Last updated January 14, 2004 Introduction The Arc4 is powered by one 3-volt lithium battery (“CR123”). The Arc4 monitors various sensors to safely regulate the one-watt LED. This provides a more consistent level of light for the useable life of the battery. The Arc4 uses a single tail button to activate the light and to access the advanced functions. Installing the Battery (Unscrew the head and battery compartment, remove old battery, insert new battery in battery pack so positive terminal is out, screw head and battery compartment back together - one or two paragraphs) Note: your light will automatically initialize and briefly sequence through several brightnesses when you change the battery - this is known as the Ready-for-Service option. This option is turned on by default and will reduce the battery shelf life. You can use the Options Menu to disable the Ready-for-Service option. Note: you will know it is time to replace the battery when your light blinks and reduces brightness - that is, the light momentarily turns off and then turns back on at the next lower brightness, repeating as needed until it finds a brightness setting that the battery can handle. Note: do not disassemble the push-button end of the battery pack. Using the Single Push Button The Arc4 has a single push button which is used to turn your light on and off and to access its other functions. The following concepts are important to understanding the operation of your light: Click: a short push and release of the button. Your light automatically adapts to you by remembering the average time it takes you to perform a click. A click is any push of the button lasting less than twice the average click time. Press: a long push of the button. A press is any push lasting over twice the average click time. Double-click: a sequence of 2 clicks. The time between clicks must be less than twice the average click time. Triple-click: a sequence of 3 clicks. The time between clicks must be less than twice the average click time. N-click: a sequence of n clicks. The time between clicks must be less than twice the average click time. N-click-press: a sequence of n+1 button pushes where the first n are clicks and the last is a press. The time between clicks and between the final click and press must be less than twice the average click time. Remember: your light adapts to your normal usage. If you normally click fast, your light will adapt to the fast clicks and respond faster to your actions. You can slow the response by slowly lengthening the time you take to click over a period of 10 to 15 clicks. If you provide an invalid input sequence, your light tries to handle the error in the best manner possible. Depending on the context, the best (or safest) thing to do is to ignore excess or extraneous clicks or exit from a menu without changing any settings. Turning Your Light On and Off There are two ways to turn your light on:Click the button once to turn your light on. It stays on until you turn it off. This is known as latching the light on. Click the button again to turn your light off. While your light is latched on, you can press the button to bring your light to maximum brightness. Releasing the press returns your light to the previous brightness. Press the button to turn your light on for as long as you hold the button down. Release the button to turn your light off. This is known as momentary operation. When you turn your light on, it turns on to the primary, secondary or the lowest brightness, whichever was used last. You can use the Brightness Menu to set the primary and secondary settings to any brightness level. You can use the Options Menu to enable the Force Primary option to force your light to always turn on to the primary setting. When your light is latched on, you can toggle between the primary and secondary brightness settings by double-clicking the button. Your light will momentarily turn off between the clicks but this is normal. You can use the Brightness Menu to set the primary and secondary brightness settings to any brightness level. When your light is latched on, you can set your light to the lowest brightness by triple-clicking the button. Your light will momentarily turn off between the clicks but this is normal. You can return to the previous brightness by double-clicking the button. Your light will momentarily turn off between the clicks but this is normal. Brightness Menu The Brightness Menu is used to set the brightness of either the primary or secondary setting. Your eyes respond to light in a logarithmic way. That means that a significant increase in brightness requires a doubling in the amount of light. The brightness settings on your light are spaced to provide small, visually even changes in brightness. Every two settings brighter will halve the battery life and every two settings dimmer will double the battery life. The efficiency of the LED increases when the LED is run at lower power settings. The increase in efficiency can exceed 40% by 6 settings below the maximum setting. This means you can often go 1 or 2 settings dimmer than you would otherwise expect for a given brightness. The battery experiences a similar increase in efficiency at lower power settings. Using the lowest setting compatible with a task will maximize battery life. To set the brightness of the primary setting, turn your light on, toggle to the primary setting, turn your light off and then enter the Brightness menu. To set the brightness of the secondary setting, turn your light on, toggle to the secondary setting, turn your light off and then enter the Brightness menu. If you have enabled the Force Primary option from the Options Menu, you must disable the option before setting the secondary setting. You enter