery, and step down to like level 4-5, then blink really bright. Go to secondary setting, 7, and push switch and hit full power without fickering. Either the light has something funny with it, or I have 24 crapy batteries. But they work fine in both my standard and premium LSH's. Got to be the light. Can't send it in until I get my rev.2 though. What do you guys think? This is the condenced version because describing all that it is doing would be impossible, but all this still doesn't tell me why it shuts off by itself and won't turn back on, even with a different battery installed. Honestly I just don't want to admitt that something is wrong with my light.
Thanks A Lot,
Brandon

maybe a connection is dirty somewhere?

[ QUOTE ]
nonbox said:
This is the reason why I don't like all the different levels; it adds complexity and potential problems. I prefer the simple on/off of the old LS but I love the 33 lumens of the Arc4.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is the big misunderstanding many people have:
Removing the brightness levels from the software would not change anything. Actually, maybe after some time, Arc may offer a simpler software version for people who insist on it or it may be just built into the existing software.
Just set the primary level to whatever you want (probably 1 in your case), force primary on and leave it there forever. Then you have the ArcLS functionality.


The light will need the uP anyway and the uP itself does not make the light less relyable. There are now, of course, more parts to go wrong compared with a simpler light, but on the other hand the uP protects the light in many ways. So all together, the light is more relyable than a simple light.
AFAIK there are about 1000 Arc4s out and we have not heard about another case of misbehaviour (or have we?) I'm shure that people buying a 200 Euro light will give some response in the case of a malfunction.

[ QUOTE ]
PeLu said:
[ QUOTE ]
nonbox said:
Just set the primary level to whatever you want (probably 1 in your case), force primary on and leave it there forever. Then you have the ArcLS functionality.

[/ QUOTE ] How would the ARC4 then behave? Would the light just get dimmer and dimmer? What about the "moon mode"?

Noxiousbt, we are standing by if you decide to send it in. Without looking at it I can't say what went wrong. I can tell you that the symptoms you have described sound unique and quite odd (if that is any consulation).

Peter

Thanks Peter, and everyone. I'm going to break out the fluke 702 and all the batts. first, and do a bit more research before I throw in the towel and call it broke. I will keep you all updated here if I find anything worth reporting. Thanks again!

Brandon

[ QUOTE ]
PeLu said:
Just set the primary level to whatever you want (probably 1 in your case), force primary on and leave it there forever.

[/ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]
fuelblender said:
How would the ARC4 then behave? Would the light just get dimmer and dimmer? What about the "moon mode"?

[/ QUOTE ]

Of course. Instead of having a light which gets dimmer with falling sorce voltage it will do it in steps.
I did not want to say that you get exactly the same behaviour, but the practical value should be the same

Ok, my older son found out an easy 'malfunction' yesterday: When he pressed the button, the light came only on momentary at a very low light level and was off when released.
The solution was very simple: it was not screwed together completely, so the tail button pressed the cell forward to the contact and it started RDS sequence.
I'm shure everybody will find out by themselves, but I post it here to save the people from the half minute of disappointment about a malfunctioning Arc4.

Hey Guys,
All batteries checked out fine the other day, that's good I quess. Forgive my quick post, as I had back surgury Friday, and can only get off my back for 10min. at a time, along with being really medicated so I hope this makes sense. The Arc was set to come on at the triple click level, last night,(first time I have got to play with since last post.) It has new batts. and had been sitting for the better part of two days because of the above mentioned surgery. I clicked to turn it on and it gave me the old blink and shut off. Then would not turn back on for over an hour, despite trying many different reset methods mntioned in this forum. Hate to say it but I think I have problems. Peter, will be calling you Monday morn. to discuss my options, sorry. Hope it can be fixed. Honestly, whom ever talked about the thermal switch earlier in this post might be on to something from my hours of playing with it. But I did not have the guts to crack it open.
Thanks for all of your help.
Brandon
P.S. And look how I spent my only 10min. out of bed today!

[ QUOTE ]
P.S. And look how I spent my only 10min. out of bed today!

[/ QUOTE ]
You're a REAL flashaholic. No doubt about it.
Best wishes for a speedy recovery from your surgery.... uh, I mean best wishes for a speedy recovery from your Arc 4 problems... no, just kidding, I mean both.

Hey, just wanted to let you all know that my Arc4+ has resorted to making light about 20% of the time. Despite trying a lot of different things, the other 80% of the time, the light just won't do anything.
Very Sad Day,
Brandon
P.S. Sending in as soon as I can drive to FedEx.