Service for ARC4 dropped switches

It's with great sadness I post this offer. Due to ARC flashlight no longer being available to service ARC4 switch issues.

I have been working on the ARC4 switch issue for awhile now and have posted several fixes. tailcap mod v1.2

Out of respect for Peter, I held off posting tailcap mod 1.3 to wait for Peter's fix. When I get everything together I'll be posting the fix.

For those that need service, depending on how much time this consumes. I may offer a service to repair ARC4 switches.

Thanks,
CY

Thanks Cy

Thanks Cy.. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

I hope I'll never have to use your service, but it's nice to know that it's there.. Awaiting your v1.3 mod..

Thank you very much CY.I dropped mine last night and although I got it working again it is just not the same.I am also interested in your v1.3 mod.

Thanks CY!

We need you more then ever!

If I ever get one I need your fix too. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/naughty.gif

cy, as always you are a class act.

That is a very good idea Cy, thanks.

If you need another pair of hands,
Just ask!

Any hope of getting a switch mod from you
sometime?

Atrick-pay you got PM

Update: I'm working with Peter to source parts needed to repair ARC's.

Does droping the arc4 on it's switch break it? Is it common?

What can be done to prevent this?

Will the a AA body cause the damage more due to the weight?

Cases like that happened, but it was uncommon. Affected both revisions. Cy's mod takes care of that. There were also other tail ends planned, which would have protected the switch.
Which AA case?

I am building a AA body.

mine is in the 48X serial number area what revision is it?

should I do this to prevent it?

does the tail cap switch break or the electronic switch break?

will the grommet mod fix a broke switch or keep it from happening?

the grommet mod doesn't not fix a broke switch.

What little battery length tolarance is provided by the spring and correct resting position of gold disc.

When you drop an ARC4, the front contact assembly is crushed. Instructions I'll be posting raises the front gold contact by straightening the supporting legs.

supports can also be placed under the gold contact assembly.

Part of the problem with HDS's defective design is with normal use, the gold basket assemby will crush/deform. this increase length of battery area, causing problems further problems with the already too small battery tolarance.

A solution for ARC4's switches is once you get the switch functioning. Protect that switch by a protected tailcap or if your switch is sensitive enough. Go with tailcap mod V1.2.

Drawback is you will lose the expose button operation. It's harder to operate light with fingertips, but you gain a protected switch, smaller form and a standup capacity. You decide...

The gold basket material could also be changed to another material with greater elasticity and a better micro switch. but this is getting further than what I'm willing to expend time on.

how do I get an unexposed switch? you said smaller? that would rock.

An easy mod or a new tail cap? tail cap with a gaurd?

apologies for not posting sooner link to tailcap mod V1.2

So, does anyone have the part number for the switch itself, it is one of the likely things to wear out, fail over time...

Newbie if I understand correctly, it's a custom laser cut part (Unless you are refering to the micro-switch). So far I have not seen a ARC4 switch assembly that could not be fixed.

Please note for "assembly" I'm referring to the gold support/contact and the micro-switch underneath.

After hard use and of course a drop from XX height. The gold contact/support will crush/deform the legs.

the micro switch underneath the gold contact requires a small amount of space to operate. When this space is gone, switch cannot operate properly.

To fix very gently pry up the gold platform at the legs. try to raise all legs exactly the same amount. Go slow in small increments. The objective is to straighen out the legs back to original 90degree position.

Switches have individual feel. When the gold contact to micro-switch space is reduced by crushing/use. Battery length becomes hyper sensitive.

This design by HDS is defective. If the new HDS lights contain this same design. You will have simular issues.

So far ARC 4 electronic have been very durable. Very few failures reported.

Peter has offered to help me produce the new REV3 switch. Which is made out of a more durable material. This would require unsoldering the entire gold contact/support at the legs. replacing that and possibly the micro switch underneath.

That is a lot of work to go thru, when simular results can be achieved by supporting the gold contact instead. I'm still experiementing with different materials.

This R&D was stopped when the news of ARC closing hit. I started working on the modular ARC LS design that uses std sammie, reflector and optics. Tonight I acchieved an ARC LSH modular proto good enough to beta.

OMG cy are you serious?

I thought the switch failure (from dropping) was due to a broken PCB! If the microswitch and/or gold leaf is the only problem then this is about as easy as falling off a log backwards to fix! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinser2.gif

It still shouldn't happen in the first place, but no sense in /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dedhorse.gif

Looks like my biggest worries about dropping tail-down will be damaging my Li-Ion 123's. This would happen regardless of design!

Now I just have to figure out why mine has a slight flicker
on level 4 (my default) from time to time. It's random and very slight but quite noticeable when the light is used for close-up work. It could be contact related, looks like I'll have to break out the milli-ohmmeter when I have the chance.

Cheers!

sharekeeper, you first need to consult from Peter's posting if your light is a second.

If your light is working properly at other levels. then contact is probably not the problem. Usually contact problems occurred on level 1, when contact would not support the aprox. 1.5amp draw.

This is a question for Newbie, dougS or dat2zip. the real wizards on this board /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif