2009Batteries/Power forum
Adapting PROII sled to use IDX batteries instead of Anton Bauer
17 years old. Gear and prices may have changed since.
What the thread found
- Custom battery plates can be machined to allow IDX battery mounts on a PROII sled while maintaining compatibility with existing Anton Bauer mounts.
- Rewiring the battery system with 16AWG wire and quick disconnects allows rapid switching between battery mount types without resoldering.
- Powercubes and E-10 batteries can be used to power camera and monitor/accessories separately on a modified PROII sled.
- IDX battery mounts lack a clear tactile click when fully seated, requiring careful attention to the release button to confirm proper installation.
- Inverted front battery mounting to accommodate recorder space creates a risk of batteries falling if the release button is accidentally pressed without hand support.
- Lithium-ion batteries from all manufacturers output nominally 14.8 volts and 16+ volts when freshly charged, and modern cameras are designed with voltage headroom to handle this range.
- Older Moviecam models have stricter voltage limits and may throw error codes or stop operating with fresh lithium-ion batteries, while newer Arri cameras tolerate the higher voltage.
- IDX batteries offer higher capacity than older Anton Bauer models and support linked configurations for additional power and weight.
- Early-generation Dionic batteries remain functional after several years and over 150 cycles of use despite being near expected end of life.
Depends on
- Field testing had not been completed at time of posting to confirm actual runtime performance.
- The voltage issue with IDX batteries and Moviecam cameras appears specific to older Moviecam models and may not affect newer Arri cameras.
- The custom modification was specific to a 2005 PROII model and may require different adaptations for other sled years or configurations.
- Tight physical spacing on the sled limited design options for battery mount placement and accessibility.