@@crazycookie76 Yes, he was very concise. Not trying to be sexist, but I am a chic. I have 3 - $12 really cool little light up running water fountains I want to change over from battery. Need a little Zen around my work area. Because he was so concise, Now I have to look up how to solder, (after I just googled how to spell it...) AND I'm not quite clear on finding the positive and negative wires on the device. More TH-cam in my future.
@@ginadagostino8346 that's fair. I guess it's just that some people don't need the added information, while others do. I'm thinking how usually I find the opposite of conciseness in these kinds of videos, so I appreciate that the concise ones exist too!
Oh my goodness I can't tell you how frustrated I get with having to replace batteries after a day or two, this has made my life so much easier and your directions are simple, no nonsense, no filler, just straight to the point, telling me what I need to know so that I can get on with the job I need to do... Thank you my guy
It's pretty important to verify the voltage of the adapter and especially if it's a used adapter you're using . I noticed that one said 6 volts and the other one was a 9 volt output adapter . Another point is to verify the amperage requirements for whatever device is being used and to make sure that they're both the same . Using a multimeter is pretty important for doing this type of thing .
Good idea, but some wall warts are not a regulated voltage and can produce a much higher output than expected with light loading, it can damage devices. So a 3 pin regulator will need to be placed in line with the power, a simple 7805 (5v) one will do for 4.5v devices, for special voltages the LM317 variable regulator is a simple device to use. Dont use mains supplys on am radios, lots of buzzing lol.
Most I've seen will produce a higher voltage with no load, but taper off quickly to the spec voltage or slightly lower under full specified load(500ma). This 6v one probably sits at 7v unloaded and tapers down to 6.5 under the light load. My thought process is these battery powered devices are meant to have a wide voltage range as cells can be 1.6(new) to 1v or less. So this device with 4 cells will easily handle 6.4v to 4v. I could probably even drive it with 8-9volts without harm.
Just remember that not all devices can cope with a higher voltage, ive spent the last 30 years repairing electronics and ive seen far too many dead items because of wrong power adaptors, or wrong voltages fed into devices, excessive ripple is also a killer. im just saying that some adapters are much cruder than the label states.
This comment is correct. A vast majority of these wall warts are not regulated and the initial high voltage can blow right through some chips. That, and no effort was made to determine the proper amperage capacity of the wall wart.
In most cases, a battery=operated device that runs on 6VDC can be run from a USB wall charger. Yes, it's a lower voltage, but there is a considerable degree of tolerance. General rule of thumb: If it runs on four AA or AAA batteries, a USB wall charger with out output of at least 300-500 mA will work. If you have something that runs on four C or D batteries, you'll want something that can deliver at least 1000 mA (1 amp). Of course, you can use a higher-capacity wall charger in place of a low-capacity charger, but vice versa should be avoided. You might be able to use the USB charger also with 4.5 volt devices (again, some tolerance), but don't try it with lesser voltages. This opens the door to using power banks to power some devices. Always always ALWAYS observe polarity requirements, and NEVER use a wall wart that has an AC output to power a DC device. Oddly enough, however, if your device accepts an AC input, you can usually power it with a DC power source of similar voltage. Again, make sure you don't mix that up. If you're not sure, don't try.
been doing that since I was a kid on all kinds of things. This is very helpful for people to know its that simple to not have to use batteries. I used to make battery shapes out of small blocks of wood with screws for the terminals to use a wall wart with something you wouldn't want to solder to like the old yellow Sony sports walkman.
@@sixtyfiveford Yeah tell me about it. It really looked like it came from the store that way. Unbelievable. Super impressive. Can I just pay you to convert my 3 little $12 lighted water fountains? The batteries last less than a day. Supposed to be providing a zen environment for me while I feel like throwing them across the room. I don't know how to solder either. Being that it's a water device, I think I might electrocute myself. Found this video on my first try though. One stroke of luck in my favor. Like and subscribe.
If I have a device that takes 3 AAA rated at 1.2v= 3.6v. Would any 3.6v transformer work? Is there a threshold on mAh or mA I don't want to go over... Thanks.
