Makita Battery Pack for Red Epic

[Jeffrey Eidell]

Just got this second prototype up and running. My buddy Teti and I are working on a more purpose built PCB with regulated outputs. For now its running with a DC to DC buck converter with a single female dtap flying lead. I’m using a dtap splitter to power tilta nucleus follow focus, and the Epic. Theoretically the 6ah battery should last 2-2.5 hours. With a battery charge time of 40 minutes.

 

[Jeffrey Eidell]

Just got this shoe mount printed overnight for the dtap splitter from alvins cables. Really happy with the fitment. This eliminates some awkward taping scenarios STL is available if anyone needs it

 

[M Harvey]

Nice work!

 

[Jeffrey Eidell]

Thanks! I’m a fabricator and woodworker by trade so thinking up solutions for my budgetary shortcomings is as much a hobby for me as actual filmmaking.

 

[Jeffrey Eidell]

I would have to say it’s less risky than buying a vmount battery from amazon for 110$ I have used makitas batteries for the last 12 years. The same battery platform for 12 years. The other tool brands have only switched to lithium ion in the last 5-6 years. I have found their batteries to be the most reliable, outlasting the 150 dollar drills they attach to by a long shot. That being said I did have a friend, and doctorate in electrical engineering review my setup before attempting to power up the camera. I can tell you I have put about 100 hours on the Epic solely running Makita.

 

[Mike McEntire]

I concur that it should be safe as any other properly configured battery. Most of the snowboarding film industry used Makita batteries to power our Arri S 16mm cameras the 90's and 2000's. They were pre li-ion but the 9v slim battery worked perfectly for years. Mike Hatchett's dad made the first ones and even made one with 2 of them that doubled the voltage so we could get 100fps out of a 50fps camera. That was sketchy but the takes were pretty short and all the camera's survived.

 

[M Harvey]

…even made one with 2 of them that doubled the voltage so we could get 100fps out of a 50fps camera. That was sketchy but the takes were pretty short and all the camera's survived.

Wow, that’s pretty cool! Think a similar approach could get the Komodo up to 6k/60fps? ;-)

 

[Jeffrey Eidell]

Great info Mike. I just heard a story about an old grip working on a commercial job back when. Apparently they were trying to overcrank the camera but for one reason or another they couldn’t get it sorted. So this guy rigged up his drill to the drive gear in the camera and managed to get those frames ripping through the gate.

 

[Jeffrey Eidell]

Wow, that’s pretty cool! Think a similar approach could get the Komodo up to 6k/60fps? ;-)

Tried this with my Epic hoping it would turn into a raptor. No luck

 

[Mike McEntire]

You guys are too funny. Love the DIY when its clean!

 

[Jeffrey Eidell]

Just designed and printed this side cover for my Epic. Wanted to make an integral shoe for the dtap splitter turned out pretty well

 

[Tyler Besh]

Finally! Someone to ask this question to...I've been, for years, trying to figure out how to power the side handle without those pesky, outdated REDVOLT batteries. Think there's a way to fabricate a power solution for the side handle?

 

[Jeffrey Eidell]

Finally! Someone to ask this question to...I've been, for years, trying to figure out how to power the side handle without those pesky, outdated REDVOLT batteries. Think there's a way to fabricate a power solution for the side handle?

Hey Tyler!

is your goal to still run an internal battery to the side handle? I don’t think that can be accomplished without perhaps remaking a more efficient REDVOLT battery pack.

-Jeff

 

[Mike P.]

All RED batteries (except the bricks) lost 1/3rd their capacity in like ~6 weeks after first charge and 50% capacity in ~6 months, and they cost more than most competitors. Even the newest REDvolt-Vs suck... How RED was able to mess up batteries so many times is crazy to me. I mean, REDvolts were their first, so okay, but REDvolt XLs? And then REDvolt-Vs? They'd have been better off buying from another manufacturer (like even an inexpensive Chinese company) and slapping on a RED sticker instead, as they would've held capacity for at least a couple years. But I digress...

In any case, I've got a few dead REDvolts and would definitely open them up and swap out whatever cells are in there with something that hopefully won't lose capacity so quickly. Björn re-celled his REDvolt-Vs with Samsung or Sony 18650s that cost like ~$5 each... I think I took him less than ~30mins, and they went right back up to full ~45min runtime (it was a couple years ago, so I wonder if they still hold a charge).

...Imagine getting ~30+mins out of a REDvolt in the side handle?! DSMC1 would be like ~6lbs shootable. Don't get me wrong, Kinefinity's get like 1.5hr out of their smaller handle battery, but at least with 30mins you can actually shoot something with it (and/or have decent hotwswap time).

EDIT: Found the link to Björn doing his REDvolt-V swap.

 

[Tyler Besh]

Hey Tyler!

is your goal to still run an internal battery to the side handle? I don’t think that can be accomplished without perhaps remaking a more efficient REDVOLT battery pack.

-Jeff

Yeah that's the idea, since the REDVOLTs are absolute trash haha. Right now I use it simply as a side handle but would love to be able to program it and use it to trigger recording again

 

[Tyler Besh]

All RED batteries (except the bricks) lost 1/3rd their capacity in like ~6 weeks after first charge and 50% capacity in ~6 months, and they cost more than most competitors. Even the newest REDvolt-Vs suck... How RED was able to mess up batteries so many times is crazy to me. I mean, REDvolts were their first, so okay, but REDvolt XLs? And then REDvolt-Vs? They'd have been better off buying from another manufacturer (like even an inexpensive Chinese company) and slapping on a RED sticker instead, as they would've held capacity for at least a couple years. But I digress...

In any case, I've got a few dead REDvolts and would definitely open them up and swap out whatever cells are in there with something that hopefully won't lose capacity so quickly. Björn re-celled his REDvolt-Vs with Samsung or Sony 18650s that cost like ~$5 each... I think I took him less than ~30mins, and they went right back up to full ~45min runtime (it was a couple years ago, so I wonder if they still hold a charge).

...Imagine getting ~30+mins out of a REDvolt in the side handle?! DSMC1 would be like ~6lbs shootable. Don't get me wrong, Kinefinity's get like 1.5hr out of their smaller handle battery, but at least with 30mins you can actually shoot something with it (and/or have decent hotwswap time).

EDIT: Found the link to Björn doing his REDvolt-V swap.

Kinefinity side handle battery?