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Pro8mm Beaulieu 4008ZM battery


Perry Paolantonio

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I've got one of the Beaulieu 4008 Pro8mm Max8 modified cameras, but I'm noticing that the battery life is pretty bad - It's supposed to last "50 rolls" but I'm barely getting through one. I think these are NiCads, which sucks, because of memory issues. I'm wondering if anyone has the schematics for these battery packs that I might look at, because I think I want to build my own. The way it's constructed, to take it apart is to basically ruin it (looks like it's basically a cluster of sub-c cells stuffed inside a big heat shrink tube. So there's no easy way to open it without destroying the case. Happy to do that if I need to, but I'd like to look at some pictures or a schematic first, if one is available.

 

My thought is that I might just build my own using better, more modern batteries. Or if a standard belt exists that I could pick up cheaply, I'd go for that too.

 

Thanks!

 

-perry

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  • 1 month later...

Hey Perry,

 

You can almost certainly improve upon the cheap nicads that Pro8mm provides in their packs. If you are out in cold weather, you should keep the batteries stuffed in your jacket to keep them as warm as possible. Nicad performance will suffer greatly in cold weather! Also be sure to have the camera looked at to see how much power it draws under load. It may need fresh lubrication.

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They're using Li-Ion batteries now in their new packs, so I'm thinking I might design something that uses those instead. If I can find small, powerful enough cells, I was toying with making something like the battery pack the Beaulieu R16s have - in a handle on the bottom of the camera. I always hated the stubby little handle on the 4008 anyway, so it seems like putting a battery pack there and making it in the shape of a real handgrip might be a good idea. Probably a lot of work though. Maybe this is a good excuse to get that 3D printer I've been wanting!

Edited by Perry Paolantonio
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The thread into the battery is fairly fine pitch. I doubt a 3d printer would be able to generate it. The handle will be a lot easier. In my experience, you're better off ordering 3d parts from shapeways. They have higher resolution printers than you'll be able to get. The pricing isn't bad. The default material is nylon (as opposed to ABS or PLA). And you don't have to babysit the print.

 

You could go on ebay and look up "Beaulieu dummy socket". Screw a battery into the handle, and run a small cable. I believe it's 3.6V and 7.2V. I'm planning on doing that with my Beaulieu after I tear it down and clean it.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Beaulieu-4008-Dummy-Socket-/261333804325?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_2&hash=item3cd8b56525

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This is a Pro8 modified camera, so it doesn't use the standard battery socket - instead it's on the back, below the viewfinder:

 

classic8.gal.02.lrg.jpg

 

So there's a standard screw mount in the bottom. I wouldn't use a 3D printer to make the screw, instead I'd use it to make the handle/battery holder, and I'd re-use the cable from the existing battery pack (or pick up another) to go from the handle to the battery input.

 

Or if I'm feeling really ambitious, maybe I'll carve one out of wood, if I can pack a bunch of thin cellphone/still camera style li-ion batteries in there.

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  • 4 weeks later...

The unmodified 4008 runs of a NiCd set of six cells. There is a connect on 0 volt, 3.6 and 7.2

 

From the photo it appears they used a locking DIN plug. Possibly the standard thing like on the Beaulieu battery block so it could run from a standard external pack.

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