Petzl Myo Headlamp Is Catching Fire!

Posted by: jasonlivy

Petzl Myo Headlamp Is Catching Fire! - 09/23/08 05:03 PM

FYI-

"Safety Alert: Petzl America Warns of Burn Hazard from Headlamps; Product Should Only Be Used with Non-Rechargeable Batteries

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a safety alert for the following consumer products. Consumers should immediately stop using rechargable batteries with any of the products listed below.

Name of Product: "MYO" and "MYO Belt" Headlamps

Units: About 322,000

Distributor: Petzl America, of Clearfield, Utah

Manufacturer: Petzl S.A., of Crolles, France

Hazard: If the headlamp is used with rechargeable batteries, the cable connecting the battery pack to the lamp can spark, melt, or catch fire. This poses a burn hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: Petzl has received 13 reports of sparking and/or melting, with 2 reports of flames. One consumer received a minor burn to the hand, and another experienced singed hair.

Description: This safety alert involves the "MYO" and "MYO Belt" headlamps with name and model numbers listed below. The "MYO" headlamps have a battery pack attached to the headband. The "MYO Belt" headlamps have a remote battery pack attached to the headlamp via a long electric cable.

Name Model Number
MYO E26P
MYO-black E26PN
MYO 3 E27P
MYO 3-black E27PN
MYO 5 E28P
MYO 5-black E28PN
MYO Belt 3 E29 P
MYO Belt 5 E30 P
MYOLITE E31 P
MYOLITE 3 E32 P
MYOBELT SB5 E33 P
MYO XP, blue E83 P
MYO XP, gray E83 P2
MYOBELT XP, blue E84 P
MYO XP BELT, gray E84 P2

The name of the product can be found on the side of the headlamp and on the packaging. The model number can be found on the packaging.

Sold at: Specialty retailers nationwide from February 2003 through August 2008 for between $40 and $80.

Manufactured in: France

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using rechargeable batteries with the headlamps and contact Petzl to obtain a new warning label. Consumers can continue to use the headlamps with non-rechargeable batteries."
Posted by: ajherman

Re: Petzl Myo Headlamp Is Catching Fire! - 09/23/08 05:07 PM

the solution is a new warning label? haha
Posted by: OregonMouse

Re: Petzl Myo Headlamp Is Catching Fire! - 09/23/08 08:15 PM

My Oh My! (Sorry, couldn't resist that!) First we can't use lithium batteries; now we can't use rechargeable batteries either. Pretty soon we won't be able to use any batteries in Petzl headlamps....
Posted by: Trailrunner

Re: Petzl Myo Headlamp Is Catching Fire! - 09/23/08 10:42 PM

I really don't see a problem here at all.

It's a dual use piece of equipment. Rather brilliant really. The Myo provides illumination and it's also a backup to matches or a lighter. Perhaps it could even be a primary source of fire. I'll bet it even heats up when wet.

But seriously........I wonder why only rechargeables cause a problem. I would assume they're referring mainly to NiMh chemistry. Possibly because the lower internal resistance of that design results in a higher current flow? It's not a voltage issue because Nicads and NiMh's have a lower voltage than non-rechargeable Alkalines or Lithiums.
Posted by: 300winmag

Re: Petzl Myo Headlamp Is Catching Fire! - 09/23/08 11:04 PM

Uh huh!

One more reason those Frogs can't make a reliable headlamp.

Stick with U.S. designed stuff like Princenton Tec or Black Diamond.

Eric
Posted by: chaz

Re: Petzl Myo Headlamp Is Catching Fire! - 09/24/08 05:20 AM

I'm keeping my Petzel. Might make a good head warmer on cold days.
Posted by: Rick_D

Re: Petzl Myo Headlamp Is Catching Fire! - 09/24/08 09:21 AM

Bizarre. With an operating voltage of 3.6 rather than 4.5, you'd think NiMH cells would be safe as milk. I wonder if it has something to do with boost mode drawing too much current for the cells? Not to mention there's a huge array of NiMH cells on the market, and I wonder what types have failed?

