2AA LED Headlamp

After years of faithful service my beloved Petzl Micro finally died, a victim of leaky batteries and neglect. Are there any suitable 2AA LED headlamps in a similar design? I see lots of smaller 3AAA headlamps but I really want another 2AA. Any reason the 2AA is not popular among LED headlamps?

This was an all-purpose headlamp, used for everything from backpacking to home repairs and assembling household items.

Otherwise is there a good drop-in available for the Princeton Tec Quest? How does the beam look? I'm looking for something with decent side spill. Thanks!

I had one of those, I remember how much lighter it was than my Petzl Zoom. How far the technology has come!

I haven't seen any similar designs in a modern light, but someone else might have. You could probably replace it on eBay. I searched this thread, which is comprehensive (to put it mildly), and turned up nothing in a 2xAA.

I think the 3xAAA is popular because the 4.5V output (on alkalines) fits well with the voltage on the 5mm white LEDs in most headlamps. 2AA would require circuitry to get the voltage up to 4.5V. If a manufacturer were going to install that circuitry, why not just use a single AA? That's what Zebralight did, and Rayovac has a 1xAA model, as well. If you can wait, there is a rumor of a Zebralight H51, 1xAA with a reflector, which might prove the most similar to your old Micro.

If you didn't see it already, this thread talks about Terralux/EverLED bulb replacements for a Petzl Micro.

Ted

KEEP THE HOUSING!
(hope You did not throw it away already)
When the micros were on sale here, I got some and modded them to Led. All my firends who got them are still blown away.

A very nice light to start a bit of modding, not too much place inside, but enough. And the result is nice (there are pretty no 2*AA lights).
got driver (sandwich shoppe Badboy), led, optic/reflector, mounted everything on an aluminium plate and put that in from the front.
Also added 2 switches to get additional lighting levels, all switched by the original "turn the bezel" action.

I wished micros were still available to do that again.


PS: a very nice headlamp to get instead were a Streamlight Argo HP.
Can be fed with 2*CR123a or 1*17650 rechargeable Li-Ion cells.

The only other 2xAA I know of is also an older, discontinued model, the Princeton Tec Matrix.

So, MRenkin, just how bad is your old Micro? You might be surprised how much apparent destructive crud can be removed with an old toothbrush, some baking soda, and some white vinegar, though perhaps not all at once. Unless your contacts are completely rotted through by the battery acid leak you might be able to revive your old Micro.

HERE is an update to the latter thread that tedh linked to about Micro replacement LEDs.

Good luck resuscitating your old friend!

Sorry everyone, I didn't even consider that it might be cleaned up and repaired.

Thanks for the post on the TerraLUX drop-ins. I think despite the problems with the TerraLUX they might still be quite a bit better than the original 3v incandescent bulb. Artifacts and dark spots were a way of life with the Petzl Micro.

I'm thinking about a TLE-1F for a brand new Princeton Tec Quest, which I see are still available. Anyone have such a setup?

MRenkin said:

Otherwise is there a good drop-in available for the Princeton Tec Quest? How does the beam look? I'm looking for something with decent side spill. Thanks!

Click to expand...

Buy of of these: http://www.dorcydirect.com/p-86-41-1642-15-v-8-volt-1-watt-led-module.aspx
and if you know how to solder, replace the stock Luxeon III LED with a Seoul P4 LED. This will give you a moderately bright spot, and a VERY wide spill beam (twice as wide as from a standard IMS or Khatod 17mm reflector).

Another option might be pick the 3 x AA lamp you want, jumper across the 3rd cell contacts and throw your preferred driver in. There is definitely a benefit in doing this compared to using a single AA if you don't mind the size and weight, you will get more than double the runtime, perhaps triple or more depending on the driver because some have quite a hard time staying efficient and keeping output current up as a cell declines towards 1.0V and below. Using 2 cells, just about any of the boost drivers can handle a (2 x 0.8V =) 1.6V or higher voltage floor.

I'll 2nd the suggestion to scrub out the alkaline crud with
a toothbrush and vinegar. Rinse the scrub with baking soda/water
solution, rinse w H2O and dry.

The contacts may look pitted but will be clean and shiny and
probably work fine again.


Note: I recently replaced the AA alkaline battery in a wall
clock. A week later it stopped again and I looked at the battery.
Yikes!
The new Duracell AA had leaked all over. The problem
was caused by a sharp metal tab in the clocks battery holder
that had deeply nicked the new AA as I installed it. All the acid
had come out of the nick (tiny scratch or furrow, etc).
I cleaned it with vinegar and then baking soda/water. Also
bent the sharp tab back to prevent any further damage.
Another new battery went in and tic toc its working.