Zebralight Uses and Accessories Wish List

[GuyZero]

Many of us are realizing that Zebralight has changed the game for headlamps, at least for headlamps that you might use as worklights and general use.

No other headlamp I've seen has been constructed with such an elegant yet durable design. Genius in it's simplicity!

It's also one of the first headlamps I've seen to offer accessories that make it even more useful/versatile. In fact, before Zebralight's unique design, who would have thought to offer accessories for a headlamp beyond a colored filter or two?

So here's the questions:

A) What unique uses have you found for your Zebralight? From highly specialized jobs to new ways to accomplish mundane tasks, how do you use it?

B) What would you like to see offered as additional accessories in the future? You can either vote for other people's ideas or describe your own perfect wish list accessory idea.

DISCLAIMER: I don't work for Zebralight, and have no means to actually produce anything mentioned here, but it's fun to dream, no? I've found that you CPFers are really clever, and I'm interested to hear your ideas!

 

[GuyZero]

Wow - what a clever idea for a thread! :naughty:

I originally posted these as an addendum to my review of the Zebralight, but then I thought that this might make an interesting separate thread to follow. (Sorry that it's actually kind of a repost.)

Here's my list of accessories that I wish existed:

* Second glare shield option that further restricts beam width in all directions for use around other people.

* Optional accessory tail cap that includes a reverse clicky switch (like the Fenix handheld lights). This would give purchasers the option of having the standard, compact and very reliable twisty switch, or switching to a slightly longer tailcap with a more convenient, one-handed clicky. I will buy this as an accessory in a heartbeat if one becomes available!

* Optional red lens filter attachment to preserve night vision. For military applications, this would be especially nice if it could work with the more restrictive glare shield option I mentioned above.

* Non glow in the dark headband bracket, for people who don't want to glow in the dark.

* "Tactical Accessory Pack" that packages the above accessories together along with a small pouch to keep track of them with.

And my last idea is a variation on the more restrictive glare shield:

Adjustable Glare Shield idea:
Here is how you could make a glare shield that would be user adjustable on the fly.

Create a silicone hood for the head of the light, similar to the glare shield that already comes with it. Design it so that it holds a large plastic or metal ring with somewhat course threads on the inside.

Create a plastic or metal tube with threads on the outside that mate with the threads in the ring. Provide some grip on the end for the user to grab.

As the inner tube is screwed in or out of the inner ring it will get closer or farther from the LED. From the LED's perspective, the hole that it shines through will get larger or smaller, thus blocking more or less of the side spill and creating a smaller or larger arc of light. Depending how long of a thread path you give it, it should be able to adjust from somewhere around 100 degrees to about 75 degrees.

The side spill light would just be blocked and wasted, not focused and used, but I think any kind of focusing would degrade the even flood quality of the light anyhow. This would allow the user to choose a wider beam when they are by themselves, and a narrower beam when they are working in close proximity to others.

As another bonus, rather than providing a whole other hood with a red filter, you could simply provide a second threaded tube with a red filter in it that could be screwed in in place of the clear one when red light is needed.

 

[LowBat]

I don't generally like wearing headlamps so I mount mine horizontally on my backpack shoulder strap using the included clip. I also keep a screw-in hook in my pack for mounting the light on the sides of trees. When hooked up high (arms reach) using the supplied clip the Zebralight hangs upside down and nicely floods the area you want to illuminate. If you don't have a hook then simply hang it from a small tree brance as the Zebralight doesn't weigh much. It also works ok just setting it on a picnic table; but hanging it up high floods the area well and out of line-of-sight from the glare. As for the headband, I keep it in my pack just in case I find some reason to wear it.

For accessories, I second the idea of a replacement tailcap that has a clicky switch for easy one-handed operation.

 

[GuyZero]

While showing a friend my Zebralight he thought it would be nice as a flood supplement to his thrower light for night skiing. He was concerned that it might shift in the bracket and start blinding him since it pivots easily.

I'm not sure it would, but we discovered that if you thread a small zip tie between the bracket and the light body it creates enough friction to hold the light steady. You don't have to "zip" the zip tie to anything, just having it there is enough to create some friction.

You'll probably want to cut off the end of the long end of the zip tie too, enless you enjoy watching it dangle in front of your face.

 

[Burgess]

Or even simply wrapping a rubber-band around it.


Always figured i'd do this if it became a problem, but hasn't so far.


Although i can imagine it might happen whilest skiing.

_

 

[GuyZero]

Scratch my idea for an adjustable glare shield. I mocked one up on my CAD software and the inner/outer threaded tubes have to be quite large in diameter just to get 90 degrees of light as the widest setting. Oh well. Seemed like a good idea at the time.

Probably better to just make a more restrictive glare shield based on the current design.

