Topic: Powering the Flying Calf and the ODL-276

[Ryan Sims]

I'm considering picking up these units to throw into the rig.  I've read everything I can find in the archive about building/buying battery packs and I think I can handle the building similar to what's explained here, only with just one pack per device, if that's the right way to power both of these.  The thing is, I have apparently missed how to chose the correct plug for each of these.

Here are pictures of the plug diagram whatever things:





Both of these look like tip + ring - to me, but that's just a best guess.  Is that plus correct size what determines which plug I use?  Anyone already know what plug these take?  Also, does it matter which of  all the 9.6V RC battery packs up on ebay I use?  There are some really cheap 2 battery + charger packs there right now.

I'm sorry for the barrage of questions.  Thanks everyone.

[Brian Skalinder]

Both of these look like tip + ring - to me, but that's just a best guess.

Yup, looks like tip (+) and ring (-) to me, too.

Is that plus correct size what determines which plug I use?  Anyone already know what plug these take?

Two options for the plug size:

• take 'em to RS or your local electronics shop and see which one fits (in other words, I don't know the specs on the plug and don't recall seeing them here on TS) - if you do this, please let us know which plugs work for you
• hack the cable that comes with the unit (this is what I did with my old ODL-312) - just make sure you get the polarity correct, which is easy enough to test with a voltmeter

Also, does it matter which of  all the 9.6V RC battery packs up on ebay I use?  There are some really cheap 2 battery + charger packs there right now.

Sometimes you get what you pay for, sometimes you can get really good deals.  Sorry I'm no help on this last one.

[Ryan Sims]

Can you explain what you mean by "hack the cable that comes with the unit?"

Are you talking about splicing the wall wart cable directly into the battery cable? 

I already have a multitester, so testing polarity shouldn't be a problem, I just put the positive lead on the tip and the negative lead on the ring and make sure I get 0 ohms, right?

Thanks again for your help.

[Jamos]

Can you explain what you mean by "hack the cable that comes with the unit?"

Are you talking about splicing the wall wart cable directly into the battery cable? 

Yup, I think he means just chop the wall-wart, and you'll already have the right size plugs.

I already have a multitester, so testing polarity shouldn't be a problem, I just put the positive lead on the tip and the negative lead on the ring and make sure I get 0 ohms, right?

Thanks again for your help.

Or just set your multimeter for continuity, and then you'll be able to see which wire goes to the tip, and to the ring.

+T for hacking.

 

[Ryan Sims]

Thank you both.  I pulled the trigger today, so I'll update this for anyone else who might care with my progress. +T to both of you.

[udovdh]

Why not get rid of the hosa en hack the calf so it has the right connections? (coax/opto/whatever)

[Ryan Sims]

You mean change the coax out on the Calf to an optical out?  That's an interesting idea.  I don't know if I could pull it off, but interesting nonetheless.

[(((KB)))]

I ran a calf for a few years. It is for certain tip (+) and ring (-) 9v 500 mah... it's in the manual page 4, 12. I eventually went SLA (12v > voltage conv. > 9v) for a longer run time. The tip... I think it was the rat shack tip w/ white on the end not blue, red, yellow or black etc.

Shown in the attached photo, is the white tip I'm talking about and a inexpensive option to power the Calf or whatever. However, a normal 9v battery will only last like one set since the Calf draws 500mah. 

Posted the manual here if you don't have it already... 

http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=71220.0

-K

[Ryan Sims]

Thank you sir! +T

[Ryan Sims]

I ran a calf for a few years. It is for certain tip (+) and ring (-) 9v 500 mah... it's in the manual page 4, 12. I eventually went SLA (12v > voltage conv. > 9v) for a longer run time. The tip... I think it was the rat shack tip w/ white on the end not blue, red, yellow or black etc.

Shown in the attached photo, is the white tip I'm talking about and a inexpensive option to power the Calf or whatever. However, a normal 9v battery will only last like one set since the Calf draws 500mah. 

Posted the manual here if you don't have it already... 

http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=71220.0

-K

OK, more potential issues.  I bought 1000 mAh batteries.  mAh is mill-amp-hour, right?  That is simply a measure of capacity right?  If that's true, then the mAh rating shouldn't matter, right?  Especially if you used a standard 9V battery to power this thing. 

Also, the Hosa just has, "9V DC 60 mA" on it.  Again, it shouldn't matter if my batteries are 1000 mAh right?

Thanks for all your help guys.  This place is the shit.

[(((KB)))]

I ran a calf for a few years. It is for certain tip (+) and ring (-) 9v 500 mah... it's in the manual page 4, 12. I eventually went SLA (12v > voltage conv. > 9v) for a longer run time. The tip... I think it was the rat shack tip w/ white on the end not blue, red, yellow or black etc.

Shown in the attached photo, is the white tip I'm talking about and a inexpensive option to power the Calf or whatever. However, a normal 9v battery will only last like one set since the Calf draws 500mah. 

Posted the manual here if you don't have it already... 

http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=71220.0

-K

OK, more potential issues.  I bought 1000 mAh batteries.  mAh is mill-amp-hour, right?  That is simply a measure of capacity right?  If that's true, then the mAh rating shouldn't matter, right?  Especially if you used a standard 9V battery to power this thing. 

