Newbie Question - VT Bass DI Power Consumption

[mdlewis]

I've been playing for a long time, but the only pedal I've ever used until recently was my Korg Tuner, which I always run on batteries. They seem to last a really long time. Last week I purchased a Tech 21 VT Bass DI pedal and started using it, primarily for OD to go for some more tonal variety on some tunes. I tried running this on batteries, but it appears to go through them at a fierce rate - I get about one hour on each battery. Is my unit defective, is there a way around this or is this normal?

If this is normal, I'll need to start thinking about some kind of pedal board and permanent power supply I guess.

 

[Got2SadowskyNYC]

Get a good power supply designed to power effects pedals. buying batteries is a waste of money and not environmentally friendly.

According to Tech 21 it draws 6mA.

 

[BazzTard]

a one-spot is all you need, daisy chain the two pedals, plenty of power to spare if you add three or four more pedals too

 

[mdlewis]

Thanks...so this would be a normal draw for this type of pedal? Is 6mA a lot?

 

[simplebassliner]

Do you keep your pedal plug in when not using it? If you keep the input plug in, it will drain the battery. Always unplug the input when using battery.

 

[DirkP]

Do you keep your pedal plug in when not using it? If you keep the input plug in, it will drain the battery. Always unplug the input when using battery.

This. If it would only run for an hour with a battery, you would have to change the battery in the middle of a gig.
Never tried mine with a battery.

 

[mdlewis]

This. If it would only run for an hour with a battery, you would have to change the battery in the middle of a gig.
Never tried mine with a battery.

Yeah that's what happened to me last night. Didn't see it coming and it sucked.

 

[aphexafx]

6 mA is hardly anything at all and that would not drain a new 9 volt (~550 mAh -ish) in one hour. So that's weird. But, yeah, get a power supply.

 

[Got2SadowskyNYC]

I second the above statement.

I've used the same one (i.e. never used my back up) in the studio, on TV and on the road with some international for years and never had an issue. Currently running 13 pedals including my wireless and preamp on a single 1Spot.

 

[LSMFT6]

Another reason to never bother with batteries.

Do you have the +10dB boost on the 1/4" output engaged? Seems like it's going through batteries faster than it should, even if you're leaving the input plugged in while not playing

 

[mdlewis]

Don't think I did, but it's possible...I ended up playing with it when I saw the signal loss and can't remember what position it was in to start. Seems like this little guys going to need AC, so thanks guys. Live and learn.