Power in the field at DVinfo.net

Joe Voorhees · January 31st, 2010, 05:14 PM

Hey everyone,

I was wondering how you guys were powering your rigs in the field?

My kit consists of an FP33 Mixer and 2 Audio Technica Wireless lavs, at the rate they go though 9volts that was never an option.... I have a friend who has a similar rig and uses an NP1 to power the whole thing, as expensive as they are I built a harness and used a 12v 2.3a brick (about the size of an NP1) from a local battery store. That was working great as long as the battery was freshly charged; as soon as the voltage started to drop a little I was getting audio hits on the wireless'. The other day I replaced the 12v battery with an 18v 2.6a battery I built (6 - 6v 1.3a batteries) and so far its run 2 full days without showing any signs of slowing down. I have the battery wired to the front pouch of my portabrace bag and weighs a little less then 2 NP1's.

-Joe

Jon Goodman · January 31st, 2010, 07:02 PM

Hi Joe,
I use an IDX 14.8 V. Lithium Battery in my bag and a BDS distribution . It powers mixer, recorder and receivers. It'll last for days. One of the best investments I've made.
Jon

Joe Voorhees · February 1st, 2010, 11:28 AM

Jon,

Thanks for the reply! I just wanted to see what else was out there, there is a lot of information out there about audio gear itself but not much on how to power it and I know no one is actually using 9volts unless for a backup.

-Joe

Marco Leavitt · February 1st, 2010, 01:17 PM

Dang, that's a pretty cool invention you got there Joe. Pictures?

Joe Voorhees · February 1st, 2010, 03:27 PM

Hey Marco,

Here it is, sorry but I didn't take any pictures as I was building it.

-Joe

Joe Voorhees · February 1st, 2010, 03:29 PM

Here's the last 2...

Marco Leavitt · February 1st, 2010, 03:54 PM

Nice work. What's the total cost of the components?

Joe Voorhees · February 1st, 2010, 04:43 PM

Thank you.

The batteries are were $80 for the 6 from batteries plus.
The center pin wires were $5 each from radio shack (you can get them cheaper online).
Charger was $4 from primelec.com

The wire and red/black ends I had had from previous projects and I just gaff taped the the 6 pack together after soldering the batteries in 2 series circuits and combining them.

Daniel Epstein · February 1st, 2010, 05:48 PM

Joe,
Good DIY project and you may never want the NP-1/Hawkswood solution most people have gone to. I usually have a couple of people who use my rigs besides myself so I tend to go for solutions that are easy to teach even if they are a little more expensive to begin with.

Joe Voorhees · February 2nd, 2010, 10:04 AM

Thanks Daniel. So far so good, I don't have any complaints yet... It's easy to use because the wiring harness never leaves the bag, all I have to do is unplug the battery when I'm not using it.

Re: Multiple users - I see what you mean, myself and a friend of mine are the only ones who use my gear so I don't have much of a problem there. I may build another battery in the future as a spare just in case... I'm thinking about making at 18v 1.3a and see how long it runs - it will be half the size of my current one

January 31st, 2010, 05:14 PM	#1
Joe Voorhees New Boot Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Springfield, NJ Posts: 24	Power in the field Hey everyone, I was wondering how you guys were powering your rigs in the field? My kit consists of an FP33 Mixer and 2 Audio Technica Wireless lavs, at the rate they go though 9volts that was never an option.... I have a friend who has a similar rig and uses an NP1 to power the whole thing, as expensive as they are I built a harness and used a 12v 2.3a brick (about the size of an NP1) from a local battery store. That was working great as long as the battery was freshly charged; as soon as the voltage started to drop a little I was getting audio hits on the wireless'. The other day I replaced the 12v battery with an 18v 2.6a battery I built (6 - 6v 1.3a batteries) and so far its run 2 full days without showing any signs of slowing down. I have the battery wired to the front pouch of my portabrace bag and weighs a little less then 2 NP1's. -Joe

February 1st, 2010, 03:27 PM	#5
Joe Voorhees New Boot Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Springfield, NJ Posts: 24	Hey Marco, Here it is, sorry but I didn't take any pictures as I was building it. -Joe Attached Thumbnails

February 1st, 2010, 03:29 PM	#6
Joe Voorhees New Boot Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Springfield, NJ Posts: 24	Here's the last 2... Attached Thumbnails

January 31st, 2010, 07:02 PM	#2
Jon Goodman Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia Posts: 74	Hi Joe, I use an IDX 14.8 V. Lithium Battery in my bag and a BDS distribution . It powers mixer, recorder and receivers. It'll last for days. One of the best investments I've made. Jon

February 1st, 2010, 11:28 AM	#3
Joe Voorhees New Boot Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Springfield, NJ Posts: 24	Jon, Thanks for the reply! I just wanted to see what else was out there, there is a lot of information out there about audio gear itself but not much on how to power it and I know no one is actually using 9volts unless for a backup. -Joe

February 1st, 2010, 01:17 PM	#4
Marco Leavitt Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Albany, NY 12210 Posts: 2,652	Dang, that's a pretty cool invention you got there Joe. Pictures?

February 1st, 2010, 03:54 PM	#7
Marco Leavitt Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Albany, NY 12210 Posts: 2,652	Nice work. What's the total cost of the components?

February 1st, 2010, 04:43 PM	#8
Joe Voorhees New Boot Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Springfield, NJ Posts: 24	Thank you. The batteries are were $80 for the 6 from batteries plus. The center pin wires were $5 each from radio shack (you can get them cheaper online). Charger was $4 from primelec.com The wire and red/black ends I had had from previous projects and I just gaff taped the the 6 pack together after soldering the batteries in 2 series circuits and combining them.

February 1st, 2010, 05:48 PM	#9
Daniel Epstein Trustee Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: New York, NY Posts: 1,267	Joe, Good DIY project and you may never want the NP-1/Hawkswood solution most people have gone to. I usually have a couple of people who use my rigs besides myself so I tend to go for solutions that are easy to teach even if they are a little more expensive to begin with.

February 2nd, 2010, 10:04 AM	#10
Joe Voorhees New Boot Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Springfield, NJ Posts: 24	Thanks Daniel. So far so good, I don't have any complaints yet... It's easy to use because the wiring harness never leaves the bag, all I have to do is unplug the battery when I'm not using it. Re: Multiple users - I see what you mean, myself and a friend of mine are the only ones who use my gear so I don't have much of a problem there. I may build another battery in the future as a spare just in case... I'm thinking about making at 18v 1.3a and see how long it runs - it will be half the size of my current one