Beaulieu R16 battery voltage

[kontrabass888]

I have had a beaulieu R16 for many years, I always use the external battery pack which is made in Germany at 1991. it is written on the battery that it is +-4.2V
However, I discovered recently that the Beaulieu r16 takes 7.2V for the motor and 3.6v for the light meter.
It is so strange to me that how could a 4.2v battery working without any problem for a 7.2v camera for many years?

[MovieStuff]

I had an R16 and got an 8 volt battery and simply drained it down to 7.5 volts using a light. One could use a voltage limiter on the battery but the advantage to draining it is that you never have to worry about something failing in the limiter and getting over voltage to the camera. Also, you can use a small 8 volt tractor battery and a long mic cable with an XLR power connector. You don't need to drain the battery because the long mic cable will introduce enough DC line loss that all the camera ends up getting is about 7.5 volts. We put the battery in a wooden case with handles and it just sat next to the set and the 50 foot cable gave me plenty of freedom. We used that years ago shooting low budget features and the battery lasted forever. It eventually died from simply not being used enough but we ran it for years off the original charge because the camera demands so little amperage.

Roger

[nikonr10]

I have had a beaulieu R16 for many years, I always use the external battery pack which is made in Germany at 1991. it is written on the battery that it is +-4.2V
However, I discovered recently that the Beaulieu r16 takes 7.2V for the motor and 3.6v for the light meter.
It is so strange to me that how could a 4.2v battery working without any problem for a 7.2v camera for many years?

Hi you can also use's a nizo battery box with AA batterys wired up /or a 7.2v RC car battery from a model shop .
a penny for the guy !

[sportique]

+1 for the rc car battery; works like a charm

[kontrabass888]

Thanks for reply,
but I still don't understand, why my R16 could work with 4.2v battery without any problem?

[kontrabass888]

I had an R16 and got an 8 volt battery and simply drained it down to 7.5 volts using a light. One could use a voltage limiter on the battery but the advantage to draining it is that you never have to worry about something failing in the limiter and getting over voltage to the camera. Also, you can use a small 8 volt tractor battery and a long mic cable with an XLR power connector. You don't need to drain the battery because the long mic cable will introduce enough DC line loss that all the camera ends up getting is about 7.5 volts. We put the battery in a wooden case with handles and it just sat next to the set and the 50 foot cable gave me plenty of freedom. We used that years ago shooting low budget features and the battery lasted forever. It eventually died from simply not being used enough but we ran it for years off the original charge because the camera demands so little amperage.

Roger

I took some pic for my battery, I really don't understand why it is written 4.2 volt, but it works fine with a 7.2 volt camera.

[nikonr10]

I had an R16 and got an 8 volt battery and simply drained it down to 7.5 volts using a light. One could use a voltage limiter on the battery but the advantage to draining it is that you never have to worry about something failing in the limiter and getting over voltage to the camera. Also, you can use a small 8 volt tractor battery and a long mic cable with an XLR power connector. You don't need to drain the battery because the long mic cable will introduce enough DC line loss that all the camera ends up getting is about 7.5 volts. We put the battery in a wooden case with handles and it just sat next to the set and the 50 foot cable gave me plenty of freedom. We used that years ago shooting low budget features and the battery lasted forever. It eventually died from simply not being used enough but we ran it for years off the original charge because the camera demands so little amperage.

Roger

I took some pic for my battery, I really don't understand why it is written 4.2 volt, but it works fine with a 7.2 volt camera.

I would be happy then that all is working without spending outmore ? can always talk to Bjorn the Beaulieu repairman ,As he knows all things Beaulieu .

[inlieubeaulieu]

I have no idea why, or how, a 4v battery would work... was your camera modded?
I have found a solution for replacing the dead batteries from my Beaulieu 5008s, I got a bunch of 3.6v Li-ion AAA sized batteries and I wired up two inside the old battery pack. I haven't used it extensively enough to drain a battery on set, but I've gotten at least 2-3 cartridges shot with plenty of charge left to keep going (and if I run out, I have 8 more batteries I can swap it out with)
and as a plus, you can just recharge the batteries once you're done (this helps extend the life of the Li-Ion batteries, too), instead of having to discharge completely as with NiMH batteries

[kontrabass888]