This is freaking awesome! I have the exact same issue not wanting to buy batteries every time I want to print some labels and was tinkering about this mod. It’s the exact same model as the one I have. You sir, saved some of my brain cells. Thanks a lot!
Thank you so much. Seriously. 37 year old highschool drop out. This helped me turn my sons hot wheels battery operated car launchers into never dying fun.
I find the best place to get wall wart or adapters is the thrift stores most times people will donate small electronics that require adapters but the thrift store staff don't have the time to put the appropriate adapter with the appropriate item.
Awesome video. Wasn't exactly sure how to word what I wanted to search for but I went with the recommended text and this was the first video and it's exactly what I needed. Even explained how much you need for each battery, how to solder to it and everything. Appreciate you!
but what about the eliminator current? I want to use one on a small DC motor, but im worried about the amps drawn. the eliminator im planing to buy gets me 3V but it says its 300mA
Is there something you can use in place of the "wall-wort" to transform the power? for instance, you you wanted to wire it directly into a wall switch.
I'd be interested to know how to make that same appliance, in this instance is a nail trimmer for dogs, how to make it more powerful, got any videos on that?
The only way to bump up the power/ speed on little motors is to increase the voltage. So if it runs off 2 battery cells? That's 3 volts. Give it 4-4.5volts and it'll be way more powerful. But you got to be careful because too much voltage and you'll just short it out.
not appropriate for every item but i love that video showing that the hype for cordless things is not the only way. i dont know how many batteries and energy are wasted this way worldwide, so this is a very good idea. liked and subscribed.
How do you choose the adapter amperage when replacing batteries in this fashion? I can't find anything that explains it clearly and this video lends itself well to this question as it covers basically everything involved EXCEPT for current. I assume it matters significantly what output amperage is provided by the adapter used. Thanks.
The device will only pull the amperage it needs. It doesn't matter if you put a 20amp or 1amp power supply behind it if the device only pulls 100mah. You won't ruin the device. A car battery puts out 12volts and upwards or 2000amps or more dead short. But I can turn on my heater that pulls 20amps and my radio that pulls 5amps and everything is happy.
i know this is super old but i want to modify my christmas funko village which is basically some dimly lit LED bulbs inside of a santa's cottage (3 different christmas themed buildings)...in following your notes...if i have 3 and each takes 2 AA batts each, does this mean i should opt for a 9v plug and then just run wires to each to solder on like a daisy chain to run all LED lit toys? my only concern is fire safety.... ANY HELP WOULD GREATLY BE APPRECIATED!!!
You could use a 9 volt power supply or a 3 volt. 9 volt you would just wire all the lights in series one after another. 3 volt and you would take a positive and negative wire to each light which is called parallel wiring.
@@sixtyfiveford thank you for responding on such an older video. i appreciate it. so if i go with a 9v just follow your vid and solder batt compartments in line right? if that's right i'm a little confused about the 3v option, sorry electronics is not my forte and i've never soldered anything lol.
On your label maker, how did you quickly determine what was the positive and what was the negative terminal? I'm looking to use these instructions to power my kids bubble machine. I have no idea what amperage it is, but I do know it's 9V. Planning on getting the multi-voltage adapter linked in your description.
With a 9-volt battery It is labeled positive with a plus and negative with a minus directly on the sides of the battery. So you should be able to quickly determine which terminal is positive which one's negative in the device
@@sixtyfiveford It's actually 6x AA batteries totalling 9 volts. The six batteries are inserted side by side into the base of the machine. They all look identical. I'd have to buy some triangle shaped security screwdrivers to get inside to see more details. I've added those to my shopping list :)
@@shineandcriss If all six batteries alter direction one from the other, then it is a 9 volt system. The positive will be either on the far left where the positive terminal on the battery touches or the far right where the positive terminal touches. The negative would be the exact same, where the negative terminal touches on the last battery left side or right side. So if the positive is on the left hand side the negative will actually be on the far right hand side and vice versa
@@sixtyfiveford Thank you so much. Final questions: What type & gauge wire did you use to solder the female adapter to the battery terminals? Any specific type of solder to use? I see lead-free is an option, which I'm leaning towards purchasing.
