Lighting Spine — 24V Dimmable LED Mast with Quick-Swap Battery (GamerzCrave)
FIELD-BUILD24V DCDIMMABLE

Lighting Spine — Mast + 24 V LED Bars + Quick-Swap Battery

Rugged, flicker-safe lighting you can deploy anywhere: video/photo sets, pop-up events, disaster sims, or LAN streams under the stars.

What You’re Building

  • Telescoping mast with standard 5/8″ (16 mm) Baby Pin top.
  • Two or four 24 V LED bars (CRI/TLCI ≥95) on a rigid spine.
  • Dimmable, flicker-controlled constant-voltage driver (0–10 V / PWM).
  • Quick-swap battery bracket (V-mount 24–26 V or SB50 brick).

Goal: silent, soft, bright, no banding on camera, 5-minute setup.

Target Specs

Output160–600 W configurable (2–4 bars @ 80–150 W ea)
CRI / TLCI≥95 / ≥95
Dimming0–100% (≥2.5 kHz PWM; optional 8–15 kHz)
Power24–26 V DC (V-mount HV or 6S/7S pack)
Mount5/8″ Baby Pin; speaker-pole (35 mm) adapter friendly

Bill of Materials (BOM)

Lighting & Control

LED bars24 V, CRI/TLCI ≥95 (e.g. Diode LED EternaLux 24 V bars; Yuji high-CRI 24 V strips in aluminum channels)
DriverConstant-voltage PWM driver, 24 V, 120–240 W (Mean Well PWM-120-24 or PWM-200-24)
Dimming0–10 V pot or PWM controller (prefer adjustable ≥8–10 kHz for high-speed video)
SpineAluminum extrusion 2020/2040, 1–1.2 m, with T-slot nuts & L-brackets
DiffusionOpal polycarbonate channel covers for soft output

Mast & Power

MastTelescoping speaker stand (35 mm) or push-up antenna mast (with guy lines)
Top adapter5/8″ (16 mm) “Baby Pin” stud/adapter
BatteryV-mount 26 V (7S) 200–300 Wh or 6S Li-ion brick w/ SB50
Quick-swapV-lock plate and/or Anderson SB50 panel mount
ProtectionMIDI/ANL fuse near battery (rated 1.25× max draw) + DC breaker

Wire gauge per run length & current — size via ampacity tables; terminate with ferrules; heat-shrink everything.

Wiring Map (24 V DC)

BATTERY + → FUSE (MIDI/ANL) → ANDERSON SB50 (or V-lock plate) → 24V BUS → PWM DRIVER → LED BARS + BATTERY − → 24V BUS → PWM DRIVER → LED BARS − 0–10V DIM POT → PWM DRIVER DIM +/− (or) PWM CONTROLLER → DRIVER Optional AUX OUT (XLR-4): Pin 1 = 0V (−), Pin 4 = +24–26V (+) [label clearly] Grounding: tie chassis/frames together; add TVS (SMCJ33A) across the 24V rail for surge clamping.

Mount the fuse within ~20 cm of the battery +. Keep high-current runs short; separate signal/dim lines from power.

Build — Step by Step

  1. Plan power budget. Decide bars & watts. Example: 4× 120 W bars → ~480 W; driver = ≥500 W or dual 240 W. Battery at 24 V: 240 Wh ≈ ~0.5 h at 480 W (minus losses). Use the calculator below for exact runtime.
  2. Assemble the spine. Cut 2040 extrusion to bar length. Add L-brackets & T-nuts. Pre-drill for bar clamps. Leave 30–50 mm standoff for diffusion clearance.
  3. Mast & adapter. Fit 5/8″ Baby Pin adapter at mast top. If using a 35 mm speaker stand, use a pole-to-Baby-Pin adapter or clamp with a Baby receiver. Lock the spine to the pin via a clamp plate.
  4. Mount LED bars. Fasten bars to extrusion with sliding T-nuts. If using strips, mount in aluminum channels with opal diffusers for soft output and thermal path.
  5. Driver & dimming. Bolt the PWM driver to the spine’s rear (air-gapped). Wire 24 V IN to driver; run short 2-conductor to each bar (parallel). Install a 0–10 V pot in a small box, or a PWM controller (set PWM ≥8 kHz if available).
  6. Quick-swap battery bracket.
    • V-mount HV (26 V): attach a V-lock plate to the mast’s lower section; run a short lead to the fuse, then to the driver.
    • SB50 brick: chassis-mount an SB50 on the spine; your packs click in/out with a 2-wire lead.
  7. Terminations. Crimp properly (do not tin). Use ferrules for screw terminals. Label: 24V IN, BAR 1–4.
  8. Flicker-proofing. Set PWM to the highest frequency supported. For fast shutters/high-fps, use ≥8–10 kHz. For Mean Well PWM-120 (≈1.47–2.5 kHz), shoot 24–60 fps with 180° shutter and avoid extreme high-speed unless brightness is near 100% (duty near 100% minimizes modulation).
  9. Weathering. Add an IP-rated hood for the driver & terminals. Keep intake/exhaust clear. Don’t claim submersible unless your enclosures truly meet IP67.
  10. Test & tune. Current draw at 100% vs 50%; thermal soak 30 min; mast stability (sandbag/guy lines). Shoot test clips at your typical fps/shutter to confirm no banding.

Dimming & Flicker (for Cameras)

Use constant-voltage PWM drivers for strips/bars. Set PWM ≥2.5 kHz minimum; for high-speed camera work, choose controllers that offer 8–15 kHz PWM and keep duty cycles away from awkward shutter interactions. If your driver is ~1.5–2.5 kHz, prefer shooting ≤120 fps with 180° shutter or run near 100% output to minimize visible modulation. Always test a short clip at your planned fps/shutter.

If you see banding: raise PWM frequency, raise duty cycle (brighter), change shutter angle, or switch to a driver with faster PWM.

Battery Runtime & Current Calculator

DC current @ bus— A
Est. runtime @ 100%— h
Runtime @ 50%— h
Runtime @ 25%— h

Rule: Fuse = 1.25× max current. Check voltage drop on long runs; upsize wire if needed.

Lux & Throw Helper (Inverse-Square)

Estimated lux @ distance— lx

Add diffusion? Expect −0.3 to −1.0 stops depending on panel/opal.

Quick Start (Print This)

  1. Plant mast, lock collars, add sandbags/guy lines.
  2. Slide spine onto 5/8″ Baby Pin, clamp tight.
  3. Plug battery → fuse → SB50/V-lock → driver. Verify 24–26 V.
  4. Dimmer to 0%, power ON driver, then raise to taste.
  5. Check camera for flicker. If present: increase PWM freq or raise output.
  6. Pack-down: dim to 0 → power off → battery out → mast down.

Maintenance & Field Notes

  • Keep connectors clean/dry; strain-relief everything.
  • Re-crimp any warm/hot terminals; heat = resistance.
  • If filming slo-mo, pre-test at planned fps/shutter and log settings.
  • Carry spare fuse, Baby Pin, SB50 pigtail, and a 0–10 V pot.

Sources & Standards

Built for GamerzCrave — rugged, camera-clean photons on demand.
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