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. The Bright setting has a special circuit to detect a low battery.  When approximately 5% of the battery life remains (about 15 hours on the Low setting), the Bright setting will automatically switch to the Medium setting.  This will also happen with a new battery when the temperature is very cold.  The lamp may flicker during the switch from the Bright setting to the Medium setting.  This flickering transition is not harmful and is usually caused by dirty battery contacts or extreme cold.  Turn the knob to the Medium setting and the flickering will stop. We recommend you use the lowest setting compatible with safety and your task lighting requirements as this will provide the maximum battery life. In an emergency, you can stretch the remaining battery life a long time by using the Low setting most of the time and switching to the Medium setting for short periods when needed.  However, when the battery has less than 5% power remaining, if you switch to the Medium or Bright setting even for a moment and then back to the Low setting, the nearly dead battery needs time to recover before it can drive the Low setting again.  The lamp may appear to go out but will start to brighten after a few seconds.  As the battery's condition worsens, the recovery time gets progressively longer. 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 multisided 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 with a new "D" PTC-protected lithium/sulfur dioxide battery (SAFT 37260146 or equivalent).  Do not use any other kind of battery in this lamp. Insert the new battery 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. 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. 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 LEDs.  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. 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 Light source 24 high brightness white LEDs. Power One "D" PTC-protected lithium/sulfur dioxide battery (SAFT 37260146 or equivalent). Run time Bright: 12 hours, Medium: 50 hours, Low: 300 hours.  These times are typical for 25°C (77°F) and will be lower at extreme temperatures. Waterproof 100m (328ft). Operation temperature range -40° to 50°C (-40° to 122°F). Storage temperature range -40° to 80°C (-40° to 176°F). Weight 397g (14oz) including lithium battery. Dimensions 90mm by 81mm by 54mm (3.5" by 3.2" by 2.1").     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