The Core SWX APEX 360 battery options are designed for top energy LED lights much like the Aputure LS 300 and Nanlight 300. You possibly can even energy the Aputure LS 600 with a pair of APEX 360 LV batteries, however solely at 50% output. To get full 100% output, the APEX 360 HV (excessive voltage) model is required, plus the boards have to be up to date. Extra on that later within the evaluation.
With the 300-watt lights, you will get about two hours of use at 100% output setting. Sure! That is what we have been ready for.
Greater wattage LED lights have been launched over the previous few years, however battery know-how has not stored up, requiring a brand new product to be developed. Most ENG or V Mount fashion batteries are designed for cameras and gadgets, not notably high-wattage lights. There’s a actual want available on the market for higher distant energy options with out using a fuel generator. That is the place the Core SWX APEX 360 LV and HV battery packs are available.
This evaluation focuses on the Apex 360 LV (Low Voltage) mannequin.
Dimension and weight
As you may see from the images, the Apex 360 is a giant battery. It is also on the heavy aspect at 3.6lb or 1633g and measures 3.5 x 6.3 x 3.8. Though the dimensions and weight are on the hefty aspect, this doesn’t have a unfavorable affect on lighting as most controllers with battery plates will be mounted on the sunshine stands. I at all times use rolling stands as a result of they’re simpler to maneuver round with the wheels as an alternative of lifting and, even worse, dragging the stand throughout a ground. It may injury the floor and your shopper won’t like that.
The Core SWX APEX 360 packs provide a 367Wh Lithium-ion V-mount answer able to outputting as much as 24A constantly in addition to offering prolonged run occasions.
The Apex packs are supplied in a 14.4V (APX-360v) model, which is appropriate for many lights, and the next voltage 29.6V variant (APX-360hv).
The high-voltage APX-360 HV can ship much more present underneath decrease present necessities, permitting for extra environment friendly, cooler operation of LED lights that settle for larger voltages (voltage acceptance is as much as DC 34V).
The APX-360 HV choice makes use of Core’s patented Helix system pinset, so unintended placement of the excessive voltage pack on 14V tools is just not an issue.
Sturdy building
The APEX 360 batteries have a sturdy housing with a bolstered polycarbonate outer shell. The interior cell construction of the pack ensures that the cells are firmly secured if the pack is dropped. They are not gentle, coming in at 3.6lb / 1633g.
There’s not a backlit runtime LED readout on the battery. I like this as they will take slightly extra abuse with out worrying concerning the clear window cracking. As an alternative, it has an LED meter on each side for simple viewing. from either side of the gasket in entrance and behind the lighting ballast when linked. No matter whether or not it’s charging or in use (discharging), the LED present meter lights up.
V-mount choice solely
The Apex 360 is simply supplied in V Mount. Core SWX states that 90% of the set up base in lighting is V-mounted and Apex is a lighting answer. If somebody’s ballast accepts G-mount, they’ve two choices – both use a G-mount to V-mount adapter or convert the ballast with Core SWX Direct Join Plates.
Twin Helix/APEX Excessive Voltage V-Mount Plate Equipment
To make use of the APX 360 HV battery packs with sure lights, use the optionally available HLX-2HV-DC. It is a Direct Join Plate for top voltage lights, and if you wish to use the APEX 360 HV with lights resembling Aputure LS 600d/600x/600c, then it is advisable change the V mounting plates that come on the facility provide/controller.
The great facet of those boards is that they require minimal technical abilities to attach and nonetheless mean you can use all of your 14V V-mount packs.
To interchange the plates in your Aputure LS 600 sequence gentle, unscrew your present V-mount plates, minimize the wires off the present plates and terminal blocks, instantly clamp the Core SWX plates onto the present wires, and screw again on. Apex Direct Join plate. No soldering abilities or instruments are required.
This modification is simply essential to reap the benefits of the excessive voltage effectivity of the Apex HV packs. The Apex 360 LV packs work with out altering the lighting ballast.
With many excessive energy LED lights, you will have two of the APEX 360 battery packs to energy them. A fast rule of thumb is that if a lightweight has an influence draw of 300 watts, the battery have to be not less than 300wh and will provide you with about an hour of operation at 100% energy.
