After my first run ARC LS and the sale that ARC had a few weeks ago. I convinced myself that I needed another one :-). This is the new and improved version. It has new electronics, a new outer casing design and a new clicky tail switch.

Features

My light as ordered was supplied with a common head unit fitted with the Luxeon start 1Watt LED. Then 2 battery carriers for the following battery types. 2 AA and 1 123A Lithium. These have various advantages depending on how you want to use the light.

2xAA - Gives the longest available run time at the expense of a larger light. It's still pretty small though! Also cheap to run on those rechargeable batteries.

1x123 - Gives the smallest package with the highest output with about 2 hours at full brightness. But uses the expensive 123a lithium battery.

The light is simple to operate. Just install the batteries, + side up towards the head and screw on the head. To turn the light on press the tail switch till it clicks. Press again to turn off, Simple!
You can also use it as a momentary on/off by pressing only lightly on the switch.

1 CR123A Lithium

The light source is a 1Watt Luxeon LED. This specially developed LED give around 10 times more light output than the typical Nicha 5mm White does. This I believe is the first commercially available torch in the world to use such a device!

Compared with the First Run ARC LS that I already have this is defiantly an improvement. The light output is whiter with a larger corona and brighter hotspot. This is round in the middle with a squareish surround.

The power from the batteries is controlled by power regulation electronics. This makes it different from most incandescent or LED lights in that the light output is not effected by the battery voltage dropping as they become discharged. What it does is gives a constant voltage to the Luxeon LED at the expense of drawing slightly more current from the battery. So you get a shorter runtime on the light but constant light output for the whole time. On a normal non regulated light the light output drops as the batteries discharge so when half empty the light may only give of half the light output that it did when the batteries were new. Once the LS batteries drop to a low enough level the regulation circuit can no longer function at this point the light will still function but at a much lower light output. ARC calls this Sun & Moon modes of operation. Because of a feature of LED's which means they become more efficient at lower voltage / current levels, this now means that the light will work at this lower level of output for some considerable time.

I believe that the electronics on this version are designed to give a better output than the previous version at the cost of some of the runtime. But this is not greatly reduced as the electronics are also more efficient. They are also designed to protect NiCd or NiMh rechargeable cells from over discharge when used in the 2AA pack.

The light is extremely well made with each part CNC machined from sold aluminium bar or tube. Each part is then type III hard anodised. This gives a very durable and hard wearing finish. Each part is then assembled using O-ring to seal the light against moisture ingress.

This light is now rated as waterproof.

OK, now hopefully your interested where can you get one?

UK Dealers

outdoorsuppliesuk.com At last a great UK supplier with LOW prices for Torches, Knives, Outdoor Equipment and more. (Still under development but please email them for prices.)

US Dealers

www.arcflashlight.com
www.meridiantactical.com

UK Cheap 123A Lithium & AA Batteries

www.7dayshop.com

More info on ARC and other lights here

www.candlepowerforums.com