Another [battery] bites the dust...
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flint
Contributor
Joined: Mon Aug 11, 2008 10:05 pm Posts: 148 Location: Florida
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Another [battery] bites the dust...
My ACTV-2 has been BLOWING through batteries like crazy.
It really seems like a 9V used to last way longer than it has been lately... Nowadays I get about a month out of a battery. I even tried a newfangled Lithium 9v battery, still burned out waaaay too fast.
Then I remembered... I had to get my Stick's 1/4-inch jack replaced once, and also had to have the battery terminal replaced another time.
It's supposed to only drain the battery when a cable is plugged in.
Is it possible the guitar tech who replaced my jack may have crossed some wires differently that cause the battery to always drain, even when no cable is plugged in?
_________________ "Dude! What is that thing?!?" - Brian Atkinson, Sticktuitiveness - Episode 1: First Impressions
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lbeUKSIiBc
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Tue May 29, 2018 8:55 am |
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begin again
Multiple Donor
Joined: Wed May 25, 2016 1:38 pm Posts: 428
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Re: Another [battery] bites the dust...
I think it's certainly possible esp since the "old school guitar switching trick" uses a standard stereo jack, but expects to see a mono plug. So he may have gotten confused or used an incorrect type of jack.
I haven't seen the ACTV service prints, so I hesitate to make assumptions about Emmett's specific switching scheme (assumptions could have already caused a problem)
but if you have a multimeter it should be relatively easy to NON-INVASIVELY check if you are having that parasitic draw
ALTERNATIVELY
you may just be getting older. It's a well known fact that these kids just don't make batteries to last these days being too distracted with all their twitter tweets and candy crushing. HEY!!YOU! Keep your damn frisbees off my lawn!
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Tue May 29, 2018 9:48 am |
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begin again
Multiple Donor
Joined: Wed May 25, 2016 1:38 pm Posts: 428
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Re: Another [battery] bites the dust...
BTW, I like the beatboxing - it integrates well
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Tue May 29, 2018 10:07 am |
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Robstafarian
Site Donor
Joined: Sun May 27, 2012 12:55 pm Posts: 2486 Location: Virginia, USA
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Re: Another [battery] bites the dust...
Count me among those who suspect that either the incorrect type of jack was installed or the correct type of jack was wired incorrectly. By the way, is that lithium battery rechargable?
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Tue May 29, 2018 11:41 am |
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Captain Strings
Master Contributor
Joined: Thu May 30, 2013 2:45 pm Posts: 792 Location: Sylmar, California
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Re: Another [battery] bites the dust...
If I had that particular pickup on a Stick I'd put in a mini toggle switch to turn off the battery. Up would be on and down would be off. I have a couple active guitars and I always add that feature. It's too easy to forget and run down the battery. This way you can even get into the habit of turning it off between sets. And yeah I'd pop the hood and check the jack. A stereo switching jack is complex with 5 tabs and easy to hook up wrong. It could also have some schmutz in between the switching points or a blob of solder shorting 2 tabs.
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Tue May 29, 2018 7:31 pm |
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flint
Contributor
Joined: Mon Aug 11, 2008 10:05 pm Posts: 148 Location: Florida
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Re: Another [battery] bites the dust...
Thanks... Rob, as for the Lithium Battery... NO, not rechargeable (though in heaven's name I don't understand why) I was using rechargeable 9V's for a while but they have even shorter life than a standard 9V so then I tried the Lithium which is supposed to last "Soooooo long"
I'm ready to get on with the PASV-4 on my new Stick currently in production.
_________________ "Dude! What is that thing?!?" - Brian Atkinson, Sticktuitiveness - Episode 1: First Impressions
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lbeUKSIiBc
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Wed May 30, 2018 6:29 am |
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Robstafarian
Site Donor
Joined: Sun May 27, 2012 12:55 pm Posts: 2486 Location: Virginia, USA
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Re: Another [battery] bites the dust...
flint wrote: Thanks... Rob, as for the Lithium Battery... NO, not rechargeable (though in heaven's name I don't understand why) I was using rechargeable 9V's for a while but they have even shorter life than a standard 9V so then I tried the Lithium which is supposed to last "Soooooo long" Though I cannot speak to their performance, your earlier post led me to find a battery and a suitable charger (I have done business with that vender, several years ago).
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Wed May 30, 2018 8:40 am |
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Gerald
Contributor
Joined: Thu Nov 12, 2015 2:54 am Posts: 128 Location: Austria / Europe / Earth
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Re: Another [battery] bites the dust...
There is something wrong with the wireing i guess. I checked my act2 after 50 hours of playing last week and there was no measureable difference to the new battery...
_________________ Railboard MR #6549 Grand Stick Classic #1697 _____________________________ http://www.raptor200.at http://www.fragments.band http://www.jfbb.at
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Fri Jun 01, 2018 2:47 pm |
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begin again
Multiple Donor
Joined: Wed May 25, 2016 1:38 pm Posts: 428
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Re: Another [battery] bites the dust...
any status updates on your issue?
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Mon Jul 16, 2018 5:57 pm |
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Godsmonkey
Resident Contributor
Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2007 8:35 pm Posts: 401 Location: Wellington FL.
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Re: Another [battery] bites the dust...
flint wrote: My ACTV-2 has been BLOWING through batteries like crazy.
Then I remembered... I had to get my Stick's 1/4-inch jack replaced once, and also had to have the battery terminal replaced another time.
Hmmm... is that a common problem with the Active pickups? I had a battery terminal snap on me just before a gig, and had to Frankenstein one from a tuner. and then a year later, had the plastic housing around the jack disintegrate hours before another gig. I am fortunate, I use midi on the melody side. I rigged up a mono jack to hold me over until I found a matching stereo jack. That said, my battery life has been great. So Im guessing your tech wired it wrong. sadly, I dont recall where I got the proper diagrams from, but I suspect SE would be all too happy to help.
_________________ When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth. ~ Sherlock Holmes
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Tue Jul 17, 2018 9:05 am |
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