Sennheiser Bodypack

[Prohias]

I have bought 4 of Sennheisers 300-serie bodypacks and regular rechargable Ni-MH batteries.

I then noticed the following in the manual :

 

The accupack (Sennheiser's) is fitted with an integrated sensor which is – via a third contact – monitored by the electronics of the transmitter and the charger.

The sensor is necessary for the following control purposes:

 

The taking into account of the different voltage characteristics of

primary cells (batteries) and accupacks. The battery status indications

on the displays, the transmission of transmitter battery status

information to the rack-mount receivers and the switch-off thresholds

at the end of the operating time are corrected correspondingly.

 

 

- The problem is of course that normal batteries are 1,5V and rechargeable batteries are 1,2V. This results in the batteryindicator dropping from 3 to 2 marks after ten minutes. Sennheisers expensive accupack obviously tells the transmitter to adjust the thresholds...

 

- I am currently testing how long the batteries will last before they shut down. Maybe it's no problem at all. Anyone had any experience with this ?

 

- I was thinking I could fool the transmitter in some way. Anyone with an original accupack that could provide some information ?? Maybe a picture of the connection side(s).

[yanish]

The problem with rechargable batteries is as you have said they are .3 point 3 volts weaker wich can be a problem and they tend to die out in one go unlike regular batteries wich gradually get weaker therefor letting you know that they are about to die.

My advice would be to use rechargables in rehersals or for shory work times only and use regualr batteries for all important things.

[david.elsbury]

Take a look at the Theatre-Sound archive for this month, it has some info on rechargable batteries in wireless gear. The topic title is "Rechargables" and this is the first post.

 

As far as I am aware, using high-capacity batteries is not a problem. I would happily run rechargables in my wireless if I could get these high-capacity ones.

It's a lot friendlier on the environment too, and all that.

 

HTH

David

[Jivemaster]

There was a military practise of using rechargables for excersises and primary cells for the real thing, but that was with NiCd cells with AAs at 500mAh now with NiMH AAs at 2+Ah prob less benefit.

[ben.suffolk]

For what its worth, I use the EW300's (not the new G2's, so using PP3's, not AA's) and check the strength at the beginning of a performance, if they are not reading full (the original EW300's, show only full, 1/2, and 1 bar) I always put new alkaline batteries in.

 

I keep the 'half strength' ones for practice etc. I have been stung with rechargeable batteries in the past (not with the EW series though) and for the minimal cost of a battery I'm just not prepared to be stung again.

 

Its also interesting to note the EW300 IEM (again original, not G2) eats the batteries far quicker than the transmitters do. Which intuitively seems wrong, although I guess it is powering the earphones, but still you would have though a transmitter would use far more power than a receiver.

 

Ben