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Gear / Technical Help => Battery Boxes, Preamps, Mixers, ADCs, and Processors => Topic started by: dmonkey on April 27, 2008, 02:28:15 PM
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Help. Has anyone ever had a battery stick in the compartment of a MixPre (or similar model)? The battery slides around in there, but gets hung up about a half inch from the threads -- looks like the battery compartment is just every so slightly narrower there. It appears that the battery label is what's doing the hanging. Hmmm....I've tried everything I can think of, and it just doesn't seem to want to come thru that part. I don't remember the battery being tight when I installed it last night. ::) I've tried gluing a dowel to the batt and pulling on it, but haven't had much luck so far.
Has anyone ever encountered this before? Any suggestions? ???
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You try using one of these? ;D
(http://www.kctools.com.au/images/TOOLS/slides/15025%20SLEDGE%20HAMMER.jpg)
I think someone here had the same problem not long ago, not sure how they resolved it.
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I think someone here had the same problem not long ago, not sure how they resolved it.
http://taperssection.com/index.php/topic,101064.0.html
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Thanks for the link! I thought I remembered seeing something here before, but I didn't have any luck searching.
I was afraid to smack it around too much, but based on the recommendations in the other thread I really layed into it. (Sorta like that Prodigy song, except I can only hope that it didn't "change my pitch up" >:D) Took quite a bit of violent coaxing and swearing to get the damned thing out of there.
Thanks for the help!!
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Thanks for the link! I thought I remembered seeing something here before, but I didn't have any luck searching.
I was afraid to smack it around too much, but based on the recommendations in the other thread I really layed into it. (Sorta like that Prodigy song, except I can only hope that it didn't "change my pitch up" >:D) Took quite a bit of violent coaxing and swearing to get the damned thing out of there.
Thanks for the help!!
Don't forget to email Sound Devices about this, it's a design flaw.
digifish.
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Good idea. I hadn't thought of that. Thanks.
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Good idea. I hadn't thought of that. Thanks.
It happened to me, and three other people including you now on these forums.
digifish
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Have you tried using quality brand of batteries? Never happened to me. IMHO not a design flaw.
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Have you tried using quality brand of batteries? Never happened to me. IMHO not a design flaw.
Duracell and Energizer not quality brands?
There is a lip on the inside of the battery tube caused by a narrowing of the tube about 2 cm down from the entrance. If a battery label starts to come off, the battery is slightly fat or damaged (particularly on the end where the cover wraps over the terminal) it can become caught on the lip where it narrows. It most definitely is a design flaw. It's not entirely clear to me what the purpose of the narrowing is, even if they -
1. Enlarged the tube diameter at the end by 1 mm
2. Kept the same diameter all the way down.
3. Changed the angle of the narrowing step (which seems to be about 45 degrees), they would avoid these issues.
BTW: it has only happened to me once too. But once may be a disaster in the field when you are trying to change batteries on an important gig.
digifish
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My problem was exactly as digifish described (very slight taper about 2 cm in caused the batts to get stuck). I've been lucky since by avoiding use of the brand of batteries that I had the problem with. I use all rechargables: the stuck ones were Lenmar brand, the ones that have been behaving OK are Sanyos.
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thank you very much for the useful infos ! I've just bought a mixpre to improve the quality of my field recording.... :)
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thank you very much for the useful infos ! I've just bought a mixpre to improve the quality of my field recording.... :)
You won't regret it. The MixPre is a stunning piece of kit, particularly where low-noise is concerned.
digifish
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have the same problem with my new mixpre-D. The sound devices didn't solve this problem. It's stupid how 800$ machine can stuck with a problem like this. I have a bruise on my hand trying to get the battery out. Maybe try to drill the battery into pieces? But it's not safe. I'm really dissapointed ???
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I wouldnt drill into the battery. Stuff will ooze out wont it?
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I don't want to drill, it's likely insane, but this just because of my big confusion. :(
maybe just use screwdriver with a little screw into a battery and then catch the battery fast?
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I would try the superglue to a pen/rod/etc method first :)
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could you force a little strip of duct tape down in the compartment and jerk it out...(not sure how stuck is stuck)?
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Unfortunately, superglue and duct tape didnt solve this problem. However, Ni-Mh Battery is hanging around in the tube.
Maybe to try a vacuum cleaner? To suck out this trash from the Mixpre?
How it's looking:
(http://dl.dropbox.com/u/38397785/2_IMGP6744.jpg)
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Unfortunately, superglue and duct tape didnt solve this problem. However, Ni-Mh Battery is hanging around in the tube.
Maybe to try a vacuum cleaner? To suck out this trash from the Mixpre?
How it's looking:
(http://dl.dropbox.com/u/38397785/2_IMGP6744.jpg)
Wow - must be pretty snug - get out the drill!
A small hole - and thread a 3 inch drywall screw and pull...
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get out the drill!
That's what I'm thought about just after my previous post. And I've did it! For now my Mixpre-D internally FREE! Anyway, thanks for all your advice, guys! Now I'm looking for reliable Ni-Mh, have heard very good reviews about Sanyo Eneloops. Any users here with Eneloops and Mixpre?
Also, to save others from a similar problem, I need to mention that the Ni-Mh battery that stuck in Mixpre is GP 2500. It's get hot in Mixpre and plastic that covers battery start to flake off and caused problem I think. I don't know for shure why this happens because I've used this battery many times in Sennheiser Evolution G3 transmitter without problems.
And final pics for fun
(http://dl.dropbox.com/u/38397785/Untitled-1.jpg)
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I use Eneloops in my MixPre and they've worked flawlessly.
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I use Energizer 2300mah AA's and have worked great for me thus far :)
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Hi all,
I had problems with rechargeable AA cells not fitting into battery holders. After close inspection, I found out the following:
IEC and ANSI standards specify a cell diameter of 13.5 to 14.5 mm for AA.
See http://data.energizer.com/PDFs/E91.pdf
Some rechargeable cells, especially the ones with the highest capacity, are at the upper limit of this diameter to get maximum capacity, and the outer shell is also thinner (= more volume for active material).
This means that pressure in the cell will expand the cell in diameter, which can lead to a stuck cell. Cells expand when they get hot. It is also possible that they get distorted when they are dropped, so that they are more oval than round. There is also the possibility that the shrink wrap around the cell has thickness tolerances beyond 14.5mm.
In my case, its a LED flashlight that is finicky about cell diameter. There is a sticker inside the battery tube that reduces the internal diameter to just below 14.5mm, so I have a battery set assigned to it that fits without problems. Maybe the designer was not aware of the extra safety sticker...
The alkaline AAs I had on hand (Duracell and some noname brands) all measure to about 14-14.2mm diameter.
My MixPre D accepts Kodak AA rechargeables with a cell diameter of 14.4mm with enough sideplay so that even hot cells should slide out without problems.
My recommendation: If a cold cell is a tight fit or if you have to force it into the battery holder tube (like on the MixPre or many flashlights) - dont use it. Look for cells that give some sideplay - they get thicker when warm or when they age.
Greetings,
Rainer
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Thanks for info, very simple and useful.
Recently I've test Ansmann 2850 with my Mixpre-D. It fits with enough space and works great.
But I'm thinking to buy Eneloops.