Paul_R Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 So, a small debate that I have discussed recently..A fair number of years ago when I had 'professional' experience, I was always taught to change the batteries before every show. I guess this was partly down to the cost was not worth the risk of a flat battery mid performance... What is the considered current opinion with perhaps more 'modern' equipment? Sennheiser G2 Packs using Procell AA batteries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ynot Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 And as I was the other half of Paul's debate, I'll stick my ten penn'orth in first. :) I don't really feel it's necessarily a matter of professionalism (though of course I could be wrong). My personal view is that it's down to experience with the tools - ie in this case the mics.We've run EW100's for many years at our venue, and I can't remember the last time we didn't get at least 2 performances out of either the 9v G1s or the AA G2s.In fact a recent show which used 8 G2 lav packs managed 3 shows and STILL had 2 ars left on the batt display. I've heard some am-dram noise boys insist on changing every night (as with last week's show, which prompted the debate) and also pros who are happy to run a minimum of two nights per. So - as Paul says - what does the rank and file do here?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sound Juice Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 every other show for me, never risked 3, but I'm sure they'd last it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob_Beech Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 I used to be a replace every show sort of person, however, I've realised that when my shows are sometimes only an hour or just over, it's quite wasteful on batteries. I use 300 series G2's for the record. Procell AA's. I don't really know how many shows they do, as they do other stuff in between and sound checks. I'm much more lenient on it than I used to be. Sometimes 4 or 5 or even 6 shows at an hour long. It really depends. I'll NEVER start a show on 1 bar. I'll happily start a show on 2 bars as I know that even if it drops to 1 bar after the 3rd bar of the opening number, it'll last me a couple of hours, though if the show was in 2 1 hour sets, I'd obviously change inbetween sets. On dry hire, I send them out with whatever batteries are in them unless otherwise agreed. Sometimes they'll come back completely flat, sometimes without batteries. I always send them out with batteries that at least power the unit on. Ideal for soundchecks. I state to the hirer that the batteries are for this purpose only and aren't guaranteed. If they come back with procells in them I'm happy to use them as I need to. If they come back with cheap batteries in them I dispose of them as I cannot guarantee the amount of time between 2 bars and 1 bar. Quite alot to think about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pingue110489 Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 We've just done a week long show, and we changed them every other performance. Even with cheap and cheerful B&Q batteries, they never went below 2 bars, though I'm now always reluctant to start a show with anything other than full bars, as it seems my life used to consist completely of running after actors backstage when batteries started failing mid-show...(Normally using some of the cheaper Sennheiser lapel packs) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trunker Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 I've got Sennheiser G2 300 series, I only use Procell AA and change them after 2 shows, even though the batteries are still on 2 bars and I could get another show out of them. Is it worth the risk? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobbsy Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 It depends on the show. For a one-off corporate event, they get new batteries. They're paying for them anyway and there's no sense taking the slightest risk since it's hard to know the exact age of the battery in the mic unless you put it there yourself. However, for theatre runs I'd have a "battery change schedule" which would basically be every second show. I'd know that, with a new Procell AA, my TX packs would deliver an absolute minimum of 9 hours (usually nearer 11 hours). I'd also know that, even starting to mike up at the beginning of cast call (an hour before curtain) and allowing a half hour of messing around at the end, each show would only use 4 hours. That's enough margin for me, especially as I trained my A2s to keep of note of when batteries went in and when they were changed. It's worth saying that a feature I liked on my old Sony mic system was a battery timer that could be zeroed when you did a change...you'd always know how long a pack had been on in the rare case where one was left switched on overnight or something. Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris4monitors Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 I was given the advice many years ago which I still adhere to now.Dont lose a £1000 a week gig for a £2 battery that someone else is paying for !Change them every show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djw1981 Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 I guess it is easier with the newer kit with battery info displayed on the receiver. The older kit which has a 'solid' LED for good battery and a 'flashing LED' for a low one has always worried me as to how long it will last on 'flashing'. We used to change ones at Church weekly - thus aiming for 2x 90 minute services. Recently we have been getting 2 weeks (or 4x 90 minute services) out of each one. However when someone tried the 3rd week, they died mid sermon.... slightly embarrassing all round. So I think we will be going back to just the 2 weeks per battery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamcoppard Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 We generally change them every show (300 G2's on AA), but, whatever we use the night before, will be on for all day that next day sorting out cues and practicing etc (school production). We've never run one pair for two nights, we just buy enough batteries to last the entire run (and as my payment, I get to keep all the 'dead' Procells that come out of them, so I've accumulated about 300 AA batteries over two years, with hardly anything taken out of them!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeremy MLS Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 Up until last year we would use new batteries for show nights, and then the half depleted ones for rehearsals. However last year we made the move to rechargeable AA's in our 12 Shure transmitters and while occasionally they do a matinee and evening performance on the same day, they usually just get used for one performance and then put on the charge overnight. We saved a huge amount of AA's over the year in our 15 mics, so the change to rechargeables was well worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob_Beech Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 Agreed about corporate stuff. And the AGE of a battery. I guess most people here are looking more towards the theatre side of things, whereas I tend to do more rock n roll gigs (all be it mostly IN theatres). So the shows are generally set lengths, no much more than a couple of hours in total plus a sound check. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobbsy Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 Agreed about corporate stuff. And the AGE of a battery. I guess most people here are looking more towards the theatre side of things, whereas I tend to do more rock n roll gigs (all be it mostly IN theatres). So the shows are generally set lengths, no much more than a couple of hours in total plus a sound check. Yeah. I guess the best answer to this question comes down to the predictability of the situation. The battery life for a given microphone/battery combination is very consistant in my experience so, when you're in the world of theatre where, during a run, each performance is pretty well identical. In those circumstances, there's no real extra safety in the "fresh battery every time" theory. On the other hand where the mics are rented for the day, the show length is variable...and you don't know where the battery came from...then, yeah, I'll put a new one in every time. Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlyfarly Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 I do a full show on new batteries and the next soundcheck, then fresh batteries for the show for the Shure PSM600's as they are rather hungry on batteries and I don't want to risk the IEM's dying mid show but the KSM9/UHF-R is much more generous...3 shows really but I do 2 shows and a soundcheck to be on the safe side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smalljoshua Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 I am currently running EW100 G2s on 3 shows per set of Procells. Even with this there are still 2 bars left on the battery meters. On the other hand, I have a Freeport that will just about last 3 hours on a GP Alkaline Battery. Josh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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