Since it's non-regulated, the Myo doesn't perform all that stably with alkaline cells, dropping off steadily in output. But that's what they're limiting us to.
Posted by: bmisf

Re: Petzl Myo Headlamp Is Catching Fire! - 09/25/08 10:52 AM

I love my Mammut headlamps. I've had reliability issues with PrincetonTek as well as being frustrated by the problems with the Myo series (I have a Myo 5).

The TX-1 bests the Myo series on all fronts (with a regulated main LED and smaller ones on the side, plus a blinking rear LED), and I prefer the TR-1 to my Tikka now (though the Tikka's still a decent series - not the PrincetonTec model I had a problem with, which was the Scout).
Posted by: phat

Re: Petzl Myo Headlamp Is Catching Fire! - 09/25/08 03:12 PM


Bah - it's all chinese these days anyway. who cares where the company is headquartered. Nobody
makes anything in a G8 country anymore..
Posted by: jasonlivy

Re: Petzl Myo Headlamp Is Catching Fire! - 09/27/08 08:52 PM

Quote:

Bah - it's all chinese these days anyway. who cares where the company is headquartered. Nobody
makes anything in a G8 country anymore..
The only Princeton Tec products made in China are their Switchback bike lightsets. Everything else has been moved back to being manufactured in the good 'ol USA (New Jersey).
Posted by: jasonlivy

Re: Petzl Myo Headlamp Is Catching Fire! - 09/27/08 09:14 PM

Quote:
I love my Mammut headlamps. I've had reliability issues with PrincetonTek as well as being frustrated by the problems with the Myo series (I have a Myo 5).

The TX-1 bests the Myo series on all fronts (with a regulated main LED and smaller ones on the side, plus a blinking rear LED), and I prefer the TR-1 to my Tikka now (though the Tikka's still a decent series - not the PrincetonTec model I had a problem with, which was the Scout).
I can't wait to hear the feedback folks have with the new Princeton Tec Rebel EOS. I've been using it for the past few months with amazing results. I am blown away by the amount of light it puts out, very close to the Apex's output. It truly is the brightest self-contained headlamp on the market for the money (brighter than the burst mode of the Tikka XP). Although this may be short lived, this is a very good thing. Add this to it's long list of qualities (voltage regulated which allows for 121 hours of burn time on high and over 200 on low (according to backpackinglight.com), made in the USA, totally waterproof, lifetime warranty, can use lithium and rechargeable batteries because of it's voltage regulation, and the battery compartment is easy to get into even with gloves which is a big deal), it's an awesome light!

I know I'm biased, but I am motivated just like all of you, in finding the best gear for the money. I think this light (whether it's the Military EOS, the EOS Bike (which now comes with a headband), or the regular EOS) is one of the best for it's size and weight.

If you're comparing the Mammut TX-1 to the Scout, I would totally agree with you. There really is no comparison in terms of features. They are completely different lights. The Scout is one of the lightest headlamps designed for use as a standalone headlamp (meaning that it's not intended to be used only for emergencies like the Petzl E-Lite). However, it really isn't fair to judge Princeton Tec based on the Scout (although I use my Scout on most of my backpacking trips). To really make a good comparison between Mammut and Princeton Tec, I would suggest the new PTEC Rebel Apex Pro (not available for another month) or the new Rebel EOS (available now). These are worthy competitors.

By the way, the Rebel Apex Pro will be using the brightest Rebel available (110 Lumen Rebel). I've seen it and it is incredibly intense (it appears brighter than my Cree SureFire L1 Flashlight) without drawing any more battery power. The EOS is using the 80 Lumen Rebel.
Posted by: BarryP

Re: Petzl Myo Headlamp Is Catching Fire! - 09/29/08 10:30 AM

“Add this to it's long list of qualities (voltage regulated which allows for 121 hours of burn time on high and over 200 on low”

I wonder where that came from ?!. According to PT http://www.princetontec.com/?q=node/118 (click on BURN TIME) it’s 1 hour on high and 11 hours on low for their new Rebel EOS. It has a 50 lumen output.
For better runtimes, brighter outputs, lower battery costs, and lighter, it still appears the zebra light is better http://www.zebralight.com/index.php?main...bd5jqtqc34q2fe6 H50-Q5 or H30-Q5.

