Battery Drain with Active P'ups Forgetting to unplug

[Ric Vice]

Battery drain on my Lakland 55-94 is so minimal that I haven't had to change a battery that often. I have this little gadget to check the battery in the Lakland without removing the plastic control cover plate. It's called a Batt-o-Meter and it can check any 9volt. You do have to change the 9v inside the Batt-o-meter.

 

[kgbeast]

I tried using rechargeable Li-ion batteries and they were noisy as heck, so I went back to nonrechargeable alkalines. The rechargeables had internal circuitry for the charging function and also a SMPS to increase internal cell voltage to 9V, which injected noise.

I have written a few times about that the batteries with integrated charger can not be used. The ones that use desktop charger are no problem. But if you must have 9V, they are not for you, they put out about 8.2v. That is no problem with Musicman 3 band or Peavey Cirrus ( 2 of these). Also works with millennium capsule. Note that voltage is not that relevant as the oppamp in the preamps is designed to work on variety of voltages from 3v to 30v. The important part is that battery can deliver the current. Hence the capacity of batteries is measured in ampre-hours... Not voltage-hours.

 

[Isaac_James]

Regardless of whether the preamp is switched on or not, if there's a plug in your output jack, the battery will drain. The simplest (and as other folks here have pointed out, safest for your bass) solution is to get yourself into the habit of unplugging when you're done playing.

Remembering to do that when you aren't in the habit is tricky though. One technique I've learned is to put a reminder on a sticky note, then stick that on something you have to touch or observe in order to leave the area. E.g. if I need to remember to bring home the lettuce and cucumbers I bought on my lunch break, but I worry about leaving them in the break room fridge, I write "FRIDGE" on a post it note and stick it to my car keys. You could try doing something similar, stick the note on the doorknob or your gig bag or wherever you would be forced to notice it when it's time for you to move on to something else.

 

[Raenil]

Why did you buy an active bass then ?​

Active basses seems almost unavoidable these days, unless I'm buying a p-bass or a j-bass.
So, I bought the bass i liked to play most.
And then, after three years of playing it, it occurred to me that the electronics were noisy. And that I'm bad at removing the cable after playing. I enjoy being able to just pull the bass from the wall, turn on the amp and play.
So, instead of adding new electronics, I just had the existing electronics removed. New ones can always be added if i want to sell it.
But I really like to play this bass.

 

[foulmouthbass]

Posting is the first step.

I did google a bit

 

[foulmouthbass]

Could just put a on/off toggle switch to the jack wires...pretty simple

This is my answer. Thanks.

 

[themickster]

I always forget to unplug my bass with active electronics which kills the 9v battery. If I were to remember to use it, would a circuit breaker cable, like the link below, prevent the battery from dying?

https://www.amazon.com/DAddario-Guitar-Cable-Circuit-Straight/dp/B0002GMGV8

I can hear people now saying "if you can't remember to unplug it you wont remember to use the switch." But, I think I would get used to it if using it as a mute switch while taking breaks etc.

Anyway, concerns about my memory aside, would it actually stop the draw on the battery? My brain says it would NOT because contact is still made but I have little knowledge of these things. Pic for attention.

The jack plug's sleeve switches on the actives by shorting between the ring and sleeve contacts on the socket. The switch on the D'Addario won't do anything about that and only works when held down. Leave a note to self, telling you to unplug.

 

[Isaac_James]

Active basses seems almost unavoidable these days, unless I'm buying a p-bass or a j-bass.
So, I bought the bass i liked to play most.
And then, after three years of playing it, it occurred to me that the electronics were noisy. And that I'm bad at removing the cable after playing. I enjoy being able to just pull the bass from the wall, turn on the amp and play.
So, instead of adding new electronics, I just had the existing electronics removed. New ones can always be added if i want to sell it.
But I really like to play this bass.

I took the preamp and active pickups out of a bass I had (not bought by me, but inherited). It felt great in my hands but I never found a way to make it sound good until I put in new pickups and passive electronics. Now it sounds great and I love playing it. Sometimes less is more.

 

[Queue]

I always kill the battery on my ABG when I leave the tuner switched on. I occasionally kill it by leaving it plugged in. I just always have a spare in the gig bag, which is always near the bass. The rest of my basses are passive, and I often leave my little wireless transmitters plugged in. Pick up the bass, turn on the switches and go!

 

[TheReceder]

You'll only leave your bass plugged in once before an important gig... then you won't anymore.

Anyway, that's what happened to me. I've got an big gig this weekend... changing batteries in a few basses just to be safe after this post.

 

[WillyW]

 

[Isaac_James]

Is this why so many of the homes I inspect for my day job have smoke alarms missing batteries?

 

[MVE]

This is my answer. Thanks.

Don’t forget to turn off the switch.

 

[johnh89]

Active basses seems almost unavoidable these days, unless I'm buying a p-bass or a j-bass.
So, I bought the bass i liked to play most.
And then, after three years of playing it, it occurred to me that the electronics were noisy. And that I'm bad at removing the cable after playing. I enjoy being able to just pull the bass from the wall, turn on the amp and play.
So, instead of adding new electronics, I just had the existing electronics removed. New ones can always be added if i want to sell it.
But I really like to play this bass.

Fair point . What is the bass ?

 

[dbsfgyd1]

I always forget to unplug my bass with active electronics which kills the 9v battery. If I were to remember to use it, would a circuit breaker cable, like the link below, prevent the battery from dying?

https://www.amazon.com/DAddario-Guitar-Cable-Circuit-Straight/dp/B0002GMGV8

I can hear people now saying "if you can't remember to unplug it you wont remember to use the switch." But, I think I would get used to it if using it as a mute switch while taking breaks etc.

Anyway, concerns about my memory aside, would it actually stop the draw on the battery? My brain says it would NOT because contact is still made but I have little knowledge of these things. Pic for attention.

Having gone through way too many 9 volt batteries (ahem) myself , have you thought about storing your bass in it’s case when you are done playing?

 

[DWBass]

Unplug your bass or go back to passive and use an external preamp pedal.

 

[InhumanResource]

I have to wonder how hard it would be to design a little onboard gadget that says "if there's been no signal for x minutes, cut the power"...

A switch would be cool too

 

[GreyBeard]

Who leaves their bass always plugged in? That's just asking for problems regardless of the electronics

Obviously the op does. And how would this hurt the electronics on a passive bass?

 

[bholder]

A switch would be cool too

Yeah as others pointed out, you'd need a hardwired switch to turn it back on, as anything "watching" would be a battery drain. I was thinking a momentary pushbutton to "jumpstart" it would be just the ticket.

 

[Baker69]

I have the same issue, but how can you unplug the guitar lead from your bass to prevent battery loss without getting that terrific crackling from the FOH speakers? Even turning the volume down on the amp does not prevent this?