Action Light^TM Owner's Manual

Brightness Settings The multisided knob at the end of the electronics bay (the rectangular part of the Action Light) is a 4-position rotary switch that controls the lamp brightness.  The knob is rotated counter clock-wise to increase brightness or all the way clock-wise to turn the lamp off.  Starting with the off position, the switch positions are Off, Low, Medium and Bright. The Low setting by-passes the electronics and is designed to provide the highest reliability.  Therefore, if you ever have a problem with the Medium or Bright setting, always try the Low setting.  However, note that the Low setting does not work all the time with all battery combinations.  See Battery Choices below. We recommend you use the lowest setting compatible with safety and your task lighting requirements as this will provide the maximum battery life. Adapting to Less Light The amount of power used is roughly proportional to the amount of light the lamp is producing.  Therefore, being able to use a lower setting allows you to conserve battery power.  Your eyes respond to light in a non-linear (logarithmic) way and so what appears to be only a slight change in brightness is actually a very substantial change in the amount of light. You can safely and easily adapt to lower light settings.  The lamp brightness settings were chosen such that if your eyes are adjusted to one setting, you can turn the lamp down to the next lower setting and still see what you are doing.  This makes it easy to use lower settings and thus greatly extend the battery life. There are many conditions that interfere with low light adaption including fatigue, age, altitude, smoking and illness.  Any of these separately or in combination can result in the need for a brighter lamp setting. About the Battery Compartment The battery is housed in the round part of the Action Light. The battery cap unscrews counter clock-wise to provide access to the battery compartment. The battery cap is sealed using an O-ring.  We recommend cleanliness when opening the battery compartment to minimize the entry of dirt, mud and water. Changing the Battery Unscrew the battery cap and remove it.  Carefully lift and unfold the negative battery contact until it no longer obstructs the battery compartment.  You should avoid touching the gold contact screen or otherwise getting it dirty.  The battery should easily slide out when the battery compartment is inverted. Replace the old battery (batteries) with new. Insert the new battery (batteries) positive end first into the battery compartment.  The positive end is marked with a plus symbol, has the small button and is at the top when you are reading the label.  The small button of the positive end fits into the small hole in the positive battery contact. Carefully refold and lower the negative battery contact over the negative end of the battery.  The contact matches the battery's shape.  Make sure the ribbon wire is neatly seated between the two nipples on the negative contact and that the two nipples are seated in the slot.

Screw the battery cap back on.  Make sure the threads are properly aligned so as not to damage them.  The battery cap should screw down easily and fit flush with no gap. Cleaning the Battery Compartment If you change the battery in wet or dirty conditions, you may need to clean and dry the battery compartment.  If you need to clean the interior, we recommend you rinse the battery compartment and battery cap with clean fresh water, gently blot them dry with a soft clean cloth and leave the battery compartment open to completely air dry.  The battery should be wiped clean with a clean damp cloth and allowed to completely air dry.  Below are instructions for maintaining the O-ring seal.