And even lighter and brighter yet is the Fenix L0D: https://www.fenix-store.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_69_49&products_id=257 It also does better on batteries than the EOS. Just clip it on your hiking hat.

-Barry
Posted by: Rick_D

Re: Petzl Myo Headlamp Is Catching Fire! - 09/29/08 11:08 AM

FWIW the propellerheads <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> at CPF are reporting a lot of Zebralite failures, so I'd be a bit cautious until they're well and truly sorted out.

I do like the form factor.
Posted by: BarryP

Re: Petzl Myo Headlamp Is Catching Fire! - 09/29/08 11:29 AM

Thanx for the heads up! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I wonder how Trailrunner is doing with his?
Posted by: jasonlivy

Re: Petzl Myo Headlamp Is Catching Fire! - 09/29/08 06:38 PM

Quote:
“Add this to it's long list of qualities (voltage regulated which allows for 121 hours of burn time on high and over 200 on low”

I wonder where that came from ?!. According to PT http://www.princetontec.com/?q=node/118 (click on BURN TIME) it’s 1 hour on high and 11 hours on low for their new Rebel EOS. It has a 50 lumen output.
For better runtimes, brighter outputs, lower battery costs, and lighter, it still appears the zebra light is better http://www.zebralight.com/index.php?main...bd5jqtqc34q2fe6 H50-Q5 or H30-Q5.

And even lighter and brighter yet is the Fenix L0D: https://www.fenix-store.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_69_49&products_id=257 It also does better on batteries than the EOS. Just clip it on your hiking hat.

-Barry
The battery times quoted on the website refer to regulated battery output (meaning you won't see a decline in light output for an hour using new batteries). On the new packaging it states 121 on high total. Backpackinglight.com did an independent test on the EOS and found that it lasted 216 on low (<1 lumen output). Princeton Tec hates to publish exaggerated battery output times, but I think they need to revamp their website based on their new findings. What you see on the web is their old data. It's also a matter of physics that when you have more batteries (3 vs 1) powering a similar LED (Rebel vs. Cree) using voltage regulation, you will get longer burn times.

The other thing I would caution against is published lumen outputs. There is no current standard. 66 lumens on a single AAA battery for 2hr 20min seems a little much. Princeton Tec does their best to publish outputs based on extensive testing and are as truthful as they can be. They are one of the companies really pushing for a standard ANSI test for lumen output in regards to personal lighting. They've said you should see one next year sometime. I guarantee anyone who compares the new Rebel EOS side by side with any other light at it's price point will come away impressed.
Posted by: Trailrunner

Re: Petzl Myo Headlamp Is Catching Fire! - 09/29/08 08:48 PM

Quote:
Thanx for the heads up! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I wonder how Trailrunner is doing with his?


Well, since you asked........LOL!!!

An H50-Q5 really saved my bacon last week. A group of us were descending a remote, steep, rocky, brushy canyon after visiting a plane wreck. There was no trail. This was cross country. The ascent took much longer than we estimated so we ended up coming back down in the dark under a moonless sky. You couldn't see your hand in front of your face.

I switched on the Zebra, cycled through the levels to high and BAM, a wall of light revealed the uneven ground under our feet. One of my friends had no light so he walked behind me and slightly to the side. The spill from the Zebra was enough to light the way for him too. I held my compass waist high to maintain my bearing. The H-50 illuminated the dial as well as the ground ahead of me without moving my head.

Cell life (2000 miAh LSD NiMh) on high was well over an hour. My best guess would be more like 75 minutes but I didn't time it. I had three extra AA's plus the four in my camera. That gave me the confidence to know that my wall of light could last almost all night if we got lost.

