#29

Well, I run one of these little mmi usb supply boards if you’re comfortable with some through hole soldering. I power it off a ravpower 26800mAh usb battery pack.
https://modularaddict.com/mmi-usbpower-pcb

Works great for a handful of modules, I have overdrawn it trying to cram too many digital modules in at once, so don’t try making an all disting case…

It’s more than happy to power a tsnm, rings, peaks and uo_c for a fun little jammer though!

2 Likes
#30

20 chars of Focal cans!

#31

I’ve got one, I like it.
Plus side:
$ to power ratio is good. Its got tons of power.
Sturdy case.

Complaints:
Headers on the bus are not keyed/shrouded.

Things to know:
Its not actually waterproof because the hardware goes through the shell of the case, but plenty resistant as long as you don’t take it swimming.

#32

Does a Kastle count? :sweat_smile:

5 Likes
#34

I was kind of obsessed with having a mobile rig for about a year. I found that a lot of equipment worked perfectly well with either rechargeable 9v batteries (C-L, Meng Qi Voltage memory, Drone Commander, fx pedals, cheap mixer etc…) or USB powerbanks (Korg Mini KP2, Zoom ms70cdr) + a cheap 9v/12v transformer cable from amazon - Lorre Mill, Bugbrand small cases.
So the tetrax would be bank of 4 oscillators, with voltage memory/SQ1 sequencing, Bugbrand for filtering, pedals for reverb etc and some cheap drum synths for extra voices/gestures.

Was great for doing stuff like this:

But then I slowly got more and more bugs and less and less of everything else… Now i’m tending towards an entirely bug portable rig but haven’t got there yet. Last time I put something together was for my holiday in Madeira in June which looked and sounded like this:


It’s rough and ready but I kind of like the character - making do with recording on the Korg Mini Kp2 since my stereo microcassette recorder bit the dust.

1 Like
#35

I posted about the AE Modular format which can absolutely be battery powered and is really small and easy to carry around
I’ve already carried it to and from my office a couple times and took it to a friend’s place on a whim when she wanted to know what a guitar would sound like through it

1 Like
#36

I saw that! is it still 3u module size or smaller?

#37

I’m not sure what a “u” is, but the modules are 10cm tall and multiples of 2.5cm wide

#38

Shorthand for “rack unit”, a standardized measure of height equal to 1.75” (44.5mm). It is the vertical corollary to horizontal pitch (hp).

3 Likes
#39

Hi @gaeel Yep what @fever606 said!

Ah so very small! Interested in this system for sure, time to do some reading.

1 Like
#40

Just finished building a ‘bill’s tiny mixer’ (http://www.portabellabz.be/tinymixer.html) and mounted behind an old pre drilled but now unused blank. I made it so channel 1= left, channel 2 can be left and right hence the two pots, channel 3 = right. Black banana is for ground as I’m using all the internal connectors already. This will be my vacation set up to take around Vietnam in November.
Bugs - 2 oscillators, dual filter (one side does slew the other has a phase invert option), and one wavefolding vca. Meng qi voltage memory for control and mini kp2 for effects and recording.
Simple but effective I feel! All powered by USB power banks via cheap voltage transformer cables where needed.

IMG_5440
IMG_5440.JPG2448×3264 1.75 MB

7 Likes
#41

Recently came across the Koma Strom Mobile which is tailor-made for powering all sorts of modular / fx / etc. on the go. 9V or 12V outputs (selectable) powered by the USB power bank(s) of your choice…

https://koma-elektronik.com/?product=strom-mobile-portable-power-solution

#42

Old thread, but I’m wondering if all eurorack power supplies are capable of being powered via batteries, or if there’s some sort of incompatibilities to watch out for? I ask because the description of the Pulp Logic LBZ54 specifically mentions being compatible with certain batteries, which implies that not all PSU’s would be fine to power that way. Is that the case?

1 Like
#43

Technically yes, you can generate a -12 and +12 v psu directly from a battery and put it straight onto a busboard. but in reality its not that simple (or a good idea).

There are really 2 kinds of PSU with regards to battery power

First is a typical outlet psu, often these are linear or have something else going on under the hood. This is the type of PSU that is just a plug coming out of the case that will go direct to the wall. Take old monorocket cases, Trogotronic, etc. as examples. These will need to use a generator or a AC inverter, it’s paramount that it has a full sine wave pattern on the output or you will get a loud whine in the signal path (read:expensive). These are the least forgiving type for travel, as they’ll need the most expensive setup to run remotely.

Second is the barrel / laptop brick style PSU. This is what 4ms, pulp logic, KOMA, and others are. For these the power signal is being converted in the brick to DC before hitting the PSU. in this case you’ll just need a battery to match the specs of the input on the PSU module. for example I use a RavPower 19v battery with my 4ms row power.

4 Likes
#44

There are a lot of options that will work to power a case from batteries. I just listed a few that I have used personally but new and better packs are coming out all the time. The pack needs to provide a voltage between 9V and 18VDC and be able to deliver enough current to power the case. The current needed depends on the modules installed and the voltage used, but around 3A should cover most situations for the LBZ54. The lowest cost solution is an unregulated 12V battery which should stay within the 9-18V range under all states of charge. Pair it with a little solar panel and you can stay off the grid forever.

If you have something your are considering drop a link and I’ll have a look.

7 Likes
#45

I see.

It looks to me like the PSU I built my case with falls into the second category but I’m a total noob when it comes to electrical stuff and I don’t want to assume anything if I decide to try and get a battery. The brick here is converting the signal to DC first, correct?

Brick: https://www.konstantlab.audio/shop/power-brick-60w/
PSU: https://www.konstantlab.audio/shop/boardpwr-small-no-hp-power-supply/

@pulplogic, I don’t actually have a Pulp Logic case at the moment (though I used your hardware to build mine and it worked great!). Was just reading the description of your cases because I’m interested in battery power and it’s one of the only places I’ve come across that actually mentions it.

#46

Cool, with your power supply you should get a regulated power bank that can be set to around 18VDC. They are fairly available for charging certain laptops, just make sure it comes with the right sized barrel connector (2.1x5.5 center positive).

1 Like
#47

I think you should be good with a battery like the one below which falls into the specs @pulplogic outlined. But it’s likely also good idea to reach out to konstantlab to confirm.

(this is the same battery I use, but a ‘different’ brand)

1 Like
#48

Nice, that looks better than what I’m currently using. 23000mAH should be good for a few hours!

1 Like
#49

Oh yeah, I used this for 3 multi hour sessions with this system recently and I think it still have 50% left!

1 Like