Hey folks, iRunFar wants to let you know that Petzl has issued a safety warning for all its Myo-series headlamps manufactured before June 2008. Petzl warns users not to use AA/LR6 rechargeable batteries in Myo headlamps unless the battery case is engraved “rechargeable battery compatible.” Apparently, the potentially higher current in these batteries can lead the cable to “spark, melt, or catch fire” and, in turn, set peoples on fire. The medical experts here at iRF recommend that you avoid becoming inflamed and/or engulfed in flame. You can check out Petzl’s full Myo-family safety warning for yourself.
On the bright side, I finally have a positive side to dropping out of the Iroquois Trails 100 before dark – it was to be the first time I used my Myo XP with rechargeable batteries. Hmm…perhaps, the huge conflagration Tony Portera and I saw driving back from the bar on Saturday night was a Myo-clad IT100 participant. Perhaps not. All kidding aside, kudos to Petzl for reaching out through unusual channels to inform its core users of this safety warning.
If you want to know what types of batteries you can use with your Petzl headlamp(s), Petzl provides this headlamp-battery compatibility resource. If you are looking for a new headlamp, take a look at iRunFar’ comparison of the Petzl Tikka Plus, E+Lite, and Zipka heaplamps. The comments to iRunFar’s Petzl headlamp comparison also contain a useful discussion of using rechargeable batteries in headlamps.
