Battery Dying Extremely Fast With Set Of STR/AE1 Pickups...

[Football]

Has anyone ever seen that happen before?  If so, why are some possible reasons batteries would be dying so quickly?

A new battery seems to last approximately ten hours, maybe less.  Doesn't matter which kind of battery.

Thanks in advance for input on this.

[mica]

you would normally get more than ten hours of continuous use, so it's not something like the battery contact staying on even when the cable was unplugged. How old is the system? Can you send it in here for a no-charge test?

[Football]

you would normally get more than ten hours of continuous use, so it's not something like the battery contact staying on even when the cable was unplugged. How old is the system? Can you send it in here for a no-charge test?

Hi, Mica.  Thank you very much for the reply.  Yes, if offer still good at this late date please let me know the best way to reach out to have tested.  The last few times I called and emailed a while back I hadn't received a response.

Not sure how old the system is cause I originally purchased used.  Probably pretty old.  The wires connect to something with screws to hold them in place (not the solder less version like today), if that is any indicator.

Someone mentioned the filter caps being so old could cause a drain on the battery.

Thank you.

[lbpesq]

You definitely have something draining your battery.  I have these pickups on several guitars and the battery lasts for many months.  Are you unplugging the guitar when not playing?  Did the installation include a jack that switches the battery off when the plug is removed?   If you post some pics of the inside of the control cavity, we might be able to diagnose your problem.

Bill, tgo

[Football]

You definitely have something draining your battery.  I have these pickups on several guitars and the battery lasts for many months.  Are you unplugging the guitar when not playing?  Did the installation include a jack that switches the battery off when the plug is removed?   If you post some pics of the inside of the control cavity, we might be able to diagnose your problem.

Bill, tgo

Thank you, Bill.  No idea if the installation jack switches the battery off when the plug is removed.  I have two sets of these pickups.  The more recent set doesn't do this.  Can't notice any difference in input jacks between the older/newer set of pickups.

Will take apart soon and take pics.  I am unplugging the guitar when not playing. 

[xlrogue6]

One thing to note here is that many Alembics (as in, non-Series instruments that don't have a deep panel side jack) use a jack with an isolated switch that connects battery positive to the PC board, instead of the much more common use of a TRS jack to connect battery negative to system ground when a mono plug is inserted (which is what happens on side jack Alembics). If that switch is shorted that might explain it.

[Football]

You definitely have something draining your battery.  I have these pickups on several guitars and the battery lasts for many months.  Are you unplugging the guitar when not playing?  Did the installation include a jack that switches the battery off when the plug is removed?   If you post some pics of the inside of the control cavity, we might be able to diagnose your problem.

Bill, tgo

Thank you for the help.  Trying to post some pics.

[Football]

You definitely have something draining your battery.  I have these pickups on several guitars and the battery lasts for many months.  Are you unplugging the guitar when not playing?  Did the installation include a jack that switches the battery off when the plug is removed?   If you post some pics of the inside of the control cavity, we might be able to diagnose your problem.

Bill, tgo

Will take the pickguard out and hopefully can get repaired to reinstall down the road.  Just way too quick burning through batteries.

[mica]

Can we see the output jack?

[Football]

Can we see the output jack?

Thank you, Mica.  Here is the output jack.

[David Houck]

Output jack as a jpg:

[Football]

Output jack as a jpg:

Thank you.

Hadn't realized JPG is the way to go for uploading pics. 

[xlrogue6]

There's your problem right there. You need a TRS jack, with battery negative connected to the ring so it connects to system ground when you plug in a mono plug. Your current arrangement leaves the battery connected 24/7.

[Football]

There's your problem right there. You need a TRS jack, with battery negative connected to the ring so it connects to system ground when you plug in a mono plug. Your current arrangement leaves the battery connected 24/7.

Thank you very much for letting me know.

I wonder if you know if I can use this jack from a different set of Alembic pickups I have (This other set has some strange gremlin noises so haven't been using in a few years).

This system, in the pic, has the built in connectors, instead of terminal screw in blocks that I've been using.

Or I can try to purchase just the proper TRS jack but am wondering if, other than the hot and ground wires definitely being needed, would a proper TRS input jack for these pickups also need these extra wires coming off it like in my other system, the one in the pic in my hand?

Hoping I could just connect hot and ground and be all set.

Thank you again for your help.

Maybe this TRS jack would work?

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/PTT2--pure-tone-ptt2-pure-tone-stereo-output-jack-nickel

[lbpesq]

The jack in  the pic looks like the right jack to me.

Bill, tgo