Battery power to replace wall power supply?

[Robert Baer]

Good points. I wonder why rechargeables dissipate faster than
non-rechargeables?

I think for now I will go with the Eveready Alkaline AA's. I found an 8
pack AA battery holder for cheap at Radio shack and a transformer connector
too that fits the camera, so now I get to find out if the camera works off
batteries. I'll be hooking it all up tomorrow.

This is going to be part of my DID project (Duck Irritation Device). We've
got these ducks in our neighborhood that I feed bread occassionally. My
roverbot is going to follow them around and send back video images. I'm
betting if I wait long enough I can catch one of them saying "AFLAC" on
video.

That would be a gas!
As a point of reference, please measure the current drain from that
12V wall wart when the camera is in use and just sitting and waiting.
Also, as has been mentioned, also measure the voltage to the camera
(both modes).
The second part is to satisfy the "worry wart" that implied that a 12V
battery could damage the camera.
Please post the values for all to see.

 

[Matthew Gunn]

Also, as has been mentioned, also measure the voltage to the camera
(both modes).
The second part is to satisfy the "worry wart" that implied that a 12V
battery could damage the camera.
Please post the values for all to see.

"worry wart", very punny, lol.
Hey I've never heard of these power adapters being called a wall wart
before.

 

[Robert Oschler]

That would be a gas!
As a point of reference, please measure the current drain from that
12V wall wart when the camera is in use and just sitting and waiting.
Also, as has been mentioned, also measure the voltage to the camera
(both modes).
The second part is to satisfy the "worry wart" that implied that a 12V
battery could damage the camera.
Please post the values for all to see.

Robert,

What's the easiest way to measure the current drain from the wall wart when
the camera is on and idling, and to measure the voltage to the camera?
Sounds like I need to buy a gizmo from Radio Shack.

Thanks

 

[Robert Oschler]

"worry wart", very punny, lol.

Hey I've never heard of these power adapters being called a wall wart
before.

Matt,

Other Robert here (OP).

They're called wall warts in the music industry. If you are a musician with
a lot of effects boxes (distortion pedal, phaser box, etc.), those wall
warts are a pain to attach to a power strip because they don't sit next to
each other well (think of the geometry). In fact there are companies that
make "wart removers". A wart remove is just a very short power cord,
usually about 8" at most, with a flat plastic panel at the end that has a
single AC plug outlet. This moves the wall wart away from the power strip
and allows you to easily plug multiple effects boxes into a power strip.

Thanks

 

[Robert Oschler]

That would be a gas!

The fun part is going to come when I make my DID (Duck Irritation Device) an
airboat. A long time ago I bought this UFO toy which was basically a big
helium baloon with two radio controlled propeller fans in a plastic housing,
taped to the bottom of the baloon. I pulled the propeller fans out of the
plastic housing and as soon as I get my new connector lead set, I'll be
hooking them up to my Lego Mindstorm RCX brick computer. The RCX brick was
too heavy to be connected to the helium baloon (that would have been fun!),
but I'm betting that in a lightweight small boat; the two fans should make
it move pretty fast. I'll put the wireless transmitter camera in the boat
too. My biggest design problem is having a failsafe so if a duck gets mad
and sinks my boat, I don't lose everything!

Thanks

 

[Andrew Wagstaff]

Altronics in Australia sell slim line plugpacks (wall warts), that allow you
to have two of them side by side in a double powerpoint.

http://www.altronics.com.au/index.asp?area=item&id=M9208

Regards

Andrew

 

[Robert Baer]

Robert,

What's the easiest way to measure the current drain from the wall wart when
the camera is on and idling, and to measure the voltage to the camera?
Sounds like I need to buy a gizmo from Radio Shack.

Thanks

I am surprised that you do not have a DVM (or a VOM).
Depending on (possible) future useage, you could get an el-cheapo VOM
from the likes of harbor freight (about $2) or at R.S. (about $25); for
a good DVM at prices better than at R.S., try Jameco.
Look for meters that have 2 or more current ranges not counting a 10
amp range; the R.S. $15 VOM has only one range (150mA) and may not be
adequate for this application.
The Jameco DVMs go from about $10 and up.