 

[Rzr800]

#84

11-13-2007, 05:18 PM
WadeF

Re: new ZebraLight H30 UI etc.
Could Zebralight make a snap on reflector for the H50 that would tighten up the beam? It could snap on infront of the existing lens


Sorry, Wade....:shrug: (great idea that was never commented on):thumbsup:

 

[DonShock]

.....Could Zebralight make a snap on reflector ......

Just got mine today and did a quick try at this using a Fraen reflector. However, I didn't realize from the pictures online that it had a second lens over the emitter that gets in the way. Later, when I have more time, I'm going to try removing material of the bottom of the reflector to see if I can get a good focus. If I can I'm going to also try to make it a snap on affair. I'll post details here later if it works.

 

[Rzr800]

That would be fantastic.
I can live with the upcoming AAA light (possibly) being flood only; yet I'll probably have 3 of these (18650 also) before the releases slow down and it would be nice to adjust at least one of them (maybe the 18650 will simply be a barn burner; who knows).
Thanks for giving it a try.

 

[GuyZero]

Looking into tight spots / small holes

I just can't stop playing with my Zebralight!

I think this technique for looking into tight spots or small holes could be very useful:

Say you need to look down into a small pipe, or peer into a small crevasse between two objects. Using a standard headlamp the light is coming from your forehead, a significant distance above your eyes. Looking into a tight spot from close up the light does not project very far into the small space because the difference in position of the headlamp to your eyes causes a shadow right where you want to look.

Your best option to get a look into that small space is to hold a standard flashlight just in front of your eyes so that your point of view is directly behind the light source. But this causes you to loose a free hand in holding the light, and it also moves you further back from what your trying to look at (at least the length of the flashlight you're using).

Or you can use your Zebralight mounted vertically...

Remove your Zebralight from it's mounting bracket. Place it between the two loops of the bracket vertically, so that the LED is hanging below the headband. Use a zip tie or a twist tie to tie the two bracket loops together over the Zebralight. You don't have to stretch them too tightly; the friction from the silicone will hold it in place.

Now when you put your headband back on the LED will be hanging down below the headband, closer to your eye level. If you position the headband low over your brow you can get the LED to be almost right between your eyes! Shadows all but disappear and you can get light down into those annoying little spaces.

Need to look into an even smaller spot? Slide the light over so it's in front of one eye so you can look just under the head of it. Closing the other eye you can look amazingly far down into some really small holes!

I can't wait to use this technique the next time I need to wire up an outlet through a small hole in the wall, or clean the chamber of a gun... I might just leave my ZL in this configuration!

-GZ

 

[Cavelightchris]

I think the Zebralight has the potential to be a good caving light, but it needs a 4 C battery pack option. And they need to make a Q5 with a spot reflector. I don't care if the light has to be shaped like an L, just make a spot version. Also there should be two places on the battery pack to plug in your lights, that way I can plug both the flood and spot models in at the same time. It would also be cool if the lumen output on the spot model was higher, like around 100-140 lumens if that's possible with such a small light(small heat sink). Maybe they could design a very small oval copper heatsink for it, maybe the design would look more like a T, if the heat sink were to stick out the back some, as long as it doesn't hit your forehead I wouldn't care. It would also be great if the flood model was designed like this so maybe they could get it up to 100-140 lumens. With such a wide angle I can't imagine their current 66 lumens is all that bright with a 120 degree beem, would it be bright enough for even the most critical of situations? Also wouldn't it be great if it were even more waterproof, they should bump it up to 6 meters. Maybe if you buy the right type of O-rings and know what your doing you could accomplish this yourself.-

 

[DonShock]

Well, I managed to rig up a clip on reflector for my ZebraLight. I used a Fraen faceted reflector with the bottom trimmed off. My initial try ended upbeing a little short and not really well focused. I guesstimated on the second try and it now produces a decent spot. Not as good as a light designed with a reflector, but not too bad for a jury rigged affair. I used a piece cut out of a clear CD disc (from a container of CD-Rs) for the retaining sleeve. That was the hardest part to build. The CD plastic was heated with a heat gun and it had a tendancy to go very quickly from starting to get pliable to startingto warp. It took a couple tries to get it to form around the Zebralight head fairly well. Even then it was pretty distorted but just at the edges so I was able to sand most of that off. then I added some Arctic Alumina adhesive to the ends and used a rubber band to hold the reflector and retainer on the light while the AA set up. It snaps on fairly firmly because you have to push it over the raised dome over the LED. I'll probably look at adding some more epoxy later to strengthen the bond between the reflector and the retainer. Now, on to the pictures.....

 

[GuyZero]

Wow! I'm impressed! This proves that such a device could indeed be manufactured! Strong work!

 

[BigHonu]

+1 on the clickie accessory. The ONLY thing preventing me from purchasing the 50 is the lack of easy one handed adjustability.

 

[Rzr800]

Wow! I'm impressed! This proves that such a device could indeed be manufactured! Strong work!

Agreed.

