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Tech Tips:

Battery Power Consumption

By Rule Broadcast Systems

Producers and Camerapeople should be concerned with having ample power for their equipment. No one wants to lose power someplace far from help. Still, no one wants to schlep around a heavy case filled with batteries they won’t need.

Different applications and conditions should be considered when determining power consumption. Ask yourself these questions:

Do you have AC capability?
We supply AC adapters and battery chargers at no additional charge for all gear rented for longer than one day.

Is size or weight an issue?
Batteries are heavy! Some batteries can weigh up to 5.5lbs each and inhibit mobility.

What’s the weather like there?
Cold weather can inhibit equipment and battery performance.

There is an easy way to APPROXIMATE a battery’s run-time by dividing the watt hour (Wh) rating of the battery by the power consumption in watts (W) of the equipment.

Approximate Runtime = Wh / W

For example; Our Sony DVW 790 Digital Betacam Camcorder has a power consumption need of 30W (when recording). The Anton Bauer ProPac batteries provide 60 watt hours of power. That should equal approximately 2 hrs of battery life.

This calculation should be used as a general guide only. The temperature, the battery’s age, the amount if time spent removed from its charger and the different applications of the equipment (zoom/focus controls, deck use) all contribute to the length of a battery’s run-time. The safe bet is to overestimate their power consumption with a 15% cushion and keep your batteries on their charger when not in use.