Petzl Warns of Burn Hazard from MYO Headlamps

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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 rechargeable batteries with any of the products listed below. Name of Product: “MYO” and “MYO Belt” Headlamps Units: About 322,0...

Full article at http://www.trailspace.com/news/2008/09/22/safety-alert-petzl-america-warns-of-burn-hazard-from-headlamps-product-should-only-be-used-with-non-rechargeable-batteries.html

On seeing this notice, I called Petzl to get a clarification. In addition to the notice about NiMH rechargeables, it turns out that lithium AAs are not to be used in most of the MYO series (including my old MYO 5) - http://en.petzl.com/petzl/LampesNews?News=159&Cadre=0

The problem is a combination of the voltage difference (tiny as it is) and for the NiMH rechargeables, the potential output current (if it were a car battery, it would be the "cranking power"). Potentially, you can get a fire, as mentioned in the above article, or burn out the LEDs. Those units having halogen bulbs can have the bulb get hot enough to seriously burn the user on contact with the bulb.

Interesting, because I have used Li AAs for years in my MYO 5. In fact, that's what I have in it right now. There are other problems with Li AAs in other devices. Some electronic devices (many Garmin GPSRs, for example) will not operate properly or suffer damage when used with Li AAs.

As I understand it, it is mostly Lithium batteries that are restricted. I have used my Eneloop batteries with no problem for over a year, and they are NiMH. I have two MyoXP and two Zipka lamps. I only charge the batteries once during the whole winter, in spite of extensive use.

For those who have not tried the Eneloop, they are especially good at low temperatures, like we have here in winter.

Otto -
The notice from Petzl that Alicia posted is very specific that it is rechargeable NiMH batteries that they are saying "DO NOT USE, IMMEDIATELY!" Knowing about problems in other devices with the Li AA batteries, I called Petzl and confirmed that it is ALL rechargeable batteries that are now forbidden (your MYO XP is one of the specifically named headlamps in the notice) plus the lithium AA batteries. The caution names specific headlamps. The Tikka and Zipka are on the "OK" list.

The problems have shown up in a tiny percentage (13 reports for 322,000 headlamps) of the listed headlamps, but Petzl wants to take no chances, so they have stated NOT to use rechargeables or lithium AA in any of the named headlamps.

As I said to the Petzl tech rep, I have lithiums in my MYO 5 at this very moment, and have successfully used them for something like 5 years (the MYO 5 was discontinued in 2006). But it is on their list, and their notice (and the tech rep) is pretty adamant about not using the rechargeables (NiMH and NiCd) or the lithiums. Alkaline batteries are ok. That doesn't solve the alkaline cold weather problem, though. Well, I do have other headlamps.

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