Adding a Battery 'Kill' Switch?

[::::BASSIST::::]

Just wanted to check with you guys before I bother with the hassle of attempting this, just in case I am wrong.

I am trying to stuff my gear into a 2 space rack bag... along with my shuttle. I want to have a tuner and one pedal permanently installed. They would be mounted along side the shuttle. It will work out okay, but it will be a tight fit. In order to make it fit I have to have the pedals plugged in all the time. Having the pedals plugged in drains the batteries. I am really trying to avoid an extension cord, power bar and AC adapter and just keep the two pedals on battery. I dont use either pedal very often, certainly not continuously so the batteries should last quite awhile. One is a tuner and the other is an ADI21 which I only use for a few songs per night when I play with pick (really fattens up the pick sound nicely... pretty close to fingers). In order to make this work I need to install a battery 'kill switch' on each pedal.

So onto my question... Is it possible to just run a switch off the battery wires?

So it would be:

pedal > on/off switch > battery

I am fairly certain the answer is 'yes', I just want to be absolutely sure before I start messing with it all.

Thanks!

[bassmaestro]

it sound possible but a bit risky unless you know what your doin.

i wanted to avoid using a power supply bu8t it just got too much hastle pluggin everything in each time so i went and bought a trex fuel tank,saves me alot of time and hastle.

you can get small ones,dunlop have a good one called the DC Brik,and its not much bigger then a stomp box.

[Rattman]

..Yep. I used to do that when I was still using 9VDC pedals..

Same kinda logic too.. just was getting a little stressed remembering to do all the patching right.. and having to redo everything each time.. So on each pedal I just pulled them open, found the BLK wire-lead to the battery cap and cut it! Then ran that to a 'mini toggle' ON/OFF switch, then back again to the same severed BLK wire. Every one of them worked perfectfully until I finally got rid of the whole lot. My batteries lasted a lot longer due to that little modification.

[::::BASSIST::::]

Originally Posted by Rattman

..Yep. I used to do that when I was still using 9VDC pedals..

Same kinda logic too.. just was getting a little stressed remembering to do all the patching right.. and having to redo everything each time.. So on each pedal I just pulled them open, found the BLK wire-lead to the battery cap and cut it! Then ran that to a 'mini toggle' ON/OFF switch, then back again to the same severed BLK wire. Every one of them worked perfectfully until I finally got rid of the whole lot. My batteries lasted a lot longer due to that little modification.

Cool.

Thats good info.

[Toasted]

Yes, that's the right way to do it. For your best chance of not f***ing it up, use an SPST mini toggle.

[Colonel Monk]

When you plug a standard DC jack into your pedals, it disconnects the battery

So just buy two jacks at radio shack, right angles would be preferable or buy a cheap daisy chain like the onespot and plug it into your pedals when you're not using them.

CM

[::::BASSIST::::]

That's a good idea. However, the way I have my 2 pedals stuffed into my 2 space rack, the DC jacks are not easily accessable. Besides I think the two switches would be kind of a cool DIY thing.

[squarewave]

Originally Posted by Colonel Monk

buy two jacks ...and plug it into your pedals when you're not using them.

CM

Good idea.

[Sir Edward V]

Originally Posted by ::::BASSIST::::

That's a good idea. However, the way I have my 2 pedals stuffed into my 2 space rack, the DC jacks are not easily accessable. Besides I think the two switches would be kind of a cool DIY thing.

a way to do this without modding the pedal itself:

get some plugs like the daisy chains mentioned before, but have them go to a battery clip, so now the battery is outside of the pedal, then hook up the switch to that. so you still have two batteries, but each battery goes to the switch to turn on/off, then to the plug, then to the pedal via the DC port.

you should probably include a true bypass loop as well so your signal doesnt go through the pedal while it isn't powered. You could even have this control on the same switch that gives your pedals power. And if you are motivated enough you could even make these switches go into a stomp pedal so you can put it on the floor.

[::::BASSIST::::]

Hmmm... interesting idea.

I'd rather just keep the pedals in the rack though. Less hassle with setup time, transport etc.

I just have to buy the switches!