Parallel connect 2 camcorder batteries...possible ?

Thread Starter

marcolisi

Joined Nov 18, 2008
20
Hi guys, I made a belt battery pack for my sony xr550 camcorder.

I bought a :

6600mAh BATTERY NP-F960 NP-F970 NP-F530

and I managed to connect it to the ac/dc of my camcorder.
The problem is that it lasts for about 5 hours and 25 minutes if I record continuoselly with the lcd open.
I would like to instead have an uthonomy of maybe 9-10 hour when recording with the LCD open.

So I was thinking to buy a

7200mAh Battery NP-F960 NP-F970 NP-F530

http://cgi.ebay.com/7200mAh-Battery-for-Sony-NP-F960-NP-F970-NP-F530-HI-CAP_W0QQitemZ290402461114QQcmdZViewItemQQptZBatteries_Chargers?hash=item439d55e5ba

and "parallel connect" it to the 6600mAh BATTERY NP-F960 NP-F970 NP-F530
so that I could get a longer lasting joined battery pack.
Can you give me some suggestion in how to connect the 2 batteries in the picture in parallel ?
I tried to connect in the past 2 AA batteries in parallel, but they became hot and they started making smoke, like I did something wrong ?

Do you think that it is a bad idea to parallel connect the 2 batteries above ?

Do u have any other suggestion ?

Below are the specs of the camcorder

General​
Power requirements: DC 6.8 V/7.2 V (battery
pack) DC 8.4 V (AC Adaptor)
Average power consumption:
During camera recording using the
viewfinder at normal brightness:
HDR-XR550E/XR550VE
HD: 3.5 W STD: 2.7 W
During camera recording using LCD screen
at normal brightness:
HDR-XR550E/XR550VE​
HD: 3.7 W STD: 2.9 W

AC Adaptor AC-L200C/AC-L200D​
Power requirements: AC 100 V - 240 V,
50 Hz/60 Hz
Current consumption: 0.35 A - 0.18 A
Power consumption: 18 W​
Output voltage: DC 8.4 V


Thank you
 

Bychon

Joined Mar 12, 2010
469
When connecting 2 batteries in parallel, the positive posts are connected to each other and the negative posts are connected to each other. No positive connector shall touch a negative connector.

As for thinking, I think the two batteries will be happy together if they are both fully charged when you connect them to each other. The point is to have them at about the same voltage as each other so one battery doesn't try to charge the other one.

As you use the power with your camera, both batteries will lose voltage at the same rate because, if one battery starts losing voltage faster than the other, the stronger battery will deliver more current because of its higher voltage, and they simply keep up this balancing act until the charge is used up.

If both batteries are the same type and health, you can even charge them together (still connected in parallel). It is important to measure the voltage of each battery before the marriage. That will show you if they are both charged to the same voltage. If the voltages don't match by even one volt of difference, one battery is unhealthy or one battery is not charged the same as the other. You must not parallel batteries that are unequal in voltage. The weaker one will try to empty the stronger one.

In addition, you should measure the voltage of each battery seperately, occasionally, to make sure they are both still as healthy as each other. Charge them up, disconnect them from each other, wait an hour, and then measure their voltage. A sick battery will charge to the same voltage as the one it is in parallel with, but it will settle to a lower voltage when allowed to rest, not connected to the other battery.
 

Thread Starter

marcolisi

Joined Nov 18, 2008
20
Hi, thank you for the reply.
It seems kind of pain, because I have to be sure of the health of both batteries each time I recharge them, because if not, I guess the camcorder will power up for even less than 5 hours. I guess this could always happen.
Do you know if it exists and I could buy any battery pack (just 1 battery pack) of 7.2V or 7.4V and 13800 mah or more mah, that could be good for the sony camcorder (that has these specs below) for making my belt battery pack ?

General​
Power requirements: DC 6.8 V/7.2 V (battery
pack) DC 8.4 V (AC Adaptor)
Average power consumption:
During camera recording using the
viewfinder at normal brightness:
HDR-XR550E/XR550VE
HD: 3.5 W STD: 2.7 W
During camera recording using LCD screen
at normal brightness:
HDR-XR550E/XR550VE​
HD: 3.7 W STD: 2.9 W


AC Adaptor AC-L200C/AC-L200D​
Power requirements: AC 100 V - 240 V,
50 Hz/60 Hz
Current consumption: 0.35 A - 0.18 A
Power consumption: 18 W​
Output voltage: DC 8.4 V


Thank you
 

retched

Joined Dec 5, 2009
5,207
Can you just put both on the belt and devise a switch to switch between the two?

Once you recieve a low battery signal, the next chance you get, flip the switch.

That way it would be just like having the two batteries in parallel, without the problems.
 

Thread Starter

marcolisi

Joined Nov 18, 2008
20
That is a good idea, but the problem is that I leave the camcorder on many time and I do not check it back often.
We use it as security camera in our family store too.
Sometime the hour passes and we forget that is on and we do not go to check if the battery has died.

Do u have any other idea, option ?
Thank you
 

Audioguru

Joined Dec 20, 2007
11,248
Hi Bychon,
I also have a Bichon Frise dog, my second one. The first dog was a bad boy and the second is a good girl. They both nearly learned how to fly like a bird and like my electric RC model airplane. They love to eat the snow but this winter there is hardly any snow.
 

Bychon

Joined Mar 12, 2010
469
I had years of fun raising Bichons as show dogs. They are actually nice people in dog suits! They don't know jack about electronics, and I never could get one to go on jobs with me and not get into everything his nose would fit into, but I still like them and that pic of a Bichon is real friendly looking as my avatar :)

Pet a puppy for me!
 
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