Bad batteries??

Stratcat77 · #1 11-13-2016, 08:09 AM

I had a first at a gig last night. My Taylor 314ce started sounding funny, so I checked the battery and it was dying, so I changed it with a new one. As always, I did the "lick test" to confirm it was hot. I plugged back in to my rig and had no signal. I started checking everything and couldn't resolve the problem. I bipassed my pedals and plugged straight in - nothing.

So I ended up trying a different battery and it came back to life!?!?

Has this happened to anyone else? Both were Duracells. Makes no sense to me.

Wyllys · #2 11-13-2016, 09:47 AM

New or "different"? Did you lick it again when you took it out?

I use a battery tester that measures under load to check my stock (PA business with lots of wireless stuff). A good one is $30-$40 and handy to have around for general use.

Stratcat77 · #3 11-13-2016, 10:27 AM

New and yeah, I licked it after taking it out. ?

SpruceTop · #4 11-13-2016, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wyllys

New or "different"? Did you lick it again when you took it out?

I use a battery tester that measures under load to check my stock (PA business with lots of wireless stuff). A good one is $30-$40 and handy to have around for general use.

Excellent Suggestion! I recently had a 5-year-old car battery die, and it tested okay without a load, but under a load it wasn't. I bought a new one and, of course, problem solved!

jseth · #5 11-13-2016, 03:39 PM

I'm no electrical engineer, but I have heard (several times, from reliable sources) that the practice of "licking the battery to test charge" is a GREAT WAY to actually DRAIN your batteries long before their time!

Like you, I've done this for decades and never had a clue that I was costing myself battery life...

So now I don't do that!

lkingston · #6 11-13-2016, 06:33 PM

Just want to mention that I have worked as a soundman for many years and licked a lot of batteries. A couple of years ago I was surprised when I found that I no longer had any parts of the tip of my round that could still feel the charge. I switched to a small battery meter and am happy to report that eventually the ability to feel came back to my whole tongue. I still use the tester though... at least when I have it!

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

LSemmens · #7 11-13-2016, 09:00 PM

The lick test will only tell that there is some charge, not how much. A brand new dry cell that has been sitting on the shelf for years is unlikely to perform any better than the battery you just pulled out.

I always use a power supply plugged into my pedals and change the battery in my guitar with a known (and tested with a meter) good one if I am planning on using it regularly anyway. (It is very light on batteries so I don't usually get caught.)

jaybones · #8 11-13-2016, 10:52 PM

I picked up a battery tester for free (it was a prize for a kayak poker run I volunteered for, was windy that day and less than half the people who preregistered came out). Afterward, the other volunteers divided up what was left.

So, I keep it in my road case.

The other day I was rehearsing for a small performance at church, plugged in my acoustic electric and didn't have any sound. Pressed the test button, and had an OK LED lights.

Popped the battery out, and did the lick test, said "Well, that one's dead." The older lady I was performing with said "You could tell it was a dead battery by tasting it?"

I explained that by touching your tongue to the contacts you complete the circuit, and can feel a tingle if the battery is good. She didn't believe me, and I gave her the old one and a brand new one to test.

She stuck the old one against her tongue, said "I don't really feel anything", then stuck the new one against her tongue, really pressed it against it like she had with the old one. Jumped, and said "Wow! That'll get your attention, wakes you up better than a cup of coffee!"

That said, there's power supply that has a sag function, to simulate a dying battery. Supposed to make certain pedals (distortion, fuzz) sound better.

Stratcat77 · #9 11-16-2016, 09:09 PM

So... I figured it out!

Taylor designs their battery holder so that you can't insert it backwards.

The negative side is smaller so it doesn't allow the larger positive post to fit if inserted backwards..

Well, that was always the case before. The new Duracell batteries have a modified smaller positive post and guess what.

MikeBmusic · #10 11-17-2016, 08:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stratcat77

So... I figured it out!

Taylor designs their battery holder so that you can't insert it backwards.

The negative side is smaller so it doesn't allow the larger positive post to fit if inserted backwards..

Well, that was always the case before. The new Duracell batteries have a modified smaller positive post and guess what.

I have put batteries in the "wrong" way so many times I can't count - so now, whether it is a guitar or camera or remote control, 9v, AA, or 'button', I have the replacement out of the package, ready to go in, remove the old battery, noting orientation, then immediately put the new battery in the same way. If I wait a minute (don't get the new battery out of the package first, for example), I'll inevitably forget which way it goes in!

El Conquistador · #11 11-17-2016, 11:03 AM

I have no, zero, nada, batteries in my signal chain. I am very happy.

Steve