Sonic Studios™

PORTABLE POWERING SOLUTIONS

 

External battery systems easily allow many hours-to-days of practical alkaline C & D powered field recording.

Large capacity C & D alkaline cell power sleds are convenient, reliable, and economical for up to 100 hours cell-pack operating time.

An alternative power solution is required when recharging deck batteries and/or packing quantities of low capacity AA cells is not practical for field projects.

Extended-time operation of portable DAT, MP3, Hard Drive deck, and Compact Flash audio recording devices require practical external deck battery solution for recording projects lasting many hours to days.

BC-MR4 for 15+ Hrs powering KORG MR-1 HD

BD-MR operates KORG MR-1 for 45+ Hrs.

Frequent non-remote location and/or non-International portable recording is most economical and environmentally sensible by using a deck's internal rechargeable batteries.

(Especially true if cell recharging features are original manufacturer supplied like with M-Audio's MicroTrack deck)

Or by using quality after-market NiCad/NiMH (mostly AA) rechargeable sets (as opposed to disposable AA size Alkaline) and < 1-2 hour very FAST-CHARGERS  like those offered by retailers and via web mail-order.

BC/BD-MT USB connected power sleds for 20+/ 55+ hours powering of M-Audio's MicroTrack 24/96 compact flash recorder.

Power sleds keep Microtrack's internal lithium battery fully charged while powering the deck's recording.

New deck models requiring external powering solutions for remote location recording include: KORG MR-1 (~15-45+ Hrs), M-Audio Microtrack 24/96 (20-50+ hrs.), Edirol R-1 (~20-40+ hrs) and R-4 (~20-24+ hrs/8 D cells); Sound Devices 722T and 744T(~20-28+ hrs/12 D cells); Fostex FR2 (~15-30+ hrs/8 D cells); Marantz PMD-670/671 (~15-30+ hrs/8 D cells); Tascam HD-P2 (~25-30+ hrs/8 D cells)

Edirol-Roland R-4, Fostex FR2 (CF) /(HD) models mostly exclude full featured, fail-safe external battery connection to the AC adapter jack, instead requiring internal 'dummy AA cell' connection with small cord leading outside the hatch.

NOTE: New Edirol R-4 PRO deck uses secure external 4 pin XLR power plug/cord connection instead of dummy battery method shown at left.

DISCONTINUED R-1 MODEL: FOR EXAMPLE ONLY

EDIROL-ROLAND R-4 4-channel HD recorder is external battery powered by BD-8 model's 8 alkaline D type cells using internal deck 'dummy cell' connection shown at right.

General Description:  DAT deck power plugs are molded right/angle original deck manufacturer type. ALL power cord is extra-flexible 350+ strand 20 gauge 'zip' type for maximum power transfer efficiency.

Power sleds have self resetting thermal safety fusing.  All contacts are silver-alloy-welded reliable.

2 YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY ON SYSTEMS & COMPONENTS

MicroTrack 24/96 USB Connected Power Sleds

• External USB connected power sleds are available in two practical sizes.
• Power Sled keeps Microtrack's internal battery fully charged while powering deck
• Sleds use (6)six common C or D alkaline flashlight cells
• Internal precision 5 volt, 600 ma switching regulator
• Protected ON/OFF power slide switch
• LED power on, low battery indicator*
• 3 foot length molded USB power connector cord with Velcro strap
• Robust nylon cell holders with over-molded ends

BC-MT $175.00 USD

BD-MT $225.00 USD

MT4 Series use 4 cells for reduced size/weight

All MT4 use 'hi-efficiency/hi-rel' 5 volt, 1000 milliampere output boost module

BD-MT4 $225

BC-MT4 $275

All MT4 power sleds use super-high reliability circuitry with full 1000 milliampere output.

MT4 uses a 'military-aerospace quality' switching module that boosts/precision regulates.

With boost switched ON over 100% available alkaline cell capacity allows exceptional long running time using 4 cells.

BOOST NOTE: MT4's High Efficiency operating mode delivers OVER 100% rated alkaline cell capacity!!!

MT4 is ALWAYS attempting to power the deck when connected, regardless of boost operating. Boost ON mode provides continuous full power delivery when alkaline cell voltage drops below deck requirements, as is a typical characteristic of alkaline type cells.

MT4 allows exceptional full usageof low cost, high capacity, and highest reliability alkaline cells to power Microtrack decks for exceptionally long times with most compact pack size

MT4 Series power sleds cost is higher as compared to far less efficient 6 cell models.

THE best choice for professional requirements where smallest size, lowest weight, and exceptionally reliable long running Microtrack deck (or other devices) requiring up to 1 ampere 5 volt USB power.

The BD-1 (the 55+ hour D cell battery sled ONLY) is $90 or $110 for BD-1C with carrying case (shown at left)

The BC-1 (battery sled portion,NO case) is $80 USD or $100 for BC-1C with new silver carrying case (shown at left)

TIPS SECTION

NiCAD & NiMH batteries are often less reliable with unexpected loss of capacity, especially IF NOT properly maintained.  

Nickel-Cadmium (NiCAD or NiCD) batteries need charging just before use, and mostly run down before storage (avoiding fast self-discharge/memory effects). 

This is a serious handicap because of additional deck time running down NiCAD cells before being stored.  

