Alien Bee Battery Pack
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…
Thanks for the parts list. I have been researching this all afternoon and think, Tim’s setup with your additions make for the perfect lightweight outdoor location portable power source.
I was just wondering about the need for a ground. Especially if connected to the light with a synch cable like when using the AB ringlite. I hate getting zapped and would like to feel secure even when standing on damp ground.
any ideas on this?
Comment by John Copeland — July 2, 2009 @ 8:47 pm
John -
I haven’t ever considered a ground. I’m not quite sure how you would rig this, other than driving a stake into the ground. I can tell you though that I have used this setup in light rain with my AB800 attached via a sync cord without any problems. Sorry I couldn’t be of any more help. Let me know what you come up with if you do figure out a way of grounding it.
Good luck!
Comment by Administrator — July 2, 2009 @ 8:59 pm
What is the fuse for? It looks like it’s to prevent inrush current from the battery from damaging the inverter?
Comment by ken — September 17, 2009 @ 6:20 pm