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 I’ve had a few google hits for my Alien Bee Power Pack post from people searching for electrical schemes.  Since I created a scheme before ordering the parts, I figured I’d post it for anyone trying to build their own.  Keep in mind, I don’t remember the official electrical symbols, and I created this figure in ChemDraw.

 I used a 12v 10Ah NiMH battery with this smart charger, a 180W pure sine wave inverter, and Anderson connectors and fuse holders. 

 It works great and fits in my small camera case.  I’ve powered anything from my Alien Bee B800 to a lamp with a 100W bulb.  Battery life has been great.  My only complaint is the long (overnight) charge time for the battery.  Leave a comment if you have any questions about the setup.  More details can be found on Tim Kemple’s blog.  If you aren’t concerned about weight, an alternative is the stock Vagabond II system from Paul C. Buff, Inc. I obviously prefer my pack, as it weighs far less than the Vagabond’s 18.6 lbs and is considerably smaller. I also don’t need a special accessory to recharge the battery pack in my car.

Jeff took a shot of the Alien Bee and battery pack in action.  It is perched to my right next to the carrying case for the flash head.  Things need to dry up so I can try this out at a bouldering session…

 I ran out of ideas this afternoon.  The fruits of my labor:

 It’s a wet and dreary Easter Sunday and all of the climbing gyms are closed.  With nowhere to climb, I resorted to taking picture of gear instead.  This was my first chance to use the Alien Bee with my "macro studio".  I love it.  My favorites below.

 The above picture is of my set-up for the final picture, and a good example of why you should make your bed every morning.