Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I have now received my JangleBox II and even much earier than expected

Have not had wery much time to play with it but it sounds great. One thing I was not aware
of is that the 9V battery gets drained when the jackplug is connected even tough its in true bypass mode.
The battery was drained and then strange things happen which scared me a lot...

When the battery is low the symptoms are no light in Jangleboost LED and it will only make sound
in true bypass or with jangleboost activated. Normal compression did not work (no sound passed trough the unit). The Janglebox red LED will light.
I was really happy that the problem was only related to the battery

Now I have changed to 9volts powersupply with center pin negative.

NorwegianWood wrote:One thing I was not aware of is that the 9V battery gets drained when the jackplug is connected even tough its in true bypass mode.

That's actually how most pedals are, unfortunately.

Yes, indeed. When the input socket of a pedal is plugged, the battery gets in "power emitting" mode.

It's always a good idea to unplug the input jack of pedals so the batteries don't drain when not being used.

NorwegianWood wrote:One thing I was not aware of is that the 9V battery gets drained when the jackplug is connected even tough its in true bypass mode.
The battery was drained and then strange things happen which scared me a lot...

Very glad to see you're enjoying your JangleBox.

As Wes correctly point out, the fact that battery drain will occur when the input jack is engaged is an issue common to almost every pedal. We state this clearly on page 2 of our FAQ:

How long does the 9-volt battery in the box last?
There is no precise timetable for battery life (it depends, obviously, on the battery brand and usage), but we’ve noticed that the compression begins to degrade after a couple of weeks of moderate use, playing an hour or so a day.

Keep in mind that when you insert a lead into the "Input" jack — whether the unit is on or off — the battery is engaged. If you leave the lead in, it will drain the battery.

Sure, but sometimes outlet space is sparse. I use batteries in all my pedals live, and the one in my JB1 has lasted forever. The JB eats batteries much slower than most pedals, and I've used a lot of them.

jdogric12aolcom wrote:Sure, but sometimes outlet space is sparse.

That's what power strips and extension cords are for.

Used my JB 1 on a gig 2 weeks ago. It sounded great. I got a lot of compliments from the audience about how it sounded "just like the Byrds." Thanks Steve.
It was nice to have the extra gain. The guitar was an '88 360-12 with hi-gains.
On the topic, the 9 volt that was in it has lasted over a month, but it's not plugged in all the time. Battery life doesn't seem to be a problem.