Re: Eclair ACL NP Battery holder

[Mark <super16acl@aol.com>]

Hi all. I'm glad to find that some folks out there really do want an onboard 
battery holder --- but I'd need at least 2 dozen orders to make mass 
production cost effective. The holder is not for the NP battery --- I judged 
the NP battery to be too large and cumbersome for the ACL --- so I designed 
it to accept the 12V 2ah camcorder battery blocks. They are similar in 
rectangular boxey look to the NP, but much smaller --- about the size of an 
Aaton battery. 

These batteries are lead acid. Personally, I then gut the lead acid and 
install Nickel Metal Hydride batteries (14.4v) into the case, and I use an NP 
charger.  What you end up with is a much smaller and lighter mini-NP type of 
battery. If there is a switch on the handle, a suitable jack can be easily 
wired into the cable leading out from the holder.

While I doubt that I'm going to be inundated with enough demand to 
manufacture, you can take a look and drool at the prototype at: 

www.members.aol.com/Super16ACL/intro.htm

It is not yet black anodized in the photo. It attaches to where the ACL II 
handle adapter would go. This might be preferable to the ACL II battery 
holder, which  attaches on the rear of the right side with the screws that 
hold the camera together, placing a possible strain on the camera base plate 
that "in theory" might affect flange collomation. 

I can't begin to say how much easier it makes shooting to have a light-weight 
battery on-board. One of these days I'll just publish the plans for those of 
you with access to machine shops, as I doubt I'll ever be able to make it 
cost effective to sell on a small scale (in small batches the things are $500 
a piece COST!)  Or perhaps Les will market something. I don't really want to 
be in the ACL parts business anyway --- I just landed there by accident when 
I decided to make the HD-144 parts for my own cameras, and discovered it was 
only cost effective in quantity. (By the way, just 2 GOLD kits left! )

Mark

PS   - As an aside, I have found much better performance with French 400 foot 
mags and my CP Motor since switching to 14.4v .  The loss-of-speed lamp never 
goes on (except for the few frames as the camera gets to speed when you turn 
it on) --- previously it would flick on for an instant every once in a while 
until the battery got weak enough to cause it to stay on.  I wonder if, 
possibly, the burnout problem with the original ACL motor could have related 
to the motor being underpowered. Perhaps the motor fighing to maintain speed 
at under 12v is more of a strain than just pumping away at 14.4v ??? Any 
electronics whizzes out there with an opinion? 

PPS -- Because of a surge in the demand for etching the ground glass for 
Super-16 ACLs over the past year, a company in California is considering 
manufacturing the entire prism with the etchings, for those who want to 
preserve their R-16 ground glass. I'll post a note if they decide to go 
ahead. (If there are those out there who would want to order one, let me know 
and I'll pass along the word --- they are still on the fence about it since 
they are worried that after making a dozen on spec the demand will suddenly 
stop). No word on cost. 

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