Why do we bother making our pedals battery powered?

[frequencycentral]

It's a hassle to change batteries - hell its a hassle to buy them!

My last few builds I didn't include a battery clip.

The pedals just go into my pedalboard anyway, which is wallwart powered - so why bother?

I would NEVER go on stage battery powered either!

Also - makes it easier to cram everything inside the enclosure without that HUGE 9 volt component!

[aron]

I use the battery to test so I just leave it in there.

[DougH]

t's a hassle to change batteries - hell its a hassle to buy them!

My last few builds I didn't include a battery clip.

The pedals just go into my pedalboard anyway, which is wallwart powered - so why bother?

I would NEVER go on stage battery powered either!

Also - makes it easier to cram everything inside the enclosure without that HUGE 9 volt component!

I agree 100%.

I was considering re-using an old chassis for a new build and was considering depending on how I arrange things there may not be room for the battery.

Then I thought, so what???....

[jacobyjd]

That's a good question.

I'd say it has everything to do with the person.

Aesthetics-wise, some people like to have a simple stage setup--guitar, amp, a pedal or two, no power cords or even a board, etc.

Also, YOU don't trust batteries at a gig...some people don't trust power supplies--they can be problematic and definitely complicate things (case in point: I had a gig on Friday, before which I had been messing with one of the sag voltage channels on my Voodoo Labs supply. I had to pack up in a rush and forgot to re-adjust the voltage back up to full. I got to a built-up part of a song where I stomp my Phase 90, and there was nothing. No signal. It didn't like 7 volts.  ) It's easy to be confident with a battery when you replace it before each gig 

I have a fairly large pedalboard that I use regularly, and I have enough slots on my power supply to justify leaving a  battery clip out of most of my projects now. I'll probably regret this someday. It's easy to lug around a pedalboard at 23...when I'm 40 that'll be a different story.

Either way, I look at it from the perspective of practicality. Is it practical for me to replace the batteries in 8-12 pedals before every gig? Heck no. Would it be practical if I only used 2 pedals? Probably. Is it practical to include a battery clip if you're a manufacturer? Sure, anything to sell.

It all comes down to what you (or your customer/friend you're building for/bandmates) want. Our bass player doesn't put any effects on the floor, and when I built him a compressor the way I would want one, he asked why I put a footswitch on it...and why it was upside down (he ended up switching the knob on the pot so it would look normal with the pedal flipped around...weirdo...) Preferences make all the difference!

[frequencycentral]

It's easy to lug around a pedalboard at 23...when I'm 40 that'll be a different story.

Hahaha - I'm 43 - each and every gig/rehearsal I take:

Hammond XB1
Nord Lead Synth
Squier Telecaster Custom x 2
Roland Bolt 60 Valve Guitar Amplifier
Roland Cube 40K Keyboard Amplifier
Keyboard stand, guitar stands, pedalboard, DIY SFX synth, box of cables...........a few 9 volt batteries too would probably break this old camel's back!

[R.G.]

Because that's how it's done.

Why do people drive on the right in most of the world and on the left in the UK and a few other places? Because that's how it's done.

Why do pedals uniformly use the Boss-style DC plug of center negative? Because there are so many pedals and power supplies that already do that.

Pedals once used one or two AA batteries. Then they went to 9V. Small power adapters did not exist in quantity until the late 1970s, and that got a lot of history out there. Guitarists are some of the most conservative people on the planet when it comes to their gear.

Here's another one: why do we still use a mono phone plug, when a differential setup would eliminate input hum on amps? Because already use mono and will not change.

[jacobyjd]

Hahahaha...I don't envy you Rick...I can at least keep it to one instrument!   

One application where I DO use batteries is in passive switch boxes. I have an a/b box I use where the battery only powers the indicators. It's a nice luxury to know which guitar is getting signal at a glance, and the pedal will function even if the battery dies.

Maybe when I'm your age I'll be rich enough to hire a roadie or two to lug my gear around...I'll make HIM change the batteries then 

[frequencycentral]

I look at it like this: I built a modular synth - each module has a +15/ground/-15 cable to the power supply. A pedalboard full of pedals is just a modular arrangement of effects. I would be crazy to run each synth module from a 9 volt battery (or two - for bipolar supply), so the same holds for my pedalboard.

Because that's how it's done.

I'm a revolutionary! Viva la revolucion!