 

[Robert Baer]

The fun part is going to come when I make my DID (Duck Irritation Device) an
airboat. A long time ago I bought this UFO toy which was basically a big
helium baloon with two radio controlled propeller fans in a plastic housing,
taped to the bottom of the baloon. I pulled the propeller fans out of the
plastic housing and as soon as I get my new connector lead set, I'll be
hooking them up to my Lego Mindstorm RCX brick computer. The RCX brick was
too heavy to be connected to the helium baloon (that would have been fun!),
but I'm betting that in a lightweight small boat; the two fans should make
it move pretty fast. I'll put the wireless transmitter camera in the boat
too. My biggest design problem is having a failsafe so if a duck gets mad
and sinks my boat, I don't lose everything!

Thanks

Now *that* sounds very interesting!
One duck to another "It *was* an UFO!. It even talked (quacked) back
to me! I swear, I am not going quackers!".

 

[Robert Oschler]

Yeh, sweet. They are a pain in the ass, even at home. So many things
these days are low voltage so they come with one of these things. You'd
think someone would design one that can be plugged in next to other ones
or other plugs. I also didn't know you could get the wart removers but
usually have to resort to 1m or 2m extension cords.
You can get powerboards that allow for a couple of them but I still
think it would be easier if the bloody things weren't so wide.

Matt,

Here's where I get mine, they're pretty cheap:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/search/detail/base_pid/334001

 

[Robert Oschler]

I am surprised that you do not have a DVM (or a VOM).
Depending on (possible) future useage, you could get an el-cheapo VOM
from the likes of harbor freight (about $2) or at R.S. (about $25); for
a good DVM at prices better than at R.S., try Jameco.
Look for meters that have 2 or more current ranges not counting a 10
amp range; the R.S. $15 VOM has only one range (150mA) and may not be
adequate for this application.
The Jameco DVMs go from about $10 and up.

Robert,

Looks like you found out already that I'm way more of a programmer than an
electronics guy. Although I have soldered together one or two
electronics kits in my time.

I just picked up an "auto-ranging" Multimeter from Radio Shack today. It
say it measures AC/DC voltage levels, current, and resistance, and has a
diode checker. Is that what I need? Not sure what DVM and VOM mean.

Thanks.

 

[Robert Oschler]

Now *that* sounds very interesting!
One duck to another "It *was* an UFO!. It even talked (quacked) back
to me! I swear, I am not going quackers!".

Funny you should say that. My next Robosapien movie shows an actual duck
attacking my Robosapien.

If you never saw my first Robosapien movie you can see it at:

http://www.robotsrule.com/html/robot.php

Be forewarned it's *really* silly.

 

[Matthew Gunn]

Matt,

Other Robert here (OP).

They're called wall warts in the music industry. If you are a musician with
a lot of effects boxes (distortion pedal, phaser box, etc.), those wall
warts are a pain to attach to a power strip because they don't sit next to
each other well (think of the geometry). In fact there are companies that
make "wart removers". A wart remove is just a very short power cord,
usually about 8" at most, with a flat plastic panel at the end that has a
single AC plug outlet. This moves the wall wart away from the power strip
and allows you to easily plug multiple effects boxes into a power strip.

Thanks

Yeh, sweet. They are a pain in the ass, even at home. So many things
these days are low voltage so they come with one of these things. You'd
think someone would design one that can be plugged in next to other ones
or other plugs. I also didn't know you could get the wart removers but
usually have to resort to 1m or 2m extension cords.
You can get powerboards that allow for a couple of them but I still
think it would be easier if the bloody things weren't so wide.

 

[Mitch Berkson]

Yeh, sweet. They are a pain in the ass, even at home. So many things
these days are low voltage so they come with one of these things. You'd
think someone would design one that can be plugged in next to
other ones or other plugs.

Switching regulators are becoming more popular - they are more efficient and
smaller (fit next to each other), but somewhat more expensive. My D-Link
router came with one which is a good reason to like D-Link. Jameco sells
them also (e.g.,
http://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/st...toreId=10001&catalogId=10001&productId=129187)

Mitch

 

[Robert Baer]

Yeh, sweet. They are a pain in the ass, even at home. So many things
these days are low voltage so they come with one of these things. You'd
think someone would design one that can be plugged in next to other ones
or other plugs. I also didn't know you could get the wart removers but
usually have to resort to 1m or 2m extension cords.
You can get powerboards that allow for a couple of them but I still
think it would be easier if the bloody things weren't so wide.

It turns out that someone *has* designed narrow wall warts!
Jameco carries them; see their 225995, 216442, 249324, 298054, 239564,
190512 and 190511; all 1.8" wide or less. They have others; that list is
a sample.