Duracell vs. The Others

[Disquieter]

freezing coffee is bad, it ruins the flavor.

coffee should be kept in room temp, low humidity, and in the dark.


the beans when roasted should last several weeks, the grounds you want to use in the first week....

 

[Golem]

I don't buy Duracells. I buy either way up or way down from Duracells. Some of my 'utility basses' have the $1 alkalines from WalMart, but my best stuff can have a $25 pair of lithium 9v in it.

At $13 a pop lithiums do NOT last 13X longer than the $1 batteries but they do last about as long as $13 worth of Duracells or any other "full price" 9v alkaline.

The reason I'm willing to spend the upfront cost to barely break even [vs Duracells etc] is mainly because lithium batteris never leak corrosive muck into your ax [or any device]. The convenience of fewer battery changes is only a secondary benefit.

Some semi technical but also practical stuff: Most types of batteries have better shelf in unused [full capacity] condition. IOW, a fresh batch of batteries may have a 5yr shelf life and a 10 hour 'test life' running some test device until exhaustion. This batch will give 10 hours today, next year, and 5 years from now. However ...... if you use up 2 hours [out of 10] running your test device, you cannot get the other 8 hrs from that battery in 5 yrs. It will probably be dead. You can't get the other 8 hrs in 6 to 12 months. You might get half of the remaining 8 hrs when testing 6 to 12 months later.

Lithium batteries are not like most types of batteries. They have almost indefinite shelf life when fresh and unused, and are nearly immune to disproportionate reductions in shelf life or service life when partly used up. In a low drain application like an onboard preamp, this is as close to immortality as it gets.

 

[strummer]

If I read you correctly, you replace batteries that you know are most likely to prove perfectly serviceable, because you're bored, and when you're bored you dig a quick buzz on the tongue ?

Sounds like a party

I use cheap ikea batteries. They work ok.

 

[strummer]

How about storing coffee in the freezer?
Any reason for that? is that good/bad?

You should ideally store coffee in room temperature and darkness. Coffee stored in the freezer (ground or beans) will not have the full flavour.

 

[Musicman Nut]

How about storing coffee in the freezer?
Any reason for that? is that good/bad?


sorry to change the subject but you fellas
are so wise

I also keep crazy glue in the "beer"
fridge - I do not know why. .

I Find that Duracells Push your bass over the edge, Like makes it go too 11, that bit more we all need.

 

[midopa]

I loooove cold coffee. I haven't noticed any loss of flavor, but then again I'm no coffee connoisseur.

 

[Mr Light]

Here is a battery experiment with results.......you would be surprised to see that batteries at room temp last 11.5 minutes longer....


http://www.usc.edu/CSSF/History/2003/Projects/J0704.pdf

Hey,

Thanks for sharing this link with us. It's kind of a relief to know that someone took a serious stab at trying to help the consumer validate whether or not their choice in batteries (and how to store them) are beneficial. Storing batteries in the fridge, I thought, was one of those old wise-tales that was passed down, but there was no proof whether or not it worked, so I always bought them when needed.

I think what Golem mentioned about lithium batteries not leaking is also a potential issue that I never really thought about. Has anyone experienced leakage into their basses from batteries?

 

[Figjam]

If I read you correctly, you replace batteries that you know are most likely to prove perfectly serviceable, because you're bored, and when you're bored you dig a quick buzz on the tongue ?

You've all been there. Being bored is part of being an adolescent. Boredness and restlessness are normal and expected.

.

But no i was slightly exaggerating/being facetious. By being bored i meant that i change it when i cant remember the last time i changed it was, just out of precaution.

 

[Adwex]

I don't buy Duracells. I buy either way up or way down from Duracells. Some of my 'utility basses' have the $1 alkalines from WalMart, but my best stuff can have a $25 pair of lithium 9v in it.

At $13 a pop lithiums do NOT last 13X longer than the $1 batteries but they do last about as long as $13 worth of Duracells or any other "full price" 9v alkaline.

The reason I'm willing to spend the upfront cost to barely break even [vs Duracells etc] is mainly because lithium batteris never leak corrosive muck into your ax [or any device]. The convenience of fewer battery changes is only a secondary benefit.

Some semi technical but also practical stuff: Most types of batteries have better shelf in unused [full capacity] condition. IOW, a fresh batch of batteries may have a 5yr shelf life and a 10 hour 'test life' running some test device until exhaustion. This batch will give 10 hours today, next year, and 5 years from now. However ...... if you use up 2 hours [out of 10] running your test device, you cannot get the other 8 hrs from that battery in 5 yrs. It will probably be dead. You can't get the other 8 hrs in 6 to 12 months. You might get half of the remaining 8 hrs when testing 6 to 12 months later.

