The SWIT TD-R210S Dual Battery 48V/500W Light Stand Power Adaptor is a portable battery solution for high powered lights. It comes as either a stand alone unit, or you can buy the Prince Rental Kit that includes a hard case and four V-mount batteries.
Key features
- Install 2x V-mount batteries
- 4-pin Regulated 24V out, Max 240W
- 3-pin Regulated 48V out, Max 500W
- 500W by SWIT Bi-voltage batteries
- For Skypanel S60/S120 100% output
- Neutrik XLR connectors
- 25-45mm light stand install
Please note: The SWIT TD-R210S is also available in Anton Bauer Gold Mount
Why would you need it?
The problem with a lot of high power draw lights is that they require a 48V DC input to run at 100%. That means to run these lights remotely without mains power you need to use 48V power sources.
48V DC remote power solutions are hardly new, but a lot of them are heavy, stand alone high capacity batteries.
Recently we have seen smaller solutions such as the FX Fxlion 48V Mini Skypower Dual-Channel V-Mount Battery Output Adapter appear that allow you to use two high capacity 14.8V batteries to output a 48V source.
There is also the BLUESHAPE Field Gold Mount Battery Power Station with Impact-Resistant Case where you can utilize up to four AB Gold Mount batteries to create a 48V DC source.
The SWIT TD-R210S takes that same concept, but it has been designed so that you can attach the power adapter directly to a lightstand.
What does it allow you to do?
The power adapter allows you to use two SWIT PB-H290S high load batteries to power high draw lights at full power remotely.
How it does this is by converting the power from these batteries and outputting it through either a 4pin 24V or 3pin 48V cable. The maximum output the power adapter can supply is 500W when using the 3-pin 48V, or 240W when using the 4-pin 24V. 500W is enough to run lights such as the ARRI Skypanel S60-C, ARRI Skypanel S120-C, and ARRI Orbiter
If you don’t use two SWIT PB-H290S high load batteries, and instead use two other V-mount batteries, then the maximum power out is limited to 240W regardless of whether you use 4-pin 24V or 3-pin 48V.
With the ARRI Skypanel S60-C the max power draw is 450W, and the light features two DC power inputs: a 3-pin 48V and a 4-pin 23-36V lower voltage. Through the 3-pin 48W input, you can use the SWIT Dual Battery 48V/500W Light Stand Power Adaptor to power the light at 100%. If you use the 4-pin input, you can only input up to 200W which will power the light at 50%.
The new ARRI Orbiter has a maximum power draw of 500W, and it only features a 3-pin 48V DC power input. Again, the SWIT Dual Batteries 48V/500W Light Stand Power Adaptor will allow you to power the light at 100%.
Run Times
Above you can see how long you can run various ARRI fixtures remotely using the SWIT TD-R210S and 2x SWIT PB-H290S batteries.
Design
The SWIT TD-R210S has been designed to be relatively compact and to distribute weight evenly when you mount it to a light stand.
There is nothing overly complicated about the SWIT TD-R210S.
It has two outputs, a switch to change between 24V or 48V output, and protective covers for the 3-pin and 4-pin XLRs.
Size & Weight
The SWIT TD-R210S tips the scales at 0.9kg (1.98lb) and it has physical dimensions of 127 x 104 x 93mm (5x 4.09 x 3.66″).
While the weight is not that much, you do need to factor in that you need to attach two SWIT PB-H290S batteries that weigh in at 1.58kg (3.48lb) each.
If you are using a light such as an ARRI Skypanel S60-C and the SWIT TD-R210S and 2x SWIT PB-H290S batteries you are probably going to put that combination on a very heavy duty light stand. If you plan on moving a combination like that around a lot on flat, even surfaces, it is probably better to use some sort of rolling stand.
Build Quality
The SWIT TD-R210S is reasonably well made but it is hard to know how it would stand up after continued use in the field.
I did find that you needed to lock in the batteries on the V-mount plates with quite a bit of force for them to secure down correctly.
Usability & Real World Performance
The SWIT TD-R210S is straightforward to attach and use. It is a nice compact way of powering high draw lights remotely when you don’t have access to mains power. It works as advertised and is robustly made.
I tried it out with the new ARRI Orbiter to see how it performed. With two SWIT PB-H290S batteries, I could power the Obiter at 100% output with no limitations.
The SWIT solution stays out of your way, it doesn’t have a large footprint, and it does its job with a minimum of fuss.
It was really nice to be able to power the Orbiter from such a compact and easy to use power solution when you don’t have access to mains power.
