Reviews > Reviews by the NG Community
Nikon Cameras in the Cold
Øivind Tøien:
I use a battery bank with dummy battery for my astophotography setup the whole time. I can power the setup for 6 hours at -25°C and almost as long at -40°C provided that I provide some intermittent heating of the battery bank. In its latest incarnation an electric hand warmer was added to keep the battery bank warmer for the 2.5 hours the hand warmer battery lasts. This will will delay the cooling of the battery bank. The hand warmer has yet to be tested at the lowest temperatures though.
Yes cables crack in the cold. I have replaced just about all cabling with silicone insulated one, including the one for the intervallometer. Only the short segment to the dummy battery has been left alone.
mxbianco:
--- Quote from: Øivind Tøien on May 03, 2020, 13:22:40 ---I use a battery bank with dummy battery for my astophotography setup the whole time. I can power the setup for 6 hours at -25°C and almost as long at -40°C provided that I provide some intermittent heating of the battery bank. In its latest incarnation an electric hand warmer was added to keep the battery bank warmer for the 2.5 hours the hand warmer battery lasts. This will will delay the cooling of the battery bank. The hand warmer has yet to be tested at the lowest temperatures though.
Yes cables crack in the cold. I have replaced just about all cabling with silicone insulated one, including the one for the intervallometer. Only the short segment to the dummy battery has been left alone.
--- End quote ---
I like this thread more and more as it develops... You've done your homework and written a few extra chapters!
I'm sure you know about gasoline/lighter fuel flameless hand warmers. On one charge they will keep a warm temperature for up to 6 hrs.
Ciao from Massimo
Øivind Tøien:
--- Quote from: mxbianco on May 03, 2020, 14:17:48 ---I like this thread more and more as it develops... You've done your homework and written a few extra chapters!
I'm sure you know about gasoline/lighter fuel flameless hand warmers. On one charge they will keep a warm temperature for up to 6 hrs.
Ciao from Massimo
--- End quote ---
Thanks Massimo, I have heard about them but never tried. I must admit that I have some inhibitions vs putting something that is combusting next to a pack containing four 18650 batteries. I also wonder if it would get enough oxygen in the tight spaces of my padded case? I avoided the regular chemical ones as they have a very high heat output in the beginning and then dabs off. But now that I got curious I will probably do some research on the gasoline/lighter fuel flameless ones when I get time.
The battery powered one I got actually has a thermostat with some different settings. I figure if I can keep the pack near room temperature for 2.5 hours, it will take another 2.5 hours for it to cool down to a temperature too low for the battery bank to provide power (from my experience using an unheated but slightly insulated bank near -40°C). When I tested it at an outside temperature slightly below freezing and the highest setting, it kept the temperature logger that I placed in the case next to the bank (and slightly insulated from the hand warmer) steady around 33°C for about 2 hours and 45 minutes. I would not want it to get much warmer.
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