How do you feel about pedals that DO NOT take batteries?

[mmbongo]

Funny thing, guess I never thought about it but I didn't realize that 9v batteries were made from multiple small cells.

 

[boomertech]

Many years ago I played in several places that had awful power and my pedal board would always have noise with ANY power adapter that I tried. So I started to keep a 9V battery in each pedal "just-in-case". When I was playing at a location with dirty power, I would just unplug all of the power adapters from each pedal and run noise free. The 9V batteries are disconnected from the circuit when a power plug is inserted.

Then I built a SLA gel cell power supply that allowed me to power all of my effects with either mains power or battery with the stomp of a single switch.

So, I prefer the option to have a battery snap when possible.

-Frank

 

[jaxstarke]

I wouldn't ever run a pedal on batteries. Never. I'd rather spend another $5 bucks and get an adapter and be done with it. Wouldn't own a pedal that ONLY ran on batteries.

 

[Nev375]

I'm sure it happened but it doesn't make any sense. Batteries can't power surge.

Here was the facebook message from Stu.
---------------------------------------------------
Great gig in Belfast...packed house, thanks to all...but I worked for HOURS to change my vibe and add an effect pedal and looper to the show...you gotta try new things and grow...all OK at soundcheck....start the gig and a power surge had deleted all of my custom presets on the board, and the looper didn't work,,at soundcheck I changed the batteries and ONE OF THE AA'S I TOOK OUT EXPLODED....LOUD , MESSY...NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT...

So I did the show direct and and kicked ass and am tossing the effects in the garbage.....

Wow, never HEARD an AA battery explode.
thanks again to Alastair Simpson, Chris and the crew and the GREAT CROWD that put up with my electrons melt down

never again
-------------------------------------------------

I'm not sure how it happened either. Maybe he was also providing plug-in power, maybe the surge came through his amp and inst. cable.

But I've discovered leaky batteries too, and I don't like the big questionmarks they represent in my rig when something isnt quite right.
I'm a no-batteries and few,if any, pedals guy.

 

[Vinny_G]

Excellent question. I prefer to avoid batteries whenever I can. For ecological reasons. But I'm aware that electricity comes by nuclear power plants so.. what can I do? Maybe play only acoustic bass.

 

[HelpImaRock]

Of the 7 pedals on my board, only 3 take batteries. And I only use batteries in one, as powering it from my 1spot creates a ground loop. I don't own a car, and live around the corner from the subway.

 

[father of fires]

Excellent question. I prefer to avoid batteries whenever I can. For ecological reasons. But I'm aware that electricity comes by nuclear power plants so.. what can I do? Maybe play only acoustic bass.

Nuclear is a great source of power. Super clean and super efficient.

 

[dannybuoy]

There are lots of boutique builders making pedals that don't take batteries these days. Join them, Bongo!

 

[eveilleu]

Funny thing, guess I never thought about it but I didn't realize that 9v batteries were made from multiple small cells.

6x 1.5 = ...?

 

[eveilleu]

I wouldn't ever run a pedal on batteries. Never. I'd rather spend another $5 bucks and get an adapter and be done with it. Wouldn't own a pedal that ONLY ran on batteries.

Oh! That's a great point of view. There's no way I'd buy a pedal that only runs on batteries either.

And would not buy a compressor that requires 12 D batteries to work either hehe

 

[TTPbass1]

I don't use batteries at all on pedals, and I don't drive a car... My wife is an ecologist...

 

[Zorth41]

Its a bonus definitely, but if you own any sort of power supply I dont feel it matters. I used to run like one or two pedals on batteries at band practice and never ran into problems, that being said it was a huge help when i bought my first power supply.

 

[skwee]

The only thing is that what if something happens and power gets cut to your board. Then, no sound with no batteries.

 

[Vinny_G]

Nuclear is a great source of power. Super clean and super efficient.

I have to disagree with you on that one. I guess you know about the problematic pollution it creates, which is anything but clean. And add to this the risk for the population around, Fukushima being the latest example but I am sure there will be other ones in the future.

 

[Adamixoye]

Ecology aside, count me in the group of people who prefer running off of power supply. The battery option is okay, but all things being equal I might prefer a smaller pedal. Including our not including a battery option isn't a deal killer; battery only would be.

 

[zwkoch]

I can think of one situation where battery backup really saved me, and that was back when I only ran a BDDI and someone cut phantom power off by mistake. My bigger boards always run on adapters.

 

[scotch]

Nope. I never rely on batteries. I have to leave most of my pedals plugged in (and often powered up) for hours & hours on end. Generally post soundcheck or set up in the studio. I use ac adapters. If the ac goes out, chances are about 99.9% that the gig just got cancelled anyways!

I've never had a wall wart or power supply fail on me in over 20 years of playing. I can't give batteries that same accolade!

 

[MultiScaleMale]

I would rather not have a battery option. Power supply all the way. What might be cool is a cable that I can snap a 9V into and use externally on a single pedal in a pinch.

 

[Joe Louvar]

would you buy a pedal if it cannot take batteries?

Yep

 

[Joe Louvar]

I would rather not have a battery option. Power supply all the way. What might be cool is a cable that I can snap a 9V into and use externally on a single pedal in a pinch.

That's a good idea, I think I'll make a cable. Thanks