Zipka+ mods?

soapy

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Sep 29, 2006
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Has anyone mod'ed a Zipka plus? I've had one for some years now, and I think the LEDs aren't state of the art any more. The torch stays in my pocket 24/7, and I use it for work a lot, as well as peeking inside the PC, walking to the car, etc. at night, stuff that needs light.

I've been horribly spoilt, though. The Zipka I got when it was brand new just out, and it was the first one I ever bought. I got a cruddy head rig thing, but I never use it, it's too big, and too heavy, and incandesant. I'd never fit it in my bag, let alone my pocket. The Zipka just doesn't throw out quite enough light for me. Partly due to the heavily scratched window, partly due to LEDs fading a bit with time, and partly due to low batteries. Probably partly due to far too much laser light, too...

So, last night I decided to strip it down, but I was rather suprised to find no sign of screws or anything. I figured it was cleverly placed clips, but much pokeing got me nowhere. I searched the internet, and found nothing useful. Well, perhaps this forum. So I signed up. I've started buying stuff already!

Anyhow, my plan is to get it apart, then swap out the current LEDs for the current state of the art. I might also change the internal resistor, or else use LEDs that don't mind the extra voltage of a lithium cell or three. Not that I've got that part figured out yet.

Can anyone help?

(Hope this is the right place!)
 

Weylan

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Welcome and you picked a great place to start looking.



I have had the same questions. I love the size and shape of the Zipka+ also. It covers 75-85% of most every day needs.

Oh, be aware that the light is not regulated so that if you want to add LIthium batteries to it, you may have LED burnout issues. But I think we could cram some kind of regulation circutry in here.

But it just does not have the needed volume of light for some applications and a bit more light is needed when you need it. With this said, I would love to know how this comes or how the mode works out for you. I may do a mod too. I have 4 of the things between everyone at my household. For use as

moving into PCs

navigating in the dark

Going to get milk in the middle of the night

Changing a diaper

Checking on the baby

Reading in bed

Taking out the trash



Not for

Loading a moving truck in the dark

Finding a escaped cat in the dark outside

Anything needing more then 10 feet of illumination

So I am watching this thread and hoping that others chime in too!
 
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soapy

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Thanks guys. Weylan, I'm a locksmith, so hands-free light in tight spaces is important. I need it in my pocket always, too.

I've put three Energizer AAAs in it, as a test. So far, lighter & brighter than before. In fact, that's fairly obvious. Less obvious is that the zipka+ with three Li in it is only 20 grams heavier, @54g, than the old alkaline batteries @ 35g!

To go further, I need to work out how to open the zipka up. I've cracked the case, on the top where the button is, back to the top edge of the battery compartment over the years of (ab)use and pocket travelling, yet even with this extra play I can't pop the case open. If I can get it open, I'll stop woirrying about burning out the LEDs.

Anyone know a UK supplier of nice 5mm LEDs for something like this? I want good white light more than the limits of power. As long as runtime is more than a few hours maxed, that would be fine too.
 

Weylan

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Well, here is an answer I got from Petzl on how to open the CASE as a start.

Support said:

I can definitely provide the best way to get the case open but I am anaware that any upgrade led's are available. This options isn't available from Petzl but perhaps you've got you connections.


The best way it to open the case and take batteries out then the two straps that connect the front to back side up off the posts that holds them and the front will separate from the back. If you look at the bottom on the inside of the front part on the lamp, there is a small gap between the innards and the plastic casing/housing. Side a skinny but flat tool in this gap and try to slide tool between the innards and the casing. Once this is done, which is difficult, the innards will pop out of the housing. To put back in the secret is to start at the top two corners get them started and then the bottom should pop back in. FYI the LEDs are soldered to the computer chip which is soldered to the battery contacts.
 

soapy

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Sep 29, 2006
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Brilliant! I've got the back off the thing. You need to carefully slide a knife under the straps and lift, then wiggle them out the holes. I then popped the front lens/cover off. I'm now stuck again.

I think the tech. means to slide a screwdriver down the hole where the lens sat, and carefully lever it outwards, but I'm not getting anywhere. Got it. It's under the back, where the batteries were, down at the bottom. You need to pop the blade between the two straps, and lever there, and bingo.

It's now in bits before me.

I did a few basic Mk.1 tests tonight, the light on low with lithium is as bright as the light on full with regular AA batteries. I'm definately way overdriving them, so I'm going to run them on low mostly now, and take the huge increase in battery life, rather than hammering them. Does anyone know the duty cycles for the PWM? I might knock up a basic comparison table.

Edit: Obvious mods now it is apart:
  1. Make the silver reflector chromed silver rather than dull silver
  2. Glue the cracked case back together where it was damaged (it was cracked before trying to take it apart)
  3. Add a heatsink under the 4 LEDs. They are resting on a bit of plastic that is part of the body of the case, with the legs fairly long, ~5mm, and bent at 90 degrees. Even just some heatsink compound and a strip of thickish copper should massively improve heat conduction away from the legs and junction.
  4. In the event of the LEDs dieing due to overcurrent from the lithiums, I now have enough to take it apart and fix it. So the lithiums stay regardless now.
  5. Polish up the clear lens/cover, which is scared with a thousand battles with keys.
 
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