If rinsing will not remove the dirt, you may rub the spot gently with a soft bristle brush wetted with a mild soap solution and then follow the Medium rinsing and drying procedure.  Never dry rub or use aggressive cleaning agents. Maintaining the Battery Cap O-ring The battery cap seals the battery compartment using an O-ring.  The battery cap O-ring and all surfaces it touches should be kept clean and lightly greased.  The O-ring may be removed for cleaning.  Sand and dirt will damage the O-ring and cause leaks.  If the O-ring becomes damaged, replace it with a 2mm by 33.5mm nitrile (buna-N) O-ring and lightly lubricate it with a compatible waterproof grease. Replacing the Battery Cord The cord is very rugged but will eventually need replacement.  Replace it as soon as the exterior cover has been damaged or if you suspect internal damage. The cord is held in place at each end by a combination strain relief terminal cover and gate terminal block. To disconnect the cord at either end, remove the screws that hold the strain relief terminal cover and set the terminal cover aside.  Unscrew the gate terminal pressure screws only until they are even with the top of the terminal block - do not try to remove them.  The wires can then be gently be pulled out of the terminal block. To connect the new cord at either end, reverse the steps given above.  Be sure when inserting the wires into the terminal block to put the red wire in the terminal marked "+" and the black wire in the terminal marked "-".  Additionally, be sure to put the wires in all the way so that the cable jacket is completely over the strain relief teeth.  Finally, be sure all screws have been fully tightened and that the strain relief terminal cover is flush with the body. CAUTION The 24-3V-series lights have no reverse battery protection circuitry and will be damaged if you connect the batteries incorrectly.  Be sure to always maintain correct battery polarity. Exterior Cleaning The Action Light exterior may be cleaned by gently washing the surface with a mild soap solution and rinsing with clean fresh water.  This procedure will prevent or greatly minimize any surface scratching from dirt and sand.  Never dry rub or use aggressive cleaning agents.  Surface water should be blotted with a clean dry cloth and the lamp allowed air dry. Battery Choices The 24-3V-series light requires a 3V battery system to operate properly.  This allows the use of a single lithium/sulfur dioxide, two alkaline, two rechargeable nickel cadmium or two rechargeable nickel metal hydride batteries.  Some restrictions apply depending on which battery system you use.  These restrictions are very important.  However, these restrictions are considered acceptable trade-offs for the additional flexibility gained in many applications. The Low setting will operate down to 2.7V while the Medium and High settings will operate down to 1V.  As the voltage drops below these points, the light output will dim. There are no restrictions when using a PTC-protected lithium/sulfur dioxide battery (SAFT 37260146 or equivalent). Alkaline batteries lose voltage over their life and are not able to drive the low setting after about 50% of their capacity has been used.  However, the Medium and High settings are not affected by this lower voltage and continue to function properly until the batteries are dead.  In fact, the Medium setting can provide extremely long run times. Rechargeable nickel cadmium batteries have too low a voltage to drive the low setting, even when fully recharged.  However, the Medium and High settings are not affected by this lower voltage and continue to function properly until the batteries are dead.  Note that the circuitry is capable of draining these batteries to such a low voltage that the batteries can be damaged.  Therefore you should change the batteries prior to the lamp dimming. Rechargeable nickel metal hydride batteries have too low a voltage to drive the low setting, even when fully recharged.  However, the Medium and High settings are not affected by this lower voltage and continue to function properly until the batteries are dead.  Note that the circuitry is capable of draining these batteries to such a low voltage that the batteries can be damaged.  Therefore you should change the batteries prior to the lamp dimming. The Action Light 24-3V-NB model is configured without a battery pack so you can use your existing external battery pack or one of your own design.  The light may be connected to any external battery pack that can supply the specified power.  Therefore, you are free to choose between primary or rechargeable batteries.  The wattage specified is for the High setting and will allow you to roughly calculate how long any particular battery pack will last.  The power ratio between settings is roughly 5:1. The minimum voltage listed will generate correct operation on all settings.  As the voltage falls below the minimum voltage the amount of light generated on any particular setting will decrease gracefully.  For most efficient operation, always select a lower setting when the setting you are using starts to dim.  Selecting lower power settings will increase the total time remaining. CAUTION The 24-3V-series lights have no reverse battery protection circuitry and will be damaged if you connect the batteries incorrectly.  Be sure to always maintain correct battery polarity. CAUTION The light will be damaged if connected to a voltage exceeding 3.6V. Other Considerations The electronics bay is permanently sealed.  Do not loosen or remove any of the special screws that retain the lens or end caps.  Do not loosen or remove the knob.  Any attempt to disassemble or open the electronics bay will damage the lamp. The lamp contains an array of 24 bright white LED.  These special bulbs never need replacement.  Even if one or two bulbs do fail during the life of the lamp, the difference in the total amount of light will not be noticeable because of how your eyes work. You may notice slight differences in color and brightness between the LED bulbs, typically on the Low setting.  These differences are Medium unit-to-unit production variations which do not effect the overall functioning of the lamp. If you will be using the lamp for submerged applications, we recommend you pack the cord ends -- the space around the gate terminals under the strain relief terminal covers -- with grease so as to prevent damage due to electrolysis. Whereas a sudden total failure is very unlikely, it is possible.  Therefore, we strongly recommend you always carry a second lamp 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 a new battery in your lamp as long as you have a spare battery along. Specifications Action Light 24-3V-series Model 24-3V-NB 24-3V-LB 24-3V-AB Bulbs 24 high brightness white LED Power Source 2.7V - 3.0V 1.6W 1 "D" PTC-protected lithium/sulfur dioxide battery (SAFT 37260146 or equivalent) 2 "D" alkaline batteries Hours of Light at 25°C (77°F) N/A 12 - High 50 - Medium 300 - Low 6 - High 90 - Medium 300 - Low Waterproof 100m (328ft) Light Weight 198g (7oz) Light Dimensions 98mm by 41mm by 54mm (3.9" by 1.6" by 2.1") Battery Pack Weight (Including Batteries) N/A 241g (8.5oz) 480g (17oz) Battery Pack Dimensions N/A 105mm by 38mm by 42mm (4.1" by 1.5" by 1.7") 165mm by 38mm by 42mm (6.5" by 1.5" by 1.7") Operating Temperature Range -40° to 50°C (-40° to 122°F) 0° to 50°C (32° to 122°F) Storages Temperature Range -40° to 80°C (-40° to 176°F)     Copyright © 1998-2000 by HDS Systems, Inc.  All rights reserved. Updated February 2000 www.hdssystems.com HDS Systems Inc. P.O. Box 42767 Tucson, Arizona 85733 USA   520-325-3004 Toll free: 877-437-7978