Hawkwoods DVSQN4S and Nomad Power Question

[Bradley Murphy]

So I recently received my Nomad and based on the recommendations of a few people on this forum, decided to go with the Hawkwoods DVSQN4S to power my bag.  

I tested it out on a shoot over the weekend and I am not getting the run time I was expecting and worse, I lost power during a take twice at a voltage on the battery meter that I shouldn't have.  

I will readily admit that I am very green when it comes to battery chemistry and power distribution so, I don't know if I'm missing something obvious, but this is my understanding so far of my setup:

The Sony batteries I'm using are 7.2V and 7800mAh so I should be getting 14.4V
Nomad operates between 10 -18VDC
Hawkwoods DVSQN4S has 12V regulated output
 

Nomad displayed around 16.4V with fresh batts and would kick off around 14V on the meter.

I was only powering the Nomad.

Any ideas what is happening?

-Bradley

[Jack Norflus]

What run time are you getting?

[Max Hirtenstein]

So this is my exact same setup, even the batteries with 7800 mAH.

 

First of all the built in power cable is unregulated, so that's why you get up to 16.5 volts.

The other four outputs are switched and regulated at 12v.

 

My Nomad can run all the way down to 11.5 volts though, not the 14 you said. Can't help you there.

With a Nomad on and 2 SRb's I get around 8 hours runtime.

[jason porter]

Is there a cutoff voltage setting on the Nomad?

[Bradley Murphy]

What run time are you getting?

About 6 hours

 

So this is my exact same setup, even the batteries with 7800 mAH.

 

First of all the built in power cable is unregulated, so that's why you get up to 16.5 volts.

The other four outputs are switched and regulated at 12v.

 

My Nomad can run all the way down to 11.5 volts though, not the 14 you said. Can't help you there.

With a Nomad on and 2 SRb's I get around 8 hours runtime.

Maybe I just got a crappy set of batteries, but I have two sets and the same issue happened with both.

 

Is there a cutoff voltage setting on the Nomad?

I think it cuts at 10V, but the only setting I have relating to that is the default low battery warning at 10.5V

[Max Hirtenstein]

You have the Lenmar ones? I have two sets as well and they both run down to 11v. Weird.

[deep owl]

I usually get 8-11 hrs out of 2 npf970s powering nomad, sra, and m72. I think the Nomad's consumption might depend on it's mode and whether or not you're using zaxnet but I'm not sure. Screen brightness probably makes a difference too.

My Sony charger gets my batts more juiced than my generic chargers.

I may switch to a globalmediapro solution one of these days.

[glenn]

Nomad will operate down to 8 VDC.

Glenn

[Jack Norflus]

you're using zaxnet but I'm not sure. Screen brightness probably makes a difference too.

 

ZaxNet will consume a bit more power. The screen brightness setting will not make much of a difference in power consumption.

[hobbiesodd]

Right now I'm running the Nomad and 7 Lectro 411s on 2 grey market 7800mAh NP970 types with the DVSQN4S.

I get at least 5 hours of continuous runtime (w/o Zaxnet).

My Nomad's EXT BATT THRESHOLD is set to 11v, but the power kicks off without much warning around 12.5v (variable) when all cylinders are firing.

[deep owl]

Seems reasonable. BTW - my batts get to 13.5 and then drop rapidly. They'll last 20 mins after that and then drop off completely around 12.3...if memory serves.

ZaxNet will consume a bit more power. The screen brightness setting will not make much of a difference in power consumption.

[Bradley Murphy]

Yeah, I was running a boom, two lavs, and no zaxnet.

The run times others are getting powering receivers and Nomad are what is disconcerting because I was only powering the Nomad and shutting down pretty regularly during lighting setups.

Must just be the no name batts from Amazon. I still don't understand why it cuts out with the battery readout at such a high voltage though.

-Bradley

[Jack Norflus]

Another current draw is phantom power. When not using it shut it off.

[berniebeaudry]

Yeah, I was running a boom, two lavs, and no zaxnet.

The run times others are getting powering receivers and Nomad are what is disconcerting because I was only powering the Nomad and shutting down pretty regularly during lighting setups.

Must just be the no name batts from Amazon. I still don't understand why it cuts out with the battery readout at such a high voltage though.

-Bradley

That behavior is a sign that the batteries are not very good.  I have that same thing happen with one of my iPower batteries.  Normally I can run them down to about 6.5 volts before they suddenly shut off.  This one goes about two hours and reads about 7.6 and then just goes.  May not be apples to apples but something to think about.