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Is a Lithium 9 volt o.k. to use?

Steelpulz

Steelpulz

Nov 4, 2003
253
9
Inglewood, CA
www.myspace.com
#1
I have a GTBD-7 (Conklin). I am using a 9v lithium battery. I thought it would last longer than an alkaline. However, I was perusing Ibanez' website and in an online manual for their basses they specifically say, "Use a new 9-volt alkaline (not
lithium or carbon) battery." [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Does anyone know why that is? Am I damaging my bass by using a 9v lithium battery?
 
#2
The voltages are slightly different per cell between lithium and alkaline. A lithium cell is going to have 1.3 volts/cell, where as an alkaline is going to have 1.5 volts/cell. A true 9v alkaline has six alkaline cells, whereas a 9v-style lithium will either have six and be under voltage, or seven (the more likely of the two), and be slightly over voltage.

My guess is that the electronics on your Ibanez are very sensitive, and going over the proper voltage might harm it, but I am not sure on that, so don't take it as gospel.

Lithium 9v-style batteries are great for long-term use in smoke detectors and things like that, where they typically won't need to be replaced for 10 or more years.

If you're looking for a longer run battery than just your regular alkaline (which is why, I would guess, you went lithium), then I'd go the safe route and buy an industrial alkaline 9v.
 
#3
Thanks RJNY36. Guess I'll take the lithium out and put a Duracell Procell in.
rjny36 said:
The voltages are slightly different per cell between lithium and alkaline. A lithium cell is going to have 1.3 volts/cell, where as an alkaline is going to have 1.5 volts/cell. A true 9v alkaline has six alkaline cells, whereas a 9v-style lithium will either have six and be under voltage, or seven (the more likely of the two), and be slightly over voltage.

My guess is that the electronics on your Ibanez are very sensitive, and going over the proper voltage might harm it, but I am not sure on that, so don't take it as gospel.

Lithium 9v-style batteries are great for long-term use in smoke detectors and things like that, where they typically won't need to be replaced for 10 or more years.

If you're looking for a longer run battery than just your regular alkaline (which is why, I would guess, you went lithium), then I'd go the safe route and buy an industrial alkaline 9v.
Click to expand...
 
#4
FWIW:

I've been using nickel rechargeables for a couples years for practice gear that requires 9v's and haven't bought a battery since. They don't have as much power or hold the charge as long but doesn't matter for practice.

Seems I ran across mention of some preamp that wasn't to be used with lithium batteries but it's been too long to recall.

-----------------------
Happy New Year TBr's
 
#7
there are a few things that I have to clear up here, out of good conscience:

1.) Industrial 9V's (like ProCells) are truly the same battery that's just been repackaged to convince the consumer to pay more. The ProCell has an IDENTICAL voltage curve to a standard Duracell.

2.) Headroom and battery life. Read the tech specs on the PowerBug website. Look at the actual construction of the battery. There are benefits to using this battery over all others based on having internal active preamps in our instruments. Most musicians don't care about headroom. In fact, they prefer NOT to have it in certain overdrive pedals because it cleans up the sound too much.
 
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#8
Been using lithiums for years with no ill effects. no plans on changing no matter what Ibanez says.

BTW EMG's tech docs mention its fine to use lithium with their pres and pickups.

I've been using lithium in my conklin for about a year now too, no problems.
 
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#10
JackANSI said:
Been using lithiums for years with no ill effects. no plans on changing no matter what Ibanez says.

BTW EMG's tech docs mention its fine to use lithium with their pres and pickups.

I've been using lithium in my conklin for about a year now too, no problems.
Click to expand...
Bassic83 said:
I've been putting Lithum in my basses too. I have definitely noticed that their mood swings have been significantly less.
Click to expand...

Thanks for he info. I still use the lithium 9v in my Conklin. I don't think I'll have any problems.
 
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#11
EvanOnBass said:
1.) Industrial 9V's (like ProCells) are truly the same battery that's just been repackaged to convince the consumer to pay more. The ProCell has an IDENTICAL voltage curve to a standard Duracell.
Click to expand...

I agree with you that an industrial battery's voltage curve is exactly the same as a regular 9v battery, and that they are built the same way (they are both alkaline batteries), but with one major difference. At the bottom of a regular 9v battery is a cardboard spacer. An industrial 9v has no cardboard spacer at the bottom, and instead uses the extra room for more active material, providing a longer battery life. The voltage, in this case, isn't the difference at all.

Duracell, for this reason, does not want its ProCell line competing with its normal consumer lines, and deliberately puts this on the battery packaging. They are clearly marked as "not for retail sale," and it is a violation of a company's agreement with Duracell for the company to put it on a salesfloor, easily accessible to the average consumer.

Most places that have them available for purchase have them under their commercial/governmental pricing tier, and they are more often than not less expensive than the regular consumer line.

