IDX V-lock charger/batts issue?

BluesCam

BluesCam

Well-known member
Hello. I have an IDX VL-2 Plus V-lock Li Ion charger and Endura batteries. When I put the batts on charge I see the solid red light (normal) and after a while it shows green (normal), the problem is the batteries have no charge on them. The user manual says if it is a battery fault the charger will flash amber when the battery is put on charge. If it is a charger fault it will flash red. It does neither. It acts normal, but the batteries don't charge. I haven't used them in quite a while, so, could the cells in the batts be dead or is it the charger? The charger's 4 pin DC output is working fine

Thanks.
 
BluesCam

BluesCam

Well-known member
The batts are about 3 yr. old. IDX will test the batts or the charger for $30. The other thing is the fan does not come on when a battery is put on charge, but the charging light does.
 
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Robin

Well-known member
Can you check some other batteries .. then you,ll know either way.. sounds like Batts.. but there again both dying is a bit strange.. just check with some other batts I think,,
 
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Capt. Slo-mo

Well-known member
I've had great luck with IDX bricks, but really, after three years especially if you haven't been using them...the battery bricks are likely bricked. Do you have any newer batteries to test on the charger?
 
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At the scene

Well-known member
I'm starting to see a few users of these batteries. Is there any advantage of using these batteries rather than the standard Anton Bauer mount batteries. I ask because I was at an NFL presser where the guy next to me battery died. I always carry extra batteries with me. I offered to loan out my spare only to find out it didn't fit. Everyone I knew there has the Anton Bauer so I was no help. Granted he should have had a spare with him. It was the idx v mount and one of the first times I have seen that type of mount. Just curious on the advantage or disadvantage of these batteries.
 
BluesCam

BluesCam

Well-known member
I am the only one in my area using V-lock IDX. Everyone else uses AB. I bought IDX because at the time, they were a leader in Li-ion technology. I liked the lighter weight, the led status button on the battery and the V-lock mount. Everyone does Li-ion now. This was about 8 yr. ago when I went from NiMH NP-1 to IDX Endura. I loved it. They ran a long time. The only reason I would not go V-lock is because of what you saw, compatibility with others. IDX batts never let me down and were very lightweight.

At the scene said:
I'm starting to see a few users of these batteries. Is there any advantage of using these batteries rather than the standard Anton Bauer mount batteries. Just curious on the advantage or disadvantage of these batteries.
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1911A1

1911A1

Well-known member
We've used v-mount batteries since we started switching to SX in 1999. Some Sony, some IDX. Now, I buy Vipers.

I like them because of their light weight and with the wraparound BEC wireless brackets we use, the way the v-mounts attach works a little better than if we used AB mounts.

The only reason I wish we used AB batteries is because then we'd have compatibility with our TVU packs, but even that's not a huge deal because each backpack has its own assigned batteries (plus we have extras).
 
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Douglas

Well-known member
BTW, it's now become incorrect to refer to the batteries simply as "Anton Bauer", because AB now manufactures v-lock batteries as well. I have a several v-lock Anton Bauer batteries. So if you asked me to borrow an Anton Bauer, I'd hand you a v-lock. Its better to refer to the traditional AB batteries as "Gold Mount".

As to whether there is an advantage with either V-lock or Gold Mount? No, just two different types of connectors. But with that said, I prefer the way v-locks slide straight down instead of coming from the side. I find it makes it a lot easier to mount other accessory plates to the camera if you don't have to keep the side open.
 
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At the scene

Well-known member
Douglas said:
BTW, it's now become incorrect to refer to the batteries simply as "Anton Bauer", because AB now manufactures v-lock batteries as well. I have a several v-lock Anton Bauer batteries. So if you asked me to borrow an Anton Bauer, I'd hand you a v-lock. Its better to refer to the traditional AB batteries as "Gold Mount".

As to whether there is an advantage with either V-lock or Gold Mount? No, just two different types of connectors. But with that said, I prefer the way v-locks slide straight down instead of coming from the side. I find it makes it a lot easier to mount other accessory plates to the camera if you don't have to keep the side open.
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Thanks Doug.
 
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Douglas

Well-known member
I really like the new generation of Anton Bauer batteries. They've all got a d-tap connector for powering other accessories plus they have a digital read-out on the side that tells you exactly how much run-time you have left at the current load. That's not such a big deal if the battery is on a camera, but since I run all my LED lights on batteries it is really helpful to look at the battery and know that there is "2:43" or whatever left on the battery with the current dimmer setting on the light. What a world of difference compared to the old NP-1 days.
 
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Douglas

Well-known member
Yeah, you can get adapters to let you go either direction. I have one that will let me put a Gold Mount battery on a v-lock device, but I wish I had just the opposite right now as I have piece of demo equipment that has a Gold Mount that I would like to run on a battery.
 
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Robin

Well-known member
"Gold mount" AB is really a US thing.. Go to Europe/Asia/UK/ Australia etc and its all V mount..
The mount might have got better.. but all I remember of Gold mount.. is that it was always a bit wobbly .. the V mount was much more solid.. and I agree with Doug.. the side mounting is not as good as top down.. let gravity help you !.. also I never liked the design of AB batts.. but thats just a personal thing..
 
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Run&Gun

Well-known member
I actually don't like the new design A/B batts. The info on the display is nice, but the actual physical case sucks. And if you hold the battery and really look at it and the grip, it's designed primarily like you would hold and mount a V-mount, not a Gold mount battery. I've been using A/B since day one and am heavily vested in their system(currently 5 cameras, 3 audio bags, 3 LitePanels, 4 battery chargers and 3 power supplies among other things), BUT I'm really considering switching brands. Their battery quality(hytron's at least) has been going down for several years and the new odd and consumerish case designs(Vitec is determined to turn all of their equipment into Fisher Price toys) are pushing me away. Thankfully almost all battery manufacturers except IDX and Sony make Gold mount batteries, now, so I want have to switch mounts.
 
The Thing on The Sticks

The Thing on The Sticks

PRO user
Run&Gun said:
I actually don't like the new design A/B batts. The info on the display is nice, but the actual physical case sucks. And if you hold the battery and really look at it and the grip, it's designed primarily like you would hold and mount a V-mount, not a Gold mount battery. I've been using A/B since day one and am heavily vested in their system(currently 5 cameras, 3 audio bags, 3 LitePanels, 4 battery chargers and 3 power supplies among other things), BUT I'm really considering switching brands. Their battery quality(hytron's at least) has been going down for several years and the new odd and consumerish case designs(Vitec is determined to turn all of their equipment into Fisher Price toys) are pushing me away. Thankfully almost all battery manufacturers except IDX and Sony make Gold mount batteries, now, so I want have to switch mounts.
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Have you looked at the pag batteries yet. As I understand it you can use your same Anton Bauer charger to charge them and put more than 4 on a single charger which would come in handy with more and more things being battery powered. https://www.paguk.com/

i don't have a us website link but know you can get them here.
 
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Douglas

Well-known member
Although I'm drifting towards AB batteries lately because of the digital readout on the side, the best batteries and chargers for the money come from Batteries for Broadcast. I've been using their batteries for 6 or 7 years and they're excellent. My oldest battery still runs like new. I like their smaller physical size, they have a d-tap, and their squareish-shape lets them pack neatly into a case. I highly recommend them.

http://batteries4broadcast.com/
 
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