Downsides
The only problem with solutions such as this, is that you can’t fly with high capacity lithium-ion batteries that are required to provide the power. This is something to keep in mind, however, you could rent batteries on location and just take the SWIT TD-R210S with you.
Another downside is that it is highly recommended that you use two identical batteries that are the same make and model. The SWIT TD-R210S will also only output 48V 500W when used with the SWIT PB-H290S batteries.
If you do mount other batteries other than the SWIT PB-H290S, as I previously mentioned, the max. output power will be limited to the max. output power of the adapter, or the combined output of the batteries being used. However, the max. power output will always revert to the lowest max. output out of those two options. So for example, if I put two IDX 159Wh batteries on the SWIT PB-H290S, even though the combined output would be 318W, the power adapter is limited to outputting 240W so 240W would be the max. output.
Specifications
| DC output | 1x 3-pin XLR 1x 4-pin XLR |
| Battery type | 2x V-mount batteries |
| Max Load (2x 28.8V batteries) | 3-pin XLR: 48V/10.4A, 500W 4-pin XLR: 24V/10A, 240W |
| Max Load (2x 14.4V batteries) | 3-pin XLR: 48V/5A, 240W 4-pin XLR: 24V/10A, 240W |
| Working temp | -20°C – 40°C |
| Dimensions | 127 x 104 x 93mm (5x 4.09 x 3.66″) |
| Weight | 0.9kg 1.98lb |
SWIT PB-H290S Batteries
The SWIT PB-H290S Batteries are 290Wh Intelligent Bi-voltage (14.4V/28.8V) batteries that can be used to power anything from regular digital cinema cameras and accessories, al the way up to the ARRI ALEXA LF/65 high voltage cameras, and high draw cine lights.
The batteries are made out of 24 high-class 18650 battery cells. The battery supports a maximum 200W constant power output. The battery will have a longer life span than regular batteries because it is always under full load power.
Having a bi-voltage (14.4V/28.8V) capability makes them a jack of all trades battery and it is nice that you can use them to power just about anything.
You can charge them on any regular V-lock battery charger, but it also supports 6A fast charging from the SWIT S-3812S fast charger. This charger can charge up to four batteries simultaneously and it will charge batteries from 0-80% capacity in 2 and a half hours. Full 100% charging takes 4 hours and 15 minutes.
The battery also features D-Tap to DC Output socket. Here is what that can output:
Under 14.4V (11-16.8V) output mode, D-tap output 11-16.8V and Max load 120W/10A Under 28.8V (22-33.6V) output mode, D-tap output constant 16V and Max load 50W/3A
Specifications
| Nominal Voltage | 14.4V or 28.8V auto switching |
| Capacity | 290Wh |
| Max output power (14.4V) | Total: 200W / 16A Pins: 200W / 16A D-tap: 120W / 10A |
| Max output power (28.8V) | Total: 200W / 8A Pins: 200W / 8A D-tap (16V): 50W / 3A |
| Max charging current | 6A fast charging |
| Mount Type | V-mount |
| Operation Temperature | -20°C ~ 40°C* |
| Dimension | 162 x 101 x 69mm (6.38 x 3.97 x 2.71″) |
Prince Rental Kit
As I mentioned earlier, the power adapter also comes in the form of the Prince Rental Kit. As the name suggests, it is a kit aimed squarely at rental houses. It includes the following:
- SWIT TD-R210S
- 4x SWIT PB-H290S Batteries
- 1x S-3822S Charger
- 1x Hard Carrying Case
This kit is a one-stop solution and it allows rental houses to send out a complete package along with a light that lets it be powered remotely in the field.
There are also kits available that come with SWIT TD-R210S and two SWIT PB-H290S Batteries.
Price & Availability
The SWIT TD-R210S retails for $550 USD. In Australia you can buy it from Lemac , and in the UK it is sold by PROAV.
The SWIT PB-H290S batteries retail for $920 USD each.
Competition
The closest competition arguably comes from the Fxlion 48V Mini Skypower Dual-Channel V-Mount Battery Output Adapter. This is a similar product to the SWIT TD-R210S, but it is more expensive ($725 USD), only has a max. power output of 480W, and it can’t be mounted directly on to a light stand.
Conclusion
Powering high draw LED lights remotely has always been difficult to do. A lot of solutions on the market only allow you to power lights at 50% remotely. The SWIT TD-R210S allows you to run certain high draw lights at 100% output remotely in the field. It is easy to use and operate and it certainly solves a real-world problem.
