When do you change your battery?

[OEW3]

So you don't use a mobile (cell) phone, car, clocks, watches, a laptop, gaming system, television, electric tooth brush, electric shaver, calculator, fire alarms, camera....

You see my point?

And...do you really have a battery operated television set? That's crazy. I know they exist, but haven't seen one in ages.

 

[Clark Westfield]

I would suggest staying with Duracell or Energizer battery's exclusively!

The quality of those batteries are by far the best on the market.

Remember your toys years ago when you forgot to take out the batteries and the acid leaked out?

My Schecter was a day old when I tossed the China Specials that the bass came with from the factory in the trash.

I also purchased a rather expensive gun safe, and the manufacturer specificlally stated to stay with those two brands.


Good enough for me.

 

[Munjibunga]

Well, if You are curious on measuring a battery under load You might consider using a resistor of appropriate size as the load (in parallel to the multimeter). Compute that from Ohm's law: R=U/I and use a "typical" value for I representing the consumption of the electronics. If in doubt, use a load of 1 kOhm (that is the order of magnitude of the current drawn by my BF245-buffer)

... or you could just use a multimeter.

 

[edpal]

Standard multimeter? What, you want a load tester or something? Dc volts should be accurate.

Not with a lithium, they maintain good voltage until close to the end and plummet quickly. Alkalines are actually good in how they show a voltage decline AS the amprage is declining. Almost like having a load tester by design. I do watch repair, we choose silver oxides for the opposite life path - great voltage to the end, sudden plummet. I'd read about the 9v lithiums but can't stand the thought that a battery that seemed good when I tuned up a hour before might crash suddenly whilst on stage. Alkaline at least has the decency of giving you a few hours of wheezing warning. YMMV

 

[edpal]

I have a number of active basses, some of which are used infrequently, so it's nice to know how long the battery has been installed and its date, so if a proactive changing of the battery pre-gig is a good idea. I use my ears to judge when it's change time on my more frequently used instruments, when lower notes are squashed or distorted.

For your consideration: I have been using the little removable 1/2" x 1-3/4" Avery 05422 (or preferably, Invalid Link Removed) labels to write the date I changed the battery and its expiry date, and stick it to the back of the headstock. Also another label with the last strings used and change date. Being removable there's no damage to the bass. And I use them for lots of other purposes around the house, and also on effects pedals, etc...

Excellent suggestions Bob.

Leaking batteries - most batteries don't leak until they are dead or nearly so. Has to do with their changing chemistry.

 

[lokikallas]

I change batteries if when I test it while changing strings for a gig that it needs replacement.