Topic: help w/ 2 DIY power cables

[Jimna]

i got 2 large SLA batteries today, for free!  so can anyone point me in the right direction to make cables to accommodate an R4 and V3? 

some quick questions off the top of my head:

1. what gauge and type of wire would be best?

2. can anyone tell me the size or type of the connectors i would need to fit them(R4 and V3)?  i just read the R4's manual and it doesnt mention sizes at all.  i have to dig up the v3's manual...

3. whats the best connection type on the battery side? 

4. being my first major battery cabling experience, what am i not seeing?



thanks in advance.

[Jimna]

oh and one more question, is there any harm in running the v3 and r4 off the same battery at the same time?

[rdfager]

I don't know about the v3 but I do know about the r4.  It's Radio Shack's adaptaplug M.  Make sure the "tip" (the inside of the plug) is negative.  The "ring" (outside) is positive.  I assume your SLA is 12 volts.  That will power the r4 without any problem.

Shouldn't harm anything to power both the v3 and r4 at the same time.  It'll just drain your battery a little faster.

As for the wiring, the connection on the battery side is probably going to depend on what you've got to work with on the battery.  I would just connect the wire and the plugs for the r4 and v3 permanently to each battery.  You could put something in the middle to connect/disconnect the wires for the r4/v3 but that's just another point of failure if you ask me.

Neither of these units draw much current.  So, the wire gauge doesn't need to be very big, unless the wire is very long.  Just about any wire you'll buy will be fine.  Get some flexible, stranded wire.  The wire Radio Shack sells to connect to their adaptaplugs will work well.

Edit to add:  Having a fuse in this is a very good idea.  Throw an extra fuse or two in your gear bag too.

[rowjimmytour]

I don't know about the V3 connector but the R4 uses the same as the UA5 a "M" plug so you could use a adapt cable w/ a "M" plug for R4 and then run another adapt cable w/ proper plug for V3. Then connect all the two (+)'s and (-)'s together and connect to favorite plug in. I like to use DC cig plugs because they have a built in fuse for protection on the male tip. You might want to wire two plug ends to your adapt cables so you can hot swap your batteries w/o losing any recording time.

[Jimna]

excellent idea.  i guess i need to visit the ratshack.

thanks for the help.  yinz rule!

[Nick's Picks]

couple of things...

1.  wire a fuse in line w/the cable at the battery source end.  w/two devices coming off of it, thats 2x the possibility for "issues"...as they do happen from time to time.  a fuse saves your gear.

2. dont use cheap ass wire.  at the very least, go to the hardware store and get some vacuume power cord.  they'll know what it is (as will you when you see it, its looks like the power cable to your  vacume).  cheap "lamp cord" melts way too fast should you ever short out.

3. I like millspec wire for power cables.  I am confident it wont melt and start a fire ...in worst case situations.

[Jimna]

im def gonna do that, what size fuse would be prudent?

thanks.

[JD]

Be cautous if wiring a V3 and a R4 to the same battery. One is tip positive and the other tip negative.
It will be real easy to directly short out the battery if the unplugged ends touch.

Food for thought.

[Nick's Picks]

5amp quick blow should do it.

[aegert]

i got 2 large SLA batteries today, for free!  so can anyone point me in the right direction to make cables to accommodate an R4 and V3? 

some quick questions off the top of my head:

1. what gauge and type of wire would be best?

2. can anyone tell me the size or type of the connectors i would need to fit them(R4 and V3)?  i just read the R4's manual and it doesnt mention sizes at all.  i have to dig up the v3's manual...

3. whats the best connection type on the battery side? 

4. being my first major battery cabling experience, what am i not seeing?



thanks in advance.

J

PM me I have built cables for the v3 for SLA batteries and am not using them.. If you PM me your addy I'll send you one for free...

The battery side has blade style connections so they are color coded and slide over the blades. I would wrap the ends around a velcro strip that would go around the body of the battery to relief the cable so the blades would not pull off... Oh and the connectors to the battery have extra blades on them so you can attach another cable to them in parallel.

The v3 end is a locking connector that screws on the v3's power jack...

A

[rowjimmytour]

5amp quick blow should do it.

If I remember right I used a 1.5 amp since the R4 run 1250mah quick blow but not sure about the V3 most likely runs less.
Peace

[Jimna]

i got 2 large SLA batteries today, for free!  so can anyone point me in the right direction to make cables to accommodate an R4 and V3? 

some quick questions off the top of my head:

1. what gauge and type of wire would be best?

2. can anyone tell me the size or type of the connectors i would need to fit them(R4 and V3)?  i just read the R4's manual and it doesnt mention sizes at all.  i have to dig up the v3's manual...

3. whats the best connection type on the battery side? 

4. being my first major battery cabling experience, what am i not seeing?



thanks in advance.

J

PM me I have built cables for the v3 for SLA batteries and am not using them.. If you PM me your addy I'll send you one for free...

The battery side has blade style connections so they are color coded and slide over the blades. I would wrap the ends around a velcro strip that would go around the body of the battery to relief the cable so the blades would not pull off... Oh and the connectors to the battery have extra blades on them so you can attach another cable to them in parallel.

The v3 end is a locking connector that screws on the v3's power jack...

A

sweet, thank you so much!!