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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

Ideal battery mount

david farland

david farland

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When I get my ET Drive mount with V-dock/clamp mounts, I need a better battery mount.

So I thinking it's important to keep the weight as low as possible and outta the way so for a single battery setup I'll mount the Red battery plate on a ronford-baker (or equivalent) bracket on a universal mount onto the lower rods.

This setup would also suit the Switronix Dual mount GP-TS Hotswap adapter
http://www.switronix.com/product_details.php?cmd=info&id=189

48_1222564128.jpg


For dual battery mount, I'd like to do away with the Red battery plate altogether which would mean removing the part of the Switronix assembly that clicks into Red's battery plate, leaving only a smooth plate which would mount onto the ronford plate. I'd then ask(beg) someone like Pana-tech who modifies the Dual mount GP-TS Hotswap (so Red's battery life indicator still works), to run a lemo cable directly out of the dual mount, bypassing the need for the Red battery plate.

If Switronix sold a better single battery plate with lemo connector that enabled Red's battery life pins, I'd buy that. Not sure of any patent there thou!

They sell single battery plates
http://www.switronix.com/product_details.php?cmd=info&id=187
but don't know if they or Pana-tech (hint) would mod.

D
 
That's an interesting idea, David. I can tell you that we've already re-engineered the GP-TS, Hotswap plate to pass RED Battery Data to the RED ONE. YES, WE DID!! It's going over to Mitch @ Abel Cine in NY, and they may handle the product exclusively. Probably about one more week before anything is official.

I'll pass the word along to see if we can remove the back plate from the GP-TS, and retrofit in a LEMO 6pin. Then we'd just have to work with Ronford Baker to insure proper hole alignment, as our plates were designed to work with cameras, BRO(before RED One).
 
Vinny D said:
That's an interesting idea, David. I can tell you that we've already re-engineered the GP-TS, Hotswap plate to pass RED Battery Data to the RED ONE. YES, WE DID!! It's going over to Mitch @ Abel Cine in NY, and they may handle the product exclusively. Probably about one more week before anything is official.

I'll pass the word along to see if we can remove the back plate from the GP-TS, and retrofit in a LEMO 6pin. Then we'd just have to work with Ronford Baker to insure proper hole alignment, as our plates were designed to work with cameras, BRO(before RED One).
Click to expand...

Hi Vinny D,

I already purchased one of your GP-TS Hotswap plates. Is it possible to retro- fit the original or do I have to purchase the new version?

Method
 
I haven't seen the re-engineered version, so i don't know if it's just a modification, or a unit with new components. I'll keep you updated, and once I know all the particulars, I'll let you know. I'm sure this is going to come up as a topic in the mix, as we've sold TONS of these units for use with the RED.
 
I would get the ET battery plate retrofit kit for the RED quickplate with a vmount and speedy vclamp. we've been using them as well as the proto drive mount and both are indispensable, easy, light and cant say enough good things about it.
 
What you want has already been done by the smart people at Actionproducts, see this link or picture below :

PS I am in no ways affiliated with Actionproducts
PPS As has been mentioned before, this may seem expensive, but it includes two Battery plates and a mounting system.
 
nice price also.

I've asked them if it's compatible with Red's battery level indicator but no word from them as yet.

The real issue on all these adapters is, are the pins better quality than Red's battery plate pins!!!

D
 
david farland said:
I've asked them if it's compatible with Red's battery level indicator but no word from them as yet.
Click to expand...

From the description on the page--it is.

As for price--I think the Action products one is over priced compared to Switronix--So I'd be anxious to see what they can come up with based on your original request as I'd expect it to be a lot more reasonable.
 
I can tell you that the re-engineered GP-TS, which we made to pass through battery data will not be far more expensive then the one currently offered. From what I heard maybe 25% which isn't much considering the unit is <$200 to begin with. It should be available well below $300.

Regarding the pin issue many of you are having, I can add my 2 cents. Not saying our way is perfect, but we MOLD the pins into a contact block, then insert it into our GP-S, vmount plate. Because the pins are molded into the plastic, they do not move.

RED chooses to mount a PCB with the pins into their vmount plate. This allows a slight tolerance/movement in the pins. If this occurs and creates a poor connection, it creates resistance and causes heat to build up potentially and/or loss of power.

We've had at least 20 GP-TS hotswap plates which have been sent in for service because the contact block on the back side of our unit has been melted and warped from the poor connection to the RED plate.
 
Vinny D said:
I can tell you that the re-engineered GP-TS, which we made to pass through battery data will not be far more expensive then the one currently offered. From what I heard maybe 25% which isn't much considering the unit is <$200 to begin with. It should be available well below $300.

Regarding the pin issue many of you are having, I can add my 2 cents. Not saying our way is perfect, but we MOLD the pins into a contact block, then insert it into our GP-S, vmount plate. Because the pins are molded into the plastic, they do not move.

RED chooses to mount a PCB with the pins into their vmount plate. This allows a slight tolerance/movement in the pins. If this occurs and creates a poor connection, it creates resistance and causes heat to build up potentially and/or loss of power.

We've had at least 20 GP-TS hotswap plates which have been sent in for service because the contact block on the back side of our unit has been melted and warped from the poor connection to the RED plate.
Click to expand...

Guess you don't know how many of your hotswap packs have gone to Red operators. And this doesn't mention how many other have a flaky setup where the connection does deliver enough current

This is further argument to bypassing the Red plate and nearly enough evidence to warrant not using you're plate with the Red plate.

Red's battery pins are a square peg in a round hole. Even worse it's a square tapered sprung peg in a round hole which provides reduced contact particularly when the pins are compressed (losing springiness) or there is enought play in the junction to limit appropriate contact. nothing new.

Vinny, also bear in mind that your socket may not be 100% compatible with Red's battery plate pins so it could contribute to this problem.

any date when you may have the dual plate with lemo ready?

D
 
You guys are on to something here!

How about the same dual battery plate in an Anton Bauer config? :) A single Dionic 90 is not happy running the Red. My Dionic 90s will blink (a sign of over current) when I roll my red. I configure with Red Lcd (small) and a Red-Drive.

Since I am on the subject, a chip to transcode the AB info to Red info would be f**king genius!!! and for that I would $$$$

Cheers,
Rich
 
You'll have to talk to Anton Bauer about that last one, but they do already make a dual battery mount that will take two Dionic 90 bricks. Just has to go onto an Anton Bauer plate.

I have the prototype Switronix plate in hand for testing now. Looks very promising.
 
David,

20-25 units is very minimal considering how many we've sold, we're talking well over 1000 units during the past year. I don't know how many go to red users, but we presume quite a few considering sales have boosted nicely over the past year. While not always practical, if you keep the GP-TS mounted to the red plate, it hasn't been an issue. It's the constant on/off which may create a problem with the red pins warping. The same thing is happening with the red bricks(loss of power), so I don't think it's a matter of incompatibility with our pins.

Nearly all the units which did go into service were from rental companies, who's equipment does take a greater toll.

The lemo connector on the plate is a good idea, and I brought it up, but it'll take some time to get a prototype going as the current design doesn't have a an ideal location for a cable.
 
I integrate yesterday a V-mount from IDX that alows stackable batteries, works great, much more confortable than Red V-plate. Anyway we are gonna test the GP-TS.
 
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