Powering your RED DSMC camera during TIMELAPSE from a CAR INVERTOR.

[Alex Lubensky]

I have a project where I need to shoot timelapse stuff during a period of a year (several days a season). It's on a countryside, so no access to power supply nearby. The thing is that it draws battery too fast, especially when the shot takes 8-10 hours to take (shadowplay or smth. like that). It was not a huge problem changing batteries when it was warm outside, but I suppose it will be when it's cold outside.

Right now I'm powering from a V-Lock batteries, 190Wh. They last almost 3hrs in a warm period, but today I was shooting at 0 degrees Celsius and they lasted only for a 1,5 - 2 Hours depending on the LCD brightness. When you need to run for 12 hours non-stop, it'll take too much batteries overall in a cold period (I suppose more than 6 190Wh batts during wintertime)

I'm concidering to somehow charge batteries or power supply my Red Scarlet MX from my car (fortunately in a non-snowy period I can park it right near the camera). From my research, there are 2 ways of bringing power supply from my car, each has positives and negatives.

1) Powering the camera directly from a voltage invertor using a RED DC power adaptor. There are two types - one offering power from a 12V power outlet inside a car, and can transform approx. to a 100-150 Wh source depending on car internals. The second one should be connected directly to a car's accu, delivering power up to 2kWh, but draining your accu even when the car is turned on and the internal generator running.

Has anyone tried to power your camera from a car invertor? What to look at, which type of invertor to choose, how much WH do you actually need to be safe? I know my RED Scarlet uses approx 60WH during normal operation, but how to prevent your camera from a damage, if anything fails (like engine suddenly stops, or anything like that).

Positives: You can run your camera at no limit, no need to change batteries (distract the camera positioning). You dont stress the image while changing batteries.
Negatives: Possibly not that safe power supply for a camera.

2) Powering my V-Lock battery charger from an inverlor. I have a SWIT SC-302S charger. The input is AC 100V-240V 50/60Hz. Nothing else is stated by a manufacturer. Therefore I have two ways to charge - I can charge batteries one by one in a car, powering camera from a fresh battery, or I can connect my camera over a D-Tap connector to a SWIT charger and run the camera from a D-Tap (meaning I connect D-Tap from a charger to a Power Supply Port on camera). I guess this is a possibly safer way to power a camera, but in the first case it still needs a plenty of batts (190Wh charges to full for approx 6hrs), and in the second case i'm not sure is it safer somehow, then powering your camera directly from an invertor.

Positives: You can safely run from batteries
Downsides: You still need plenty of batts.

I don't concider a proprietary generator because of several reasons. If you'll take a small one - it won't last for a whole day period, and you will have to refill on the go. I don't thing it's a best idea. Besides, it's one more thing to bring with you, and I don't like it - it smells, takes space and so on.

The Car is Skoda Fabia Combi 1,2 BME. The generator is made by Valeo, it's stated it runs 14V and outputs 70-120A depending on a model (can't find which one is mine as of now).
I'm located in EU region so 220V is my religion.

 

[Björn Benckert]

Tesla comes to mind, Then you could probably shoot for a year straight .

Jokes as side. I would rent couple of really big studio batteries, that kind that they have on the fischer dollies and stuff and hook the camera to that and have the Vlock on the back. The big batteries you could also daisy chain and if you have a few you should be able to shoot more than 24H straight. The DIY version of that is to stack a couple of car batteries. if you hook two car batteries together and then get a little downconverter from 24 to 14.5V or such you for sure have a constant power even when the batteries goes weaker and colder. Simply two batteries together that give a 24V feed downconverter to 14.5V.

 

[Alex Lubensky]

Tesla comes to mind, Then you could probably shoot for a year straight .

Jokes as side. I would rent couple of really big studio batteries, that kind that they have on the fischer dollies and stuff and hook the camera to that and have the Vlock on the back. The big batteries you could also daisy chain and if you have a few you should be able to shoot more than 24H straight. The DIY version of that is to stack a couple of car batteries. if you hook two car batteries together and then get a little downconverter from 24 to 14.5V or such you for sure have a constant power even when the batteries goes weaker and colder. Simply two batteries together that give a 24V feed downconverter to 14.5V.

Oh, those really last for ages. I suppose it's my #3 solution (I mean studio batteries, not dolly ones). Thus, I guess finding a whole bunch of V-Locks is much easier, than finding one studio battery in Kiev nowadays.

But I'd still like to hear responses on using Car Invertor, it'll be useful someday even not for this project.

 

[Peter Strietmann]

I would rent one of these, https://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/co...HQiNEAQYASABEgKsuPD_BwE&is=REG&m=Y&sku=558933

Put it in a cooler with a bunch of hand warmers and cut a hole in it for the cable. It will get you through the day.

