BLUESHAPE's GRANITE MINI batteries are designed to push a lot of power from a small chassis that is robust, yet matches with the form factor of compact video and cinema gear. On the outside, these batteries are designed for the rigors of a film or video set. The textured finish is easy to grab and is resistant to blemishes from drops and impacts. Both the interior and exterior have been tested to survive multiple vertical drops from up to 6 feet onto hard surfaces. The reinforced V-mount will accept a charge from most standard chargers, though a separately available BLUESHAPE V-mount charger is recommended.
Aside from being robust, the GRANITE MINI batteries are also powerful. Power-hungry cameras and lights can draw up to 12 amps, between the main battery output and the two D-Taps on the sides. I addition to outputting 14.8 volts of power, either D-Tap can serve to charge the battery with a separately available D-Tap charger. As an extra measure of protection, the D-Taps have rubber covers that help maintain the IP54 resistance rating against moisture and dust ingress.
While the 5-LED battery meter is useful and convenient, BLUESHAPE offers a free iOS/Android app that can monitor and control various aspects of the battery, completely wirelessly, over Wi-Fi. The app updates in real-time based on current capacity, charging speed, and power draw. On set, all batteries can be monitored on the same network, so not only do you can know when to grab a fresh battery ahead of time, but which battery is ready to go without having to play a guessing game.
GRANITE Link
Features
GRANITE MINI batteries are compatible with BLUESHAPE's GRANITE LINK. A Wi-Fi communication feature allowing for remote, real-time status monitoring via an included iOS/Android mobile app. Using GRANITE LINK you can check data such as State of Charge, Expected Time to Empty, Cell Temperature, Remaining Capacity, Full Charge Capacity, and Cycle Count. The state of charge and remaining runtime are updated in real time based on the actual load conditions.
Practical Use Cases
An operator, camera assistant, or technical director can easily monitor the state of batteries in close proximity without having to physically press the button to check on the actual battery. Multiple batteries can be monitored simultaneously from a single device. Additional features through the app allow you to Identify, Lock, Unlock, and Connect to a different network. A Rental Mode is available to limit the period of use when the battery is leased.
Networking
Batteries can create their own Wi-Fi network for single battery monitoring, or can be connected to a master Wi-Fi network. A fleet of batteries can be easily monitored by multiple devices without complicated pairing procedures. Batteries can be given custom names for easy identification.
Construction
Internal Modular Design
The lithium-ion cells are secured inside the pack in a carefully designed and reinforced modular cage. All the metal interconnections and the electronic monitoring board are integrated with the cells making a single core. No otherwise vulnerable wiring is used. The metal cell-to-cell tabs have been thickened using a low-resistance alloy.
Solid External Construction
The external V-bracket is screwed to the inner core by means of a reinforced metal plate at the base of the battery casing. The outer battery pack shells wrap the inner core and secure it with 8 perimeter screws. A colored rubber gasket is sandwiched in the middle of the outer shells to improve weather resistance and enhances the battery's aesthetics.