Wireless microphone manufacturers specify alkaline batteries. A fresh alkaline battery will run a wireless transmitter (depending on the system manufacturer) from eight to sixteen hours. Most wireless microphones will stop working when the battery is below 6.5 volts. An alkaline nine volt cell will often start out at about 9.4 volts and has a great deal of storage capacity. Most of the time it does not matter if you use Duracell, Eveready Energizer, Ray-O-Vac Alkaline, Radio Shack Alkaline, Giant, CVS or any other store alkaline battery. Always have several on hand. You can get them at many discount warehouse stores for as little as $1.25 in quantity. I have found as much as 25% failure rate in the top brands (dead or low voltage). If one does not work try another before calling for service. Do not use the 79-cent carbon zinc battery. It will only last about twenty minutes. The “heavy duty” (beefed up C/Zn battery) may last thirty minutes. Many people ask about rechargeable.
You have to be careful. It is allowed, but not recommended. Use only rechargeable nickel-cadmium (NiCad) batteries that are marked 8.2 volts or higher. NiCads will only run a microphone for about two hours. As they age NiCads build up “memory” if they are not completely discharged every time before recharging.
As a result what may last for two hours today may only last one hour in six months and forty minutes in a year. I recommend having two batteries per transmitter, essentially leaving the transmitter on after the last use and switching batteries from the charger only when you are about to use the microphone again. Recharging may take as long as twelve hours. We have not yet tested rechargeable alkaline batteries with wireless microphones. Therefore I recommend using only normal alkaline cells in all battery operated equipment.
Hello and Welcome to Sound Advice, the technical forum for worship leaders and technical staff in today�s church. My name is Leon Sievers, and while I have more than twenty years of professional audio experience, it is out of obedience and my faith in God which prompted me to create Sound Advice. I have a passion for worship and a strong commitment to prayer. The goal of this web-site is to inspire a commitment to technical excellence within the church. It is my prayer�. that you can benefit from my experience, and I from yours.
I want to dedicate this ministry first to our Lord and Savior, to my wife Laura and daughter Katie, Stephen Newman for creating EXW, my Pastor John Reed and to my brothers in Christ and Sound; Larry Aitken, Lance Enos, Mike Austin, Darryl Brice, Shaug Evans, Erik Yourshaw and the entire worship team(s) at Canyon Hills Church, without whom I would have never come to know the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ. Before we get started, would you please join me in a prayer for our respective ministries�
Oh Lord, please bless this ministry that it might glorify your name. May the talent that you have bestowed upon me be used only to serve you. Let this work be a witness to your majesty and love, and remind us that you are always watching, and listening, from your throne above. May your presence and beauty be found in every note, and may the words that are sung reach the hearts of your people so they will draw closer to you. May your Spirit guide us through every measure so that we might be the instruments of your peace, and proclaim your glory with glad voices���Amen.
Let me begin by saying that this is your web-site and I have no pre-conceived notions of what it should be. I found EXW to be a valuable resource for information, which helped me grow in my faith and understanding of worship. When the Lord first spoke to me about creating Sound Advice, I conducted my own research into those who have gone before me. And I want to tell you�. there are some tremendous people who share our passion for Christ and have technical insight. And true to their faith, they have agreed to share in their experience and knowledge so that we may all benefit. A lot of ground has already been covered in creating technical materials and articles that apply to the church. Rather than duplicate their efforts in an attempt to be original, I will continue to collaborate with the leaders that God has inspired and aid you in filtering the vast resources of information. I will remain open to the spirit in featuring the topics that are of most interest to you and of importance to God. I will translate the technical into real world terms that the layman and novice can understand and APPLY. I am open and committed to developing this ministry into whatever God will have it become.