ARC-AAA-PREMIUM


Arc-AAA-Premium, retail $29.95 (standard), $39.95 (premium) (www.arcflashlight.com)
Manufactured by Mega Tech Devices (www.arcflashlight.com)
Last updated 01-28-12




VERY IMPORTANT: The original owner of Arc, Peter Gransee, who designed the Arc-AAA, helped start a new company called Mega Tech Devices LLC. With this new company, he is re-releasing the Arc-AAA with improvements to the original design such as a brighter output, etc.

The Arc-AAA-Premium (henceforth, called the "Arc-P" because that's what the inscription on it reads) is a very tiny, single "AAA" cell LED flashlight, very similar to the original Arc AAA but with a few visible differences. Smaller than a Mag Solitaire, this is easily the smallest and brightest single cell white LED flashlight in existence today. A miniature step-up power converter inside the tiny head makes it possible to run a 3.2 to 3.8 volt white LED with only a single 1.5 volt AAA cell.
The easy-grip body is composed entirely of hard anodized aircraft aluminum, and is, for all intents and purposes, indestructible. The bezel (head) isn't perfectly cylindrical, but has a slight rounded shape to it, and the white LED in it is Nichia's best and brightest (as of 06-11-05) - Nichia part number NSPW500CS, rank UB2.

As for the easily visible differences, first and foremost is that the brightness of the LED is at least double that found in the original Arc-AAA - yes - even the premium version.
Another is that the bezel is slightly rounded (barrel-shaped), rather than being perfectly cylindrical (to make the flashlight easier to insert into pockets with tight openings).
The third is that the inscription at the top of the barrel now reads "ARC-P".

The Arc will come in two versions: the "standard" and the "premium".
The standard version will have the inscription "ARC" and the premium version will have the inscription "ARC-P".


SIZE



To use this miniature marvel, you will first want to feed it with a single "AAA" cell if it was not already installed in the flashlight when you received it.

Getting light is as easy as turning the head clockwise (as if tightening it) until it lights up; turn it the other way to plunge yourself back in darkness.

The Arc-P comes with a small split ring attached to the tail. This is meant to be attached to larger keyrings, like what your house & car keys are probably already on; and for attachment to a lanyard to hang the Arc-P around your neck or around a nail or tree branch.

The knurled surface makes the light easy to grip and use.



To get your Arc-P powered up and ready to face the world, unscrew the head until it comes off (don't worry about losing parts or bulbs), and drop the included Duracell AAA battery in so the button end faces up. Screw the head back on, and you're finished.

A foam gasket affixed to the bottom of the inside of the head prevents that annoying rattling sound from the battery moving around inside when the unit is turned off.

Advertised runtime is no less than five hours on a Duracell brand alkaline cell.
The company that makes this flashlight tends not to lie or exaggerate, so this runtime value should be reasonably accurate at absolute minimum.

Due to the way the product was constructed, I am not able to furnish a current usage measurement for you.




Photograph of the Arc-P's "business-end", showing the LED and reflector.

The flashlight appears to be very durable and sturdy, and it is. Ordinary flashlight accidents should not be enough to do it in. I administered the smack test on it (ten whacks against the corner of a concrete stair; five whacks against the side of the tailcap and five whacks against the side of the bezel), and found absolutely NO damage. No optical or electrical malfunctions were detected either.

I also performed the "drop test" as it was asked of me to do so. I dropped the Arc-P ten times on a concrete sidewalk (two times from pocket height when it was on and three times when it was off; and two times from chest height when it was on and three times when it was off) and found only some very, very, VERY minor damage to the end of the bezel from when it struck the sidewalk face-first; no optical or electrical malfunctions were detected.

It has a Type III hard anodized ("HA-III") finish on it, so it should stay new-looking even if it goes up against keys, coins, or other flashlights in your pocket or on your keychain. A gold material called Chemcoat inside the barrel helps protect the aluminum in there from water or bad battery juice. So please try not to scrub it away or otherwise try to remove it.

The Arc-P is water-resistant AND waterproof too. When I dropped it face-first in a large (16oz) glass of water and left it there for one minute, dried it off with a paper towel, and opened it, no water was found inside, and it still functioned properly.

The entire contents of the bezel (head) are potted in an epoxy compound, so even if the flashight were to leak (broken O-ring, not taking care of the O-ring, etc.), just dry the barrel out and your Arc will be as good as new.

Another one of the experiments I was asked to perform as part of beta testing was the "cold" "hot" test, to determine if the rivet in the bottom of the Arc-P's battery holder would wiggle loose.

For the "cold" part of this test, I placed the flashlight in the freezer at -6°F (-21.1°C) and allowed it to cool for one hour. This is the lowest temperature I can obtain, even though the Arc-P should be reliable to -40°F (-40°C). I then attempted several battery changes on the cold flashlight, and turned it on and off several times.

