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Cheap External battery packs for flasguns

kdphotography

Well-known member
Interesting. The battery pack probably does not have the better weather sealing and connections of the Canon CP-E4. It also uses only six AAs versus the 8 AAs of the CP-E3 or CP-E4, so probably doesn't have quite the longevity in terms of use. But I do like how the aftermarket option doesn't use a battery tray (AAs just drop into the unit directly)----the "cheapo" plastic tray is the weak-point for the Canon battery pack.

Hard to beat the price point of the Greenlife unit.
 

fotografz

Well-known member
The one for the SB900 takes 8 batteries and is like 30% of the cost of the Nikon version.

I need 3 of these for my off camera lighting kit.

But the thought of charging up 24 AAs puts me off.

I have some Plus 1 Quantums laying around here, if I can find the right connecting cords.
 

Frank Doorhof

New member
I'm using the quantum for my Metz, I once tried the Canon battery pack when I used Canon flashes but send it back because it was too slow and didn't pack the power of the quantums.
 
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Oxide Blu

Guest
I used rectangular, sealed, rechargeable batteries like used for back up power for alarm systems. It's about the size of a pack of cigarettes, costs $10 or $12 each. Two of those batteries would get my SB25 through a wedding. I used larger versions on off-camera strobes -- one battery for each was more than enough for a wedding.

Battery power is cheap and easy to DIY and have it look professional. The issue is how much faster your strobe is going to recycle, how much less time is required between flashes. You could over heat you lights/strobes.

Batteries are chemistry -- chemically, they produce 1.5vdc. Depending on the chemistry (battery technology) they will be a fraction of a volt above of below that. So a 6v battery is really four 1.5v cells in series. A 12v battery is 8 cells in series. Batteries are sealed in a plastic box so you can't see the individual cells inside. But 6vdc is 6vdc, regardless of where it comes from.

Here's a battery like I used to recycle my strobes, selling for $20 at Battery Mart:



It's about the size of pack of cigs, others are bigger, lots of sizes (A/Hrs).
 

Ben Rubinstein

Active member
The ebay off market units are based on the Canon CP-E2 units, at least the canon ones are. Hence the 6 batteries and no tray, same as the old canon unit. Personally given that it's a DC/AC converter and sitting on my belt rather near to my manhood with the plug rather near to my face, I'd really rather not have a cheapy solution converting and blasting 240V worth of power near me.
 
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Oxide Blu

Guest
Ben, 6 batteries in series is 9vdc. 9vdc is 9vdc, no matter where it comes from. It's just power sitting in a box waiting be to used, no big deal. Only after the 'power' moves out of the batteries, through the transformer (dc/ac converter) and into the capacitor, you need to worry. It's that capacitor sitting there with the equiv of a small lightening bolt coiled up inside of it that gets my attention.
 

Mark K

New member
I don't realise the Canon one EP4 is weather sealed. I am frustrated by the build quality of this pack and is looking for those for my Sony and Nikon flash guns. I believe even the original packs are made by the same factory in Japan
 
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