NiCAD batteries used in this manner can last 300 to over 600 FULL discharge/charge cycles.

In contrast, Nickel-Metal-Hydride (NiMH) batteries (were supplied with Sony TCD-D100 & M1 decks), while not needing discharging before storing (have little or no memory effect), may need running down to at least 50% before recharging to avoid the potential for overcharging damage by poorly designed chargers.

NOTE:  Most of the newer chargers are designed to avoid NiCAD cell memory and overcharging automatically,  but most of these still don't JUST run down NiCAD (as is not needed with memory-free NiMH) for storage or before recharging again.  

Be most careful with NiMH battery types as they are much more easily damaged by an overcharge than NiCad types.  Good practice is mostly run NiMH batteries down (at least 50%) before another charge cycle;  even though the charger is designed to protect against this type of damage.  Avoid using 'overnight type chargers' even if having a timer as it's very easy to forget when to remove cells, and a brief power outage may initiate another damaging charge cycle.

Although it seems a good idea to remove the cells shortly after the 'Fast-Charge' Ready Light indicates charge completion, this is not really necessary as cell(s) can be damaged if  (and only if) the charger power is turned Off  & On, initiating another FAST charge cycle, or the charger-to-cell contact is momentarily disrupted (by playing with the cells while in the charger) to cause another FAST charge cycle to start up.

In other words, an immediate fast charge startup on already charged cells will be specially BAD for the newer NiMH types as they (unlike NiCAD) have far less ability to resist damage from being overcharged BUT, are not going to be the least damaged by leaving on a "fast charger" (after FAST charge light is off) for a few more hours.

HOWEVER, and this is the tricky part to remember, NiMH type cells are NOT FULLY CHARGED as yet when the FAST charger light goes off!!!   It takes another 2-5 hours of TRICKLE CHARGING to bring the cells to 100% fully charged capacity!  Leaving the charger input power and cell contact undisturbed for an additional trickle charge period is very important to get full service from most NiCD and all NiMH batteries when using FAST (1-2 hour) and newest extremely fast 15-30 minute type chargers.

EVEN WHEN leaving the cells and power undisturbed ALL NIGHT LONG (trickle) charging is not likely to damage cells on well designed FAST chargers!  BUT, and this part is important, IF your MAINS power goes out and THEN BACK ON AGAIN during the night, ZAP  & Burn goes your NiMH cell capacity (possibly) with poorly designed chargers.  

Perhaps plugging the battery charger into a computer UPS AC protected socket, where power is never interrupted long enough to start up a damaging charge cycle, is the best suggestion for having no concern about risking overcharging damage. 

Sealed Lead/Acid (prismatic types) were used in few very early short running-time DAT decks.

Not recently found in any portable, but merits of good reliability, low cost, >15 ampere capacity, and connect-up-and-forget-chargers gives good reason to consider L/A when high carry weight is not a show stopping issue.

L/A batteries have no memory effect, like to be stored fully charged, and routinely run only 50% down.

This means that a L/A battery that might actually, if pushed, run a recorder for 10 hours before 95% exhaustion, should be recharged after only 5-6 hours of use, allowing a maximum of 1000 service cycles; routine heavy duty discharge of 60-100% will shorten life to 200-400 cycles.

Battery life is defined when 80% battery capacity remains.

Sealed Lead/Acid Battery if rarely run down over 50% and kept stored with full charge using a good 2 or 3 stage charger (best when always connected) should last 5-10 years! 

Used and maintained as recommended, the sealed Lead/Acid batteries are ready at full 100% capacity the next day or year!

Some early to recent miniDISC decks use a single 'gum stick' prismatic Lithium Ion battery. These are (1) cell 3.2 to 4.2 volt batteries giving MD decks long running powering. Some recent compact Flash Recorders also use this same 1 Lithium cell approach for small battery size advantage, but modest run times on current flash decks with internal lithium cell are barely acceptable.

While past miniDISC decks mostly allowed user battery replacement, lately most MD decks, and all the Flash decks have 'NOT user replaceable' lithium cell feature. These battery types degrade to less than 80% capacity in 1-5 years depending on use and storage conditions.

Suggestion: For longest service life, store all lithium battery packs and decks with internal lithium batteries with battery at <50% remaining capacity. Recent article states that capacity loss in storage is greatly reduced with NOT storing these at full or near full charge.

Yearly loss of storage capacity with always fully charge cells is as much as 30-40% per year of storage. Batteries stored at <40% charge loose much less capacity (<4-8% per year) while stored.

So best case for Lithium Ion battery is being used down to 30-40% remaining capacity, and stored in this condition until needed, and then fully recharged just before using. Used in this manner, cell life to 80% capacity may extend to as much as 5 years.

Many compact flash decks offer easy 2-8+ hours powering using sets of 2-8 AA cells (either alkaline primary or NiMH rechargeable secondary types). However, ONLY the flash decks using just 2 AA cells are most practical for getting adequate 4-10+ hours running times; depending on type of AA cell used. Medium size flash decks using 8 AA cells for just 2 hours running time are NOT very economical or practical, and often require use of external long running battery solution.

For most reliable, and easy to use external battery solution, consider an external battery pack of Alkaline C or D primary cells for 15-60+ hours run time ability, making practical worldwide remote projects where long running time, small size/light weight, and maximum reliability are most important requirements.