The titanium "Sapphire"
Background:
This light is based on the Arc AAA flashlight.
In communication with Peter Gransee of Arc Flashlight, this light was brought up in discussion. I have been interested in a titanium AAA flashlight for a number of years and have made a few prototypes and custom samples. The most recent sample used an Arc AAA converter that Peter had given me. I asked Peter if I could get some converters from him for use in a run of titanium AAA lights. Peter offered to build some Light Engines for me using the Nichia 310DS LED (supplied by me). In consideration of Arc Flashlight providing me with these light engines, it was agreed that I would supply them with a portion of the run of titanium sets which I had designed and had fabricated. I would do "my thing" with my lot of components and Arc would do "their thing" with the components they have.
To be more specific on how this light is based on the Arc AAA, the geometry and threads are the same so that in theory the head and batery tube are interchangeable. The converter that drives the LED is the same converter used in the current Arc AAA. The choice of LED is different. The profile and exterior form of the head and battery tube are diferent. The head in this light was designed specifically for hosting the 3 mm LED and there is a sealed sapphire window in front of the LED. A cross section detail of the head and battery tube is below:
Showing the light to a friend:
I took a Sapphire with red LED out on the reef to see how the red would work in the dark areas. It couldn't really compete with the harsh contrast and strong ambient light. I did spot an octopus though and used the light as a "probe". The octopus turns a dark brown when it wants to disappear in the shaddows and even the red didn't reflect well off its surface. Did show up the white of its eye though:
The octopus came out on the other side of this coral and I took the light down to see if I could get it to respond to the light itself. It grabbed the light and fortunately my finger slipped into the large split ring or I would have lost the light to this guy! As it was, it was quite a tug of war until it let go.
