LR Baggs and rechargeable 9v batteries.

[Lkingston]

Rechargeable batteries have really improved over the past couple of years to the point where I feel pretty comfortable using them. With 9v batteries, there are several variations: lithium, regular NiMH which are actually 7.2v and 8.4v and 9.6v variations. There are also some LSD (low self discharge) batteries which can hold their charge for months or years at a time. I use different battery types depending on the current draw of the device. For instance, I have a reverb delay pedal that draws quite a bit of power so I use a freshly charged lithium 9.6v for each gig. The lithium has about double the mAh rating. On the other hand, my Tech 21 SansAmp Para DI sips power so I use a LSD 9.6v Imedion and only recharge it once in a long while when the LED dims.

My guess is that that same LSD 9.6 Imedion battery would be the best choice for my LR Baggs Session DI as well since the current draw is also minimal and there is a battery test function.

My question is if anyone at LR Baggs would see a problem with the extra .6 volts on a freshly charged 9.6v battery?

How about in LR Baggs guitar pickups and other LR Baggs pedals?

[Caleb_Elling]

Most off-the-shelf batteries come with a charge of 9v up to 9.8 (that I've seen). I've never noticed any negative effect on any Baggs product from the extra voltage on a new battery.

If you're comfortable using rechargeable batteries, by all means, go for it!

If you do it for any span of time, report back and let us know how it's working for you. I'm sure a lot of players would love to know.

[Lkingston]

If you take apart a 9v disposable battery, you will see that it's made up of six very narrow cylindrical batteries. In an alkaline battery, these six batteries each have a voltage of 1.5 volts. With a an NiMH formulation, each cell is 1.2 volts instead end of 1.5. 1.2 times six is only 7.2 volts. Oft n this is not enough, so rechargeable battery manufacturers started adding an extra 1.2v cell and cramming it in the same space. These are the 8.4 volt variation. Then they started putting in an eight cell which brought the overallvoltage up to 9.6. Keep in mind that you need a charger that senses the battery type and charges appropriatly.

The two types of rechargeable batteries I use are lithium and NiMH. There are two big advantages to lithium: one is that they hold their charge longer than regular NiMH and the second is that they have about double the mAh rating. Another thing about lithium batteries is that they give full voltage for the life of the charge but then when they fully discharge, it immediately drops from full voltage to nothing without any warning. This means that your battery meter is pretty much useless and if you use them on several gigs between recharges, that they are likely to fail without warning. The same thing is true of disposable lithium batteries by the way. They will last way longer, but when they die, they will go from full to no charge with no warning and any battery metering will be useless.

With this in mind, the best use for a lithium 9v battery is in a high current draw pedal where you want to get through a long gig, but recharge between gigs. I have a Zcat delay/reverb pedal with high current draw that I power with a rechargeable lithium 9.6v. I charge it every time I use it.

A relatively new technology is LSD (low self discharge) batteries. These are usually labeled "pre charged" when you buy them. Regular NiMH batteries are slowly discharging even when you don't use them. An LSD battery also self dish charges but at a much slower rate. After a year in storage, they will still have about 80% of their charge. The overall mAh rating of an LSD battery is typically lower than a regular NiMH, but if you shop around you can find 9.6 LSD NiMH batteries with a respectable mAh rating. Unlike lithium batteries, the charge on these batteries gradually tapers off through the life of a charge, so your battery meter will give you plenty of warning for when you need to recharge.

Thus, a 9.6v LSD NiMH battery is probably the best one to use in something like an LR Baggs Session DI or Venue. It should last a good long time between charges and the battery meter would give you lots of warning when you need to recharge. That's what I am going to use. I just wanted to confirm that 9.6v wouldn't be a problem.

[Caleb_Elling]

That's great information!

Thanks for sharing.

[jlozier]

If you take apart a 9v disposable battery, you will see that it's made up of six very narrow cylindrical batteries. In an alkaline battery, these six batteries each have a voltage of 1.5 volts. With a an NiMH formulation, each cell is 1.2 volts instead end of 1.5. 1.2 times six is only 7.2 volts. Oft n this is not enough, so rechargeable battery manufacturers started adding an extra 1.2v cell and cramming it in the same space. These are the 8.4 volt variation. Then they started putting in an eight cell which brought the overallvoltage up to 9.6. Keep in mind that you need a charger that senses the battery type and charges appropriatly.

The two types of rechargeable batteries I use are lithium and NiMH. There are two big advantages to lithium: one is that they hold their charge longer than regular NiMH and the second is that they have about double the mAh rating. Another thing about lithium batteries is that they give full voltage for the life of the charge but then when they fully discharge, it immediately drops from full voltage to nothing without any warning. This means that your battery meter is pretty much useless and if you use them on several gigs between recharges, that they are likely to fail without warning. The same thing is true of disposable lithium batteries by the way. They will last way longer, but when they die, they will go from full to no charge with no warning and any battery metering will be useless.

With this in mind, the best use for a lithium 9v battery is in a high current draw pedal where you want to get through a long gig, but recharge between gigs. I have a Zcat delay/reverb pedal with high current draw that I power with a rechargeable lithium 9.6v. I charge it every time I use it.

A relatively new technology is LSD (low self discharge) batteries. These are usually labeled "pre charged" when you buy them. Regular NiMH batteries are slowly discharging even when you don't use them. An LSD battery also self dish charges but at a much slower rate. After a year in storage, they will still have about 80% of their charge. The overall mAh rating of an LSD battery is typically lower than a regular NiMH, but if you shop around you can find 9.6 LSD NiMH batteries with a respectable mAh rating. Unlike lithium batteries, the charge on these batteries gradually tapers off through the life of a charge, so your battery meter will give you plenty of warning for when you need to recharge.

Thus, a 9.6v LSD NiMH battery is probably the best one to use in something like an LR Baggs Session DI or Venue. It should last a good long time between charges and the battery meter would give you lots of warning when you need to recharge. That's what I am going to use. I just wanted to confirm that 9.6v wouldn't be a problem.

I never gave that much thought to the batteries that I use. ...great, something new for me to geek out on.