B-Mount: the New 24V Battery System

By Andy Race | Business Manager, Holdan

B-Mount is a new high-powered standard for onboard batteries, designed in response to the increasing power demands from LED fixtures and cameras. It will allow for the full resolution and frame rates of newer generation camera to be unlocked, and for higher powered and more portable lighting to be used on set or on location.

B-Mount Design

B-Mount is an open standard based on a set of specifications developed by ARRI. This means that you can be sure of a unified standard for data and mechanics when using it across different manufacturers. Like Gold Mount, it’s a side-mounting battery with a low profile mounting plate, made possible by the release mechanism being housed in the battery itself – ideal for using with smaller devices or in tight spaces. Plates will be available in 24V and 12V versions, ensuring flexibility across devices when used with bi-voltage compatible batteries.

24V efficiency

24V is more efficient than lower voltage systems. It generates less heat, has less voltage drop over longer distances and allows for more compact devices. In the future it also opens the door for exciting new product developments that will make use of the increase in available power.

Enhanced Data Output

B-Mount supports enhanced data read out and monitoring by compatible devices. This means cell health, cycle count and troubleshooting can be addressed quickly and efficiently – especially important when managing large amounts of cells, for example in a rental scenario.

Powering LED Lighting

With LED lights fast becoming the standard in film production, B-Mount allows crews to be more flexible when shooting on set and location. Where with 12V you would have needed two batteries to power a fixture, with 24V only one cell is required, saving weight and time in battery management. The flexibility of the mount also allows cross compatibility between lighting and cameras, meaning one mount is all that’s needed to power both.

Core SWX : B-Mount

Core SWX have just launched their first products for the B-Mount standard in the form of the Helix 9 Max batteries, MACH-4 4-position charger and GPM-X2B 2-position travel charger. The Helix 9 Max is a dual voltage battery pack with an output from 11V to 33.6V with up to 20A current delivery at 16.8V and 10A at 33.6V. It features a runtime LCD, P-Tap and 5V USB for powering mobile devices and is UN38.3 certified for ease of travel. It comes with a 2K cycles/2-year warranty.

The new MACH-4 charger is capable of charging 4 batteries at 4A simultaneously, achieving an approximate 90-minute charge time on four 98Wh batteries. Coming in at under 500g the lightweight GPM-X2B is designed for travel, charging either 1 battery at 3A or two simultaneously at 1.5A.