project_c Posted July 17, 2009 Posted July 17, 2009 I know this is probably a bit off topic, but whenever I am forced to buy batteries from ANY corner shop in East London, the batteries are dead - every time. I am sick of getting ripped off by these motherf**kers. Someone in East London is distributing dead batteries at a dirt cheap price to corner shops, which they then sell at full price - it's bullsh!t. It's happened before, it happened twice last night. I know it's just batteries, but you know how annoying it is when you have to stop rehearsal at 11.30pm to go out and get new batteries, only to get back and find you've been sold a dead one. Then you go back to the shop to complain, and the guy tellls you you're not having a refund, because you've opened the packaging and you could be lying and just bringing in an old battery etc etc.. these people are bastards. So my advice is, if you need batteries, avoid corner shops in East London and get them from somewhere reliable, don't get ripped off. Apologies for the rant, I needed to get it out of my system. I feel better now. Quote
Earbrass Posted July 17, 2009 Posted July 17, 2009 Get on to Trading Standards. Don't let the scumbags get away with it. Quote
Spartacus Posted July 17, 2009 Posted July 17, 2009 Always carry a spare, and if you have to buy make sure its a battery with a 'Good Until' date on the packet like Enegizers or Duracells. Quote
youngie Posted July 17, 2009 Posted July 17, 2009 huge bag of dog turd over the owner? then set him on fire? Quote
~tl Posted July 17, 2009 Posted July 17, 2009 These weren't Panasonic batteries by any chance? If so, avoid them like the plague... no matter where you buy them from they're dead. Quote
thumbo Posted July 17, 2009 Posted July 17, 2009 Buy a box of them on ebay! I know thats no help to get out of a situation when you really need a battery for a pedal for a gig or practice that night, but you can save yourself a fair bit of money buying a box of 10 or so. I haven't looked properly but this seems like good value for money at a glance: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/10-x-Duracell-9-Volt-Professional-Alkaline-Batteries_W0QQitemZ320294688596QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_ConsumerElectronics_Batteries_SM?hash=item4a930d1754&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12|66%3A2|39%3A1|72%3A1690|293%3A1|294%3A50"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/10-x-Duracell-9-Volt...93%3A1|294%3A50[/url] Quote
project_c Posted July 17, 2009 Author Posted July 17, 2009 all good advice.. especially like the bag of turd suggestion. i don't live there, i just have to rehearse there unfortunately. i use rechargeables, and that's a whole other rant waiting to happen.. they're Maplin rechargeable batteries, and they are crap. My Boss OC3 eats them less than 2 hours, whereas Duracell usually last for 3 or 4 long rehearsals. The trials and tribulations of batteries... Quote
~tl Posted July 17, 2009 Posted July 17, 2009 [quote name='thumbo' post='543254' date='Jul 17 2009, 02:45 PM']Buy a box of them on ebay! I know thats no help to get out of a situation when you really need a battery for a pedal for a gig or practice that night, but you can save yourself a fair bit of money buying a box of 10 or so. I haven't looked properly but this seems like good value for money at a glance: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/10-x-Duracell-9-Volt-Professional-Alkaline-Batteries_W0QQitemZ320294688596QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_ConsumerElectronics_Batteries_SM?hash=item4a930d1754&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12|66%3A2|39%3A1|72%3A1690|293%3A1|294%3A50"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/10-x-Duracell-9-Volt...93%3A1|294%3A50[/url][/quote] Yeah, I always buy packs of 10 of the Procell ones, they're great. Just bought some from this seller (who's slightly cheaper than the one you linked to), though I've not used them before. I'm sure they'll be fine though! [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160332996870"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=160332996870[/url] Quote
project_c Posted July 17, 2009 Author Posted July 17, 2009 cheers for the links, i'll look into the ebay option. Quote
bumnote Posted July 17, 2009 Posted July 17, 2009 (edited) If you buy rechargables, check the capacity before you buy There have been a lot of advances in batteries recently and they do vary a lot. Most AA batteries now are 2500 mAh or above and pp3 above 250 but its not that long ago they were much less. Check the ones that you use you might find its worth getting some new ones Edited July 17, 2009 by bumnote Quote
