Author Topic: T5-z Battey Light  (Read 342 times)

je00143

  • New Member
  • *
  • Posts: 13
T5-z Battey Light
« on: April 11, 2025, 06:32:11 PM »
Does anybody now of a mod for a T5-z where the battery indicator changes color from, say, green to yellow to red as the power diminishes? Right now, I get great life, but it goes from full strength to zero without any warning, and I have been embarrassed by having to stop playing and swap out the battery. Appreciate the help.  Thanks.
Proud owner of a 2014 T5-Z!

2007 Taylor Baby
Gibson ES-140T-¾ 1958 vintage

SDTaylorman

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 252
Re: T5-z Battey Light
« Reply #1 on: April 12, 2025, 09:35:01 AM »
Not sure about that mod. Just get one of these and check your battery before each gig. Cheap insurance against being embarrassed.

https://www.amazon.com/Dlyfull-Battery-Universal-Household-Batteries/dp/B0CZRN81WJ/

Either that or put in a fresh new battery before every gig.


Earl

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1953
  • Quando omni flunkus moritati
Re: T5-z Battey Light
« Reply #2 on: April 12, 2025, 06:18:22 PM »
Agree with the battery tester idea.  KISS principle. 

I know just enough about electronics to be dangerous, but it would be far easier to modify the circuits to maybe make the existing red light flash when the battery voltage gets below a certain threshold.  Even that is not a trivial undertaking.  Making it light three different colors would be far more complex, including adding the other two LED's.  That would almost certainly require a whole new circuit board for the preamp.

Example:  I had a T5 Classic.  Since it was rarely plugged in, the volume control pot (potentiometer) got very scratchy - it never moved.  Electronic cleaning fluid (DeOxit) and exercise would fix the problem, but only temporarily.  Instead of a new $10 pot to replace like any electric guitar, Taylor built the circuit board with integrated pots on the PCB.  Oh, and we switched from one type of Molex connector to another since your guitar was built.  You have to buy a whole new circuit board and wiring harness to use it.  $114 for parts, plus labor by a Taylor certified tech, to do a repair that I could easily do in 15 minutes on any other guitar.  Some of the things they do for manufacturing expediency make future repairs much more difficult.  I sold the guitar with a full disclosure of the issue and the part number instead.
Taylors:  424-LTD (all koa) and a 114ce that lives with friends in Alaska.  Low maintenance carbon fiber guitars are my "thing" these days, but I will always keep the koa 424.  Several ukulele and bass guitars too. 
*Gone but not forgotten:  a 2001 414ce, 410, 354-LTD twelve string, 314-N, 416-LTD baritone, T5 Classic, 615ce, 2006 GS-K, 1996 (first year) Baby