the Brightness Menu by 10-click-pressing the button while your light is off. The light toggles on and off while you are clicking but this is normal. If you don't want to count, just keep clicking until the light stays on before the final press. Your light comes on to the currently selected brightness when you enter the Brightness Menu. Click the button to sequence through the brightness settings. Double-click to reverse the sequence. Note that the sequence automatically reverses when you get to the brightest and dimmest settings. When you have selected the desired brightness, press and hold the button. Pressing the button starts the acceptance flash sequence (On,Off, On, Off, ...) that lasts for 2 seconds. When the flash sequence stops and your light turns off, you may release the button. If you do not push the button within 10 seconds or if you do not hold the button down until the acceptance flash sequence finishes, your light will exit the Brightness Menu without changing the brightness setting and displays the error flash sequence (dimmer, brighter, dimmer, brighter, ...). The primary and secondary settings are remembered across resets. The default primary setting is 1 and the default secondary setting is 7. We suggest you consider changing the default settings to 3 and 9 respectively and use the press from On when when you need the maximum power - your batteries will last significantly longer if you do so. Options Menu The Options Menu is used to turn on and off Options of your light. Each option will be covered separately, but the basics of turning on and off an option is common to all options. You enter the Options Menu by 10-clicking the button while your light is off. The light toggles on and off while you are clicking but this is normal. If you don't want to count, just keep clicking until the light stays on. Each option has a unique flash sequence that identifies it and a well known position in the menu. When you enter the Options Menu, you always enter at the first menu item (SOS). Click the button to sequence through the options. Double-click to reverse the sequence. The menu wraps around from the last item to the first item and vice versa. When you have selected the desired option, press and hold the button. Pressing the button starts the acceptance flash sequence (On, Off, On, Off, ...) that lasts for 2 seconds. When the flash sequence stops and your light turns off, you may release the button. If you do not push the button with 10 seconds or if you do not hold the button down until the acceptance flash sequence finishes, your light will exit the Options Menu without changing the option setting and displays the error flash sequence (dimmer, brighter, dimmer, brighter,...). Option: SOS The SOS option flashes the international emergency SOS signal. The SOS signal complies with 46CFR161.013-7 for signal timing but your light is not a Coast Guard approved emergency signal. To stop the SOS signal, turn your light off. You can also stop the SOS signal by resetting your light. The default setting is Off. The SOS signal option is the first menu item and is identified in the Options Menu by the SOS signal (dot, dot, dot, dash, dash, dash, dot, dot, dot). Option: Button Lock The Button Lock option locks your light in the off setting so it cannot come on accidentally. If the button is pressed while your light has the button locked, your light flashes twice and then turns off. Note that in semi-momentary tactical mode, your light does not flash but remains off. To release the Button Lock, triple-click the button. Releasing the Button Lock leaves the light turned off. You can also release the Button Lock by resetting your light. The default setting is Off. The button Lock option is the second menu item and is identified in the Options Menu by two short flashes. Option: Force Primary The Force Primary option forces your light to always turn on to the primary setting. To use the secondary setting while this option is enabled, you must latch your light on and toggle to the secondary setting. Note: you cannot change the secondary setting using the Brightness Menu while this option is enabled. The Force Primary option is a toggle setting. Setting it once turns it on while setting it twice turns it off. The setting is remembered across resets. The default setting is Off. The Force Primary option is the third menu item and is identified in the Options Menu by a long flash. Option: Locator Flash The Locator Flash option flashes your light about every 3 seconds when it is turned off. This allows you to find your light in the dark. The Locator Flash option is a toggle setting. Setting it once turns it on while setting it twice turns it off. You can also turn off the Locator Flash option by resetting your light. The default setting is Off. The Locator Flash option is the forth menu item and is identified in the Options Menu by a short flash. Note: enabling this option consumes a small amount of power when the light is turned off. Disable this option for maximum battery shelf life. Option: Ready-for-Service The Ready-For-Service option sequences through the brighter settings when the batteries are changed. The sequence goes from dimmer to brighter. If the sequence is smooth, the battery is correctly inserted and usable. If the sequence blinks one or more times, the battery is weak and should be replaced. If no light is produced, the battery is completely dead or improperly installed. The Ready-For-Service option is a toggle setting. Setting it once turns it on while setting it twice turns it off. The setting is remembered across resets. The default setting is On. The Ready-For-Service option is the fifth menu item and is identified in the Options Menu by the ready-for-service