Is there a way to be able to leave the batteries in the device also so in case the power goes out, the device can work on battery power without having to put the batteries in the device?
Hi 65, I remember Radio Shack sold an AC adapter that had a little switch built into it to change the voltage. With all the de-vices we have, I would love to get a hold of one of those again.
Most other similar conversion methods use mock batteries but that’s so much work, why go thru that when this method makes so much more sense? Thank you!
I have a cordless Ryobi tool that uses an 8V rechargable battery. I would love to convert it to a power cord that can plug into the wall because even my new batteries cannot power this tool. Can you tell me how to do that? Thanks!
You won't be able to run it off wall power. The issue is the batteries in power tools are high drain and can produce 15-30 amps to supply the tool under torque. A wall plug adapter at 8v is only going to put out around 1 amp.
That's a great idea. I was going power the p touch printer with an external rechargeable power bank that has an adjustable voltage. It's easier than to use AA batteries that often leak and don't work when you need to use the device.
It always kind of urked me that devices don't have it to where you can either use batteries or plug it in. It would make it so much nicer if you could plug in something when you don't have batteries for it on hand. Also would reduce the chances of batteries leaking and ruining the device you forgot to take out.
Is there an option to use the car battery instead. How do I reduce the voltage and amperage of a car battery to the same as two AA batteries. I need this for a remote device in the car for controlling the radio volume and changing radio stations. This device uses 2 AA batteries.
would anyone know how to do this with 3 AAA batteries? do i need two black wires and one red? two reds and one black? and do i solter to the minus (-) or plus (+) side?
I tried doing the same thing but with 24 v battery floor washing machine that uses 100-140 ah batteries. Can u help me out on why it didn't work? It turned on the machine and all but but when I tried running it, it turned off. To it's seems like it's does not produce enough juice to keep on running the machine.
Hello Stumbled across this video looking at how to power a device. Synopsis: I have the same label printer, it won't work on batteries and it has a mains power point. I don't have the mains power supply, tried a couple of phone chargers, but worry I fried it due to the unusual central pin. Question: my label printer won't print, the tape runss out, but the wheel that pushes the tape onto the head doesn't move forward to apply pressure. . . . . Any ideas..?
Can you use dead AA batteries instead of making dummy batteries out of wood (Drilling holes and running wires)? What about dead AA Rechargable NiMH batteries? Would the consistent DC voltage damage the unit or cause/damage the batteries to foam/explose?! Thanks!
Hi there, I know this is an older video at this point, so you might not see this comment, but how would I do the opposite? I have a small clock that plugs into the wall that would be much more convenient to have with batteries instead.
@@sixtyfiveford I chickened out and returned it 😂 I'll try to get another back because I really liked it... It's a LED Edison bulb lamp in this gorgeous cage but it's battery powered, for where I wanted to put it, batteries are a total waste of time. I'll get another one, and try your method.
I have an old battery powered dremel that i have jerry rigged to use an RC car liPo battery, but i have no way to adjust the RPMs, can i do this while adding in a rheostat?
how do you know positive/negative leads to attach it to in the battery compartment? (mine has 4 D's) I tried to simply attach the negative to the spring side and the positive to the flat side...no go. I know I'm getting power. I hooked it up to multimeter so I know I'm getting power from the plug (6.2). the batteries seem to be connected to one long continuous strip of metal.
Question, I have four tap lights that take 3 Double A's each and I would like to hardwire them and ditch the batteries. How do I do this? I'm assuming I'd have to hardwire them all together and then find a stronger converter? Thank you so much for helping!
@@sixtyfiveford thank you so much for answering me so quickly! I'm excited to give this project a go! If you would like to make a video on this project of mine specifically, I would greatly appreciate that! LOL but I'm being serious as well! LOL
Is there a way to rig up something that uses 3 (357) type batteries? I have a decorative porcelain Christmas snowman that uses 3 small batteries & only 1 coil. Any way to add a plug to this?
