Wierd question about batteries (9V)

[honkyjonk]

Just about everything in my life that isn't recording gear is rediculously ghetto.

I have a boombox that I use in my car because my radio was ripped out. It takes six D batteries at 1.5 volts each.

Added up that makes 9 volts, so me thinks: "I'll just solder on a 9 volt battery connector to the positive and negative connectors in the boombox, and use one 9 volt.

Well, it worked great. I was operating on one 9 volt battery for about a day. Now the battery is dead.

My question is, why did the boombox drain the 9 volt battery quicker than six D's?

[apropos of nothing]

Much, much less squicky capacitance goo in a 9-volt than in 6 D-cells.

[rodabod]

The capacity is smaller in a 9V battery - look at the size.

Batteries are rated in mAh MiliAmpere hours. You can find out their capacity on the packaging or on the net.

Get a rechargeable 9V with a very high capacity NiMH or similar from Ebay.

[space_ryerson]

or, you could try wiring a couple of rechargeable 9v's in parallel to get a little more lifespan.

[honkyjonk]

Thanks guys,

Is this parallel?

___ + ____ + ____

___ - ____ - _____


If so, then what is 'in series?'

Always wondered that.

[inverseroom]

I routinely replace "C" cell stuff with 9v when it's something that doesn't use much power anyway, like a casio or a speak&spell. But I can see why a boombox would drain quickly!

Also, a lot of those devices will run fine when slightly starved or pumped up. I have an obscure Casio that sounds BEAUTIFUL at 4.5v when what it wants is 6.

[Phiz]

Yes, that is in parallel. In series would be

_____- + _____ - + ______

Putting batteries in parallel does not change the voltage supplied. 3 9V batteries in parallel still puts out 9V, but will last longer than a single 9V battery. Putting batteries in series supplies the sum of their voltages. So 3 9V batteries in series provides 27V. The series configuration will not last any longer than a single battery if you draw the same current in both cases.

[darjama]

what about a lighter adapter, like this one:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... gory=60208

[thearnicasync]

I only say it 'cause no one has yet: devices eat current, not voltage. So that amp (or mA) rating is important. Especially when you hook an effects processor up to the wrong supply that has the correct voltage, but doesn't supply enough mA...it'll act funny!

kb