light sequence. Note: enabling this option consumes a small amount of power when the light is turned off. Disable this option for maximum battery shelf life. Option: Semi-momentary Tactical Mode The Semi-Momentary Tactical Mode changes how your light operates when it is off. A single click acts like a press and only turns your light on while the button is pushed. A double-click is used to latch your light on. Also, there is no visible Button Lock indication - your light remains completely dark when the button is pressed. The Semi-Momentary Tactical Mode is a toggle setting. Setting it once turns it on while setting it twice turns it off. The setting is remembered across resets. The default setting is Off. The Semi-Momentary Tactical Mode is the sixth menu item and is identified in the Options Menu by a short flash followed by a long flash. Option: Pure-momentary Tactical Mode The Pure-Momentary Tactical Mode provides a pure momentary mode of operation. All button pushes (clicks and presses) are momentary. In Pure-Momentary Tactical Mode, it is not possible to latch your light on or access the menus. To return to the previous mode (Normal Mode or Semi-Momentary Tactical Mode), you must reset your light. The default setting is Off. The Pure-Momentary Tactical Mode is the seventh menu item and is identified in the Options Menu by two short flashes followed by a long flash. Resetting Your Light You will seldom find it necessary to reset your light. The only time the design requires you to reset your light is to turn off Pure-Momentary Tactical Mode. However, if your light ever gets into a non-responsive state, a reset can be used to regain control. After a reset, you may still want/need to change the non-resettable options (brightness levels assigned to primary and secondary settings, Force Primary, Ready-For-Service, Semi-Momentary Tactical Mode) to a better settings. To reset your light, open the battery compartment, remove the battery, wait for 120 seconds, re-install the battery and close the battery compartment. Low Battery Indication As your battery is used up, the battery will not be able to supply enough power to run your light at the selected brightness. As a result, your light will blink - that is, momentarily turn off and then turn back on at the next lower brightness, repeating as needed as the battery is used up. When the dimmest setting is reached, the light will continue to run until the battery can no longer power the light. Please replace your light's battery before the lowest setting is reached. Your light remembers the restricted brightness setting and will not allow you to use a higher setting as long as your light remains on. Turning off your light and turning it back on resets the restricted brightness and allows you access to all brightness levels if the battery is capable of supplying the power. The same behavior can also occur if the battery contacts become dirty. Gently wiping the battery contacts with a clean dry cloth is normally sufficient to remove dirt. If in doubt, please replace the battery. High Temperature Indication Your light can get quite warm on the higher settings. If you hold on to your light with a bare hand during operation, your body will conduct away any excess heat and prevent your light from getting too hot. However, if you place your light on a table or hold it with a gloved hand, the excess heat is not easily conducted away and your light can get hot. Before your light becomes dangerously hot, a thermal sensor detects the increasing temperature and reduces the brightness to keep the light from becoming hotter. Your light's temperature is regulated so you can always pick it up safely. Your light remembers the restricted brightness setting and will not allow you to use a higher setting as long as your light remains on. Turning off your light and turning it back on resets the restricted brightness and allows you access to all brightness levels if the light is cool enough to allow them. Cleaning and Maintenance (three paragraphs about cleaning the light, greasing the O-rings and replacing the lens protector) Warnings Caution: Whereas a sudden total failure is unlikely, it is still possible. Therefore, we strongly recommend you always carry a second light with you. We also recommend you carry enough spare batteries to cover your stay plus a reasonable safety margin. It is not necessary to start each trip with new batteries in your light as long as you have spare batteries along. Caution: White LEDs on the higher settings are very bright. Looking directly into the LEDs must be avoided. The light can be intense enough to injure human eyes Specifications Voltage: 2.0V to 6.75V Power: 2.5W maximum, 24dB range in 16 settings with 1.5dB spacing Battery Packs: 1x and 2x DL-123 lithium-magnesium dioxide Light Source: 1.25W white LED, regulated for constant brightness Output: 500 lux at 1 meter for 45 minutes on highest setting Beam: 12 degree @ -3dB, 65 degree to shadow, (add 10 lux diagram) Housing: aircraft aluminum, military hard anodize Dimensions: 1 inch diameter by 3.2 inches long, excluding pocket clip Primary Features: simple single button user interface, rechargeable battery protection, reverse battery protection without diode penalty, graceful power reduction for weak batteries, thermal management, intrinsically safe design. Settable Options: SOS emergency signal, button lock, force primary, locator flash, ready-for-service indicator, semi-momentary tactical mode, pure-momentary tactical mode. Battery configurations supported by the power supply - the numbers in parenthesis are the nominal open terminal voltage: Primary cells - non-rechargeable:
Secondary cells - rechargeable:
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