If the batteries are run in series/end the end then you'll need 4.5v to run it (3x 1.5v). There's always enough leeway in battery operated stuff to go up a little or down in voltage. 5 volts is very common won't damage your lights, so i would choose to run it off 5 volts. You can get pretty much any usb power supply (phone charger) and it'll supply 5v. You could make it plug in or even run it off a cheap power bank.
hai, what is the different between transformer and adaptor?? let say, if i want to by-pass my phone battery connected directly to wire can i use this method?? do i need to buy transformer or adaptor that have the same volts like my phone battery volts??
Great video, and thanks Moe. Do you happen to have a link to the AC adapter ans female receptacle, sold as sets? Looking forward to eliminating my battery hungry device with AC, but finding it difficult to find the female portion of the adapter, and especially dont want them to be incompatible.
I don't see any as sets. Just make sure both pieces say 5.5mm-2.1mm and they'll fit together. I have a link in the video description for both parts separately.
Search ebay or amazon for female dc power jack (or socket or panel mount). Just need to get the same size barrel plug on the adapter, I ordered some 5.5x2.1mm jacks and ac adapters to match. You can get 10 of the jacks that are all metal for under $10 shipped.
The inside is positive 99% of the time. I have only ever seen 1 that was opposite. You should have a symbol like this www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwi-jdCmyf7cAhWYxIMKHf14DDwQjRx6BAgBEAU&url=https%3A%2F%2Felectronics.stackexchange.com%2Fquestions%2F33968%2Fhow-to-tell-polarity-expected-of-a-dc-barrel-jack&psig=AOvVaw13QFj7vXdSfaWlyPCfsKdR&ust=1534955550677491
Yes. They are either going to be 1.5volts or 3volt button cell batteries. You can also just wire a AA battery cell in it's place and it will run 50 times longer than it did off the little button watch cell battery.
I just did this but went the dummy-battery route for a wifi-enabled temperature/humidity sensor. I replaced 3 AAA batteries with an old 4.5v DC adapter but noticed with my multimeter that the adapter was outputting ~5.7v. Should I be worried about frying my device with the increased voltage, or will the load from the device make up for it? I've been reading a bit about adding some resistors/diodes to try dropping the voltage but I'm not sure if that's necessary.
@@sixtyfiveford I have these 1.5v battery powered LED lights connected to a mains adaptor that is 3v and it melted the hot glue in the housing and caused premature failure?
@@shaunhill2466 It pulls the amperage it needs but you need the correct voltage. So you can get a 1.5 volt 100mah-2amp+power supply and it'll only take what it needs
Do you think a 5V 0.5A USB cable soldered to a device running only 2 AA batteries would fry the circuitry? Should I put a resistor in series (what size?)
Battery operated stuff is generally pretty forgiving because of the nature of batteries constantly changing voltage. 5volts may be pushing it a little but you can step it down to around 3 volts pretty easily. th-cam.com/video/zrq4n5tOoTI/w-d-xo.html
I have all the details in the video description. They are DC power adapters. You need the same size female as male and these are the most common size: DC power adapters 5pcs - amzn.to/2kzlSoC
No. The device will only draw what it needs. Batteries themselves can easily put out 1000mah- 2000mah+. Most stuff draws sub 1000mah/1ah, so a transformer in this range will be adequate.
Thank you for this video. I have a female jack with 3 prongs and no signs what is positive and negative. Any idea how I can tell exactly which is which?
What is your take on the video that's been floating around Facebook & TH-cam on a USB charger to charge "wirelessly" by just butchering up a USB cord & adding a magnet & small diameter fine copper (The idea I am seeing in this is the "electromagnet" theory), and supposedly this is supposed to work at 50 feet as well?????
How do I figure out how to convert 8 puck lights that take 3 AAA batteries in series into A/C corded lights. I’m sick of changing out the batteries. What kind of adapter do I need?
I have a 12 V portable fan that plugs into the cigarette lighter in the car and I want to run it off of double a batteries is that possible and how would you do that
enjoyed the video. I want to make one of these to run a dc fuel pump. I have some power inverters around. can I just splice one in to my dc pump using it's clamps and will this handle my project? usually I hook my dc pump up directly to my truck battery but have to keep the truck running to get enough power and it's to loud. thank you for your assistance.