I have no idea why, or how, a 4v battery would work... was your camera modded?
I have found a solution for replacing the dead batteries from my Beaulieu 5008s, I got a bunch of 3.6v Li-ion AAA sized batteries and I wired up two inside the old battery pack. I haven't used it extensively enough to drain a battery on set, but I've gotten at least 2-3 cartridges shot with plenty of charge left to keep going (and if I run out, I have 8 more batteries I can swap it out with)
and as a plus, you can just recharge the batteries once you're done (this helps extend the life of the Li-Ion batteries, too), instead of having to discharge completely as with NiMH batteries

Finally, I have run a used film to test.
Unfortunately, it runs much slower than running without film and very unsteady.
Maybe this battery is not for R16... or it needs longer charging time?... but the connector(interface) is for R16...
Strange.

[aj]

The camera needs, no discussion, 7.2 volt.
And with a 3.6 volt center tap.

Also there must be plenty current to drive the motor properly. That is why the original batteryholder is so bulky.

[aj]

I have no idea why, or how, a 4v battery would work... was your camera modded?
I have found a solution for replacing the dead batteries from my Beaulieu 5008s, I got a bunch of 3.6v Li-ion AAA sized batteries and I wired up two inside the old battery pack. I haven't used it extensively enough to drain a battery on set, but I've gotten at least 2-3 cartridges shot with plenty of charge left to keep going (and if I run out, I have 8 more batteries I can swap it out with)
and as a plus, you can just recharge the batteries once you're done (this helps extend the life of the Li-Ion batteries, too), instead of having to discharge completely as with NiMH batteries

NiMH don't have the memory effect like the NiCd

[aj]

I have no idea why, or how, a 4v battery would work... was your camera modded?
I have found a solution for replacing the dead batteries from my Beaulieu 5008s, I got a bunch of 3.6v Li-ion AAA sized batteries and I wired up two inside the old battery pack. I haven't used it extensively enough to drain a battery on set, but I've gotten at least 2-3 cartridges shot with plenty of charge left to keep going (and if I run out, I have 8 more batteries I can swap it out with)
and as a plus, you can just recharge the batteries once you're done (this helps extend the life of the Li-Ion batteries, too), instead of having to discharge completely as with NiMH batteries

Finally, I have run a used film to test.
Unfortunately, it runs much slower than running without film and very unsteady.
Maybe this battery is not for R16... or it needs longer charging time?... but the connector(interface) is for R16...
Strange.

In your original post you claim to have been using the set-up for years.

[kontrabass888]

I have no idea why, or how, a 4v battery would work... was your camera modded?
I have found a solution for replacing the dead batteries from my Beaulieu 5008s, I got a bunch of 3.6v Li-ion AAA sized batteries and I wired up two inside the old battery pack. I haven't used it extensively enough to drain a battery on set, but I've gotten at least 2-3 cartridges shot with plenty of charge left to keep going (and if I run out, I have 8 more batteries I can swap it out with)
and as a plus, you can just recharge the batteries once you're done (this helps extend the life of the Li-Ion batteries, too), instead of having to discharge completely as with NiMH batteries

Finally, I have run a used film to test.
Unfortunately, it runs much slower than running without film and very unsteady.
Maybe this battery is not for R16... or it needs longer charging time?... but the connector(interface) is for R16...
Strange.

In your original post you claim to have been using the set-up for years.

Well, I haven't use this camera for long time.
Now , when I want to use it again, it suddenly doesn't run correctly with film.
I have charged the battery for many hours, but it doesn't help.
Maybe it has some problem with the camera itself, I am really not sure.

[cameratech]

The old battery pack might have been 8.4V with a centre tap of 4.2V, hence labelled + and - 4.2V.

A small amount of over-voltage is usually OK, a fully charged battery will measure 10% to 15% over the nominal voltage, so appliances need to be capable of working off a voltage range. If the old battery is no longer holding charge the camera will run slow or erratically. A multimeter to check the battery voltage is the simplest way to find out for sure.

[kontrabass888]

The old battery pack might have been 8.4V with a centre tap of 4.2V, hence labelled + and - 4.2V.

A small amount of over-voltage is usually OK, a fully charged battery will measure 10% to 15% over the nominal voltage, so appliances need to be capable of working off a voltage range. If the old battery is no longer holding charge the camera will run slow or erratically. A multimeter to check the battery voltage is the simplest way to find out for sure.

The speed meter of R16 can also show the battery level, it shows that the battery is full charged.
So, maybe there is something wrong with the camera.