Paul C. Buff, Inc. Technical Forum

Hello,

can I use my Balcar P4 (NOT Concept P4)

http://tinyurl.com/balcar-P4

with your Vagabond Lithium Extreme VLX ?

My Balcar P4 power supply can accommodate 4 heads up to 1600 W/S, each for up to 6400 total W/S .

What are the limitations if the use is possible?

Thank you very much.

I'm guessing the pack is a total of 1600Ws that is shared with whatever number of heads are plugged in. This is the normal protocol for power packs like this.

Nevertheless, I believe the VLX™ will power it OK (assuming the pack is 120VAC, not 240VAC. There is no way for the VLX to harm the P4, or vice versa.

Assuming you are in the US, I suggest buying a VLX™ and trying it out. If it happens to not work properly, you have 60 days to return it for a full refund, less shipping costs.

Hello Paul, that was fast!

The Balcar P4 has for sockets for a max of 6400 WS.

But I do have the 240 VAC and I am not sure if I can switch the unit to run at 110-120 VAC.

Will you have a VLX that runs at 240 VAC soon? Given you had one available, would I harm my connected strobes or the unit by using the VLX? Yes, I would adapt the fuses as well....

We have no plans to do a 240V VLX™ anytime soon, Shipping large Lithium batteries is becoming harder and harder.

Also, searches I did say the P4 is 1600WS total. A 240V Profoto Batpack should run it, at a cost of close to $2000, though not as well as a VLX™ would, if it were a 120V unit.

Hello Paul, thanks.

"Shipping large Lithium batteries is becoming harder and harder."- yes, I did read the news about the issues and the cargo-plane having gone down possibly related to that.

THAT P4 (not Concept P4) takes a total of 6400 WS-. I will check about the switching to 110-120 VAC.

If so I will have to buy one in your store soon.

BTW, my order of a couple units of Einsteins and several other articles NEVER have been delivered by the Aussi-brothers in the UK-Shop, even after MANY emails and exchanges. Been waiting for years! Now the shop is departed...

Best regards

Customer service can probably help you with the Einsteins. Mention your correspondence with 1st Line digital. Ask for Lori.

Hello Paul,

good!

I will get in contact with Lori.

Hope I will find the old communication with the EU-store.

---->

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=1437

I think I figured the P4 out. Noticed one listing where its weight was listed as 5lbs. Impossible, since the capacitors alone for 6400Ws would weigh about 30 lbs.

Then I remembered from way way back a Balcar system that placed the flash capacitors in the flash heads rather than in the power pack. I believe now that was the P4 system.

So each head has 1600Ws worth of capacitors in it, thus allowing 6400Ws if, and only if, you have four of these special heads plugged in.