So what's the latest and greatest in external batteries?

[Velvetfoot]

The Cellink and Blackvue and Thinkware are all by Exgen, I think I've read.
There's a Cellink-9 that we can't get in the US.
They're all expensive.
Any cheaper or innovative approaches?
Realizing the Exgens are plug and play.

 

[Harsh]

 

[SawMaster]

Plenty of better ways with a fully DIY approach, but nothing better for a plug-and-play approach. There's some really affordable LiFePo4 cells on the market, but there's also duds and scams to catch unaware buyers. Mine will be an AGM based system for reasons of cost, ease of design, and relative safety. One DPDT relay, and perhaps capacitors to pad the switching spikes. Unless another battery technology type finds it's way here really cheap (which isn't likely).

Phil

 

[HonestReview]

Plenty of better ways with a fully DIY approach, but nothing better for a plug-and-play approach. There's some really affordable LiFePo4 cells on the market, but there's also duds and scams to catch unaware buyers. Mine will be an AGM based system for reasons of cost, ease of design, and relative safety. One DPDT relay, and perhaps capacitors to pad the switching spikes. Unless another battery technology type finds it's way here really cheap (which isn't likely).

Phil

@jokiin said that batteries have been known to fail within 18-24 months (Cellink Neos, etc). I've got no personal experience using them (hardwire to fuse box), but something worth pointing out. Using a battery pack might not be any more economical than tying to one's car battery. The main benefit is extended record times that a battery pack can offer that a car battery cannot.

 

[jokiin]

Products like the Cellink Neo are not about cost savings, there are vehicles where there's no other practical way to have parking mode due to the computer controlled electronics in the vehicle

 

[HonestReview]

Products like the Cellink Neo are not about cost savings, there are vehicles where there's no other practical way to have parking mode due to the computer controlled electronics in the vehicle

Also, as I pointed out, battery packs can be daisy chained and provide a much longer duration of parking mode than a car battery. So someone who needs their car recording all night might opt for a battery back instead.

 

[A13x]

cellink neo here and been using them for many years, they are really stable and not had one fail on me yet. The ones i have seen fail are normally due to very poor installs via hardware directly into fuse box.