50+ Broadcast Battery FAQ's

After 19 years of answering these important broadcast battery questions, your question should be answered here.

Questions will expand when you click on them.  After clicking a link and finishing your read use the back button or your browsers back button to go back one step to the questions.  Some questions also have a quick pop-up window if you do not need to save or print the file. 

The more you know the more you will like rathbonebroadcastbatteries.com  I am in the process of converting this page from my prior company and am not finished.  There may be link issues on this page.  May 06, 2011.

Clients have asked:

1. Can I have my battery rebuilt? 

   1. Yes for Nickel Cadmium and Nickel Metal Hydride!  No for Lithium Ion.  See Details Rebuilding html file:

   2. Click for Quick Pop-up window

2. Is Rebuilding My Battery Pack Environmentally Conscious or Cost Effective to Me?

   1. Yes! Environmentally html file:

   2. Click for Quick Pop-up window

3. Is Rebuilding My Battery Pack Illegal?

   1. No! Illegal? html file:

   2. Click for Quick Pop-up window

4. What are a few of the safety precautions used by Rathbone, in rebuilding my batteries?

   1. Cell Test

5. What are a few of the safety precautions I should use with any of my new or recelled batteries?

   1. Safety Precautions

6. What should I do when I first receive my newly rebuilt batteries from Rathbone?

   1. Initial Maintenance

7. My company has dead Anton Bauer Logic or Digital ProPac / Trimpac / Hytron / Dionic batteries and or chargers we no longer use, are taking up valuable space, and are in our way.  Will you accept them?

   1. Yes! Dead Propacs html file:

   2. Click for Quick Pop-up window

8. How is my battery opened?

   1. We have the proper tools.

   2. Opening Propac html file:

9. What cell do you recommend?

   Broadcast Cells html file:

   1. D Cell Specs

   2. Propac Cells  Propac, PP90, BP90, Steadicam, Belts html file:

   3. Trimpac Cells html file:

   4. Hytron Cells html file:

10. Do you test the battery insert before placing it into my battery case?

    1. Yes!  Cell Test html file:

    2. Click for Quick Pop-up window

11. How is my case sealed?  Case Seal html file:

12. Do you test my battery after the case is sealed?

    1. Yes  Cell Test html file:

    2. Click for Quick Pop-up window

13. How should I care for my new cells to get their optimal performance?

    1. Cell Care html file:

14. Will my battery with your new insert still work on my Anton Bauer charger?

    1. Yes!  AB Charger html file:

    2. Click for Quick Pop-up window

15. Will my battery then work on a Cadex, Christie, or PAG Charger?

    1. Yes!  AB Charger html file:

    2. Click for Quick Pop-up window

16. My broadcast battery has a Digital LCD Readout Bar.  How will placing a new battery insert effect my LCD Readout Bar?

    1. Your LCD will work.  LCD Bar html file:

    2. Click for Quick Pop-up window

17. My broadcast battery communicates with the viewfinder of my camera.  How will placing a new battery insert effect my Viewfinder Readout?

    1. Your Viewfinder will work.  LCD Bar html file:

    2. Click for Quick Pop-up window

18. I have a Logic type battery that is reading "Non-Logic" on my IntelliCharger or InterActive Charger.  What is going on?  How do I fix it?

    1. This can happen to a battery that has never been recelled or has been recelled.

    2. Non-Logic Reading Tells you what is going on and how to repair the issue.

19. I have a Digital type battery that is reading "Hold" on my IntelliCharger or InterActive Charger.  What is going on?  How do I fix it?

    1. This can happen to a battery that has never been recelled or has been recelled.

    2. Hold Reading

20. My New Logic or Digital Battery does not have a glass fuse like previous versions of the battery pack.  Is that Important?

    1. Yes.  We think so.

    2. Thermal Issue

21. My New Logic or Digital Battery looses all power three to four minutes into my photo shoot.  I lost my one in a lifetime shot.  What is going on?

    1. Thermal Issue

22. Is the battery cell important?

    1. Yes! Cell Importance html file:

23. Is there such a thing as a battery cell vendor doing a bait and switch on the cell I was sold verses the cell actually placed in my case?

    1. In our opinion, along with past and present experience, Yes. 

    2. Battery Cell Switch & Bait html file:

    3. Click for Quick Pop-up window

24. How will I know that the cells you place in my battery are the cells I purchased from you? 

    1. Packing Slip html file:

    2. Click for Quick Pop-up window

25. Is every battery company up-front with the details of the cells they are using or the cells I purchased? 

    1. In our opinion along with past and present experience, No.

    2. Battery Cell Switch & Bait html file:

    3. Click for Quick Pop-up window

    4. Price Quotes

26. Can Heat hurt my battery?

    1. Yes

    2. Cell Heat html file:

    3. Click for Quick Pop-up window

27. How can I reduce the heat my battery packs are exposed to?

    1. Heat Reduction html file:

    2. Click for Quick Pop-up window

28. How do I figure out if I am getting the most amperage or wattage for my investment?

    1. Cell Value html file:

    2. Click for Quick Pop-up window

29. How do I purchase a "Pre-owned" ProPac?

    1. Pre-owned Propacs html file:

    2. Click for Quick Pop-up window

30. How do I know if I am getting my best value?

    1. html file: Cell Value

31. How do I care for my battery?

    1. html file: Cell Care

32. Are there any really good articles on battery care?

    1. Yes

    2. Articles html file:

33. Is there really such a thing as Memory in nickel cadmium cells?

    1. Anyone, person or company, telling you that there is no such thing as memory is simply promoting low end cells, trickle chargers, or does not know batteries.  Either way, they should not be in the battery business.  See links below for a detailed collection of discussions from true experts in the battery cell field regarding "Memory Effect".