In all fairness the H-50 has two drawbacks. We had to find and cross a small stream, plus there was a cliffy area where a wrong step led into a dark abyss. The Zebra lacked the throw to really light up these areas and I had to get up close and personal. Had I known we would be spending so much time in the dark I would have also carried a thrower for occasional use. The other problem was that the Zebra's regulation circuit serves no warning when it reaches its low voltage cutoff threshold. No dimming at all, just suddenly no light. A series of warning blinks every 30 seconds or so would have been nice. I worked around the issue by keeping extra cells in a handy pocket and with prior practice in cell replacement by feel only.

Just keep in mind that no light does it all. But for my specific needs the Zebra is almost perfect.

Never had a problem with my H-50 after weekly use for almost a year. I know some CPF members have had their problems but my feeling is they represent a very vocal minority.
Posted by: BarryP

Re: Petzl Myo Headlamp Is Catching Fire! - 09/30/08 11:58 AM

“Backpackinglight.com did an independent test on the EOS and found that it lasted 216”

All I could find was http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/princeton_tec_eos_headlamp_review.html It just shows 2 hours on high. So don’t expect 216 hours on high (unless one says moonlight is pretty bright).

“Princeton Tec hates to publish exaggerated battery output times, but I think they need to revamp their website based on their new findings”

Maybe so. Taking it out to 5 lumens though or even 1 lumen is not useful at all (though long run time!) when we need it on high. I hope they stay with the 50% runtimes; that’s more useful.

“It's also a matter of physics that when you have more batteries (3 vs 1) powering a similar LED (Rebel vs. Cree) using voltage regulation, you will get longer burn times.”

It depends how good the single-cell boost converter can squeeze every last drop out of a battery. Let’s use the EOS (105g) and Fenix L0D (14.5g) as an example. At high, the EOS will give 50 lumen until it drops 50%--- in one hour; but let’s give it 3 hours for the benefit of a doubt. Integrating for total light we’ll call that 50x3 = 150 lumen-hours on 3 AAA batteries. Or rewriting for battery efficiency = 50 lumen-hour/battery

Now the LOD gives 75 lumens for 1 hour (until 50%) for 1AAA battery. This gives 75 lumen-hour/battery. Thus we see the L0D is 1.5x more efficient than the EOS II.

Thus for the ‘high’ setting, you need to carry at least 1.5x as many batteries for the EOS II. The same analysis can be had for the ‘med’ and ‘low’ settings.

I’ll stick another neat tidbit in here. If we move to the AA Fenix L1D, that is still half the weight of the EOS II. And the L1D gives 160 lumen-hour/battery. AAA and AA batteries usually cost the same so the L1D is a much more cost effective approach (at least 3x cheaper on high).


“The other thing I would caution against is published lumen outputs. There is no current standard.”

People use to use Lux and candlepower (illuminance). I’m glad they got away from that. Lumens (total light output-- radiance) is the way to go. Surefire started that with their lights and it made sense. Lux meters just don’t take into account beam angle and distance. So my lux reading will be different than someone else’s.

I like specs in Lumens, and a beam angle (or beam shot). Integrating spheres measure lumens and these instruments are not had by many people (expensive). I believe PT and Fenix have ways to measure the total light output of their lights. These meters are accurate.

I remember when Streamlight use to spec in candlepower. Now they switched over to lumens. That’s the way to go.

“I guarantee anyone who compares the new Rebel EOS side by side with any other light at it's price point will come away impressed.”

I sure would love to see it side by side with the Fenix L0D.

-Barry
Posted by: bmisf

Re: Petzl Myo Headlamp Is Catching Fire! - 09/30/08 10:16 PM

Quote:
If you're comparing the Mammut TX-1 to the Scout, I would totally agree with you. There really is no comparison in terms of features. They are completely different lights. The Scout is one of the lightest headlamps designed for use as a standalone headlamp (meaning that it's not intended to be used only for emergencies like the Petzl E-Lite).


Actually, I was comparing the TX-1 to the Myo and the TR-1 to the Tikka. The Scout is a completely different animal - small, lightweight, simple; I mentioned it as an example of a PrincetonTec light that fell apart after not that much use (and, as an aside, which uses coin cell batteries rather than the standard AAA/AA of the Mammuts, Myo and Tikka).