Zebralight, please charge us 'whatever' for one of these and provide us the opportunity to have an optional spot shipped with the upcoming AAA light. A lot of us out here have standardized on double and triple A batteries to the extent that some might only buy one, the other or both of these more popular cell models in the end. This reflector accessory would be a great way to make a few extra bucks off of us that you might not necessarily receive. I wouldn't throw it in for free with either of these lights; rather source a quality reflector and charge a decent chunk of change for it so that the effort is made worth your while (we're not asking for a 2AA H30; simply the one item that would truly make your H50 unbeatable for the near future).

Thank you.

 

[DonShock]

I can see how a simple reworking of the soft rubber glare shield would work well for this purpose. Just cast it with a longer rounded tube in the front with a lip that would seal around the front of the reflector. You could probably hold a lens in place the same way to protect the reflector itself. Now, designing a special reflector to focus on the LED through the existing lens might be more difficult if you want to try to get the optimum focus. But even a cutdown existing reflector like I used is better than nothing.

 

[Rzr800]

"..even a cutdown existing reflector like I used is better than nothing..."

+1...and that's exactly why I believe Zebralight should consider selling it. Why paint your product as a few feet ahead 'flood only' headlamp manufacturer in the huge AA market when all it takes is indeed what you (in your opinion and I imagine they also in their R&D) have already produced successfully?

A lot of folks out there don't even know what a 123 cell is; let alone an 18650...yet give them a light that is easily powered at the local stop and rob that can be used to hike at night besides everything already done well already and you've pretty much just cornered the market (considering the falling-all-over-ourselves rave reviews that we've witnessed to date without this simple addition).

Btw, I don't think that I've thanked you for making the effort, but that is some great work, Don!

 

[kevinm]

Well, I managed to rig up a clip on reflector for my ZebraLight. I used a Fraen faceted reflector with the bottom trimmed off. My initial try ended upbeing a little short and not really well focused. I guesstimated on the second try and it now produces a decent spot. Not as good as a light designed with a reflector, but not too bad for a jury rigged affair. I used a piece cut out of a clear CD disc (from a container of CD-Rs) for the retaining sleeve. That was the hardest part to build. The CD plastic was heated with a heat gun and it had a tendancy to go very quickly from starting to get pliable to startingto warp. It took a couple tries to get it to form around the Zebralight head fairly well. Even then it was pretty distorted but just at the edges so I was able to sand most of that off. then I added some Arctic Alumina adhesive to the ends and used a rubber band to hold the reflector and retainer on the light while the AA set up. It snaps on fairly firmly because you have to push it over the raised dome over the LED. I'll probably look at adding some more epoxy later to strengthen the bond between the reflector and the retainer. Now, on to the pictures.....

Nice work, Don! You went to all that trouble and posted no beamshots?!?!?

Kevin

 

[Ralph_S]

It is easier to diffuse a focused beam, than to focus a diffused beam.

Therefore, I think that the optics in the basic light should produce a focused beam. A plastic ring around the head could be turned to expose a hole or slot, allowing the focused beam to pass through unchanged; or turned to expose a textured area of tapered width for continuously variable degrees of diffusion. It might be practical to provide a red area in the ring for night vision and a dark hole as a glare guard. A second concentric ring could allow combinations, such as red with medium diffusion. If a plain ring of the correct diameter were available, users could make their own variations. In the absence of a ring, I could make my own diffuser with double-frosted Mylar drafting film or with simple frosted tape.

The hard part is getting a focused beam, so that is what I would like the basic light to provide. Most remaining optical features can be provided relatively easily by accessories.
Thanks

 

[GuyZero]

It is easier to diffuse a focused beam, than to focus a diffused beam.

A plastic ring around the head could be turned to expose a hole or slot, allowing the focused beam to pass through unchanged; or turned to expose a textured area of tapered width for continuously variable degrees of diffusion. It might be practical to provide a red area in the ring for night vision and a dark hole as a glare guard.

I agree, and have thought about the same thing. The end result would be similar in working to the new Underwater Kinetics headlamp, which is basically shaped like a barrel, but the Zebralight would be much more powerful, and of better build.

The problem is that there isn't much room in the head of the 1AA light, and making something that sticks out would put torque on the light and make it want to rotate downwards in it's retainer. A CR123 light might have more room, but then you are getting away from the simple AA battery, which I think is a major plus for this light.

The light also can't get too much heavier or it won't be comfortable anymore.

I would love to have a headlamp like you are describing, I would love for the UK headlamp to be brighter and regulated for that matter, but I would rather carry two lights, one for throw and one for flood, than have one that does both jobs not as well.

And when I'm really honest with myself, as much as I like the idea of a thower of a headlamp for exploring caves and other such adventures, 99% of the time when I grab my headlamp I want a diffuse beam for project work.

I do wish there was a way to narrow the spread a little, like with a more restrictive glare shield, for use around other people. I might see if I can rig something to that effect up myself (shouldn't be too hard).

-GZ