Topic: Laptop battery packs

[mirth]

I'd suggest calling them. They're out in CA, FYI.

[John Kelly]

Well looking at their universal plugs (see below), it appears that it will not work on any Apple Laptop.  Is there any way to modify it or just adapt it to work?  This really seems like a much better option than the $200 PowerPad I was looking at...

[MattD]

I think they do custom jobs, but I don't think you can get that Apple plug from anywhere other than Apple. You might have to buy another power supply and provide them with the plug for this to work.

-Matt

[jjjewett]

/*

Well looking at their universal plugs (see below), it appears that it will not work on any Apple Laptop.  Is there any way to modify it or just adapt it to work?  This really seems like a much better option than the $200 PowerPad I was looking at...

*/

You could solder a male female 4-pin or minixlr and then solder an end to the battery pack.

John

[John Kelly]

That might actually work if I could solder anything.

And I just got off the phone with them, and they wont modify it if you send in a connector for an Apple laptop.  Would anyone actually be able to do this?  I could pay you...

[The Rev. Bigbill]

i love my electrovaya powerpad VERY expensive but worth it for size and weight issues as well as run time

[rabhan]

what about those valence power pads, they any good?

[John Kelly]

I may end up just getting a PowerPad.  I can't find anything easier that's cheaper, too.

[DaryanLenz]

John,

I can do the solder job for you.  I would just, if it were me, attach 4-pins to everything and be done with it!

Daryan

[John Kelly]

That would be awesome!  I wont find out about the extra connector until tomorrow, but I have a feeling that I could find one pretty easily.  I'll shoot ya an email tomorrow, thanks!  (and +t)

[DaryanLenz]

Sure thing, just let me know.  Also, if you can find some pictures so I know what I will be dealing with ahead of time that would be great!

Daryan

[kindms]

what about those valence power pads, they any good?

I currently am running AKG 460's -> UA-5 (digi-MOD)-> Sony Vaio PCG-GRS700k (p4m/1.8/1024) with the Valence N-Charge System. On a full charge I get about 4-41/2 hours (conservative) Record time. I find the battery to be as good as advertised. It generates little or no heat and the push button guage comes in handy. The system uses your laptop power cable for charging so it cuts down on one less cable to carry.

The Laptop when plugged in to Valence sees itself connected to AC so multiple power schemes are available for Valence and internal laptop battery. I would love to have 2 of them, it would make festival taping a breeze. They take about 3 hours to fully charge from being completely drained.

Hope this helps

[Simp-Dawg]

what about those valence power pads, they any good?

I currently am running AKG 460's -> UA-5 (digi-MOD)-> Sony Vaio PCG-GRS700k (p4m/1.8/1024) with the Valence N-Charge System. On a full charge I get about 4-41/2 hours (conservative) Record time. I find the battery to be as good as advertised. It generates little or no heat and the push button guage comes in handy. The system uses your laptop power cable for charging so it cuts down on one less cable to carry.

The Laptop when plugged in to Valence sees itself connected to AC so multiple power schemes are available for Valence and internal laptop battery. I would love to have 2 of them, it would make festival taping a breeze. They take about 3 hours to fully charge from being completely drained.

Hope this helps

i get slightly less time out of my valence n-charge, but i do agree that they are a great solution for us laptop tapers.  i can usually get a whole show out of mine, sometimes even with an opener...but i've had times where it goes out in the second set and i'm forced to run off the internal batts, which is fine.  the n-charge gives me the bulk of the power i need, if not all of it, at shows.  i run usbpre 1.5 > pcg-fxa32 (a full-sized notebook w/ 15.1 in screen!)

[rabhan]

quick question, so the valence runs about 4 hrs and then your lappy toggles to internals? at what point does that happen? is there any affect on the wav file being recorded when you switch from "AC" or valence to internal batts? so you are saying that you could get 4hrs from it and then another 2 from internals? so 6hrs total, that seems great. my new laptop came with 3 batteries but they only last about 2/5-3hrs with the lid open and i am a little concerned about booting up too early b4 a show and then being screwed. so far i have only run the laptop AC at shows. thanks.

[mirth]

Keep the lid closed and you gain at least 30 minutes... You'd have to test your own setup to see if you get dropped samples once the switch happens but I'd recommend timing the battery & unplugging it from the laptop after 3.5-4 hours to avoid any weirdness introduced by low voltage coming in over the 'ac'