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RED V-RAPTOR on Bolt Arm — XLR-4 to XLR-3 Power Adapter Wiring

CONFIRMED BOLT

Summary

The RED V-RAPTOR uses a 4-pin XLR power connector, but the Bolt arm's DMX pass-through cable uses a standard 3-pin XLR. To power the V-RAPTOR through the arm, you need a custom XLR-4 to XLR-3 adapter. The pinout is straightforward: from the V-RAPTOR FSP power brick, red + blue wires = V+ (pin 2 on XLR-3) and black + white wires = GND (pin 1 on XLR-3). Alternatively, run the RED power brick to the base and use a stinger — simpler and safer for rental setups.

Symptoms / Situation

  • RED V-RAPTOR cannot be powered through the Bolt arm's existing XLR-3 pass-through
  • V-RAPTOR ships with an XLR-4 connector on its power cable
  • Standard Bolt arm power cable terminates in XLR-3

Option A — Custom XLR-4 to XLR-3 Adapter

2022-09-26 — Justin Mahood / Dan Gottesman

The FSP Group power brick supplied with the V-RAPTOR has four wires: - Red + Blue = V+ (positive voltage) - Black + White = GND (ground)

To make an XLR-4 → XLR-3 adapter:

  1. Cut the cable on the V-RAPTOR power supply side (not the camera side)
  2. Solder red + blue wires to XLR-3 Pin 2 (V+)
  3. Solder black + white wires to XLR-3 Pin 1 (GND)
  4. Pin 3 on the XLR-3 is unused (leave empty / no connection)
  5. The adapter can then run through the Bolt arm as normal

Only two of the four V-RAPTOR power pins are needed

Justin Mahood: "Although the red power connector has 4 pins only two are needed for power. On the power brick manufactured by FSP Group the red and blue wires are both V+ and the black and white wires are ground."

Alternatively: Dan Gottesman described modifying the RED XLR-4 to Lemo connector (changing 4 to 3 pins), then running through the rig with a 3-to-4 cable or adapter at the base — also confirmed working.

2022-09-26 — Ben Myers

Run the RED power brick to the base workstation and route a stinger (power cable) up to the camera separately. Avoids any wiring modification:

  1. Place the RED V-RAPTOR power brick next to the Bolt base or workstation
  2. Run a standard V-RAPTOR power cable from the brick up to the camera (can be cable-tied along the arm)
  3. No custom connector needed

Ben Myers: "You'd probably want to just use the RED brick and run a stinger to be safe."

WhatsApp Excerpts

[26/9/2022, 1:39:35 am] ~ Korey: Anyone know where to get a power cable from RED raptor to The dmx on the bolt arm?

[26/9/2022, 1:48:52 am] ~ Dan Gottesman: the trick is the XLR-4 to XLR-3 thing... (the Bolt uses XLR-3). I've made my own XLR 3-to-4 adapters, which haven't been a problem. I've also modified the Red XLR4 to Lemo connector, changing the 4 to 3, and then running it through the rig, using a 3-to-4 cable (or adapter) to the Red power brick at the base/workstation, and that's good, too.

[26/9/2022, 2:22:20 am] ~ Justin Mahood: Although the red power connector has 4 pins only two are needed for power. On the power brick that ships with the V Raptor (manufactured by FSP Group) the red and blue wires are both V+ and the black and white wires are ground. If you cut the cable on the power supply, you will need to solder the red and blue wires to pin 2 and the black and white wires to pin 1 on a three pin xlr connector.