Again, for a serious light with a separate battery pack, the TX-1 has really impressed me. Newer, better lights seem to come out regularly, so I'm sure something will supplant it sooner or later, but for now I'm really pleased with it. And, I like the TR-1 better than my Tikka (better battery life, better lock-out, starts on dimmest rather than brightest setting, and I prefer the way it swivels for aim).

A Zipka goes in my piloting bag (super-compact) along with a Surefire Aviator; I have about a dozen other flashlights and headlamps, and most have their place. I've just not had good luck with durability of PrincetonTec products.
Posted by: chaz

Re: Petzl Myo Headlamp Is Catching Fire! - 10/01/08 07:29 AM

Has anyone posted a comparison chart on all headlamps? I would be interested in having a side by side on these.
Posted by: jasonlivy

Re: Petzl Myo Headlamp Is Catching Fire! - 10/01/08 08:29 AM

These are the exact words from backpackinglight.com concerning the EOS (older, 1W version)...

"The EOS had an output of 40 lux after three days (72 hours) on low with alkaline batteries at 70 °F. We found we could still perform chores and follow a clear path at this output, but after another ten hours output dropped to roughly 10 lux and remained there through day 9 (216 hours). 10 lux is very minimal light, but still useful with night-conditioned eyes for certain simple chores." Here's the url: http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/princeton_tec_eos_headlamp_review.html

According to Princeton Tec, this is how they calculate burn times: "Burn time is the total time that the headlamp produces a minimum of 0.25 lux at 2 meters. 0.25 lux is about the equivalent of a full moon on a clear night. Regulated burn time is less than overall burn time." The interesting thing here is that a full moon on a clear night is 0.25 lux. I've hiked many nights using only the moon as my light source when it's full. Ten lux is definitely usable light.

Personally, I would like to see an unbiased test on the Fenix, Zebra, and all other similar lights before I take the specs they give as gospel. Often these numbers are exaggerated for marketing purposes. In my opinion, the best way to determine output is to get in a dark room and compare each light. This is always very illuminating:). I also find it hard to believe that this light, using 1AAA battery, is putting out 75 lumens, especially for an hour! If you were to ask the Princeton Tec guys, they would definitely call your bluff! According to them, the Cree and Rebel LEDs used by the Fenix and EOS are rated to 80 lumens in a lab pushed to their limit, and put out this light only for a few seconds. They are also using much more wattage than the 1.5W that a single AAA battery can produce.

I do believe there are some very good lights out there and this market is incredibly competitive. I've checked out the Fenix and Zebra lights. They are quality for sure. I own a SureFire flashlight (L1) and am amazed every time I turn it on.

I used the new EOS Rebel Bike last night and can't believe the amount of light coming from it compared the the older version. LED technology is really improving and that is good for everyone. I know Princeton Tec is doing everything it can, the best they can, using the materials they feel meet their high standards, to keep up with this technology.
Posted by: jasonlivy

Re: Petzl Myo Headlamp Is Catching Fire! - 10/01/08 08:34 AM

Quote:
I've just not had good luck with durability of PrincetonTec products.
This is totally understandable. I personally wouldn't support a brand if everytime I tried them they've failed. I don't blame you at all for feeling the way you do.

I do know that the Scout has been problematic. The EOS is a totally different beast. I think you would be pleasantly surprised by it's performance, although I know your confidence level for Princeton Tec is very low. I would stick with what's worked for you.
Posted by: BarryP

Re: Petzl Myo Headlamp Is Catching Fire! - 10/01/08 12:06 PM

Jason, I’m really grateful that you check up on these things real quick and get back to us. I like LEDs so I get into this more than other things; so that’s why I question this more than usual.

“"Burn time is the total time that the headlamp produces a minimum of 0.25 lux at 2 meters. 0.25 lux is about the equivalent of a full moon on a clear night. Regulated burn time is less than overall burn time."”

