ARC-AAA-PREMIUM DS

Arc-AAA-Premium DS, retail $44.95 www.arcflashlight.com...)
Manufactured by Mega Tech Devices (www.arcflashlight.com)
Last updated 12-17-08




The Arc-AAA-Premium DS 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 5mm LED flashlight in existence today (as of 11-09-07). 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 11-09-07) - Nichia part number NSPW500DS.

As for the easily visible differences, first and foremost is that the brightness of the LED is at least triple 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 (it should not be; though one *IS* included!).

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 AAA-P DS 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 AAA-P DS 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 AAA-P DS 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 AAA-P DS'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 concrete floor of a patio; five whacks against the side of the tailcap and five whacks against the side of the bezel), and found the expected damage. There is a very, very, ***VERY*** tiny gouge to the bare Metalblackwargreymon — er — the bare Metalikkakumon — um that's not it either...the bare Metalpalmon...er...uh...wait a sec here...THE BARE METAL (guess I've been watching too much Digimon again! — now I'm just making {vulgar term for feces} up!!!) on the upper side of the bezel where it was struck. No optical or electrical malfunctions were detected. The gouge is ***VERY*** small; you almost need a magnifying lens just to see it.

It has a Mil-Spec type 3 hard anodized finish, so it should stay looking newer longer even if it goes up against keys, coins, or other metal flashlights during storage or transport.


Here's proof that I really performed "The Toliet Test" on it.
After immersing it in the cistern for one minute, I dried the outside off with some bungwipe, examined the insides, and found no water in it. Being submersible to 100 feet though, this was no real surprise.

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 AAA-P DS 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 on the test target at ~12".
Measures an astounding 89,500mcd on a Meterman LM631 light meter.
This is an absolutely FANTASTIC intensity for a single LED
flashlight, especially one that uses a single AAA cell!!!



Beam photograph on a wall at ~10 feet.
Most single-LED flashlights are not bright enough for this type of photograph, but the Arc AAA-P DS is!

Those rectangular graphic things in the upper left quadrant of this photograph are marquees from:

Atari ''Tempest''
Nintendo ''R-Type''
Super Tiger...er...uh...Konami ''Super Cobra''
Midway ''Omega Race''
Sega ''Star Trek''
Williams ''Joust''
Venture Line ''Looping''
Universal ''Mr. Do!'s Castle''
Jaleco ''Exerion''
Gremlin/Sega ''Astro Blaster''
Gottlieb ''Q*bert''

upright coin-op arcade video games from the 1980s.

That graphic toward the right is:
A "BIG SCARY LASER" poster sent by www.megagreen.co.uk

And that clock to the right of the "Big Scary Laser" poster is an Infinity Optics Clock.




Spectrographic analysis
Spectrographic analysis.


ProMetric analysis
Beam cross-sectional analysis.
Again, most single-LED flashlights are not bright enough for beam cross-sectional analyses, but the Arc AAA-P DS is!
Image made using the ProMetric System by Radiant Imaging.




TEST NOTES:
Test sample was sent by P.G. of Mega Tech Devices, and was received on the afternoon of 11-08-07.

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


UPDATE: 11-19-07
I lent my Arc-AAA-P CS to my sister to replace the Aunoc 1xAAAA Flashlight that became broken after falling off her keychain, so I put my Arc-AAA-Premium DS on my own keychain.
I do not forsee any issues with either.


PROS:
Very bright for its size
Durable case
Water-resistant - even waterproof to 100 feet
Uses battery that's common and relatively inexpensive


CONS:
None that I have yet found


    MANUFACTURER: Mega Tech Devices
    PRODUCT TYPE: Small LED flashlight
    LAMP TYPE: 5mm Nichia "D" 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 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 DS * www.arcflashlight.com...






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