thepurpleblob Posted July 17, 2009 Posted July 17, 2009 (edited) Costco - cheapest place for bulk Duracells BTW... rechargeables are not a good bet for low current drain applications (e.g. active bass). They also run down all by themselves very quickly. Edited July 17, 2009 by thepurpleblob Quote
xgsjx Posted July 17, 2009 Posted July 17, 2009 I feel your pain on this. 2 options... Trading standards as said before, or Superglue in the locks of the scumbags' shop shutters when they're down. Quote
thepurpleblob Posted July 17, 2009 Posted July 17, 2009 [quote name='xgsjx' post='543338' date='Jul 17 2009, 04:14 PM']I feel your pain on this. 2 options... Trading standards as said before, or Superglue in the locks of the scumbags' shop shutters when they're down.[/quote] and/or BlueTac - there's no solvent for it Quote
RhysP Posted July 17, 2009 Posted July 17, 2009 [quote name='thepurpleblob' post='543323' date='Jul 17 2009, 03:57 PM']BTW... rechargeables are not a good bet for low current drain applications (e.g. active bass). They also run down all by themselves very quickly.[/quote] Some bass manufacturers state that rechargeable batteries should not be used for their active circuits. Quote
mrcrow Posted July 17, 2009 Posted July 17, 2009 stock up with online purchases post free if poss and good prices i take it you use PP3 always keep a spare for the spare...boy scout motto regarding these corner shops..very nasty work Quote
Spartacus Posted July 17, 2009 Posted July 17, 2009 Sounds like a 9V power supply might, just might, be a good idea? Quote
bumnote Posted July 17, 2009 Posted July 17, 2009 I think you need to be selective with rechargeables as a previous poster said, rechargeable loose their charge over time. I never use re chargeables in active basses, or anything else where a conventional battery lasts for months. In my stomp box, vol pedal and various switches I use the high capacity ultralife lithium, in my basses duracell or similar I use rechargeables in my transmitter receiver, cameras etc, radios etc. where the drain wil be sufficient to drain a significant amount after one use, and then charge them Quote
Cat Burrito Posted July 17, 2009 Posted July 17, 2009 I say this from experience of working in partnership with Trading Standards but they are extremely unlikely to be interested in dead batteries. I'm not saying it's right but with the resources they have, they have bigger fish to fry quite frankly. Stock up with spares from decent shops and problem solved. I always carry spare stuff for these emergencies - especially as I hate string prices in rehearsal studios! Quote
project_c Posted July 18, 2009 Author Posted July 18, 2009 Yep, I think the stock-up option is probably the best idea for gigs. I'll have a look at Costco, Duracell batteries seem to last longest in my experience. I accidentally left my OC3 - which seems to drain most power for some reason - on for 3 hours earlier tonight during (and after) a gig, and with a brand new Duracell battery it was still happy after all that time. Power supplies are great but there's been so many gigs recently where I couldn't use them because of extra noise from ground loops, even in some decent venues (such as Cargo) it's a problem. I guess PSU's for rehearsals, and batteries for gigs will be the way to go. Cheers for all the good advice. Quote
xgsjx Posted July 18, 2009 Posted July 18, 2009 Just a thought... Would a virtual psu work on an active bass? That is assuming you had room in the cavity for it or it had a long enough wire for you to put it on the strap! It's something I've never tried (only due to not owning a virtual psu). Quote
Mr. Foxen Posted July 18, 2009 Posted July 18, 2009 Check the batteries with you tongue or lower lip before you leave the shop. Quote
Spartacus Posted July 18, 2009 Posted July 18, 2009 [quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='543786' date='Jul 18 2009, 09:18 AM']Check the batteries with you tongue or lower lip before you leave the shop.[/quote] Even better get the shop owner to check them. Like Russian roulette with PP3s Quote
~tl Posted July 18, 2009 Posted July 18, 2009 [quote name='~tl' post='543269' date='Jul 17 2009, 02:56 PM']Yeah, I always buy packs of 10 of the Procell ones, they're great. Just bought some from this seller (who's slightly cheaper than the one you linked to), though I've not used them before. I'm sure they'll be fine though! [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160332996870"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=160332996870[/url][/quote] Just to let you know, these arrived today (two days after I bought them) and are fine... Quote
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