 

[Björn Benckert]

If you have a good car battery you can simply just hook it up. Should work fine. but you risk draining the car battery and if its a starter battery thats not good. If you get a car battery that takes deep discharges then no problem. You can have that and the Vlock and that would give you quite a few extra hours.

 

[Paul Kalbach]

I made a "big boy" battery using a deep cycle RV battery put into a war surplus steel ammo case. Then I mounted several four pin XLR outputs in the case to provide all day long power to several pieces of gear.

 

[Patrick Kendall]

Has anyone tried to power your camera from a car invertor? What to look at, which type of invertor to choose, how much WH do you actually need to be safe? I know my RED Scarlet uses approx 60WH during normal operation, but how to prevent your camera from a damage, if anything fails (like engine suddenly stops, or anything like that).

Yes I powered my Red Weapon Carbon Fiber 6K Dragon camera from a cheap 160watt power invertor from Bestbuy during the Total Eclipse recently. I shot the entire eclipse which lasted about three hours. I was in the middle of a field in Western Nebraska and it was a life saver to draw power directly from an electrical source rather than switching batteries as it can be very disruptive to timelapses... I just kept the car idling and it worked beautifully. And a car can idle practically all day on a full tank of gas.

 

[Kwan Khan]

I have a project where I need to shoot timelapse stuff during a period of a year (several days a season). It's on a countryside, so no access to power supply nearby. The thing is that it draws battery too fast, especially when the shot takes 8-10 hours to take (shadowplay or smth. like that). It was not a huge problem changing batteries when it was warm outside, but I suppose it will be when it's cold outside.

Right now I'm powering from a V-Lock batteries, 190Wh. They last almost 3hrs in a warm period, but today I was shooting at 0 degrees Celsius and they lasted only for a 1,5 - 2 Hours depending on the LCD brightness. When you need to run for 12 hours non-stop, it'll take too much batteries overall in a cold period (I suppose more than 6 190Wh batts during wintertime)

Ok the story;
I am strictly doing (many) different forms of wildlife in all 2017 (will be home on 12/15). 60% of my shooting is straight from the truck (Excursion) while I am driving. I know... I know.. its dangerous specially when I am on the high altitude (in mountains). I have DSMC2 setup for this project, however trick can be done with DSMC1 (not rocket science, but I have not test it yet).

Has anyone tried to power your camera from a car invertor?

I uses two DSMC2 bodies together 24/7 (so I don't have to swap lenses while I am driving - old trick). Both bodies (1st with Sigma 18-35mm and 2nd Sigma 150-600mm) are mounted on same long Dovtail facing against each other (so I can rotate within a few seconds - again ol'skool). Both are powered-up via my truck (AC) and V-mount batteries (same time - hot swap purposes), runs at least 6 to 10 hours straight with out any interruption.

So do my engine has to run all the time? NO....
Do my Inverter has to run all the time to eat my Truck's battery? NO
I can turn off my truck anytime I want and Inverter as well since my both bodies are powered (again, via AC and DC both at same time for Hot-swap purposes).

In above situation I uses DSMC2 V-LOCK I/O EXPANDER with V-mount batteries on both bodies.

You can do above with your Scarlet-MX by using either QUICK-PLATE MODULE with V-mount battery or Side handle with Red-volt.

1) Powering the camera directly from a voltage invertor using a RED DC power adaptor.

Not a good idea, You must use AC and DC both and save yourself from any upcoming headache.

The second one should be connected directly to a car's accu, delivering power up to 2kWh, but draining your accu even when the car is turned on and the internal generator running.

I have same setup in my Ford Excursion, however, I can turn ON/OFF my engine whole day long (lol) and it won't bother my Cams since I have hotswap setup.



You can check out this video (not the same setup but you get the idea)...

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10157302710403084

 

[Brandon Veen]

I once filmed a parade while tapped into a newer truck with an outlet on the inside. It worked fairly reliably, and even for a little bit with the truck off.

If you do turn the vehicle off though, I'd watch the power source and at least have a battery on the camera for when it switches back to the battery.

Otherwise, similarly to Paul, I have a Gel Battery hooked up to an inverter that I use for longer shoots or recharging batteries in the field. I'll have to get a list of all the components for that when I get home in a couple days. Weighs about 50 pounds, but is portable enough to take with places and use extension cords.

EDIT:
Found the .pdf's of the manuals on my phone.

The Battery is a NorthStar NSB-AGM31
For charging it, there's a NOCO Genius G3500 built into its carrying box.
And it all goes to a Power Bright 900W Power Inverter
Don't know what brand the carrying box is.

I've been toying with the idea of getting one of the batteries that are half the size of the AGM31 and attaching it to an Alice Pack frame for a more portable setup.