I think this is a useless spec. In PT’s lingo, ‘regulated burn time’ is much more useful as it gives you a feel how the light will perform. So when it posted a 1 hour burn time on their EOS II website (as of yesterday), that might be more believable. However, other users have noticed a 2+ hour run time to 50% light (I call it ‘run’ instead of ‘burn’).

“Personally, I would like to see an unbiased test on the Fenix…”

There are. It appears Fenix may be brighter than they claim.
An old Fenix L0D is found here: https://www.fenix-store.com/product_info.php?cPath=48&products_id=405
A lumen and runtime measurement OF THAT LIGHT is found here: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=152223

Since then, Fenix replaced their LED with the ‘Cree 7090 XR-E’ (Q4 grouping) which is 25% brighter. ( http://www.cree.com/products/pdf/XLamp7090XR-E.pdf )

“I also find it hard to believe that this light, using 1AAA battery, is putting out 75 lumens, especially for an hour! If you were to ask the Princeton Tec guys, they would definitely call your bluff!”

But it’s true as explained above. That LED only needs 350mA for 107 lumens (and less for the 75 lumens). After a step up converter, the battery probably draws ~760mA (assuming 75% efficiency).

“They are also using much more wattage than the 1.5W that a single AAA battery can produce.”

I assume ‘They’ is Fenix. Let’s see. A lithium AAA is rated at 1300mA. So 1.5x1.3= 1.95W (a battery can deliver). I believe a lithium AAA can keep that up for an hour. But it’s not really that bad. The LED is drawing 262mA (for 75 lumens) x 3.3V (across LED) = 860mW. Assume a 75% efficient Fenix step up converter and we’re drainig 866/0.75= 1.15W from the battery. Even a 900mA NiMh should keep up with this for an hour.


It’s hard to beat a Fenix <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />.


-Barry
Posted by: jasonlivy

Re: Petzl Myo Headlamp Is Catching Fire! - 10/01/08 01:07 PM

Quote:
I assume ‘They’ is Fenix.
Actually I was referring to Cree and Lumileds (Luxeon) in-house testing. This is according to Princeton Tec. Now they (Fenix) may be using the brighter LED that is used in the PTEC Apex, which if that's true, I stand corrected. The new EOS is using the 80Lumen Rebel (I don't know the nomenclature).

It appears the Fenix is a good light <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />. I was skeptical of the Sure Fire lights until I got one for myself. Wow is all I can say. Like you, I'm super interested, outside my job, in seeing new updates and improvements to LEDs and love to own really good quality lights. The technology astounds me. The improvements in efficiency and brightness are amazing. It seems I really do need to check out the Fenix lights more closely <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />.
Posted by: Folkalist

Re: Petzl Myo Headlamp Is Catching Fire! - 10/01/08 02:24 PM

Ya know, I'd be interested in what Jason suggested - an unbiased side-by-side comparison. I think it should be done by someone on this forum using real life practical tests. How long can you read by its light? How well and how long could you hike by its light? Weight, comfort, adaptability, battery type, battery compartment ease, performance in various temperature ranges, etc. And all done in a consistent, coherent language. Honestly, who knows best how these lights should perform? You guys, some of whom have 30 years experience or more on the trail, or lab techs?
Posted by: NiytOwl

Re: Petzl Myo Headlamp Is Catching Fire! - 10/13/08 01:51 AM

Does anyone make a headlamp that has all these characteristics?

- Bright (>75 lumen)

- Continuously dimmable until off.

- Red light (also dimmable)

- Beam adjustable from flood to spot

- One AA battery

- Waterproof

- Costs less than $50

- Weighs less than 2 oz.

If there is one like this out there, I gotta have it. I recently picked up a headlamp by Coast that has about half of these features. Continuously dimmable from a fairly dim to pretty bright, red LED for stargazing, waterproof, cost $20. Drawbacks are back-of-the-head 3 AAA battery pack, weighs about 4 oz. with NiMh batteries, and the on/off buttons for the white and red LEDs are not operable wearing gloves.