[deaconque]

personally I don't even own a power supply, i only use batteries.  i don't gig anymore so i don't need to change them that often and i don't have to deal with certain pedals disagreeing with a power supply.

[Mark Hammer]

Lotsa reasons:

Sometimes you want portable.

Sometimes you want dying battery effects.

Sometimes the stupid power supply doesn't work.

Sometimes novices are a little wary of using wall power for fear they might fry something rare or costly or critical to that evening's gig.

[The Tone God]

Why screw around with power cords, finding a power plug(s). having a long enough power cord, adaptor noise, right adaptor cables, etc. ? With batteries I can just drop the board down and go. There are pros and cons to both sides.

Manufactures cannot assume that everyone has a pedal board with a proper power supply and in fact the vast majority of users do not. A battery is pretty much the only safe universal option even when it is completely unreasonable as in DSP effects.

What I don't understand is why people don't use larger batteries on their boards ? Why not AA-D stacked to get the voltage while still having plenty of current to last a long time. Even better a large battery. A gel cell on a large board will last months on a single charge and when it does need charging it will only take a few hours at most.

Andrew

[Processaurus]

I agree, situations where you'd play electric guitar with an amplifier rarely have no electricity  .  One pedal I keep a battery in is my tuner, so it can be used back stage or just for a second somewhere weird to tune up.  

[DougH]

Why screw around with power cords, finding a power plug(s). having a long enough power cord, adaptor noise, right adaptor cables, etc. ?

I figure I'm sh*t outta luck if I can't find a plug anyway- if I'm using my amp that is. If the p.a. setup is sophisticated enough to go direct, finding ac power is never a problem.

[flo]

Whatever I've tried, when I cascade FX pedals into my tube amp the sound is less "noisy" / "hummy" when I use batteries instead of my (well regulated) power supply with a daisy chain to the FXs. My Small Clone, weirdly enough, sounds less distorted on boosted signals with a battery although its voltage is below that of my power supply.
I use rechargable 9V batteries only. They can be recharged hundreds of times and cost me 7,50 euro ($11.-) a piece which is only 3 times more expensive than a good non-rechargable one. So that choice was easy. I call them: better-ies   

+1 on the gel-pack or some large rechargable battery. If I find one on 9V, I'll get it...

[any]

I've actually stopped putting batteries in my pedals a long time ago as well.
It started as a necessity in working with the 1950A Hammond enclosures
and I've never missed them since..

I do have a 9v clip to Boss style barrel jack to use an external battery for testing though.
(actually really smart to have around!)

[drk]

i only use one pedal nowadays, so its far easier to use a battery. no need to bring an adaptor, which is almost the size of the pedal 

[The Tone God]

+1 on the gel-pack or some large rechargable battery. If I find one on 9V, I'll get it...

You can get 12v packs fairly easily from the like of hobby shops and regulate down for really clean power. Even better are the cells that are sold for kids motorized cars. Both make finding wall chargers easy.

i only use one pedal nowadays, so its far easier to use a battery. no need to bring an adaptor, which is almost the size of the pedal 

Pretty much my situation these days too. I usually only carry one or two effects at most. Adaptors are a waste at that point. Manufactures have to make the same assumption, that the users is only using that one effect thus a battery is demanded by the user.

Andrew

[JDoyle]

Batteries are going to be a clean and isolated power supply - no questions asked.

You really never know what the voltage out of a house outlet will actually be, if the house is properly grounded, if the bassist next to you with a 600W amp is going to change the headroom of your distortion everytime he smacks a low E, etc.

Personally, I'd just rather not take the risk of directly connecting something strapped around my neck to a power supply maintained by someone who wakes up at 3 p.m. and is STILL late for a 7:00 set-up/sound-check.

[cheeb]

I haven't included a battery on a project since my very first.
1. I don't trust something that can die (one of the reasons I hate active pickups).
2. I hate having to remove the bottom of an enclosure just for a battery.
3. I always forget to plan the insides of my projects to fit a battery.
4. Batteries are too expensive, and I'm already paying a power bill to run my amp anyway.
5. I hate having to unplug so they won't die, and with adaptors I can leave my pedalboard alone.

[kurtlives]

When a friend calls me up and asks me if I want to jam I grab a few pedals, my guitar and my amp.

I dont wanna have to deal with lots of cables and finding adapters.

That being said at home all my pedals are powered by the DC jack.