Primarily for general aviation discussion, but other aviation topics are also welcome.
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By Dodo
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1839685
The only time my my Bose X headset batteries ran out in flight was in fairly bumpy IMC over high ground in Wales with no autopilot. I was trying to get from Haverfordwest to Welshpool, and had just decided to go back to Haverfordwest instead. I was trying to talk to London Information when it happened. Initially I thought I'd just leant on the off switch as pushing the on button restored the noise cancelling for a minute or two.

It was disconcerting as I was already flying at the limits of my comfort zone and in the end actually easier to swap headsets with my passenger rather than trying to put new batteries in. I had some but needed my hands to fly the aeroplane.
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By Paul_Sengupta
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1840384
Charliesixtysix wrote:With Zulu headsets you can check the battery state via the power led when turning them on.

If the led ( even briefly) displays red, the batteries are getting tired and are due a change soon - unless on a long flight, there should be plenty of notice before the ANR shuts down.


The LED on the Bose box goes from green to amber to red as the batteries run down.

I used to use (in the pre-8.33 days!) "converted" DCs in the 'dog (actually built from scratch using DC parts and Headsets Inc parts). As mentioned, they are as good as passive DCs when the battery goes, but it's really annoying as once you've sampled ANR you never want to go back...especially so when going back happens due to a dead battery! :D And the 'dog is particularly noisy on take-off. Well suited to the Bose A20s! :D
#1840399
Two pages of discussion on “my electronic device doesn’t work well without electricity” WTF?

A Bose A20 headset:
- flashes amber when 8hrs or less battery remains
- flashes red when 2hrs or less remains

So, if it’s doing either of the above, just change the damn batteries. I really doubt any of the above posters were on a flight greater that 8hrs and encountered said inconvenience.
#1840402
Dodo wrote:The only time my my Bose X headset batteries ran out in flight was in fairly bumpy IMC over high ground in Wales with no autopilot.

A practical example of Murphy's law at work: problems appear at the least convenient time.