Arc AAA

Hi, I'm new to Candlepower forums. I'm looking to get the ARC AAA flashlight. How do you know when you buy one if you're getting the Premium edition?

The Premium edition costs extra and you have to order it specifically. If you're buying a used AAA and want to know how to identify a premium edition, there have been a bunch of variations but they are marked "PE", "LE", "limited edition", etc.

That said, the difference between the premium and regular editions is often overrated. There's only so much you can get out of those 5mm Nichia leds and the regular edition already gets most of it. The premium edition reaches into the area of diminishing returns. If you want a brighter light with better tint than the standard edition, you're better off going to a Luxeon light (or one of the Luxeon mods for the Arc AAA) than trying to find the elusive super-primo Nichia.

What kind of run time can one expect from a Luxeon modded Arc AAA?

The runtime depends on the battery type and the LED current. I think most Luxeon mods run at around 150 mA which should give maybe 1.5 hours of runtime on a battery and should work ok on an alkaline. You can run them brighter than that, but then you need to use rechargeable batteries (higher current capability than alkaline) and you have to worry about the light overheating if you leave it on for too long. I think if I were building a mod or getting one built for everyday use, I'd keep it at 100-150 mA rather than trying to go crazy for brightness. A stock AAA or premium runs at 60-70 mA with a new battery, and a Luxeon should be a little more efficient, so a Luxeon at 150 mA is probably 3x as bright as a stock AAA in addition to having whiter color.

Note that a lot of people somehow expect the AAA Premium to be brighter than the standard version. It is not. All that's different is that the LED is selected to have more neutral tint (i.e. the premium usually still has blue cast, just not as much as the regular).

I've got some 800mAh NiMH batteries. The 150mAh mod sounds like it would fit my needs. Are there plans on this forum for that kind of mod? (I must have missed them while doing a search). I'll need to brush up on the fundumentals of electricity if I'm to figure this out from scratch.

If I want to get a modded AAA with Luxeon, who should I be talking to? 1.5- 2hr of run-time sounds great to me. For a 800mAh cell, does that mean we can drive the light at 350-400 and get roughly 2 hr of run time?

Thanks for info.

Get some 2000mah + NiMhs if you're gonna use those

GarageBoy, we're talking about AAA's, not AA's. 750 mAH is about the best you can do with AAA NiMH.

Ledy, a white LED needs about 3.6 volts and the dc-dc stepup converter in an Arc AAA is about 80% efficient, i.e. the energy going into the converter is 125% of the energy coming out. Since a NiMH cell is 1.2 volts, it needs a 3x stepup, times 125% is 375%. So to get 150 mA to the LED, you need 3.75*150 mA = 562 mA from the battery, approximately. That means runtime with 750 mAH should be an hour or a little longer (not a full 1.33 hours since the battery voltage does decrease a little as it drains).

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GarageBoy said:Get some 2000mah + NiMhs

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As told above they are very rare .-) I just got a couple of 1000mAh cells yesterday (along with 2600mAh AAs) and do not know about any better ones.
My ArcAAA Premium is significantly brighter than all my 'standard' ArcAAAs. And has a nicer tint, too.

You got 1000 mAH AAA NiMH cells? I didn't know those existed. Where are they from?

Later this year AAA lithiums will be released, and those should have higher capacity than alkalines. Something like 1200 mAH at 1.7 volts, so around 2x the capacity of a NiMH, with the ability to deliver high current.

Thanks paulr for explaining. An hour of super bright light from an AAA factor would be really cool. I guess I'll be looking for a modder /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif.

Whoops!

What parts would I need? I'm going to do the mod myself.
So far I've got a DC-DC step up circuit and perhaps an LED.
PS: I've been using these Maha batteries for a while and they're very nice. I've found they hold a charge better than other NiMH batteries I've used in the past.

http://www.mahaenergy.com/store/viewItem.asp?idProduct=11

Steve, there's been a bunch of threads already about DIY Luxeon mods. LED Mods As Small As Possible has done some very nice ones. You could also use Lambda's micro converter available from the Sandwich Shoppe.

LEDMODS ASAP does some of these mods and you can often find ready-made modded AAA's for sale on BST in the $60 range. You could post a WTB (want to buy) notice there and ask for one.

Thanks!

Twice the capacity, then what? Throw them away? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif
The ten year shelf life is important certain apps, but
I get several weeks use out of a single '750 in my ARC AAA.

The Arc AAA is really great for what it is. A semi regulated nichia LED that uses common batteries. Leave it alone and your warranty is good to go. If you want a bright single AA or N cell check out TNC's site. No mods required it come with a Lux, reflector, and glass lens. Even if you get a TNC light still get the ARC AAA. Like I said it's great for what it is.