A sleep doctor that my company supplies ProCells to was using the regular consumer line in the monitoring equipment that he sent home with patients to collect data while they sleep at home. On average, he was getting 5 or 6 hours out of the batteries, which was interfering with his work, because he needs a full 8 hrs. of data. Once we set him up with the ProCells, he started getting between 9 and 10 hours, on average. This is just one of the many stories that our customers have told me about the ProCell line.

----------

Lithium and rechargeable batteries are a different beast altogether.

An alkaline 9v battery is made up of 6 alkaline cells comprised of 1.5 volts a piece, wired in series (=actual 9v).

A rechargeable "9v" battery is made up of 8 cells (NiMH, or NiCD) at 1.2 volts a piece, again wired in series (=9.6 volts).

A lithium ion "9v" battery is, as you've probably guessed, made up of lithium cells, which are normally rated at 3.6 volts/cell.

The PowerBug website shows this, as well, and it is true. So yes, the voltages are different between the three styles.
 
#12
To sum up my extra-long post, you should be okay using any of the 9v style batteries. Most electronics can handle the extra voltage of the rechargeable and lithium batteries...

However, in reference to the original post, and acknowledging that I haven't got any experience with Conklin products whatsoever, my advice for the poster is to stick with a longer-running, true 9v battery.
 
#13
rjny36 said:
I agree with you that an industrial battery's voltage curve is exactly the same as a regular 9v battery, and that they are built the same way (they are both alkaline batteries), but with one major difference. At the bottom of a regular 9v battery is a cardboard spacer. An industrial 9v has no cardboard spacer at the bottom, and instead uses the extra room for more active material, providing a longer battery life. The voltage, in this case, isn't the difference at all.

Duracell, for this reason, does not want its ProCell line competing with its normal consumer lines, and deliberately puts this on the battery packaging. They are clearly marked as "not for retail sale," and it is a violation of a company's agreement with Duracell for the company to put it on a salesfloor, easily accessible to the average consumer.

Most places that have them available for purchase have them under their commercial/governmental pricing tier, and they are more often than not less expensive than the regular consumer line.

A sleep doctor that my company supplies ProCells to was using the regular consumer line in the monitoring equipment that he sent home with patients to collect data while they sleep at home. On average, he was getting 5 or 6 hours out of the batteries, which was interfering with his work, because he needs a full 8 hrs. of data. Once we set him up with the ProCells, he started getting between 9 and 10 hours, on average. This is just one of the many stories that our customers have told me about the ProCell line.

----------

Lithium and rechargeable batteries are a different beast altogether.

An alkaline 9v battery is made up of 6 alkaline cells comprised of 1.5 volts a piece, wired in series (=actual 9v).

A rechargeable "9v" battery is made up of 8 cells (NiMH, or NiCD) at 1.2 volts a piece, again wired in series (=9.6 volts).

A lithium ion "9v" battery is, as you've probably guessed, made up of lithium cells, which are normally rated at 3.6 volts/cell.

The PowerBug website shows this, as well, and it is true. So yes, the voltages are different between the three styles.
Click to expand...


RJNY36, how many cells does the lithium ion 9v have?
 
#16
Steelpulz said:
So does that mean it puts out 10.8 volts? Will that damage a preamp the specifies 9vs?
Click to expand...

Most electronics should be absolutely fine. A battery's voltage rating does not necessarily mean it is always putting out that voltage. As long as it's above the device's cutoff voltage, it will continue to work, and usually electronics can handle more than what they're rated for. Most cars run on 12v batteries, but if you check your car, it can easily be running 13 (even 14!) at any given time.

Lithium batteries really are great. I use them in my smoke detectors, and they will easily last 10 years. :D
 
#17
rjny36 said:
The voltages are slightly different per cell between lithium and alkaline. A lithium cell is going to have 3.6 volts/cell, where as an alkaline is going to have 1.5 volts/cell. A true 9v alkaline has six alkaline cells, whereas a 9v-style lithium will have three.
Click to expand...

Had to fix that up from post #2 of this thread... I made a mistake the first time... must've been thinking about NiMH or NiCD back then. Also thought we were talking about an Ibanez, instead of a Conklin... :ninja:
 
#18
Another thread popped up about lithium 9v batteries, so I thought I'd add this for the record on this thread as well:

If the manufacturer of your bass doesn't say you shouldn't use lithium 9v batteries, then I would use them over the other types of battery. I don't own any active basses, but if I did, I would use lithiums, myself.

Because Steelpulz's bass manufacturer specifically says not to use them, I would still recommend he use industrial alkalines, however.
 
#20
I'm inclined to say no. Lithiums are mostly used in electronics that have fairly high draws and need fast recycling times (lots of digital cameras and flashes use them). I'm not sure that they would actually last any longer in a more long term, low drain useage. I don't know that anything would be hurt, but I don't think there would be an advantage
 

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