    2. Battery Handbook 

    3. Articles

34. Do you have Material Safety Data Sheets from the cell manufacturers?

    1. Yes

    2. Panasonic Nicds.pdf file

    3. Sanyo Nicds.pdf file

35. How do Nickel Metal Hydride Batteries compare to Nickel Cadmium Batteries? And what about conversions?

    1. Ni-MH Conversions Click for Pop up window

    2. Battery Handbook  Look under the heading Nickel Metal Hydride

    3. Click for Pop up window

36. Do you consider those old batteries with the built in trickle charger to be a deal?

    1. No, Never. Click for Pop up window

    2. Built-in Charger

37. Are those old built-in trickle (overnight) chargers bad on my battery pack cells?

    1. Yes!

    2. Built-in Charger

38. Why do some companies only supply vague product descriptions and ask you to call for a quote instead of listing their product description in detail and prices?

    1. Price Quotes

    2. Retail Value

39. Do you offer Price Quotes or Discount Prices?

    1. Price Quotes

    2. Discount Prices?

       1. Retail Value

40. Do you have the manufacturers cell specification sheets for comparison?

    1. Yes

    2. Battery Cells

       1. Saft VRE D 5500, Sintered Positive Electrode-Unavailable

       2. Saft VRE F 8800mAH SPE, Sintered Positive Electrode-Unavailable

       3. P500DR, Discontinued by Panasonic

       4. Panasonic Ni-Cd, Large cells Discontinued by Panasonic

       5. N4000DRL, Sintered Positive Electrode-Excellent Quality

       6. KR5000DEL, Best Available Nickel Cadmium Cell

       7. Sanyo Ni-Cd

       8. Cell Specs Popular

41. Where can I find Material Safety Data Sheets on these cells?

    1. MSDS

42. Where do I send my dead battery cell inserts for recycling?

    1. Dead Anton Bauer Batteries: Recycle Anton Bauer

    2. Dead battery Inserts: RBRC

43. Can I have my Company Logo included on the faceplate?

    1. Yes-May 2007-Unavailable until further notice, ask.

44. Are there any tax benefits for my company if we purchase through Rathbone Energy?

    1. Possibly.  Look under the heading Rathbone Energy is: About RES

    2. Click for Pop up window

45. What is your turn-around time for broadcast news type batteries?

    1. Turn-around

    2. Battery Cell Manufacturers Impact

46. How do I contact you?

    1. Contact Us

47. What is your Ship to Address?

    1. Ship To

48. What are your hours of operation and holiday schedule?

    1. Hours

49. What type facilities do you have?

    1. About REI

    2. Click for Pop up window

50. We recently purchased product from another battery vendor that called us with what sounded like a great deal.  We are now having problems with their product but cannot find them. 

    1. Stable Vendor

    2. Amateur Work Examples

51. Can my Pro Pac 90 be Rebuilt?

    1. Yes BP90 html file:

    2. Click for Quick Pop-up window

52. Do you sell chargers for the BP90 Battery Packs?

    1. Yes  AR124NPD html file:

    2. Click for Quick Pop-up window

53. Is Patching or Fixing my Warranty Battery the Best Practice?

    1. No. 

       1. We offer a Premium Line Pro-Rate Warranty and an Economy "Sack and Save" Economy Line Warranty

    2. Battery Patch and Fix

54. What is your warranty policy?

    1. Limited Warranty Points

55. What should I know before considering lithium ion battery packs and will you recell them?

    1. Why we no longer rebuild Dionic 90 lithium ion battery packs

    2. Why we have never rebuilt IDX Endura lithium ion battery packs.

    3. We sell new lithium ion batteries comparable to Dionic Gold Mount, IDX Batteries V Mount, and Sony V Mount BP Lithium Ion

       1. Lithium Ion for Broadcast

56. Will your V Mount batteries work on my V Mount Charger?

    1. Our V Mount Batteries

57. Do you rebuild Dionic 90 Batteries?

    1. Why we no longer rebuild Dionic 90 battery packs.

58. Do you rebuild IDX Endura Batteries?

    1. Why we never rebuilt IDX Endura Battery Packs

If this detailed sheet has not answered all you questions you may contact us by the email address or phone number listed at Contact Us.

Please bookmark rathbonebroadcastbatteries.com and pass this page along to all your affiliates, colleagues, broadcast news, and engineering decision makers with a "Thumbs Up".  Thank you for your business.

If on an outside chance you have found a battery assembler or a battery pack rebuilder that offers everything we do in: cell selection, building your battery pack, detailed black and white specification sheets, packing slips, and invoices, you have just found the web site and reason why.

The more accurately you are informed the more you will appreciate rathboneenergy.com

IMPORTANT NOTE:

THE "CONTACT US" AND "SHIP TO" ON THIS WEB SITE, rathboneenergy.com, rathbonebroadcastbatteries.com, and batteriesandcircuits.com ARE THE ONLY CONTACTS AND SHIP TO LOCATIONS FOR RATHBONE ENERGY, INC. 08/05

Copyright, Rathbone Broadcast Batteries, LLC. 2011 and forward.  All rights reserved.