Anyone ever used a car battery charger for the BP512?

[LazyPhotographer]

Has anyone ever used something like this? A car battery charger for the BP511 & BP512. Just curious if it actually works..

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=248449&is=REG

[defordphoto]

I haven't used on yet, but there's no reason in the world why it won't work. I bought a converter so I can run my laptop, battery charger and my Xs Drive this summer when shooting out in the field.

[scottbergerphoto]

I use that charger. It works fine. I mostly use it at home, but the car charger works.
Scott

[leony]

No reason why it wouldn't work, but a better investment would be to buy a car -> 110v converter at a RadioShack or something. THey sell for $25-$70 depending on the power you need.

I have a Power Inverter for 400 Watts, which is enough to power one monolight on location. Most Auto stores sell those as well.

Yup, that's two real links below.


http://www.radioshack.com/category.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&category%5Fname=C TLG%5F009%5F001%5F008%5F000&Page=1


http://www.7453217467431.com/browse/assBrowse.jsp?bmForm=search&bmFormID=1078717013062 &bmUID=1078717013062&bmIsForm=true&bmPrevTemplate= browse%2FassBrowse.jsp&bmHidden=SEARCH_INPUT%3C%3E path&SEARCH_INPUT%3C%3Epath=%2FAssortments%2FBrand s%2FAllBrands&bmHidden=SEARCH_INPUT%3C%3EobjectTyp es&SEARCH_INPUT%3C%3EobjectTypes=PRODUCT&bmHidden= SEARCH_INPUT%3C%3EmaxRows_cd&SEARCH_INPUT%3C%3Emax Rows_cd=25&bmHidden=SEARCH_INPUT%3C%3EsearchTextOp erator&SEARCH_INPUT%3C%3EsearchTextOperator=or&bmT ext=SEARCH_INPUT%3C%3EsearchFor&SEARCH_INPUT%3C%3E searchFor=power+inverter&bmSubmit=partNumSubmit&pa rtNumSubmit=Go&bmHidden=FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id&FOLD ER%3C%3Efolder_id=756447&bmHidden=affID&affID=7251

[Tom W]

Has anyone ever used something like this? A car battery charger for the BP511 & BP512. Just curious if it actually works..

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=248449&is=REG

Wow! I'm glad you had an example, because the title of the thread scared me a bit. I thought you were thinking of using a 12 volt charger designed to charge car batteries on your BP511/512 batteries!

I like the inverter idea that leony recommended as well - then you can run several different types of chargers from the car without buying different chargers.

EDIT: Did you ever read something the next morning and wonder why it seemed to make sense the night before? The last paragraph above was not my best prose. :)

I meant to say that I agree with Leony that the inverter is a good idea, since you can use a variety of the 120-volt chargers and such that you've likely already accumulated while in the car. For example, I can charge my 10D battery with its standard charger, my S-400 battery with its charger, and my NiMH flash batteries with its charger, all while tooling down the road at almost-legal speeds.

This would alleviate the need to buy separate 12-volt chargers for each type of battery.

[MarkH]

Has anyone ever used something like this? A car battery charger for the BP511 & BP512. Just curious if it actually works..

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=248449&is=REG

That charger is very small and light, I keep mine in my camera bag with the car lead. I usually drive to places to take photos, I haven't ever run out of power due to having 4 batteries, but I like to cover every possibility.

Why wouldn't it work? Even the transformer that comes with this is just converting mains power to 12V DC.

I also have a Lenmar Mach 1 speed charger that came with a mains transformer and a 12V car lead. I can charge up to 3 batteries at a time at home (I also have the original Canon charger) or 2 at a time in the car.

[CoolToolGuy]

The concept works - I have a Lenmar charger that comes with an AC adapter and a car cord. I keep it in the car, and it saved my butt Saturday night. I was shooting the second night of a high school play, and when I set up I realized I had forgotten to charge my batteries from the first night. One was dead, and the one in the camera was low. I went to get my G3 from the car, and the one in it was way low, too. I hooked up the charger in the car and put a battery in it. Made it through the first act, but the battery in the Drebel was done. Went to the car, and the one in the charger was charged enough to make it through the rest of the evening. Success! :wink:

I don't have a need for all of the chargers others mention, but it seems to me that an inverter, followed by conversion back to DC is inefficient, at best. Unless you really need to charge everything at once, I would think the individual car cords would work better, especially if they come with the unit. But I could be wrong. 8)

Have Fun
Rick 8)

[Jim_T]

I'll echo RFMSports and leony..

I also use a 12->110 power inverter..

It's a fair bit bulkier than the dedicated BP-511 charger, but you can't beat the versatility.. You can operate just about anything that has a supplied wall plug. This includes charging batteries from a host of other devices.. If you get a new camera or some other device down the road, you can still use the supplied wall charger.

My inverter is mounted under the passenger seat and hard wired in. Rather than buying dedicated chargers for my camera batteries, flash batteries, Laptop and Cell phone, the one inverter serves all.. It also cost about the same..

[Avarond]

Ive had an inverter for about 6 years now and wouldnt be without it. My SUV has 3 DC outputs (counting the cigarette lighter) and I use 2 for cell phones and the other for an inverter, usually my laptop gets plugged into that but when I run low on battery power it powers the chargers. Over the years Ive used it for all sorts of stuff, DVD players, chargers, small vacuums, etc. The possibilities are numerous.

[LazyPhotographer]

Looks like the inverter wins..... that's cool. Now I'll have a place to plug in the hairdryer when the rolling blackouts hit CA. :D

Thanks for the advice!