Core SWX x Mondobytes PowerVault Introduced – Modular, Multi-Format Charging in One Case

by Alexandra ThompsonApril 23^rd, 2026

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At NAB 2026, Core SWX and filmmaker Armando Ferreira’s Mondobytes brand showed us the PowerVault, a modular charging system housed in an IP65-rated case with five configurable bays, magnetically snapping adapters, 140W and 65W PD Pro outputs, and a Power Sharing mode that lets batteries top each other up off-grid. PowerVault is being launched through a founders run capped at 500 backers, with an introductory price of $749 that rises to $999 after the first production run.

The premise is simple, even if the engineering behind it is not. On most productions, power management means a case full of single-purpose chargers, mismatched cables, and a mental map of which brick belongs to which battery. PowerVault collapses that ecosystem into one transport-ready case with five hot-swappable charging bays that reconfigure around whatever batteries the camera, sound, or lighting department shows up with.

How the modular plate system works

Each of the five bays accepts a Snap Charge Adapter that magnetically aligns and auto-latches into place; a single button press releases it again. Core SWX’s published specs confirm that the top three bays are optimized for V-mount, G-mount, and SNAP packs, while the bottom two accept green color-coded adapters for dual-slot formats. V-mount, G-mount, and SNAP adapters work in all five bays.

The launch adapter lineup, as listed on the Core SWX product page, covers V-mount, G-mount, SNAP, Sony BP-U, Sony L-series (NP-F970 equivalent), Sony FZ100, Canon BPA, Canon LP-E6, Panasonic Lumix BLK22, and consumer AA, AAA, and 9V cells. Core SWX describes drone-battery support as actively under evaluation for a future roadmap phase. The case also includes three integrated storage slots and a soft-touch Velcro area on top for spare adapters, cables, and small tools. SNAP integration is familiar from Core SWX’s earlier Nano M-Snap battery packs and Powerbase Edge Snap Xtreme and the SNAP Mount Plate for the Sony FX6.

Power Sharing Mode: redistributing energy off-grid

The feature that most clearly reveals the product’s working-AC origin is Power Sharing Mode. According to Core SWX, when engaged, the top three bays feed the lower two, batteries charge each other, and the built-in USB-C outputs stay active without any AC wall power. A V-mount can top off a BP-U, or a gold-mount pack can refill a V-mount when that is all the truck has to spare. The toggle is user-controlled rather than automatic, so nothing redistributes unless the operator asks for it.

Armando walked us through the scenario that gave the feature its shape: shooting in the desert with 15 V-mounts in the case and a first AC across the parking lot carrying only gold-mounts. With PowerVault, the plate swap happens at the case rather than at the camera, and Power Sharing Mode handles the rest.

Outputs and on-set integration

On the front panel, Core SWX’s spec sheet lists two 45W USB-C ports, a 65W PD Pro port, and a 140W PD Pro port, with PD Pro supporting selectable voltages of 5V, 8V, 9V, 12V, 15V, 20V, 24V, and 28V. PD Pro is Core SWX’s locking, high-current auxiliary connection, engineered to eliminate the SDI grounding issues that have long plagued D-Tap setups. With the right cable, the 140W port can drive a cinema camera, a laptop, or a high-draw LED panel directly from the case. Armando added at the booth that additional PD Pro modules are being integrated into the design ahead of shipping, which should let the closed case function as a large portable power bank with PD Pro cables running out the front.

Build, cooling, and night-set details

According to the published specs, PowerVault measures 381×356×203mm (15×14×8in), weighs 2.45kg (5.4lbs), and carries an IP65 rating against dust and water. The internal power architecture is built on GaN (gallium nitride) components, and cooling is fully passive: there are no fans in the case itself. Armando demonstrated this during the interview, letting us handle the external power brick (which ran warm as expected) while the case stayed cool to the touch with batteries charging inside. Each bay delivers approximately 40 to 50W per battery, with a published channel rating of up to 4A and 48W. Core SWX quotes typical charge times of under two hours for a 98Wh V-mount, roughly four hours for two BP-U or BPA cells, two hours for two L-series cells, and one hour for two LP-E6 packs.

Power input is 24V DC through a laptop-style external brick, with tolerance of 90 to 240V AC at 50/60Hz. An interior LED backlight, activated by a physical button or via the app, handles low-light setups. Armando also pointed out two details not prominent on the spec sheet: a recessed internal slot sized for a small tracking tag, and the ability to stack SNAP packs in parallel on a single bay, which he demonstrated by dropping four 99Wh packs into one position. Core SWX’s documentation confirms the system scales up to 40 SNAP packs in parallel when stacked across all five bays, though practical load-outs will typically be smaller. Monitoring runs through the PowerVault VoltBridge app on iOS and Android via Bluetooth, and the case operates fully independently if the phone is out of range.

From a first AC’s idea to a NAB launch

The origin story is unusually transparent for a booth interview. Armando told us he first sketched the concept about five years ago as a working first AC, wanting one case on the cart that could handle every format a crew might show up with. He pitched multiple manufacturers and was told the project would be too expensive to build. An industry contact eventually introduced him to Ross Kanarek, founder and CEO of Core SWX, whose company had just developed the SNAP stackable battery platform. Ross committed to a prototype within a month, and that prototype, built around NAB 2025, became the unit we looked at in Las Vegas a year later. For additional context from Ross on why battery specs matter this much on set, see our coverage of why camera batteries fail: watt hours, voltage, and amps.

Price and availability

The founders’ run is priced at $749 and includes three SNAP adapters of the buyer’s choice. Additional adapters are $79 each for V-mount and G-mount, and $99 each for the dual-slot Sony BP-U, Sony FZ100, Sony L-series, Canon BPA, Canon LP-E6, Panasonic BLK22, and AA/AAA/9V variants. Cables are not included. Freight is free within the contiguous US, and international orders go through email. The official ship date is October 31, though Armando suggested at the booth that demand at the show may pull that in. Full details are on the Core SWX PowerVault product page.

How many chargers are currently living on your battery cart, and could a single case that handles every format replace them all on your next job? Don’t hesitate to let us know in the comments below!