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Vintage threads from the first ten years

How much current do effects draw?

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12/22/1999 7:15 PM
Lee Glenn	How much current do effects draw? I have been trying to find out how much current various stompboxes draw. I have a pile of them and like to use too way connected at once using and AC adapter to power them. Does anyone know what the average stompbox draws, if there is such a thing? TS-9, Crybaby, DOD 250, etc... thanks

12/23/1999 12:33 AM

It really depends on the pedal. A general rule of thumb would be less than 10 mA and I choose that because the lifetime of a 9V Duracell battery is 580mA/hrs. That would work out to an effect needing a fresh battery every 58 hours of use which seems like a reasonable number.

But, again, we've all seen effects that seem to constantly need a new battery (delays, etc.) as well as those that never seem to need a new one.

12/23/1999 12:41 AM
marrk	If the box has an led it is going to eat the batteries fairly soon. Some fuzz pedals without an led pull about 2.5 to 5 mA. This is pretty good. I yanked the led out of my Tubescreamer when I saw that the led draws like 20 mA by itself. The hole was a good place for a mini toggle switch that engages a gain boost. Mark

12/23/1999 7:10 AM
Joe Fuzz	Good call, Mark. I don't build any of my pedals with LEDs in them so it never occurred to me.

12/23/1999 1:01 AM
frank	The new Boss brochure lists current draw for all their pedals. It'll give you a good idea approximately how much current a type of effect will draw. Frank

12/23/1999 12:56 PM
Jsh	Go to the shop Got to your music store and ask if you can see some "manuals" of some of the FX. Most manuals give the information you need at the technicals spec.'s (at the end of a "manual"). Don't forget, manuals of pedals are most likely that stupid piece of folded paper that sits in the box of the pedals. Look for reissue's or "look-a-likes"... Kind regards, Jsh

12/23/1999 2:08 PM
Lee Glenn	Re: How much current do effects draw? Thanks for the info guys. I had alway thought that they drew(?) a lot more than that. I'm going to go check out that BOSS brochure just to get more numbers. BTW, there are low draw, 2mA, LEDs. I have been using them in my projects just to save batteries. Radio Shack even carries them.

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