Lithium batteries are not like most types of batteries. They have almost indefinite shelf life when fresh and unused, and are nearly immune to disproportionate reductions in shelf life or service life when partly used up. In a low drain application like an onboard preamp, this is as close to immortality as it gets.

Wow, great info, never knew all that.

 

[maddog]

When I was young and impressionable I was informed that storing batteries in the fridge slowed down the chemical reaction that generates the electricity thereby extending the useful life of the battery. That may have been true in the younger days of battery technology and has since changed with them new fangled ones. Either that or somebody thought they'd be an arm-chair battery-ologist and made it up because it sounded good. He is probably laughing about my use of the butter tray to this very day.

 

[strummer]

When I was young and impressionable I was informed that storing batteries in the fridge slowed down the chemical reaction that generates the electricity thereby extending the useful life of the battery. That may have been true in the younger days of battery technology and has since changed with them new fangled ones. Either that or somebody thought they'd be an arm-chair battery-ologist and made it up because it sounded good. He is probably laughing about my use of the butter tray to this very day.

I have mine in the fridge as well. There have always been batteries in the fridge, and there always will be. How else would we remember where they were? All the important stuff is in the fridge, except the special cryogenic strings that are resting in liquid nitrogen.

However, the life span test makes me less worried about the 4 poor 9 v batteries that always are in my gig bag.

Maybe i'll stop putting my mobile phone in the fridge at night, too...

 

[phatduckk]

You should ideally store coffee in room temperature and darkness.

ya the freezer thing for coffee is BS ...

 

[Mahlon]

But cold kills a car battery......

 

[Golem]

But cold kills a car battery......

It's not dead. It's only sleeping. Maybe hibernating.

 

[Mobay45]

But cold kills a car battery......

Totally different animal. Car batteries are lead-acid batteries filled with water. Even though they are sealed, they are still basically the same as they've been for years.

Extreme cold or heat can kill a car battery. We probably have more problems with car batteries in the summer than we ever do in the winter here in Dallas.

 

[koogie2k]

Hey,

Thanks for sharing this link with us. It's kind of a relief to know that someone took a serious stab at trying to help the consumer validate whether or not their choice in batteries (and how to store them) are beneficial. Storing batteries in the fridge, I thought, was one of those old wise-tales that was passed down, but there was no proof whether or not it worked, so I always bought them when needed.

I think what Golem mentioned about lithium batteries not leaking is also a potential issue that I never really thought about. Has anyone experienced leakage into their basses from batteries?

No problem....

Man Golem.....you never cease to amaze me with all your great info....I feel like I'm back in school......your posts are very informative.....thanks man!

 

[Golem]

No problem....

Man Golem.....you never cease to amaze me with all your great info....I feel like I'm back in school......your posts are very informative.....thanks man!

I think since the "leakless" aspect has such legs that I should be more specific.

I learned a bit about batteries cuz my day job for many years was as a photographer. Lithium batteries were widely appreciated for never leaking and mucking up the battery chamber on the camera. The makers have issued no white papers etc on this, so it's widely shared empirical info from users. IOW, lithiums are the most leak resistant, and appear to users to be leakproof, but no one has guaranteed this. Since cost is close to break-even vs Duracells, I consider them cheap insurance. In a camera they "never" leak.

Suppose you improperly solder something in your bass but don't test it til tomorrow. And your mistake results in a dead short across the battery. Is an overheated dead shorted lith 9v fully leakproof in every scenario? There is no absolute proof that it will be. But in normal use they are, as I said, cheap insurance.

 

[dlloyd]

Sounds like a party

I use cheap ikea batteries. They work ok.

You have Ikea in Sweden too???

 

[Mr Light]

Totally different animal. Car batteries are lead-acid batteries filled with water. Even though they are sealed, they are still basically the same as they've been for years.

Extreme cold or heat can kill a car battery. We probably have more problems with car batteries in the summer than we ever do in the winter here in Dallas.

I tip my hat to you... I visited my uncle who lives in Heath one summer... Dallas in July, absolutely insane! I thought Las Vegas was hot.

 

[Mr Light]

I think since the "leakless" aspect has such legs that I should be more specific.

I learned a bit about batteries cuz my day job for many years was as a photographer. Lithium batteries were widely appreciated for never leaking and mucking up the battery chamber on the camera. The makers have issued no white papers etc on this, so it's widely shared empirical info from users. IOW, lithiums are the most leak resistant, and appear to users to be leakproof, but no one has guaranteed this. Since cost is close to break-even vs Duracells, I consider them cheap insurance. In a camera they "never" leak.

Suppose you improperly solder something in your bass but don't test it til tomorrow. And your mistake results in a dead short across the battery. Is an overheated dead shorted lith 9v fully leakproof in every scenario? There is no absolute proof that it will be. But in normal use they are, as I said, cheap insurance.

Cheap Insurance,

Not a bad way of looking at it.