Topic: Sony D7/D8 Battery Pack

[Bri]

Sony D7/D8 Battery Pack



PROBLEM:  AA Batteries don't last very long (usually around 2 to 4 hours in a D8).
SOLUTION:  Make a power supply that utilizes D cells and lasts around 15 hours.



"Cool," you say, "So what do I do? Just jam some D batteries into my deck?"

Pretty close...

Actually, this is breeze easy, but I have to say this for our own good: I can't be liable for anything that happens to you or your deck as a result of using these plands to build and use the battery pack described. Ok?

These plans are pretty much aimed at Sony D8 users, though with minor modifications they'll work with other decks. For more detailed instructions on building a similar pack for a Sony D-100 or an M-1, check out Charlie B's battery pack page.


Parts List
The following is a list of parts that can be purchased at a Radio Shack. I assume that you already have electrical tape. Also, the two conductor wire should be something you can find lying around. If not, you can buy some, but almost any two conductor wire will do (i.e. lamp cords, speaker wire, etc.)

Description Part Number Qty Price Total
Battery Holder (Holds 4 D-Cells) 270-396 1 1.79 1.79
DC Barrel plug (Sony style) 270-1575 1 2.99 2.99
Two conductor wire n/a few feet free free
Total: $4.78


Plans

Strip both ends of the two conductor wire.
Twist together one lead of the wire to the red wire on the battery holder. Take a look at your two conductor wire. Most of the time, there's a stripe, writing or texture on one lead, while the other is plain. The lead with the stripe is usually used for positive signals, so you can use that lead to connect to the red wire on the battery holder.
Twist the other lead (of the same end of the wire) to the black wire on the battery holder.
Attatch the lead with the stripe (connected to the red wire of the battery holder) to the center post of the Sony plug.
Attatch the lead without the stripe (connected to the black wire of the battery holder) to the terminal that's for the outside of the Sony plug.
Tape up these connections, load it with batteries, and plug it into your deck.
If your deck is not powered, disconnect the pack right away. Check all your connections and double check that the red wire's signal gets to the center of the Sony plug and the black wire's signal gets to the outside of the Sony plug.
Use your deck for 10 to 15 hours without running out of juice!
Now there is one drawback to this: You don't have a battery meter anymore, because the deck thinks you're using power from the wall. This means that during the second set as the band breaks into "Just a Rose", your batteries might go dead.

To play it safe, when I buy new batteries, I use them for two shows- about 6 hours, and then use them up at band practice (usually 4 to 8 more hours). I never use them for more than two actual shows, just in case I happen to get bunky batteries, which has happened to me before. Even still, this means you wind up spending about half as much on battereis as you used to!

I hope this has been helpful. If you have any questions or comments just give me a yell.

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 Matthew Heydman
This page was last updated 5/23/00