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Portable Battery Power...
For those of you who need Plug-in AC Power for your stobes -- specifically monolights (like Elinchrom 400BX) -- what power source do you use in the field? I don't relish dragging a noise generator with me for power, but there must be a batter option favored by photographers. I have been leaning towards the Dyna-Lite XP1100: http://www.adorama.com/Search-Results.t … nfo=xp1100 But there must be a cheaper option.... Im toying with the idea of Batteries used on Boats for power... (They are weather-proofed and Surge Protected) http://www.go2marine.com/product.do?no=96452F Any information on what you guys use for Inverted Power...I would love to know. May 08 07 01:49 pm Link Actually, my "other" job is batteries. Critical power backup systems, DC power, UPS systems - and so on. Stationary power. So I have access to lots of free batteries that have been used for UPS power. I have a 1000w inverter that I can attach to those to provide decent power for a while. I'm thinking of getting a 2500w inverter as well - for those times when I need the extra oomph! It's kinda a heavy rig to lug around with big lead-acid batteries, but it's a lot of power and beats a generator gas, and doesn't make any noise except a couple cooling fans in the inverter when it's running. Good deals: www.theinverterstore.com -Nathan *Edit* Another thought that I like about that arrangement - easy replacement of batteries when they wear out. And ANY 12VDC battery is fine. I've even taken more than one and put them in parallel for more run time. Or, two large 6VDC modules in series. May 08 07 01:54 pm Link http://www.innovatronix.com/prodindex.asp EDIT** Oops. Just noticed the 400BX are digital readout. What I listed will probably not work. Whatever you get you need to make sure it will work with digital monolights. They are more sensitive than analogue controlled units. May 08 07 02:48 pm Link May 08 07 03:26 pm Link Thanks for the replies... I think the best solution will be gathered from what type of shoot I am doing.... I suppose I could get away with using the AlienBees portable for quick shoots (and If im using the strobes only, no modeling lights). Nevertheless, I got additional information to sift through thanks to you all. Also... for digital readout mono's "True Sine wave power" is the way to go.... Thanks! -Christos *EDIT* The AlienBees Vagabond Portable Power System requires use of a grounding rod. So this may limit some conditions under which you should use them. There is also a warning that these unit were made to work specifically with AlienBees or WhiteLightning systems. May 08 07 03:37 pm Link White Pear Photography wrote: There's more to it than just true sine wave for digital mono's. Going with a low current setup like the Tronix and the Vagabond (both use 150W inverters) probably wouldn't work with your Elinchrom BX (unless you're not using it at full output, and even then can't say for certain whether or not it'll reset when the light sees a brownout condition). May 08 07 04:13 pm Link The two big issues with portable power for monolights is providing pure sine wave power and managing peak load. Many monolights have been designed to work only with the true sine wave power available from a normal electrical outlet. This design limitation allows the monolights to be lighter in weight and less expensive to build. The downside, is that these designs can be harmed if powered by anything other than a tue sine wave. Inexpensive inverters produce a 'modified' sine wave output. These inverters WILL damage some brands of monolights. All monolights will work with true sine wave power. As to peak load; Most of the time, monolights use very little power (assuming the modeling light is off). They have a tremendous inrush of current for a few seconds while they are recharging. if you have multiple monolights, they all want to recharge at the same time making the situation much worse. A single Alien Bee can draw over 6 amps while recharging (720 Watts). A 300W inverter is enough to handle multiple idle monolights. A single recharging monolight normally uses much more than 300 Watts while recharging. Some inverters (such as the new revision of the Samlex) simply shut down when presented with this overload. These inverters can be problematic when used to drive Monolights. The Alien Bee solution involves cooperation between the inverter and the lights. When the inverter sees the overload, it reduces voltage, rather than shutting down. Although reduced, the voltage remains a true sine wave. The Alien Bees are designed to draw less power and recharge at a much slower rate when they see this lower voltage. If your Monolights are designed to operate at lower voltages (like the Alien Bees) you can use an inverter (like the Alien Bee Vagabond) that reduces voltage under load. If your Monolights require a full 120 volts to operate properly, you will need an inverter system big enough to handle your peak load, and the Vagabond may not be a good choice. Although it's true that the Vagabond system specifies a ground rod be used, this is merely a safety issue. The system will work without the ground. A ground connection is required for safer operation (and to meet code) for any battery inverter, or generator system. -Michael May 08 07 04:38 pm Link I guess its a good thing my Elinchrom 400BX are multi-voltage. That being said, Im trying to choose between the Dyna-Lite XP1100 and the economy AlienBees Vagabond. I do not want to deal with a grounding rod in any case. You guys are a wealth of info! -Christos May 08 07 05:07 pm Link White Pear Photography wrote: Go to Fry's Electronics and pick up a Samlex 300W true sine wave inverter. It should run you about $130. Hook it up to your car battery, plug up your 400BX (modeling lamp off), and try it out. If the inverter works then keep it and figure out how big of a battery you want to bring with you on shoots. If it doesn't work, then return the inverter. May 08 07 05:12 pm Link Great information in this post. I just wanted to add that in the last few months I have bought and used an ABRinglight with a Vagabond unit and try as I might I have not been able to run down the battery even after several hundred pops of the ABR. This was at about 25% power on the ABR. After reading this post I will be sure not to plug in my elincrom units. Later, Giorgio May 08 07 05:21 pm Link I am working on my portable Powerstation now. I am using a Hawker Odyssey 925 AGM 27AH Battery with two Samlex 300w Pure Sine wave inverters. I have mounted the battery and inverters inside a Stormcase IM2500 wheeled case. The control panel is sized, bent, cutouts finished, and fitted to the case. I need to put in the mounting brackets for the panel now. Then I can paint it and do the final wiring and assembly. I will probably be finished with it by next Monday. Dave May 08 07 08:32 pm Link Definitely post some pics somewhere we can all see it.... -Christos May 08 07 08:35 pm Link I use my Innovatronix packs with all of my lights all of the time. It is simply a sine wave inverter and provides electricity on location. I love them and would not leave the studio without them. www.innovatronix.com May 08 07 08:38 pm Link White Pear Photography wrote: All right, you twisted my arm. May 08 07 09:13 pm Link Also check out the links in the Lighting, Flash, Ring, & Battery Strobe Reference thread for links to other articles and discussions about inverters, portable power, and such. May 08 07 09:25 pm Link I do love my XP1100:) GG May 08 07 09:51 pm Link Thanks Glitter... I think I will seal the deal on the Dyna-Lite xp1100... -Christos May 09 07 10:50 am Link H and H Photography wrote: i must have received ones made on friday afternoon. mine wouldn't hold a shoot for more than 50 exposures from only an 800 w/x speedo powerpack...no modeling lights! Jul 08 08 01:03 am Link elinchrom 400bx will work with Innovatronix new tronix explorer xt portable battery.but because its digital you can run only one bx strobe.if you connect two bx strobes one of them will show E on LED readout (if I remmember right) and another will work fine. the same thing with elinchrom style fx strobes. threre is no problem if you run style RX flash heads. you can run two RX with one battery. Jul 08 08 07:49 am Link Jul 08 08 07:54 am Link oscar rabeiro wrote: its stange...did you checK battery level before started to shoot? I Jul 08 08 07:58 am Link |
