ARC-AAA-PREMIUM GS

Arc-AAA-Premium GS, retail $49.95 www.arcflashlight.com...)
Manufactured by Mega Tech Devices (www.arcflashlight.com)
Last updated 02-28-09




The Arc-AAA-Premium GS 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 09-20-08). 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 09-20-08) - Nichia part number NSPW500GS.

As for the easily visible differences, first and foremost is that the brightness of the LED is at least quadruple 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 turning action is fairly stiff; this should go very far in helping to prevent this little powerhouse from "going off" in storage or transport, regardless of how roughly the flashlight gets nocked around here.

The Arc AAA-P GS 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 GS around your neck or around a nail or tree branch.

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



To change the battery when necessary, unscrew the bezel (head) until it comes off (don't worry about losing parts or bulbs), gently place it on the ground, use your foot to push it to the doorway leading to the basement stairs, and kick it down those stairs so that the hungry, hungry piss ants will think it's something yummy for their insect tummies, find it unpalatable, and take it to the queen -- who just sniffs at it, goes potty on it, and instructs the worker ants to do the same...O WAIT!!! THAT'S THE GOOD PART!!! So just set it aside instead.

Place the included Duracell AAA battery into the barrel so the button-end (+) positive faces up.

Screw the bezel back on, back it off just a bit when your Arc AAA-P GS springs to life, and there, you're finished.
Aren't you glad you didn't kick that bezel down the stairs with all those hungry, hungry ants now?

A foam gasket affixed to the bottom of the inside of the bezel 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 GS'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 porch; 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 scuff - not even enough to expose the bare Metaldarktyrannomon — er — the bare Metaltennyshoemon — um that's not it either...the bare Metalflamedramon...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 scuff is ***VERY*** small; you almost need a magnifying lens just to see it. And it rather easily wiped away, leaving absolutely ***NO*** damage whatsoever.

The primary purpose of this test is not necessarily to see if the exterior of the flashlight would be damaged; it's more about the internal components which would be subject to a high shock load ("G force") every time it strikes the concrete.

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.

And the inside is protected by a gold-colored material called Chem Coat; this helps to protect the flashlight from water or "battery poop" - you should not attempt to scrape it away or otherwise try and remove it.

I tried to cut through the flashlight with the blade of a folding knife, and I was not able to inflict any damage to the product.
Would I really try to cut up a perfectly good flashlight?
You bet your sweet patootie (sugar-coated toliet muscle) I would, if it's in the name of science.

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.

Water-resistance is excellent; it is rated waterproof and even submersible to 100 feet - much, much deeper than I can test. So my alcohol-fueled attempts to drown it in the toilet won't be very successful. But I'll try anyway:

Here's proof that I really performed "The Toilet Test" on it.
After being submerged in approximately 12" (~30.5cm) of water at 74°F (23.3°C) for one minute, I dried the outside off with some Cleanax brand nasal tissue, unscrewed the bezel, examined both the bottom of the bezel and the inside of the barrel, and no water was found in either location.
O, and no booze was involved here.

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.
No battery rattle was detected at all; not even when the unit was shaken rather vigorously.

Even at this very early stage, I don't forsee awarding the Arc AAA-P GS any less than five full stars!!!
(Yes, it really does rock!!!)



Beam photograph on the test target at ~12".
That "rotten giraffe urine green" tint does not actually exist.

Measures an astounding 111,800mcd 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!!!

I remember not that many years ago when a flashlight (and a *PREMIUM* one at that!)
using three C cells and 19 (NINETEEN!!!) LEDs was not able to even come close to this
value (a brief look at my evaluation of it shows that it measured just 82,500mcd)!!!



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 GS is!

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

Sega ''Star Trek''
Atari ''Tempest''
Venture Line ''Looping''
Jaleco ''Exerion''

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

And those colored graphics toward the left are my "Viva Piñata" posters.


Spectrographic analysis
Spectrographic analysis.
USB2000 spectrometer graciously donated by P.L.


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 GS 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 09-17-08.

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: 02-28-09
I have decided to rate this product a full five stars and place it in "The Trophy Case" on this website!!!


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 "G" white LED
    No. OF LAMPS: 1 (a BRIGHT one at that too!!! )
    BEAM TYPE: Medium spot with soft fall-off to perimeter
    SWITCH TYPE: Twist bezel on/off
    CASE MATERIAL: HA-III aluminum
    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 GS * www.arcflashlight.com...






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