alkanine batteries replacement

artful_codger

hi, this is probably a contender for dumbest post of the year but here goes..... i bought a battery powered game for xmas for someone and the alkaline batteries (C type) have run out after about an hour of using the game.... so it got me wondering, surely there's some way of hooking battery powered devices up to the mains power supply via a transformer which reduces the voltage? anyone heard of some DIY projects or devices out there which have attempted this !?

thanks.

mawk

sure, buy a mains transformer, a scissors and some gator clips.

if it takes two C cell batteries then a 3.7V spare phone charger (nokia or SE off my head i think) will do fine.

cut wire, seperate into two different strands, check polarity, attach and preferably solder wire to clips. attach clips to battery springs, ?????, profit.


(hide clips inside battery compartment so as to not burn yourself.)

SuperSean11

mawk wrote: »

sure, buy a mains transformer, a scissors and some gator clips.

if it takes two C cell batteries then a 3.7V spare phone charger (nokia or SE off my head i think) will do fine.

cut wire, seperate into two different strands, check polarity, attach and preferably solder wire to clips. attach clips to battery springs, ?????, profit.


(hide clips inside battery compartment so as to not burn yourself.)

O.P. Don't attempt this unless you know how to safely

mawk

SuperSean11 wrote: »

O.P. Don't attempt this unless you know how to safely

clearly take care and dont cowboy around with electricity, but honestly, having the wire terminate in two insulated alligator clips is only a touch more risky than leaving the phone charger plugged in and hanging from the wall. which you do anyway. this is one of safest electrical hacks you could do

if you cannot set your hands on some insulated ones like these easily
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.6359
buy some shrink tube and close it up yourself


ETA--
and of course, do NOT plug in the transformer and attach the leads to each other. even IF it has the pd to make cool sparks.

artful_codger

guys, thanks for the feedback. I won't try hacking something because it's a childs toy (a football game) and needless to say i wouldn't take any chances with the little blighter, so it'll have to be a battery recharger/rechargeable batteries until someone comes up with an adaptor to replace expensive alkaline batteries with mains power.

mawk

did you check the whole of the case to check is there just a mains DC in point?

if it is that battery heavy im surprised the manufacturer didnt include it

artful_codger

i checked the case as you suggested, but there's no power input. I guess it's just a cheap toy...

http://www.smythstoys.com/other-board-games/air-suspension-soccer-game----b02415pd.aspx

i've ordered a battery re-charger and re-chargeable batteries, so i hope re-chargeable batteries are not as rubbish as they used to be a few years ago.