@@sixtyfiveford thanks for the reply. would I just hook the alligator clips together and turn it on? after making sure it's set for the right amps of course.
I am a deer hunter. I made a 4x8 enclosed deer stand 16 feet off the ground. I purchased a camping fan that has 4 D batteries. I use it to defog my windows when I run my heater. Can I forgo the D batteried and hook uo a larger battery so my fan will run with out changing batteries all the time?
You just need more than the device will pull. Battery operated stuff is generally very low, especially anything running on AA or AAA cells. A small 200ma would handle virtually anything powered by these small cells. So pick up one that's larger and you'll be fine. Even hooking up a 1000ma is fine as the device will only pull what it needs.
Would you consider changing your title to include the words: Brother Label Maker? I serendipitously found your TH-cam video while looking for a solution to the battery replacement issue for my PT-70 and PT-M95 Brother label makers. Yours is a nice, simple and cost-effective solution to an everyday annoyance issue. Thanks.
chr11sf if the maximum output of the charger is higher than the maximum possibly consumed from the tool yes. it won't work for a cordless drill for example. there are some needing 20 Amps and more.
Great Video! 2 simple questions hopefully if you can answer for me that i feel seemed missing in the video.... 1. How did you determine the positive and negative tabs on the unit or what would be the best way to do that. 2. If i have a unit that takes 3 AA batteries, will i still be soldering to just two tabs for positive and negative? thanks so much!
Negative and Positive were determined by the battery orientation. With 3 cells laying side by side they are both connected to the center battery so it's just a chain of 3 batteries end to end. Look closely and you should be able to determine which end is your final positive and negative. A multimeter makes it easy but external visual inspection or opening the device both work.
I have. An 18650 cell seams to work fine in place of most 2 cell devices but should also work in 3 cell devices. The 4.2v-3v that you get from the 18650 seams pretty good. It is about a volt higher than 2 cells(1.5/1.6x2=3.2v) but the things I've tried it in didn't seam to care. I can't say that about every 2 cell device though.
thanks for great video! Question: If you have 2 of these devices and you want to convert them both to just 1 ac power cord how would you do that? do you have to adjust the voltage?
If they both used the same amount of batteries, ie 4 they both need 6 volts. So they can share the same 6 volt power supply at the same time if you want.
How do you know how many amps are needed? I just converted a 2 AA battery hobby drill to wall socket. The thing needs 3V to run but it runs much slower than when I connect 2 AA batteries to it. You can change the voltage on the adapter from 3V to 12V, I tried putting it at 4.9V but it ran at the exact same speed as before so I'm wondering if it has something to do with Amps? The adjustable plug has several version of it, the one I bought puts out 600mA at 3V. Other versions have 2,1A at 3V and another at 1,5A at 3V. I don't know how many mA or A 2 AA batteries put out and finding that out is confusing. Google gave me anywhere from 1200-3000 mAh for a single AA battery depending on type. I'm so confused as to how to calculate what Amps are needed. Anyone know how much mA or A I need to output to equal 2 AA 1.5V batteries?
A power tool will be on the extreme end of power draw. A full alkaline AA will allow a current draw of upwards 2-3amps. I would say .6amps is too low and you'll need to go upwards 1.5amps or even 2.1amps. They have a capacity of around 2500mah at a slow 100ma draw, so we can use this to guesstimate the current draw. Fresh Alkaline batteries At 2amp draw: should last 10-15 minutes before the tool feels super weak At 1amp draw: should last 30-40 minutes before the tool feels super weak At .5amp draw: should last 60-75 minutes before the tool feels super weak
Honestly didn't think I'd find a youtube video for EXACTLY what I was looking for and with no added nonsense. I appreciate you sir.
You took the words out of my mouth.
exactly what I was thinking!
