SD-8A Ext. battery pack

[wendellt]

Hi

Not so happy with the flash recycling times on the sb800 with 5 batteries, just wondering if the SD-8A Ext. battery pack with an additional 6 bateries will complement the 5 onboard batteries on the sb800 for faster flash recycling times. I know the flash can never keep up with the D2x high speed crop but it would be good to get some kind of additional battery pack that can get the sb800 flash in sync with the continuos shooting mode(CL) on the d2X which i would guess is 2-3 shots a second.

anyone got nay recomendations on battery charges that can charge from 1 to 6 batteries at a time? currently i have a dick smith one that charges 2 to 4 batteries and I have 10 recharbale batteries. My current chargeer solution is impractical becuase it takes up to 12 hours and most of the time i use 5 batteries on the sb800 so i am left with 1 odd one out when it comes to charging.

[huynhie]

Wendell,

I bought this one from Jaycar

[DionM]

Wendell,

Cannot comment on the SB-800 (obviously ) but I use a 10x AA charger that I got from Jaycar for about $60. It is not fast - 2300mah batteries take 14-16hrs or so, but it has full discharge/charge/trickle on each individual cell (so you can charge 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 or 10 cells at once - no pairing or the like of cells) with current pulse and delta-V detection (the best charge method).

I like it because of that feature. I can charge the 2300mAh AA cells from my 580EX, the 900mAh AAAs from my UHF radio, and a few other different batteries, all at the same time without fear. The ability to do each cell individually is good.

I see them on eBay now and then too - they are the typical long and black charger.

The next step up for fast charging of many cells is to look at the gear the R/C guys use. These chargers are $200+ but have all the bells and whistles and can charge fast ...

As a side note, my Bosch cordless drill has a 10min charger. It pours some serious current into those batteries ....

Edit: My charger is the one huynhie has posted ...

[ajax]

here are some chargers at good price.

http://www.mittoni.com.au/default.php/cPath/133

I have bought from this mob before. They have a shop as well in Notting Hill VIC.

cheers,
ajax

[wendellt]

Hi Huynnie Dion M and Ajax

thanks for the quick smart info

I think i read once member: Onyx also used that particular charger which i really like having the ability to charge 1 cell through to 10 yeehaw!

Do you think that particular jaycar battery charger would have a international powersupply 110-240volts, as i would like to use it overseas as well

Currently i use the DSE brand NiMH 2000mAh -210AAHC what is the difference between this and 2300mah, how much longer does a 2300mah cell last over a 2000mah?

I can say on the packaging it says i can charge the batteries even when not fully exhausted and that doing so does not inversely cause memory effects, but currently these batteries don't even last that long fully chraged i think i did a total bummer and bought duds or charged them in ill manner to compromise their usable capacity.

[shutterbug]

Hi wendellt,

Highly recommend the SD8A battery pack...you rfalsh will recycle much faster...I use it now all the time

I love the Powerex Brand of batteries...you can get them from a NZ company.

[DionM]

Hi Huynnie Dion M and Ajax

thanks for the quick smart info

I think i read once member: Onyx also used that particular charger which i really like having the ability to charge 1 cell through to 10 yeehaw!

Do you think that particular jaycar battery charger would have a international powersupply 110-240volts, as i would like to use it overseas as well

Currently i use the DSE brand NiMH 2000mAh -210AAHC what is the difference between this and 2300mah, how much longer does a 2300mah cell last over a 2000mah?

I can say on the packaging it says i can charge the batteries even when not fully exhausted and that doing so does not inversely cause memory effects, but currently these batteries don't even last that long fully chraged i think i did a total bummer and bought duds or charged them in ill manner to compromise their usable capacity.

Can't remember if it has a universal supply, but it uses a 12v plugpack style AC adapter so you could find one of them that is universal and use it instead of the supplied one.

The good thing about a discharge/recharge unit is you can cycle your batteries a few times with full charge/discharge/charge/discharge etc cycles - may restore some life to your batteries.

[birddog114]

Wendellt,
Have you remembered at one of the mini meets, I talked to you same as other recommended, throw yor existing 2000mAh - 2100mAh into the bin at the corner of my back yard and get the full set of the 2500mAH, but you didn't listen, now you're asking again.

Go for the 2500mAh @$3.60/each + Jaycar 10 batteries charger from Jaycar, the 2500mAH is last longer and quick recycling on the SB800.
Please don't mix two brand of rechargeable batteries, coz they're not the same built and capacity, even they stated the same rate, it's also affected with charging time as well.

The SD8A is boosting up the recycling time as well and maintaining more juice for your SB800.

Now, what's next?

[MHD]

how is the availability of the SD-8A??

[birddog114]

how is the availability of the SD-8A??

MHD,
It's available since nearly 12 months ago on this board, few members bought and love to use it most of the time.

[Antsl]

Ive been using the SD-8 for close to 15-years and I love it. This week I bought the SD-8A for the SB-800 and although I have not put it to work yet I am wondering what the recommendation was on wether you can use the SD-8A with the five battery SB-800 configuration. Any knowledge on this anyone?

[birddog114]

Ive been using the SD-8 for close to 15-years and I love it. This week I bought the SD-8A for the SB-800 and although I have not put it to work yet I am wondering what the recommendation was on wether you can use the SD-8A with the five battery SB-800 configuration. Any knowledge on this anyone?

Yes, you can and I do.

[Antsl]

thanks for that Birddog .... while on the subject ... are you using the kit with NiMH batteries?

[wendellt]

Thankyou birddog

Your right I don't listen unless a female voice is speaking, but I am working steadfast to amend this little personal affliction

At the meet I will throw my 10 batteries away and get what the jaycar charger along with 10 of your golden batteries and i will be set to flash anytime, anwhere.

Anstl thanks for the info if your using it happily I can't go wrong getting one.
Love your work by the way!
One person told me way back any external bettery packs work in tandem with the batteries in the flash, but like you would be good if someonecan confirm the statement.

birddog sd8a available to buy at this this weeks minimeet?

[birddog114]

thanks for that Birddog .... while on the subject ... are you using the kit with NiMH batteries?

Yes, 5 with the SB800 and 6 in the SD-8a

I have totally of 33 x 2500mAH for 2 SB800 + 2 xSD-8a

[Antsl]

Anstl thanks for the info if your using it happily I can't go wrong getting one.
Love your work by the way!
One person told me way back any external bettery packs work in tandem with the batteries in the flash, but like you would be good if someonecan confirm the statement.

Thanks Wendelt...

What the SD-8a pack does is to create an additional 300+ volts power supply that is added to the capacitors of the flash unit in parallel with the flash units charging unit. The SB-800s charging circuit is not affected by the SD-8a, all that happens is that the capacitors charge a lot faster. (Think of it as two different taps filling a bucket from two different directions, one won't affect the other).

The only problems I used to have on a regular basis was getting out of the car while I was a news photographer and either forgetting to grab the booster as I grabbed the camera or forgetting the booster was in my pocket as I left the camera on the front seat... I can't remember how many times I closed the door on the cord and walked half a metre before I got the duh! feeling. It eventually cost me a new cord that I can tell you cost almost as much as the device itself.