Pedalboard from 1 battery - lifespan...

[johnnysomersett1]

After years of battling with dirty power, hums, whistling and fighting over/searching for power outlets onstage...I've decided to experiment with powering my pedalboard from 1 9v battery in a switched box.

Now, my question is, does anyone know how to work out the math as to how long a battery might last? My board is small and simple and consists of this:

Boss NF-2 @ 2mA
Boss TU-2 @ 20mA
SHO @ 4mA
Korg Pitchblack @ 35mA
Scrambler clone @ 15mA (guessed)

Which is about 76mA

I can get decent 9v batteries for about 50p a unit locally so I have a steady and cheap supply.

Any thoughts as to how long I might get out of this before I have to switch in a new battery?

[Les Paul Lover]

The battery should indicate how many milliamps it's rated for.
In turn, you should be able to guess how long your battery might last.

[Sooner]

Here's some info on discharge rate and "amp-hour" ratings:
http://www.powerstream.com/9V-Alkaline-tests.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Note that actual voltage drops well below 9 volts during the "life" of the battery. You might want to connect several in parallel to extend the life.

[johnnysomersett1]

Here's some info on discharge rate and "amp-hour" ratings:
http://www.powerstream.com/9V-Alkaline-tests.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Note that actual voltage drops well below 9 volts during the "life" of the battery. You might want to connect several in parallel to extend the life.

Wow, that's quite a dramatic drop-off!
Maybe I should rethink how I'm gonna do this.

Currently battling an annoying low-volume whistling from the chain that doesn't wanna quit. Was hoping the battery power would kill that.

[Gladmarr]

There's a couple ways you could do this. You could wire several standard 9v batteries in parallel so you still have 9v but then you'll get more current output to your pedal boards. He second option, which is much more sustainable, would be to buy a battery holder for six D cell batteries which have a significantly higher ampere-hour rating.

Something like this one: http://www.vetco.net/catalog/product_in ... fgodw9sEsQ

[johnnysomersett1]

There's a couple ways you could do this. You could wire several standard 9v batteries in parallel so you still have 9v but then you'll get more current output to your pedal boards. He second option, which is much more sustainable, would be to buy a battery holder for six D cell batteries which have a significantly higher ampere-hour rating.

Something like this one: http://www.vetco.net/catalog/product_in ... fgodw9sEsQ

Yeah, that'd give WAY more hours to it...bit of a monster though! I'd probably have to buy/make a bigger pedalboard.

[Gladmarr]

You should always be building a BIGGER pedal board. You aren't planning on having LESS pedals, are you?!?

[johnnysomersett1]

You should always be building a BIGGER pedal board. You aren't planning on having LESS pedals, are you?!?

Hahaha! Yes! I've gone from 2 boards with about 16-20 pedals down to one with just 5...and two of them aren't even really effects! (tuner & gate)

I'd like to rehouse them all into one box but it's basically impossible/I can't be arsed.

[Gladmarr]

#1) you're insane for decreasing the number of pedals that you're using.

#2) that battery pack doesn't necessarily have to take up so much space on your board. You could get pretty good results with C cells or AA cells in the same configuration. All of them would be better than using a single 9v to power your whole pedalboard. If you have one of those pedalboards where there's a space underneath the top layer, you could tuck the battery pack in between the top layer and the floor.

[Gladmarr]

There are even different configurations of the 6D cell holders. That will take up a little less space on your board.

[johnnysomersett1]

#1) you're insane for decreasing the number of pedals that you're using.

#2) that battery pack doesn't necessarily have to take up so much space on your board. You could get pretty good results with C cells or AA cells in the same configuration. All of them would be better than using a single 9v to power your whole pedalboard. If you have one of those pedalboards where there's a space underneath the top layer, you could tuck the battery pack in between the top layer and the floor.

I'd run guitar > amp if I could get my amp to sound like an ampeg scrambler! Hahah. I find the simplicity has made me more creative.

And yes, I saw those other configurations...might be able to work with something. My board is just a single layer bit of wood thing I threw together with some rubber on the bottom.

I'll have a brainstorm

[Moon]

You could always try a Pedaltrain Volto...it's a Lithium-Ion battery pack like you find in a laptop or tablet.

It's good for 2000mA. Charge it up and you're good for approx. 8 hours (depending on the current draw of your setup). It's got a warning light so you know how much juice it's got left.

I run 9 pedals on my board (2 of which are always on). The only negative is if you forget to charge it you're in a bit of a pickle but I just carry a One-Spot as a back up. I've been using one for 18 months now and it's never let me down...and the other guitarist in the band has also started using one.

[Gladmarr]

...of course if you just use off the shelf batteries, you can always go to CVS or target or almost anywhere to get replacements in a pinch.