@@crazycookie76 Yes, he was very concise. Not trying to be sexist, but I am a chic. I have 3 - $12 really cool little light up running water fountains I want to change over from battery. Need a little Zen around my work area. Because he was so concise, Now I have to look up how to solder, (after I just googled how to spell it...) AND I'm not quite clear on finding the positive and negative wires on the device. More TH-cam in my future.
@@ginadagostino8346 that's fair. I guess it's just that some people don't need the added information, while others do. I'm thinking how usually I find the opposite of conciseness in these kinds of videos, so I appreciate that the concise ones exist too!
@@crazycookie76 I get you. Even though what I said was true, I was trying to be funny. Guess I didnt try hard enough. HA!
Oh my goodness I can't tell you how frustrated I get with having to replace batteries after a day or two, this has made my life so much easier and your directions are simple, no nonsense, no filler, just straight to the point, telling me what I need to know so that I can get on with the job I need to do... Thank you my guy
It's pretty important to verify the voltage of the adapter and especially if it's a used adapter you're using . I noticed that one said 6 volts and the other one was a 9 volt output adapter . Another point is to verify the amperage requirements for whatever device is being used and to make sure that they're both the same . Using a multimeter is pretty important for doing this type of thing .
You're using batteries and the device is made to use the amps that batteries put out.
www.techlib.com/reference/batteries.html
Good idea, but some wall warts are not a regulated voltage and can produce a much higher output than expected with light loading, it can damage devices.
So a 3 pin regulator will need to be placed in line with the power, a simple 7805 (5v) one will do for 4.5v devices, for special voltages the LM317 variable regulator is a simple device to use.
Dont use mains supplys on am radios, lots of buzzing lol.
Most I've seen will produce a higher voltage with no load, but taper off quickly to the spec voltage or slightly lower under full specified load(500ma). This 6v one probably sits at 7v unloaded and tapers down to 6.5 under the light load. My thought process is these battery powered devices are meant to have a wide voltage range as cells can be 1.6(new) to 1v or less. So this device with 4 cells will easily handle 6.4v to 4v. I could probably even drive it with 8-9volts without harm.
Just remember that not all devices can cope with a higher voltage, ive spent the last 30 years repairing electronics and ive seen far too many dead items because of wrong power adaptors, or wrong voltages fed into devices, excessive ripple is also a killer.
im just saying that some adapters are much cruder than the label states.
this is why im not doing this hack...
This comment is correct. A vast majority of these wall warts are not regulated and the initial high voltage can blow right through some chips.
That, and no effort was made to determine the proper amperage capacity of the wall wart.
This is actually pretty cool. Probably the most easiest, simple, and safest way to do this out their on the youtube world.
In most cases, a battery=operated device that runs on 6VDC can be run from a USB wall charger. Yes, it's a lower voltage, but there is a considerable degree of tolerance. General rule of thumb: If it runs on four AA or AAA batteries, a USB wall charger with out output of at least 300-500 mA will work. If you have something that runs on four C or D batteries, you'll want something that can deliver at least 1000 mA (1 amp). Of course, you can use a higher-capacity wall charger in place of a low-capacity charger, but vice versa should be avoided. You might be able to use the USB charger also with 4.5 volt devices (again, some tolerance), but don't try it with lesser voltages.
This opens the door to using power banks to power some devices.
Always always ALWAYS observe polarity requirements, and NEVER use a wall wart that has an AC output to power a DC device. Oddly enough, however, if your device accepts an AC input, you can usually power it with a DC power source of similar voltage. Again, make sure you don't mix that up. If you're not sure, don't try.
been doing that since I was a kid on all kinds of things. This is very helpful for people to know its that simple to not have to use batteries. I used to make battery shapes out of small blocks of wood with screws for the terminals to use a wall wart with something you wouldn't want to solder to like the old yellow Sony sports walkman.
I still have my small yellow Sony Sports Walkman somewhere in my parts bin.
sixtyfiveford I still have mine somewhere too
Thanks for the amazing tip. I'm impressed by how professional it turned out like it was made that way from the factory. Impressive as always.
Thanks Man.