APEX 360 LV Run Instances with Aputure LS 300x
With lights just like the Aputure LS 300 fashions, you may run them at full energy utilizing two 14.4V CORE SWX APEX 360 LV batteries for about 4 hours. In case you solely use one, the output drops to 50% max output.
That Aputure LS 600d Professional will be pushed at 50% output for as much as 2 hours with two battery packs. With lights just like the 600d is the one technique to obtain full energy output could be by means of 48V. The sunshine prevents you from getting full output when utilizing built-in packs, regardless that it says 100% on the controller/energy provide show. Though Aputure’s handbook suggests which you could obtain full output through the use of high-voltage batteries, they’ve confirmed that the function is just not but carried out by means of firmware. Let’s hope Aputure will get the firmware prepared state!
I used them on one Aputure LS 300x and located that LCD screens with two Apex 360 LV linked confirmed a run time of two hours; nevertheless, the controller offers a barely inaccurate measurement.
On the two-hour mark, the show reveals 11 minutes, with the battery indicator having a strong bar and a flashing gentle. Finally it form of catches up and after 2 hours and 22 minutes the LS 300x shut down.
The great factor is that the Apex 360 LV energy indicators keep on once you use them, so you will get a greater thought of how far the battery is depleted with out being near the fixture. When the final bar flashes, will probably be fully depleted very quickly.
With a run time of two hours and 22 minutes, I haven’t got to fret about operating out of energy. Particularly if I flip off the lights after I’m not recording. For me that is loads of juice and having 100% output for fill when capturing outdoors is the bee’s knees.
Value per Wh
Above you may see a value per Wh comparability between the Core SWX Apex360 LV and different competing batteries available on the market.
GP-X2RV quick charger
Excessive capability packs require quick chargers. Core SWX has developed the economical X2 sequence of chargers for the Apex system. The 2 chargers obtainable are GP-X2RV and GP-X2RHV. Each fashions retail for $299. The bases can be found with two APEX 360 batteries and a charger.
You possibly can cost a single Apex 360 LV at 5.2A @16.8v in 5 hours half-hour. Charging two on the identical time drops the amps to 2.6A and takes 9 hours and 40 minutes. Sure, it takes a very long time to cost, however these are very massive capability batteries.
The GP-X2RV charger is right for APX-360 LV batteries. You may as well cost them at 14.8v lithium-ion charging system. Because of the massive capability of the batteries, the charging time will range relying on the charger you’ve got.
The APX-360 HV batteries require the excessive voltage variant of the Apex two-position charger (GP-X2RHV). The GP-X2RHV may also cost Helix MAX V-mt packs.
The Apex charger fashions are able to both charging one pack in simply over 5 hours or two Apex packs in underneath 10 hours.
| GP-X2RV | |
| LV charger enter: | 100V-240VAC 50/60Hz |
| Charging present: | One pack 5.2A @16.8v, Two packs on the identical time at 2.6A |
| Dimension: | 4.5 x 5.5. x 3 |
| Weight: | 1.3 lbs |
| GP-X2RHV | |
| LV charger enter: | 100V-240VAC 50/60Hz |
| Charging present: | One pack 2.6A @ 33.6v, Two packages on the identical time at 1.3A |
| Dimension: | 4.5 x 5.5. x 3 |
| Weight: | 1.3 lbs |
Value and availability
Beneath are the costs for batteries, chargers, equipment and bundles.
Batteries
Chargers
File
Packs of two APEX 360 batteries and a charger
CORE SWX will promote two totally different bundle configurations. The primary is the APX-360VK, which consists of two APX-360 LV batteries and the GP-X2RV charger. The opposite is the APX-360HVK, which consists of two APX-360 HV batteries, the GP-X2RHV charger and the HLXVDC Direct Join plate.
The batteries are very competitively priced, given their capabilities and capability. That is attainable as a result of Core SWX eliminated features that aren’t wanted to activate lights. Retains it easy and extra inexpensive.
Wrap it up
I’ve been ready for batteries which can be made for lights. LED fixtures are getting very highly effective and it is nice to see extra battery choices. The Core SWX Apex 360 LV carried out flawlessly on the Aputure LS 300x and different fixtures. 2 hours and 22 minutes of run time is loads for me and with any battery operated gentle I flip them off once we’re not able to roll which makes them final quite a bit longer.