The "hot" part of this test was done by heating a coffee cup of water in the microwave oven to 147°F (63.9°C), placing the Arc-P in the hot water for enough time to allow it to heat (approximately one minute), then attempting several battery changes on the hot flashlight; paying special attention to that rivet at the bottom of the barrel. The maximum temperature specified is 150°F (65.6°C).

In both parts of this test, the rivet did not loosen that I can detect, and I performed several battery changes while the Arc-P was cold and while it was hot. And at least once during each part of this test, I held the barrel vertically (straight up and down), inserted the battery in the barrel, and allowed it to slam to the bottom. I also turned the flashlight on and off a number of times. So I believe it passed this test.

I turned the Arc-P on and off 1,200 times (both on and off, so 2,400 twists of the bezel) in about ten minutes, and no failures or malfunctions were detected. I realise that real-life cycling is far, far, FAR more than 2,400 twists, but my hands were pooping out, so I stopped at 2,400 twists.
This test was conducted over several hours, not all at once.

I was also asked to use the Arc-P as often as I could; that test will take considerably longer.

I have used the Arc-P whenever I needed a flashlight, and have no failures to report.

[insert those long-term test results here]

There is knurling (diamond-shaped cross-hatched texturising) on the barrel and on the bezel, so retention (the ability to hold onto the flashlight when your hands are cold, wet, or oily) shouldn't be much of an issue.

The bezel (head) of the Arc-P is slightly rounded (barrel-shaped as opposed to being perfectly cylindrical); as a result, some users may find it a little easier to place in a pocket, especially the watch pocket of jeans, which is typically has a tight top to it.

A foam gasket is affixed to the underside of the bezel (head); this helps to prevent battery rattle when the unit is shaken, struck against something else, or dropped.



Beam photograph at ~12".
Measures an incredible 48,900mcd on a Meterman LM631 light meter.
This is an absolutely fantastic intensity for a single LED
flashlight, especially one that uses one AAA cell!!!

With an Energizer L92 lithium AAA cell, I measured 49,900mcd on the same meter.


Spectrographic analysis
The white LED in this flashlight.


Spectrographic analysis
Same as above; newer spectrometer software & settings used.
USB2000 spectrometer graciously donated by P.L.


ProMetric analysis
Beam cross-sectional analysis.
Image made using the ProMetric System by Radiant Imaging.



TEST NOTES:
Test sample was sent as a beta test unit by P.G. of Mega Tech Devices, and was received in mid-June 2005.

Product was made in the USA. A product's country of origin really does matter to some people, which is why I published it on this web page.


UPDATE: 01-12-06
Bad news to report today.
No, not bad news about the flashlight itself.
I was at Wallgreens late this morning, and my keys got jammed in my wheelchair. When I got home, I checked my keychain, and the Arc-AAA P was gone.


UPDATE: 01-13-06
GOOD news to report today!!!
The Arc AAA P was spotted just a couple of feet outside the back door late this morning; it must have ridden somewhere in my wheelchair all the way from Wallgreens, and fell out just as I pulled up to the back door to unlock it.
Anyway, I have it again.


UPDATE: 01-25-06
I received another Arc-AAA P several days ago; this one measures an astonishing 58,000mcd!!!
As before, I used a Meterman LM631 light meter for this measurement.


UPDATE: 04-04-09
I have gifted the Arc P to my father for his birthday; therefore, the (still dreadful) "" icon will appear next to its listings on this website - this denotes that I no longer have the product available for additional analyses or comparisons.


UPDATE: 01-29-12
This product was used during a recent extended (over 90 hours!) electrical power failure.





PROS:
VERY bright for a single cell single LED product
Durable aluminum body finished with HA-III
Weatherproof and waterproof (submersible to 100') too
Batteries are inexpensive and readily available
Foam gasket under bezel prevents battery rattle
Impressive warranty


CONS:
None that I have found


    MANUFACTURER: Mega Tech Devices
    PRODUCT TYPE: Small LED flashlight
    LAMP TYPE: 5mm white LED
    No. OF LAMPS: 1
    BEAM TYPE: Medium spot with soft fall-off to perimeter
    SWITCH TYPE: Twist bezel on/off
    BEZEL: Metal; LED inset in conical depression
    BATTERY: 1xAAA cell
    CURRENT CONSUMPTION: Unknown/unable to measure
    WATER- AND PEE-RESISTANT: Yes
    SUBMERSIBLE: Yes, to 100'
    ACCESSORIES: Battery, small split ring, pocket clip
    SIZE: 2.7"L, 0.5"D
    WEIGHT: 0.75oz
    WARRANTY: Lifetime

    PRODUCT RATING:

    Star Rating





Arc-AAA-Premium * www.arcflashlight.com






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