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Excessive Battery Use

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 geoo
(@geoo)
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Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 2801
Topic starter  

So, a few weeks ago my guitar started making this static noise. I did some troubleshooting with the cables and eventually replaced the battery. Fixed the problem. Next week, same scenario. Today.. Once again.. Three 9v batteries in three weeks.

Generally I play my guitar on Sunday mornings. Again on Monday and that is about it. I play my acoustic the rest of the week. I never leave my cable plugged into the guitar. I dont understand why I am going through so many batteries. Also, I dont use cheap batteries. Name brands.

Any thoughts?

“The hardest thing in life is to know which bridge to cross and which to burn” - David Russell (Scottish classical Guitarist. b.1942)


   
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(@steve-0)
Noble Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 1162
 

Do you leave a cable plugged into either the input or the output jack of the effect pedal? If you leave the cable plugged into one of these jacks (most of the time it's the input), the battery remains connected to the circuit even when you turn the switch off, so you're draining power from the battery even if you're not playing.

Steve-0


   
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 geoo
(@geoo)
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Topic starter  

No, actually this is the battery for my guitar. But still, I dont leave the cable in there.

“The hardest thing in life is to know which bridge to cross and which to burn” - David Russell (Scottish classical Guitarist. b.1942)


   
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(@mrodgers)
Trusted Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 75
 

Might be a stupid question, but.... what guitars have a battery? I've never heard of a guitar having a battery. Where would the battery be and how would I know if mine has a battery?


   
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(@daven)
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Joined: 15 years ago
Posts: 184
 

Acoustic/Electric with a preamp.


   
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 geoo
(@geoo)
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Topic starter  

Yeah, and Schecter C1 EAs.. I think its powers the piezo pickup.. not sure.

“The hardest thing in life is to know which bridge to cross and which to burn” - David Russell (Scottish classical Guitarist. b.1942)


   
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(@trguitar)
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Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 3709
 

Electric guitars with active pickups take a 9 volt battery. I am puzzled. Only thing I can think of is there maybe a short in the jack so that even though the guitar is unplugged the electronics are still on? My guitar with active pickups only gets played off and on but I've had the same 9 volt in there for over a year.

"Work hard, rock hard, eat hard, sleep hard,
grow big, wear glasses if you need 'em."
-- The Webb Wilder Credo --


   
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 geoo
(@geoo)
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Topic starter  

Hey TR. I hadnt thought of a short. That might explain all that staticy noise too... hum.. I hope your wrong. I'm not even sure how i would check that myself. Might be a trip to the guitar shop

“The hardest thing in life is to know which bridge to cross and which to burn” - David Russell (Scottish classical Guitarist. b.1942)


   
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(@greybeard)
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Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 5840
 

The jack socket occurred to me. There is a contact, that is made when you push the jack plug in and it switches the amp or whatever on. If that is bent into the on position, you'd have guitar permanently switched on.

I started with nothing - and I've still got most of it left.
Did you know that the word "gullible" is not in any dictionary?
Greybeard's Pages
My Articles & Reviews on GN


   
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 geoo
(@geoo)
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Topic starter  

So, for the benefit of someone that might end up with this problem in the future i am going to SUCK UP MY PRIDE and let you know what I have found.

I asked my guitar teacher last night cause he has a very similar guitar. He said "Have you been switching your piezo off?" I said, "You mean unplugging the cable?" He said, "No, the little switch down here.. switching it off when yuo are done playing" and my face turned red.

I dont understand why it started happening after two years. I dont know if I just had it turned off all the time, or I got lucky, or maybe cause I didnt play it as much as I have been lately.. but it could very well be the reason I was eatting up the earths source of batteries..

Go ahead and laugh. But blowing coke onto your monitor is your own fault.

Jim

“The hardest thing in life is to know which bridge to cross and which to burn” - David Russell (Scottish classical Guitarist. b.1942)


   
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(@gnease)
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Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 5038
 

don't feel bad about this. I'm surprised it has a separate switch that requires one to consciously turn it on/off. a designer slept through his/her human factors studies.

-=tension & release=-


   
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(@trguitar)
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A switch huh? Thats different.

"Work hard, rock hard, eat hard, sleep hard,
grow big, wear glasses if you need 'em."
-- The Webb Wilder Credo --


   
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(@greybeard)
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Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 5840
 

Don't feel bad, my wife had exactly the same problem with a new mobile phone.

I started with nothing - and I've still got most of it left.
Did you know that the word "gullible" is not in any dictionary?
Greybeard's Pages
My Articles & Reviews on GN


   
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