@@sixtyfiveford Yeah tell me about it. It really looked like it came from the store that way. Unbelievable. Super impressive. Can I just pay you to convert my 3 little $12 lighted water fountains? The batteries last less than a day. Supposed to be providing a zen environment for me while I feel like throwing them across the room. I don't know how to solder either. Being that it's a water device, I think I might electrocute myself. Found this video on my first try though. One stroke of luck in my favor. Like and subscribe.
I add a few more brain cells whenever I watch your videos. You're a TH-cam treasure for sure.
Hey Thanks for watching.
If I have a device that takes 3 AAA rated at 1.2v= 3.6v. Would any 3.6v transformer work? Is there a threshold on mAh or mA I don't want to go over... Thanks.
You did it nicely. No additional boring talks just to the point video.
That's a handy tutorial right there. The way your mind thinks is amazing.
Thanks
This is freaking awesome! I have the exact same issue not wanting to buy batteries every time I want to print some labels and was tinkering about this mod. It’s the exact same model as the one I have. You sir, saved some of my brain cells. Thanks a lot!
Thank you so much. Seriously. 37 year old highschool drop out. This helped me turn my sons hot wheels battery operated car launchers into never dying fun.
That's awesome.
Thank GAWD for a non-technical description. You are the bomb!
he even lists all the sources for the materials, thanks dude
Thanks for watching.
I find the best place to get wall wart or adapters is the thrift stores most times people will donate small electronics that require adapters but the thrift store staff don't have the time to put the appropriate adapter with the appropriate item.
That's a great idea.
Brilliant idea. I knew I kept all those old transformers for something.
Thanks Man.
Does a power adapter have to be used? Could you take an extention cord or cord from a junk item and keep the male end and wire to the device?
Awesome video. Wasn't exactly sure how to word what I wanted to search for but I went with the recommended text and this was the first video and it's exactly what I needed. Even explained how much you need for each battery, how to solder to it and everything. Appreciate you!
Ive been looking for this vid for 4 years. Thanks!
but what about the eliminator current? I want to use one on a small DC motor, but im worried about the amps drawn. the eliminator im planing to buy gets me 3V but it says its 300mA
Is there something you can use in place of the "wall-wort" to transform the power? for instance, you you wanted to wire it directly into a wall switch.
I'd be interested to know how to make that same appliance, in this instance is a nail trimmer for dogs, how to make it more powerful, got any videos on that?
The only way to bump up the power/ speed on little motors is to increase the voltage. So if it runs off 2 battery cells? That's 3 volts. Give it 4-4.5volts and it'll be way more powerful. But you got to be careful because too much voltage and you'll just short it out.
not appropriate for every item but i love that video showing that the hype for cordless things is not the only way. i dont know how many batteries and energy are wasted this way worldwide, so this is a very good idea. liked and subscribed.
Well said. Thanks Man.
Nice video. The wall wart, which of the prong is negative, and which prong is positive?
How do you choose the adapter amperage when replacing batteries in this fashion? I can't find anything that explains it clearly and this video lends itself well to this question as it covers basically everything involved EXCEPT for current. I assume it matters significantly what output amperage is provided by the adapter used. Thanks.
The device will only pull the amperage it needs. It doesn't matter if you put a 20amp or 1amp power supply behind it if the device only pulls 100mah. You won't ruin the device. A car battery puts out 12volts and upwards or 2000amps or more dead short. But I can turn on my heater that pulls 20amps and my radio that pulls 5amps and everything is happy.
i know this is super old but i want to modify my christmas funko village which is basically some dimly lit LED bulbs inside of a santa's cottage (3 different christmas themed buildings)...in following your notes...if i have 3 and each takes 2 AA batts each, does this mean i should opt for a 9v plug and then just run wires to each to solder on like a daisy chain to run all LED lit toys? my only concern is fire safety.... ANY HELP WOULD GREATLY BE APPRECIATED!!!
You could use a 9 volt power supply or a 3 volt. 9 volt you would just wire all the lights in series one after another. 3 volt and you would take a positive and negative wire to each light which is called parallel wiring.
