Sound Advice by Leon Sievers Sound Professional September 24, 2006
– BATTERIES
Wireless microphone manufacturers
specify alkaline batteries. A fresh alkaline battery will run a wireless
transmitter (depending on the system manufacturer) from eight to sixteen
hours. Most wireless microphones will stop working when the battery is
below 6.5 volts. An alkaline nine volt cell will often start out at about
9.4 volts and has a great deal of storage capacity. Most of the time it
does not matter if you use Duracell, Eveready Energizer, Ray-O-Vac Alkaline,
Radio Shack Alkaline, Giant, CVS or any other store alkaline battery. Always
have several on hand. You can get them at many discount warehouse stores
for as little as $1.25 in quantity. I have found as much as 25% failure
rate in the top brands (dead or low voltage). If one does not work try
another before calling for service. Do not use the 79-cent carbon zinc
battery. It will only last about twenty minutes. The “heavy duty” (beefed
up C/Zn battery) may last thirty minutes. Many people ask about rechargeable.
You have to be careful. It is allowed, but not recommended. Use only rechargeable
nickel-cadmium (NiCad) batteries that are marked 8.2 volts or higher. NiCads
will only run a microphone for about two hours. As they age NiCads build
up “memory” if they are not completely discharged every time before recharging.
As a result what may last for two hours today may only last one hour in
six months and forty minutes in a year. I recommend having two batteries
per transmitter, essentially leaving the transmitter on after the last
use and switching batteries from the charger only when you are about to
use the microphone again. Recharging may take as long as twelve hours.
We have not yet tested rechargeable alkaline batteries with wireless microphones.
Therefore I recommend using only normal alkaline cells in all battery operated
equipment.
Quick tech tip
If you look on a rechargable battery it will usuallyhave an amp rating. for small batteries it normally willbe milli-amps.(ex=150mah)Our church was using 125mahbatteries but was suffering short useage times. We nowuse 150mah and the p...more
Submitted by: Jeff Peterson Location: Charleston S.C.
9 volt rechargables
There is also a 9.6 volt rechargable avalible from several locations on the web that are much more comparable to the voltages of a 9-volt alkaline. However you also need to charge these with a charger putting out 12vdc.http://www.nimhbattery.com/9...more
Submitted by: Mike Location: Loomis, ca
Rechargeable batteries
It is true that most NiCd "9-volt" batteries are only 7.2 volts (six cells in series inside) and will not run a wireless mic for long. Use the 8.4-volt (seven-cell) types. NiMH is definitely a better choice as these offer 150% or better the capacity ...more
Submitted by: Kenneth W. Reighard Location: McMurray, PA
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