Power Tap Splitter

[Rich Perry]

I have a JVC HD200 camera and I am already using the powertap on my Anton Bauer Mount (comer battery) to feed a Focus enhancements hard drive. I also want to be able to power a Comer CM-LBPS1800 camera light via power tap and need some kind of power splitter I would imagine.

Would the following product work for me giving 2 power tap feeds does anyone know ?
Anton Bauer 4 port Power Tap (D-Tap) Splitter | Indie Rentals - Red One Camera and HD Camera Rentals

Also does anyone know where I can find such a splitter - Thanks.

[Rich Perry]

Actually, I just found it on BHPhoto.com

Anton Bauer | PowerTap Multi | POWERTAP MULTI | B&H Photo Video

It looks like this should do the job, does anyone have an experience with these, any resulting battery problems from use if it were to power 3 sources, perhaps a monitor, hard drive and light at the same time?

[Shaun Roemich]

Add up the total current draw for ALL devices being powered via the Power Tap and make sure it is under the fuse value AND then add in the current draw for the camera and make sure you aren't drawing more current than your BATTERY can safely provide.

While we love our Lithium Ion batteries, NiMh and NiCad batteries usually provide higher maximum current draw, depending on manufacturer specs.

[Kennedy Maxwell]

You might want to use the 4th tap to jump start you car, too. Seriously, the one thing that you don't want to do is underpower or otherwise affect the performance of your camera. I carry a 12v brick to power a 10" LED monitor, etc., when needed. Then I know that I have full use of the camera battery.

[Rich Perry]

Great advice here guys, thanks for sharing. I personally like the jump start idea from the splitter as my motorcycle seems to need a jump start ever other day :)

Would be interested to find out if there are any other users out there running a hard drive and comer light like this from the Comer 160w Li-Ion brick.

[John Sirb]

Originally Posted by Rich Perry

Would be interested to find out if there are any other users out there running a hard drive and comer light like this from the Comer 160w Li-Ion brick.

Not the Comer light but I am running the JVC 200 with the HD100 and AB Ultralight2 thru the AB spliiter. the big battery is a Hytron 120, but shorter lenghts I've got a couple of trimpacs.

[Rich Perry]

Thanks for the info John, thats good to know, The cormer battery I have I think should be fine.

[Rich Perry]

Just to follow up,
I have ordered the AB Mulitap 4 way splitter and from my calculations here is the amp usage for the following -

HD200 Camera 1.9 amps
DTE hard drive 0.6 amps
Comer 1800 light 1.5 amps

Total 4.0 amps

My Comer 160w battery can provide 11amps so I still have 7 amps to play with, looks like I may be able to jump start that car after all :)

[Shaun Roemich]

Originally Posted by Rich Perry

I still have 7 amps to play with, looks like I may be able to jump start that car after all :)

Remind me never to lend you any of my batteries...

Good luck and as a word of advice, try not to "fire up" all the devices at once as a current surge CAN be detrimental to both battery life and fusing. 4 amps is pretty minimal, but as a standard caution...