Battery Loyalties?

[Martin89]

So at my job we sell batteries and I am always surprised by what people will buy regardless of price(ie Energizer instead of Duracell even though it's a $6 difference for the same battery type/quantity).

I've always been a whatever is cheapest/on sale buyer when it comes to batteries because to me they seem to all be roughly the same. This often means I'll end up with a store's brand as well. I figure like most small goods, they're probably made in the same place(EDIT: Just checked, even my store brand batteries are made in the US) with a different label put on at the end.

Do any of you have a specific brand you buy for your basses/effects regardless of price factor? What's your reasoning?

[spaz21387]

Those cheap batteries seem to only last a few hours. When name brand batteries will last 10 hours. Im going by xbox 360 controllers that are notorious for draining batteries pretty quick.

[One Bad Monkey]

I have used the industrial grade Energizer or Duracell for years. They last longer and, because the church I play at has a large amount of them new in the box, they are free.

[miiitch]

some Varta rechargeables

[darthplagis]

For me i like to use a battery with a decent name, no prefrences but i have tried cheaper batteries (£1 shop for example are usless) and forund that the better/expensive ones tend to last longer.

now for things like remote controls and smoke detectors (general low drain stuff) cheap batteries are fine

i have tried cheap AAA's in my razor and they are usless (it has a trimmer in the handle, great for sideburns/beard styling and general few days worth of growth)

[smogg]

Duracell has always been my first choice. I "trust" the brand.
Energizer if on sale.
Any thing else only if in a pinch and replace asap. IME no names have short life and can be prone to leaking.

[Hopkins]

I use whatever they have at the gas station that I am closest to when my batteries die

[fdeck]

I ran a test of batteries, several years ago. I tested Energizer, Duracell, and a store-brand alkaline from Walgreen's. I hooked them up to identical loads and measured their outputs with a data logger.

The batteries all performed pretty much the same. But the cheaper batteries are getting harder to get. I've noticed that the stores in my neighborhood are engaging in a subtle form of inflation, by eliminating low-price brands of many items. I'll probably order my next supply of batteries online.

I have no doubt that there are batteries much worse than Walgreen's, such as the ones that come with devices such as remotes.

[JazznFunk]

I won' buy the cheap 9V batteries because I had one blow up in my bass case one, completely unused. The bass was unaffected, but it scared the crap out of me, pondering what could have happened if it HAD been installed in my bass. Regardless, I switched all my active basses to Energizer 9V Lithium batteries a while back. I'm expecting to get super long life out of them and perhaps a more consistent voltage over time. <shrug> It's worth a shot.

[ggunn]

Originally Posted by JazznFunk

I won' buy the cheap 9V batteries because I had one blow up in my bass case one, completely unused. The bass was unaffected, but it scared the crap out of me, pondering what could have happened if it HAD been installed in my bass.

Was the battery just lying around loose? If so, it could have moved around and shorted its terminals on something. If a 9V alkaline battery shorts it will get very hot and can explode. Once I had one short out on a quarter in my pocket as I was driving on the highway; it didn't explode but it burned a battery shaped spot on my leg before I could get stopped and remove it. Now I put tape over the terminals of loose 9V batteries.

[mellowinman]

About a dollar a battery. I don't care what their life is, because I always put new batteries in everything at the start of a gig.

I have never been playing a paid gig, and had a battery die.

I have other things to worry about.

[Topspin]

Originally Posted by darthplagis

now for things like remote controls and smoke detectors (general low drain stuff) cheap batteries are fine

Call me a stickler for safety, but I'd still put good batteries in a smoke detector.

[nyde7]

The dollar store batteries I used lasted about 1/4 to 1/3 the time of either duracell or energizers, so... I use the better batteries. I agree with mellowinman that if you change them for every gig, the cheaper (but not cheepo) batteries. We did for a while had a great deal on "industial" no name batteries that were great, but as usual, they discontinued them. Best to experiment for your self, you might just find a great no name battery. (I did have a set of panasonic AA that were great, but hard to find)

[darthplagis]

Originally Posted by Topspin

Call me a stickler for safety, but I'd still put good batteries in a smoke detector.

nah, they have an annoying *ehem* i mean saftey feature of a bleep every few minutes when the battery is at critical levels...... yeah that starts and a fresh 9v goes straight in... even if i have to raid my gig bag spares LOL. For saftey reasons obviously definatly not to stop the bleeping

[SpecialBlender]

I buy my private labelled 9 volt alkaline batteries through an industrial battery supply shop. I'm pretty good friends with the manager there so I get a nice discount. I buy a box of 12 for less than $1.00 each. I use an active bass and wireless set up. I change the one in my bass when the clocks change for daylight savings. For my wireless I get from 6-8 hours playing time out of each battery.

I always unplug my bass on every break and remove the battery from my wireless as soon as I'm done playing. Used battery goes in my case and keep fresh batteries in my gig bag. New spare battery is kept on top of my amp so I have a fresh one immediately available if need be.

While I don't have a battery monitor on my wireless I do watch the idiot light when I turn it on before every set. If it isn't a short flash I change the battery before the set starts.

I've been using a wireless & active bass for more than 20 years now and only ever had a battery die on me once during a set and that was self inflicted because I forgot to check it before starting the set.

[FilterFunk]

Ray-O-Vac lasts at least as long as Energizer or Duracell IME, and they're always cheaper.

[TN WOODMAN]

I always viewed Duracell as the "copper standard". I've usually found Energizers to be cheaper than Duracell and had success with them.

Recently got a great deal on some Ray-O-Vac alkalines for my 4 year old daughter's Christmas toys.

Longest life I ever got was over 10 years on some Toshiba AA that came with my new TV remote.

[Liam Wald]

Originally Posted by mellowinman

About a dollar a battery. I don't care what their life is, because I always put new batteries in everything at the start of a gig.

I have never been playing a paid gig, and had a battery die.

I have other things to worry about.

Unless you only gig twice a year it seems really wasteful!
Not to mention the fact that batteries are really toxic disposal items.
Between home practice, band rehearsals, recording sessions and gigs I play my 18v Modulus on average 30 hours a week and batteries last at least 2 months (Duracells or Energizers).
Cheap price isn't always the best value. Good batteries cost three times more and last five times longer while fewer go to the landfill.

[RFord04]

Maybe this hasn't been mentioned yet because its so obvious to some, but IME, the biggest factor is the type of battery, not necessarily the brand, meaning if you use alkalines, they'll last a lot longer than heavy duty or super heavy duty batteries.

Normally, the cheap batteries you find at the dollar store or somewhere similar are heavy duty and not alkaline. I'd only use those in remote controls, because for everything else, they're pretty much useless.

I work at Big Lots, and I'll often stock up on Fuji, Rayovac, or Kodak brand alkaline batteries, and compared to the Duracell batteries I've used, they didn't seem any worse.

[fdeck]

Originally Posted by FilterFunk

Ray-O-Vac lasts at least as long as Energizer or Duracell IME, and they're always cheaper.

Ray-O-Vac was the other brand that I tested, and I agree.