RomFX question

[Tolo[TK]]

Eric,

 

I tried the rechargeable 9v for awhile. Just didn't last.

 

As much as it is an annoyance to me, as it is to you, this is my solution:

 

 

One of these batteries will last me for (generally) 5-8 hours, depending on how much I run my mouth.

 

If I can avoid it, I never use any other battery type with my RomFX, as I know that I can trust these ones to deliver those 5-8 hours. Using any others is a gamble I'd rather avoid taking.

These are the ones i used. And that's the other thing, I never shut up lolll

 

 

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[ukswrath[Staff]]

 I'd rather avoid taking.

 

I beg to differ 

[MBullen64]

Dollar store items suck? I'm shocked!!

There was a legitimate study that rated batteries longevity v price. Long story short, they concluded that higher priced disposable batteries last longer than their cheaper counter parts. So when mom buys junior a dollar store knock off instead of professional grade copper tops, and says they are just as good. She is so wrong.

 

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[Dark PWF[Staff]]

I beg to differ 

I said "Taking", not talking...    

 

I only choose to shut up when silence is more intimidating.  LoL

[ukswrath[Staff]]

I said "Taking", not talking...    

 

I only choose to shut up when silence is more intimidating.  LoL

 

I wasn't insinuating anything lol 

[nosamp[TK]]

I used to use rechargeable Duracell AA but they start to loose their storage and so you end up changing them sooner and sooner. Ended up with about 20-30 of them and just seemed to be carrying/changing/charging batteries all the time.

I just use decent quality AA x8 lasts ages

[SheaJeff[TK]]

I've noticed that with mine, unless the battery is brand new Duracell, when I turn it on, it repeats the "ROM FX" startup voice and keeps repeating it. I'm using Tony's hovi speakers. If I plug it into the big speaker that came with it, it works fine. Also fine with the 8 AA pack. I want to keep everything in the helmet so the speaker and large battery pack aren't my first choice.

Any ideas why this would be happening?

[ukswrath[Staff]]

I've noticed that with mine, unless the battery is brand new Duracell, when I turn it on, it repeats the "ROM FX" startup voice and keeps repeating it. I'm using Tony's hovi speakers. If I plug it into the big speaker that came with it, it works fine. Also fine with the 8 AA pack. I want to keep everything in the helmet so the speaker and large battery pack aren't my first choice.

Any ideas why this would be happening?

 

That's odd, Shea you saying you're only having the issue when my hovi tips are plugged in to the ROM/FX?

[SheaJeff[TK]]

Yes. Just with your hovi speakers.

Could there be some kind of electrical leakage between the wires all crammed in the helmet? (I have fans and your hearing assist; but when this happens those of turned off)

When I test the big speaker and battery pack they are obviously outside the helmet. I haves tried pulling the other pieces out yet.

[ukswrath[Staff]]

Well the "ROM/FX" start audio is just the board booting up notification. Sounds like the board is constantly rebooting. Not sure why it's doing it with just my speakers. I run the same setup with no issues. Send me a PM and lets see if we can work it out. 

[TK256[TK]]

Yes, when a battery is running low the board will reboot and can get into a loop of booting up, startup sound plays, power drops, reboots.  I do mention this in the instructions ;-)

 

PP3 9V batteries are great, nice and small and light, but they don't have much staying power, that's why I do recommend using 12v with 8 x AA's ideally for much, much longer run times.

 

You'll also get a bit more volume from the amp with 12v compared to 9v.

 

Not sure Shea why you're getting a problem with hovi speakers.  Could be their rating, ohm/watt, or could be how they're wired, serial vs parallel, or some other wiring issue.  Would need to see the setup (photos) to make a further diagnosis.

 

Worth noting too that batteries don't like the cold and this will drastically reduce their performance.  Also cheaper brand batteries or dollar/pound store batteries are fine for TV remotes or simple toys, but high drain devices such as digital cameras or my ROM/FX need heavy duty batteries.  I recommend the Duracell Ultra or similar like the Energizer Ultimate.

 

Thanks,

 

John

[Tolo[TK]]

Worth noting too that batteries don't like the cold and this will drastically reduce their performance.

I know...I'm Canadian

LOL

 

 

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[SheaJeff[TK]]

Thanks for the details John.

I use regular Duracell and have measured batteries as soon as it starts rebooting; they are measuring 8.8 to 8.7V compared to 9 or 9.1 when they are brand new.

It worked fine for a while and this is a recent issue.

I'll do some trouble shooting and get some photos as soon as I can and post them here.

I appreciate the help.

[SheaJeff[TK]]

 (double post from below)

Edited March 22, 2017 by SheaJeff

[SheaJeff[TK]]

Ok, I've done some troubleshooting and can explain the symptoms a little better now:

 

I have the following equipment

- Tony's Hovi tip speakers

- ROM F/X I received last summer

- Microphone included with the ROM F/X kit

- Duracell 9V battery measuring 8.9 volts (or others that are up to 9.1)

- Tony's hearing assist which doesn't appear to affect anything; I tested everything outside of the helmet (except the Hovi speakers).

- fans with a USB power supply (but again the battery wasn't installed, and I tested everything outside the helmet anyway)

 

What I found:

1. Using the hovi speakers, and 9V battery, if I turn the volume more than about half way up, it says the "ROM F/X" boot up phrase every time after I speak.

2. If i change to the larger speaker that came with the ROM F/X kit, it works fine with the 9V battery even at the highest volume. 

3. If I use the hovi speakers and the 12V 8AA battery pack I received with the ROM F/X kit, it seems to work fine.

4. I've changed microphones from the ROM F/X one to Tony's and there doesn't appear to be a difference in the outcome; still the same as noted above with each option.

 

Therefore, it appears to be the combination of the 9V battery and the Hovi speakers.

But... it used to work fine with this combination.  It just started doing that re-boot phrase one time when I was trooping after each time I talked.  Strange thing that it worked fine before.  I didn't change anything or move anything around that would have caused this to happen.  It just "happened" one day.

 

I love having everything contained in the helmet, so mounting the larger speaker and power supply into the chest is not my favorite option.

Putting the large battery pack in the helmet might be an option, but not my favorite idea because of the weight, and my big head...

 

Any help would be appreciated.  Thanks.

[ukswrath[Staff]]

That is weird. Not sure what to make of it. 

[TK256[TK]]

My feeling on this would be it's down to how you have the Hovi-tip speakers wired.  Parallel compared to serial.

 

But as you said it was fine for a while and nothing appears to have changed since the problem started happening.

 

I would investigate the wiring and work back from there.  Can you post a photo of the setup?

 

Thanks,

 

John

[ukswrath[Staff]]

My feeling on this would be it's down to how you have the Hovi-tip speakers wired.  Parallel compared to serial.

 

But as you said it was fine for a while and nothing appears to have changed since the problem started happening.

 

I would investigate the wiring and work back from there.  Can you post a photo of the setup?

 

Thanks,

 

John

 

I have many sets on the ROM/FX, none with issues. I'm having the ones in question sent back to me for analysts.  

[SheaJeff[TK]]

I appreciate the help guys.

I'm sending all the various parts to Tony to see if he can troubleshoot it as a system.

[TK256[TK]]

Hi Tony,

 

I wasn't implying anything, so no offence meant :-)

 

As Shea said, it was all working fine, so good to look into and troubleshoot the whole setup (inc. ROM/FX, mic, speakers, batteries etc.) to see what has changed since.

 

Thanks,

 

John

[ukswrath[Staff]]

Lol none taken Jon. Maybe I should have thrown in an emoji or something lol.

 

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