BMPC4K stopped accepting ext battery power

Hi all
My BMPC4K recently stopped accepting power from my v-lock battery. I'm looking for any advice, experience or suggestions you might have.

It still accepts mains power.
Note: The internal battery never seems to charge above 50% though (a common problem if what I've read here is correct). This wasn't an issue before, but sure is now...

I have tested the output from the external battery with a multimeter, plus the output from the dtap cable I use to connect (after purchasing a new one, thinking the cable was the issue) - both read at 16.1 volts, so power is getting through on that end. Again, the camera accepts mains power, so it does work in that regard.

The problem seemed to start happening intermittently recently - which is what led me (along with a worn looking dtap connector) to think it was a cabling issue. However, it is now permanent and causing me some anxiety as it means I can't guarantee power away from a mains outlet.

Does this mean my internal battery is faulty? Has anyone else had this happen, and if so, did you find a fix?

Cheers, Jake

BMD needs to answer this to comment on the role of the internal battery when an external battery is attached. Might be best to call BMD Support.


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Back when I was performing tests with my Camera open, I found in particular that there is no need for an actual battery for the camera to function, I had it completely unplugged in many instances of testing. When I provided power through the DC input the camera turned on and functioned as normal. Of course as soon as it was unplugged the camera shutdown.

From what I gathered an my understanding of the whole the power distribution is that of the total power required half goes to running the camera and the other half goes to charging the battery.

So when you provide power through the DC input you are charging the internal battery and automatically switch to running the camera off that very same DC input. You only ever use the power from the battery when there is no DC input.

What does this mean in for your situation?

Does this mean my internal battery is faulty?

Based off my tests, even if the battery was not present as long as you had DC power in the camera it should run.

Has anyone else had this happen, and if so, did you find a fix?

Try another Battery, if the wall adapter if working which as you say it is there might be something wrong with the battery you are using. The wall adapter provides DC power just as your battery does, unless for some reason the Batteries DC power isn't "clean".

The other possibility is that the power conversion/charging circuity in the camera is not working 100% and might also be why your battery is not charging full.

BEST SOLUTION: Contact BMD

Again this is just based on personal speculation derived from my tinkering of the camera hardware. Your situation might vary. Just thought I'd throw this out there.

Link to my tests if intersted:

The mains power supply provides 12VDC, and this works, but the 14-15VDC battery does not, sounds like the DC/DC power supply is not regulating the 14-16VDC input back down to 12VDC, so camera will not run. Unless you can get BM to repair this, you might try getting a regulated power cord between the battery and camera, that takes the batter output and regulates it back to 12VDC. I have a cable like this make by IndiPro, as the early Mini Converters only took 12VDC input. Battery end is a DTap, the other end a BM power plug, like the BMCC/BMPC uses. A little black box in the middle,of,the cable, regulators the 14-16VDC from a battery and outputs 12VDC at the BM connector end.
Hope this helps