Also, the Hosa just has, "9V DC 60 mA" on it.  Again, it shouldn't matter if my batteries are 1000 mAh right?

Thanks for all your help guys.  This place is the shit.

It matters depending on the length of time running it...for example... using the ODL-276... If the average current draw is in fact 60 mA and the battery is 1AH[1000mAH] (assuming only 80% efficiency), per the archival info thread on calculating battery run-time: http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=2460.0
( Battery Capacity [mAH] / Current Draw [mA] ) * ( .80 )

the OLD-276 would be:

( 1000 mAH / 60 mA ) * (.80) = 13.333333333 hrs.

the calf would be...  1.6 hrs.

T+ to Brian S. who posted the thread about the formula

-K

[Ryan Sims]

Sorta figured that'd be the case.  Also, turns out one of the batteries is 1600 mAh, so that will go to the Calf for sure.  I think I'll be alright with 13 1/3 hours runtime on the Hosa.  +T

[(((KB)))]

Sorta figured that'd be the case.  Also, turns out one of the batteries is 1600 mAh, so that will go to the Calf for sure.  I think I'll be alright with 13 1/3 hours runtime on the Hosa.  +T

You might be able to squeek-in a full show running the calf w/ the 1600 battery but to be safe, you might want to bring 2 of those and change-up during set breaks.
or
(you may have thought about this already), but if you wanted to double your run time you could run 2-1600's in "parallel" to make the capacity 3200 mAH (5.2 hrs). Diagrams and etc. are using a normal 9v battery as an example.

Parallel wiring
9v 550 mAH   +  9v 550 mAH  = 9v 1100 mAH

       +    <-wire->    +      <-wire->   + pos. to adaptaplug tip
   |----- |               |----- |
   |        |               |       |                     
   |        |               |       |
   |----- |               |----- |
       -    <-wire->     -       <-wire->   -  neg. to adaptaplug ring

Just for comparison sake this is "series wiring". In your case,  you don't want to do because it make the batteries 16v when wired this way:

series wiring
9v 550 mAH   +  9v 550 mAH  = 16v 550 mAH

       +    <-wire->    -      <-wire->   + pos. to adaptaplug tip
   |----- |               |----- |
   |        |               |       |                     
   |        |               |       |
   |----- |               |----- |
       -    <-wire->     +      <-wire->   -  neg. to adaptaplug ring

Helps to have a voltmeter handy to check polarity and voltage to double check your work so that it is correct. Photo shows "Parallel" wiring... the voltmeter only says 8v since the batteries are old. 

-K

[Ryan Sims]

I was planning on picking another up.  I was using the advice from this thread as far as my basic ideas, so I got 9.6 V batteries.  That extra .6 V wasn't a problem for the UA5 mentioned in that thread, think it'll be for the Calf or the Hosa?  I have everything ready to with hacked wall warts, but I want to be 100% sure before I plug it the stuff in.  You've been a tremendous help.

EDIT:  I might as well just build one of those little 9V jobbers for the Hosa and keep the 1000 mAh battery for the Calf, right?  If a 9V battery is 550 mAh, then I should get 7.3333 hours of runtime off just one of those little things.  That would be enough, definitely.

[(((KB)))]

I was planning on picking another up.  I was using the advice from this thread as far as my basic ideas, so I got 9.6 V batteries.  That extra .6 V wasn't a problem for the UA5 mentioned in that thread, think it'll be for the Calf or the Hosa?  I have everything ready to with hacked wall warts, but I want to be 100% sure before I plug it the stuff in.  You've been a tremendous help.

EDIT:  I might as well just build one of those little 9V jobbers for the Hosa and keep the 1000 mAh battery for the Calf, right?  If a 9V battery is 550 mAh, then I should get 7.3333 hours of runtime off just one of those little things.  That would be enough, definitely.

The reference you're using is the "Parallel" wiring style w/ the RC batteries. My example is basically the same thing, but w/ normal 9v batteries.

From what I understand, as far as running 9.6v  w/ the UA5, the UA5 can tolerate the extra .6v. Honesly not sure about the Calf or the Hosa boxes,  it may be 9v only. I don't think either manual says anything specific about the voltage tolerance like my DMIC-20 manual does (says in print... "must not exceed 8.6v and a minimum of 5.6v is required for normal operation")  I suppose it's possible you could wire-in a voltage converter to ensure you're getting 9v... that's up to you to decide.

In my experiences, I've only used 9v running in to the Calf and the Hosa box (9v battery or 12v -> voltage conv. -> 9v. It's a bit risky in my oppinion, to just plug it it and see what happens w/ the RC batteries. You may blow a capacitor as a result of the excess voltage. If you reverse the polarity by accident, you will for-sure fry something.  Maybe you could call Midiman and ask about the voltage tolerance?

For my ODL-312 I use a normal 9v battery/harness w/ yellow ratshack tip "C" ring (-), tip (+) since the current draw is only 60 Mah, I never bothered  to rig it up in "Parellel" since one 9v battery is fine for a few shows. Eventually, I'll probably move to NIMH rechargable 9v's, just havn't gotten around to it yet.


-K