# Petzl Zoom LED drop in?



## vic303 (Dec 27, 2006)

I've got a Petzl Zoom headlamp that uses a PR based bulb. I was wondering what LED drop in would work with it?
TIA,
Vic


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## TMorita (Dec 29, 2006)

The Zoom doesn't use a PR bulb. It uses a screw bulb. I have one.

http://www.led-replacement.com/ls365.html

The headlamp will be very ringy after conversion, though.

Toshi


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## vic303 (Dec 29, 2006)

Thanks! It's been so long since I used the Zoom, I'd forgotten what bulb it takes. Thing rides in the road kit for the van...


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## Azreal911 (Jun 7, 2007)

TMorita said:


> The Zoom doesn't use a PR bulb. It uses a screw bulb. I have one.
> 
> http://www.led-replacement.com/ls365.html
> 
> ...



Sorry to bring up old threads but I was wondering whoever has this LED drop in how does the ringiness compare to the original non halogen bulb? does anyone have a screen shot of it in focus and wide mode? what about the brightness level also?

I do have better head lamps than this but this was my first ever headlamp and just like the nostalgia factor and old fashioned design that works well. I would use it for car camping if the led bulb is comparable to the oem one.

thanks ahead of time whoever answers 

EDIT: I saw they sell this one too! 

http://www.led-replacement.com/tle-1s.html

would this one be better? it's not a side emitter so i'm thinking it's going to just give out a flood of light forward. And it accepts 2-6 cells which would seem ok for lithiums too for my x-country skiing in the winter.


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## vic303 (Jun 7, 2007)

I suppose if it is too ringy, you could take some clear Krylon and lightly spray the reflector and that ought to smooth it out. Works like a charm on Maglights.
--Vic


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## TMorita (Jun 7, 2007)

Azreal911 said:


> ...
> EDIT: I saw they sell this one too!
> 
> http://www.led-replacement.com/tle-1s.html
> ...


 
It should work better than a side emitter and be less ringy, but I haven't tried it.

Toshi


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## Azreal911 (Jun 8, 2007)

TMorita said:


> It should work better than a side emitter and be less ringy, but I haven't tried it.
> 
> Toshi



I'm ordering this..... once I get it beam shots will follow compared to the OEM bulb.

probably take a week to get up here to the north.


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## Azreal911 (Jun 27, 2007)

Got the new bulb in the mail. still ringy but at least I can focus it to a small point for long range. It focuses weird becaues the bulbs point in which light generates is at the tip of the bulb. which is like the furthest point of the oem bulb. But dang that thing is super bright compared to the original bulb, this is a good thing and would probably give me a pretty good long use on 2300+ nimh's when i'm camping, gotta say it works great with really good sidespill.

Only concern I have is that this bulb gets pretty dang hot! i'm just wondering is it ok to run long periods of time as the only cooling it will have is the bulbs own casing in my petzl headlamp. hmmmmm. wondering if the contacts to the bulb take away alot of heat? else I can try soldering some metal on there as a heatsink.


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## tygger (Jun 27, 2007)

This looks like a good way to extend the life of a Petzl Micro. But as you mentioned, heat might be an issue. Although I imagine it should run cooler using only 2 AA's.


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## tygger (Jun 29, 2007)

Azreal, what type of batteries are you currently using? Have you found a heatsinking solution?


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## Azreal911 (Jul 13, 2007)

tygger said:


> Azreal, what type of batteries are you currently using? Have you found a heatsinking solution?



I'm just using 3 Nimh 2100 mah's.

As for the heatsinking solution, haven't found one yet. it seems to dim a bit when it's hot, probably just backing off the voltage from the heat. I'm not really sure what to do with heatsinking due to the nature of the headlamp and where the bulb is positioned.


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## Sarratt (Jul 14, 2007)

I have a Petzel Zoom and would love to convert it. 

How's it going ?


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## half-watt (Jul 15, 2007)

S,

i've done a "drop-in" myself to an old Petzl Zoom headlamp using a TerraLux TLE-1S 1W screw-in from led-replacements.com which operates off of as low as 3VDC all the way up to 9VDC.

i've also cut the original wire coming from the battery box added connectors to both ends and made up some other battery boxes and extension cables. 

i normally run it off of 6VDC (brighter, or so it seems to me) and someday will try 9VDC.

with all my other "toys" i don't have much time on it, so i can't comment on batt. life/burn-time. on 6VDC i've run it for a few hours straight and heat has not caused any problems.

hope this info helps.


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## Azreal911 (Jul 17, 2007)

Sarratt said:


> I have a Petzel Zoom and would love to convert it.
> 
> How's it going ?



Converting it is like a 10 second job. If you don't mind the ringyness the headlamp is quite useful and lights up much better then it originally was.

Last weekend I went camping took this big headlamp only and the weather was around 15-20C. I pulled open the reflector to check how hot the slug was and it wasn't hot at all, it seems the plastic on the original holder was enough to dissipate the heat when it was this cold. And battery life was great cause I never changed my 2100mah's for the two evenings and I had it on for awhile. It's not regulated but with the use of rechargeables and their properties, it's battery regulated anyways.

Also with the focusable reflector I was able to turn it into a very tight beam that actually lit up very far. Side spill was great on this lamp. 

In the end i'll probably use this one again over my 3aaa 1 watter headlamp. Just cause I look like a miner and 3aa's has a much larger capacity so I don't have to worry about batteries at all on a weekend trip, while my 3aaa one dies in 1-2 hrs.


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