Anton Bauer battery question
 

Hello,

I have in my possession an Anton Bauer Digital Trimpac 14 battery. While it states that it is rated for 14.4 volts, it meters at 15.6 (and that is what the camera displays as well). We are concerned that there could be issues as we've read the camera wants 13.2?

We've also noted the JVC preferred accessory battery is the Dionic series, which is also rated at 14.4 volts...

so the questions are - is anyone using the Trimpac 14? Are there any issues with seeing numbers as high as 15.6? Is the camera smart enough to only draw what it needs? Is there any chance of damage to the camera, or are the Dionic series pumping out the same numbers as this Trimpac battery?

THANKS!

jpb

The 14.4v NOMINAL batteries have 12 cells, each generating a NOMINAL 1.2v each for a total of 14.4v. All professional rechargeable batteries will charge past the nominal (or ~average) voltage and drain past 1.2v each (although if they OVER discharge, the polarity on the cell "flips" and DRAINS power instead of contributing voltage).

I've seen AB battery systems as high as 17.5v. I wouldn't worry about it.

Simple addendum then - is anyone using the Dionic batteries? And is anyone else using any battery which provides a 15.x V reading? (and I assume with no trouble at all...)

jpb

Just measured 16.63v on my Dionic 90 (I own 2) fresh off the charger. Never had a problem on my HD200U yet.

if you are metering the battery while it is not connected to the camera the reading is going to be high because there is no load on it. meter it while connected and you'll get something closer to 14.4-which is only a guidline. much like 12 volt car batteries that are in practice closer to 13.8v. there are regulators and fuses in the cam that will keep you from frying it (most of the time anyway) if you put a non standard battery on it. but AB gold mounts are all fully interchangeable between cameras, designed that way, and SERIOUSLY proven by the broadcast industry. AB is all i use...three of them are Dionic 90's.

Thanks Greg. Yeah, I forgot to mention the "no load" part of 16.63 V. My bad.

Thanks everyone! And this message just arrived from David Walton of JVC...

Yes, the camera can safely handle a battery input voltage up to 18v.

can't say I've ever heard anyone say they blew up their camera because of an AB.
I get a 15 something with a Hytron 120 on my HD200