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Best battery to power a firewire 800 HUB ?

A

archivue

Active member
i need a new laptop... and need to plug my Aptus II 7 ( DM33 ) via FW800 in the field...

I have two options :
- buying a macbook Pro 2012 non retina... but to have a good VRAM (only 1g.. ), then you have to go with the 15" 2.6Mhtz... it still cost around 1000 euros in second hand, and you have to buy an SSD, and probably some RAM...
let say 1400 euros if the battery still ok... and no warranty...

- buying a new Macbook Touchbar 15" and adding the MAX VRAM... 4Go... it will coast 3300 euros but new...

the trouble is that there's no FW800 only TB3 !

so i need :

FW800 HUB powered
+
FW800 to Thunderbolt 2 adapter
+
Thunderbolt 2 to Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) adapter


so, if i want to use the set up in the field, i will need a battery to powered the HUB ( and thru it the DB ! )

I know the discontinued and expensive quantum can do the trick...

but can i used one of these ?

https://www.amazon.fr/gp/product/B00YP823NA/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A3KPCAN4ISC0PS


https://www.amazon.fr/Litionite®-Tanker-50000mAh-Aluminium-Batterie/dp/B01LZXPMXM/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8


https://www.amazon.fr/XT-20000QC2-PowerBank-batterie-moderne-20400mAh/dp/B01M9BGFJM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1491343067&sr=8-1&keywords=B01M9BGFJM




my hub is an Unibrain :
DC Power connector: Walkman-type 2.0 mm DC, Power Input Range: DC 8V~30V, max. 1.35A.
Power Consumption (at 12V DC): 1.5W max.

FireRepeater-800 Pro, 5 ports | UniBrain
 
A

algrove

Well-known member
I know these guys are not in your backyard, but they know Apple well and even have good customer service. Try them out perhaps.

Commonly known as OWC or their website is MacSales.com
 
A

archivue

Active member
algrove said:
I know these guys are not in your backyard, but they know Apple well and even have good customer service. Try them out perhaps.

Commonly known as OWC or their website is MacSales.com
Click to expand...
Great company, and their "New OWC Thunderbolt 3 Dock" looks good... but, i'm pretty shure it will needs more power in the field than a regular FW800 hub... a friend of mine have a pre-order... maybe i should wait and test it... but i can't read the voltage and Amp ?

i've contact them, waiting for a reply...

Thanks for your message. Our team will get back to you shortly.

Department: Macsales.com Technical Support (8am-8pm M-F, 9am-4pm Sat CT)

Full Name: giancatarina
Subject: New OWC Thunderbolt 3 Dock... About the FW800 power (in and out)
Message: I've seen that you are about to sell the New OWC Thunderbolt 3 Dock... About the FW800... how much power does it provides... enough for Leaf Aptus Digital Back ? Can we use this dock in the field with a battery ? Thanks
 
T

TRixxY

New member
archivue said:
... enough for Leaf Aptus Digital Back ? Can we use this dock in the field with a battery ? Thanks
Click to expand...
Do you really think that they have tested it for you?
If they are building it accordingly to the FW800 specs, I see no problem.
I have some PowerBanks in duty which supply USB3.0 connectivity, so I can send files directly via my Phablet into Dropbox from the field/CF card.
 
A

archivue

Active member
TRixxY said:
If they are building it accordingly to the FW800 specs, I see no problem.
Click to expand...
that's the problem... FW800 power specs are not universal...
FW has a minimum spec of 7w and a maximum of 45w... but many times is less than 45w... and on some PC there's no power at all just data...
 
Last edited:
T

TRixxY

New member
As I hade some time and even a soldering iron ... I went a bit deeper into the materia.

FW800 cable must supply minimum 7W and the wires/connector can supply a max of 45W and up to 30V

What I have found through google most digital backs need smthng between 12 and 20W @12V on the FW port.

P1 has some kind of FW800/DC adapter that powers the back while using USB-tethering and writing to CF.

I have found a few pictures showing 10AA NiMh cells supplying a H3D back via this FW800/DC adapter, that ends up the back beeing supplied with 14,2-12,2V

I'd go with a LiPo battery 3S5000mA, 2 cheap FW800 cables and a bit of wire, or invest the 50€ into the FW800/DC adapter, not sure if you want/can write on CF/SD ... if you want to work tethered via TB3, you can power the FW800 Hub by any battery(and that's my answer to yourninitial question) delivering 12V roundabout(or in the range of your power hub), but be aware, I guess you'll load up the MacBook too that way and the battery won't last that long.
If you go with soldering you could bound in 2 diodes, so the power flows only into the back, not in direction of the hub ...
 
A

archivue

Active member
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