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Archive 2014 · Lithium option for Broncolor Mobil

  
 
jameshays
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Lithium option for Broncolor Mobil


Does anyone know if there is a lithium option/upgrade for the old Broncolor Mobil pack? I currently have to after market lead acid batteries for mine that I replaced myself but am wondering if there are now lithium packs that will fit.


Jan 08, 2014 at 12:10 PM
Sheldon N
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Lithium option for Broncolor Mobil


What make/model of lead acid battery is Broncolor using? It's possible that there's a replacement out there.


Jan 08, 2014 at 12:56 PM
howardm4
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Lithium option for Broncolor Mobil


I know there is a company out there that is making lithium batteries w/ builtin circuitry to make it look/act/charge like a lead-acid. I just dont recall the name


Jan 08, 2014 at 01:59 PM
cwebster
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Lithium option for Broncolor Mobil


It might be impossible. Lead acid cells have a 2.2 V per cell voltage, lithium batteries have a 1.4 v per cell voltage. It's going to be difficult to get the exact voltage mix.

And don't forget you'll need a totally different charger for LiIon batteries than for LAs.

<Chas>



Jan 08, 2014 at 02:00 PM
Gregg Heckler
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Lithium option for Broncolor Mobil


You might contact House of Batteries. They are a good customer of mine and have lots of solutions. http://www.houseofbatteries.com/

Edited on Jan 08, 2014 at 06:52 PM · View previous versions



Jan 08, 2014 at 03:41 PM
Sheldon N
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Lithium option for Broncolor Mobil


I bought from Stark Power to convert my Elinchrom Ranger to lithium aftermarket battery. www.starkpower.com


Jan 08, 2014 at 04:57 PM
Gregg Heckler
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Lithium option for Broncolor Mobil


Good info Sheldon. I wonder if they have a solution for the Quadra?


Jan 08, 2014 at 06:54 PM
Sheldon N
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Lithium option for Broncolor Mobil


Gregg Heckler wrote:
Good info Sheldon. I wonder if they have a solution for the Quadra?


I don't think they do, at least not from what I could find with my searching. I did read about other people who have made it work, but I don't know what batteries they used or where they sourced them from.

The Ranger was the main one I wanted to upgrade, 5lbs lighter and 50% more battery capacity.



Jan 08, 2014 at 10:34 PM
jameshays
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Lithium option for Broncolor Mobil


Thanks Sheldon and Gregg! I will try those. I called the battery place I purchased the lead acid replacement from and they did not have anything like that. Didn't think about the charger...


Jan 08, 2014 at 11:14 PM
jameshays
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Lithium option for Broncolor Mobil


Just looked on the stark power site and found this:
http://store.starkpower.com/12V-9Ah-StarkPower-UltraEnergy-Lithium-Ion-Battery-LiFePO-Energy-Storage-Battery_p_27.html

Looks very close to the lead acid version I bought here:
http://www.batterymart.com/p-12v-9ah-sealed-lead-acid-battery.html

I'll call tomorrow and see if they are compatible.



Jan 08, 2014 at 11:24 PM
Sheldon N
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Lithium option for Broncolor Mobil


Cool, looks like they might be a match for size and voltage/capacity.

The only think I would watch closely is the max discharge current capacity. The battery I put into the Ranger was rated to 30A max discharge current, but the one you linked is only rated to 15A max discharge current.

Recharging a capacitor is not a linear load, it starts out very high and then falls off as the capacitor charges for the next flash. I don't know what the max load is initially, but someone told me the Ranger was as high as a 50amp draw for that first spike. Lead acid batteries are able to handle that well, but I don't know how Lithium would do if you totally overran the capacity in very short bursts.

Here's some info in another thread, read through to my comments at the end. It might be good to bring up those specifics with Stark Power when you talk to them.

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1344816



Jan 08, 2014 at 11:35 PM
jameshays
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Lithium option for Broncolor Mobil


Thank you Sheldon, I posted there too to see if anyone had tried it. I think you just answered it. Very excited to try, I might have given my Bron new life!


Jan 08, 2014 at 11:46 PM
RyanGphoto
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Lithium option for Broncolor Mobil


Please Post back and let us know. I too would LOVE a lithium for my mobil pack. (although I AM looking to sell it to buy a new lithium model).. This might make me rethink that though.




Jan 09, 2014 at 02:56 AM
jameshays
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Lithium option for Broncolor Mobil


I spoke to Starkpower today and ordered the lithium replacement. He told me the lead acid charger might only provide a 80-90% charge which is fine by me. They have chargers but it would be difficult to use as the connectors are alligator clips. I will let you all know how it goes, fingers crossed!


Jan 10, 2014 at 12:04 PM
Sheldon N
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Lithium option for Broncolor Mobil


Very nice! Curious to hear how it goes. Would love to hear how it does with recycle time, total capacity, and some sort of stress test with repeated full power pops (battery temp).

If it ends up working in the Mobil pack, that may be able to transfer over to the original Ranger RX (non Speed) pack too since I think they use similar batteries.



Jan 10, 2014 at 11:24 PM
400d
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Lithium option for Broncolor Mobil


The Mobil is 7Ah, and the Mobil A2R/L is 12Ah SLA. You can find replacement LiFePO4 battery with exact dimension on ebay or batteryspace.com. I recommend a multi-chemistry charger, you can buy one from RC Accessory (http://bit.ly/1awenzh), or knock-offs of the Bantam on ebay-which are cheap and functional (http://bit.ly/1b8yOlF). Charging is very simple, select LiFePO4 on the charger and connect the crocodile clips to the LiFePO4 cell terminals.

The LiFePO4 cells can handle heavy load, I jumped started my car with the 4 cells pack in the pic below, it is a 4s1p 10Ah pack. I made it before there were identical LiFePO4 replacement cells on the market. My LiFePO4 pack takes off 5.2lbs off the A2R. The A2Rs I have, each have 2 35A auto fuses, this gives you an idea what's the surge load when the pack is recycling.





Jan 17, 2014 at 03:53 PM
Sheldon N
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Lithium option for Broncolor Mobil


Nice!


Jan 17, 2014 at 05:10 PM





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