Matthew Heydman's
Digital Audio
Resource Pages
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Sony D7/D8 Battery Pack
| PROBLEM: |
AA Batteries don't last very long (usually around 2 to 4 hours in a D8). |
| SOLUTION: |
Make a power supply that utilizes D cells and lasts around 15 hours. |
"Cool," you say, "So what do I do? Just jam
some D batteries into my deck?"
Pretty close...
Actually, this is breeze easy, but I have to say this for our
own good: I can't be liable for anything that happens to you or
your deck as a result of using these plands to build and use the
battery pack described. Ok?
These plans are pretty much aimed at Sony D8 users, though
with minor modifications they'll work with other decks. For more
detailed instructions on building a similar pack for a Sony D-100
or an M-1, check out Charlie B's battery pack page.
 Parts List
The following is a list of parts that can be purchased at a Radio Shack.
I assume that you already have electrical tape. Also, the two
conductor wire should be something you can find lying around. If
not, you can buy some, but almost any two conductor wire will do
(i.e. lamp cords, speaker wire, etc.)
| Description |
Part Number |
Qty |
Price |
Total |
| Battery Holder (Holds 4 D-Cells) |
270-396 |
1 |
1.79 |
1.79 |
| DC Barrel plug (Sony style) |
270-1575 |
1 |
2.99 |
2.99 |
| Two conductor wire |
n/a |
few feet |
free |
free |
| Total: |
$4.78 |
Plans
- Strip both ends of the two conductor wire.
- Twist together one lead of the wire to the red wire on
the battery holder. Take a look at your two conductor
wire. Most of the time, there's a stripe, writing or
texture on one lead, while the other is plain. The lead
with the stripe is usually used for positive signals, so
you can use that lead to connect to the red wire on the
battery holder.
- Twist the other lead (of the same end of the wire) to the
black wire on the battery holder.
- Attatch the lead with the stripe (connected to the red
wire of the battery holder) to the center post of the
Sony plug.
- Attatch the lead without the stripe (connected to the
black wire of the battery holder) to the terminal that's
for the outside of the Sony plug.
- Tape up these connections, load it with batteries, and
plug it into your deck.
- If your deck is not powered, disconnect the pack right
away. Check all your connections and double check that
the red wire's signal gets to the center of the Sony plug
and the black wire's signal gets to the outside of the
Sony plug.
- Use your deck for 10 to 15 hours without running out of
juice!
Now there is one drawback to this: You don't have a battery
meter anymore, because the deck thinks you're using power from
the wall. This means that during the second set as the band
breaks into "Just a Rose", your batteries might go
dead.
To play it safe, when I buy new batteries, I use them for two
shows- about 6 hours, and then use them up at band practice
(usually 4 to 8 more hours). I never use them for more than two
actual shows, just in case I happen to get bunky batteries, which
has happened to me before. Even still, this means you wind up
spending about half as much on batteries as you used to!
I hope this has been helpful. If you have any questions or comments
just give me a yell.
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