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Gear / Technical Help => Remote Power => Topic started by: chrisdavis on August 28, 2010, 12:05:08 PM
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we just bought the Bigbox for use as a primary pre. it runs on (2) 9 volt batteries (got 2 trays for hot swapping). There is no external input for a battery of any kind. While Naiant offers custom internal batteries it may be more pricey than we intend for a $220 pre...so, i am content to use the 9 volt, no worries.
What Im not totally content on is using throwaway batts. Im no squirrel pettin tree hugger, but i do hate the idea of throwing away batt after batt after batt.
Ive inquired amongst friends about rechargable 9 volts and gotten mixed response. Some say the discharge curve is unpredictable. Others have told me, fine, no worries, theyve had good luck/no issues with rechargables.
Obviously we wouldnt cut corners, we only need 2-4 batts, so we could buy the best in rechargables.
What say you TS, will rechargable 9-volts be a reliable option??
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I took the tray from a an SUV-1 which holds a 9V, notched the corner which allows two wires to pass through. Then I gutted an old 9v battery soldered the wire to the terminals put an end on it which allowed it to be plugged into a DVD style battery. Took about an hour all told and I never needed to use the regular 9v battery again, yet I could if I wanted to. I'll dig up my camera and get pictures but it was slicker than whale snot once it was done ;D
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Yeah Kirk this was one suggestion I got. And honestly one I'm quite open to. I love the DVD batts. Please enclose the pics if you can, I would love to get this going!!
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When I pried open the battery there were 6 AAA looking batteries with no markings at all. I used 4 to keep the top and bottom parts in place then just folded the top edge back down once I had soldered the wire to the top. I also used one of the pieces of cardboard inside it to insulate the batteries from the plug on top. Used an extra odd sized tip as an adapter and soldered that onto the wire then just plug it into the DVD battery cable. I had a splitter for my battery cable so you might need to make one if you want to run two devices off the same battery. Only basic solder skills are needed. I used heat shrink but you could use electrical tape if you wanted to.
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thansk kirk, i really appreciate you putting these up so we can take a look. good work on the rig dude, i love it, and i think this will be a perfect concept for us..
+T
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I was constantly forgetting to turn the SUV off and got tired of replacing batteries. The hardest part was prying apart the battery. Best part is that it will still work with a regular 9v battery too.
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Couldn't you just use one of these and add a DVD baterry plug? You would have to reverse the polarity on the dvd batery side, right?
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062219#
(http://www.thesciencefair.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/9VLeadSide1604_31_M.jpg)
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As long as you had something applying pressure (block of foam, properly sized wooden dummy battery etc) to make sure there is contact that should work.
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As long as you had something applying pressure (block of foam, properly sized wooden dummy battery etc) to make sure there is contact that should work.
Good point. Sure is easier then trying to hollow out a 9v :P
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As long as you had something applying pressure (block of foam, properly sized wooden dummy battery etc) to make sure there is contact that should work.
Good point. Sure is easier then trying to hollow out a 9v :P
Have you ever "hollowed" out a 9v? So easier I dunno know? It's pretty darn easy. Ya know a 9v battery is made up of 6 AAA batteries, so it was dirt easy to pop the top off and pull some batteries out then solder the wires to the top. The few minutes it took to pop the top off and dump out the batteries seems like less work than cutting, and gluing the 9v plug on a wood or foam block to me. Takes longer than that for the glue to dry. Or at least I would glue it so it doesn't shift. And I'm sure that everyone has a an old 9v to hack up. And if you're into doing this kind of stuff you most likely have some wire laying around too. Total investment was zero since I had an extra plug and shrink wrap laying around also. Plus I knew if would fit perfectly. Biggest issue I was concerned about was making the cut on the battery tray as small an inconspicuous as possible. But to each there own, not everyone is into making their own stuff as you are well aware.
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if you are going to have an external battery why not get the option jon offers and have the din3 plug put in
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Chris,
I don't think he would charge you if you sent it back to have the DIN3 option added. It is an option he doesn't charge for when the pre is being built. Might want to look into. I had DIN3 added to my LB so I can use DVD batteries.
if you are going to have an external battery why not get the option jon offers and have the din3 plug put in
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Chris,
I don't think he would charge you if you sent it back to have the DIN3 option added. It is an option he doesn't charge for when the pre is being built. Might want to look into. I had DIN3 added to my LB so I can use DVD batteries.
if you are going to have an external battery why not get the option jon offers and have the din3 plug put in
who made your DIN3 > DVD Cable??
thanks
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Chris,
I don't think he would charge you if you sent it back to have the DIN3 option added. It is an option he doesn't charge for when the pre is being built. Might want to look into. I had DIN3 added to my LB so I can use DVD batteries.
if you are going to have an external battery why not get the option jon offers and have the din3 plug put in
who made your DIN3 > DVD Cable??
thanks
;)
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I put a pic in Ted's retail thread! I have gotten more than a few bomber cables from Ted. The cable is a ton nicer since Ted customized. It was techflexed and reinforced. Here's a link to the pic
http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=133186.45
Chris,
I don't think he would charge you if you sent it back to have the DIN3 option added. It is an option he doesn't charge for when the pre is being built. Might want to look into. I had DIN3 added to my LB so I can use DVD batteries.
if you are going to have an external battery why not get the option jon offers and have the din3 plug put in
who made your DIN3 > DVD Cable??
thanks
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thanks guys
that might have to be my next purchase
i am using rc now but the dvd would be better for my bag setup
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I already had 2 DVD batteries, so I figured these would power the littlebox great on Festie days.
thanks guys
that might have to be my next purchase
i am using rc now but the dvd would be better for my bag setup
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As long as you had something applying pressure (block of foam, properly sized wooden dummy battery etc) to make sure there is contact that should work.
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Couldn't you just use one of these and add a DVD baterry plug? You would have to reverse the polarity on the dvd batery side, right?
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062219#
(http://www.thesciencefair.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/9VLeadSide1604_31_M.jpg)
I've done exactly that using two of those clips to power two CA-UGLYs for long multi-day festivals off one 9V DVD batt. Just reverse polarity on the 9V clip leads to the DVD plug.
[edit- had some distortion issues at higher levels that day, not sure yet if it was related to powering two UGLYs off one DVD battery or not.. the issue may have been an incorrect input gain setting on the recorder. I suggest looking farther into it before trying to use a DVD battery with these. In anycase, the 9V clips worked great.]
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Has anyone thought of running a littlebox from a Tekkeon yet? And if so, what do you think run time would be (AKG460s) from a double-pack?
Still shopping around for a new pre, and weighing the options with the $$$ I've already spent on batteries :)