@@sixtyfiveford thank you for responding on such an older video. i appreciate it. so if i go with a 9v just follow your vid and solder batt compartments in line right? if that's right i'm a little confused about the 3v option, sorry electronics is not my forte and i've never soldered anything lol.
On your label maker, how did you quickly determine what was the positive and what was the negative terminal? I'm looking to use these instructions to power my kids bubble machine. I have no idea what amperage it is, but I do know it's 9V. Planning on getting the multi-voltage adapter linked in your description.
With a 9-volt battery It is labeled positive with a plus and negative with a minus directly on the sides of the battery. So you should be able to quickly determine which terminal is positive which one's negative in the device
@@sixtyfiveford It's actually 6x AA batteries totalling 9 volts. The six batteries are inserted side by side into the base of the machine. They all look identical. I'd have to buy some triangle shaped security screwdrivers to get inside to see more details. I've added those to my shopping list :)
@@shineandcriss If all six batteries alter direction one from the other, then it is a 9 volt system. The positive will be either on the far left where the positive terminal on the battery touches or the far right where the positive terminal touches. The negative would be the exact same, where the negative terminal touches on the last battery left side or right side. So if the positive is on the left hand side the negative will actually be on the far right hand side and vice versa
@@sixtyfiveford Thank you so much. Final questions: What type & gauge wire did you use to solder the female adapter to the battery terminals? Any specific type of solder to use? I see lead-free is an option, which I'm leaning towards purchasing.
Great tip, I've been doing this with my battery powered Dremel tool for several years now.
Good but what if i dont want to solder anything permanently in the battery compartment? Then its not really versatile
Good tip, Moe. I do this with battery powered toe nail sanders for pets, but I hard wire them and then I can use them for my modeling hobbies.
Those would come in handy for projects.
Is there a way to be able to leave the batteries in the device also so in case the power goes out, the device can work on battery power without having to put the batteries in the device?
Good idea, and I find it interesting that the label maker in question Didn't have a DC adapter port...
Hey Thanks.
Very clever, get rid of the middleman. I love it!
The little monster has been eating batteries for years. I'm glad I no longer need to worry about it when I pull it out.
Hi 65, I remember Radio Shack sold an AC adapter that had a little switch built into it to change the voltage. With all the de-vices we have, I would love to get a hold of one of those again.
Amazon still carries them.
Does anyone know what those red and black cords or wires are called
can you do this on tablets? specially bed-mounted tablets. battery is a pain
I plan to do this with a device that uses 6 batteries, do I only need solder wires to a single positive and negative or do I need to all?
Most other similar conversion methods use mock batteries but that’s so much work, why go thru that when this method makes so much more sense? Thank you!
Thanks, I'm glad you liked it.
I have a cordless Ryobi tool that uses an 8V rechargable battery. I would love to convert it to a power cord that can plug into the wall because even my new batteries cannot power this tool. Can you tell me how to do that? Thanks!
You won't be able to run it off wall power. The issue is the batteries in power tools are high drain and can produce 15-30 amps to supply the tool under torque. A wall plug adapter at 8v is only going to put out around 1 amp.
So you put the positive wire in the first positive battery side and negative in the last negative battery side?
Yes.
Where can I find these ports? And what are they called. I can't seem to locate them
That's a great idea. I was going power the p touch printer with an external rechargeable power bank that has an adjustable voltage. It's easier than to use AA batteries that often leak and don't work when you need to use the device.
That's a good idea.
It always kind of urked me that devices don't have it to where you can either use batteries or plug it in. It would make it so much nicer if you could plug in something when you don't have batteries for it on hand. Also would reduce the chances of batteries leaking and ruining the device you forgot to take out.
Is there an option to use the car battery instead. How do I reduce the voltage and amperage of a car battery to the same as two AA batteries. I need this for a remote device in the car for controlling the radio volume and changing radio stations. This device uses 2 AA batteries.
You need a simple step down converter like this amzn.to/44IfTkE
would anyone know how to do this with 3 AAA batteries? do i need two black wires and one red? two reds and one black? and do i solter to the minus (-) or plus (+) side?
I tried doing the same thing but with 24 v battery floor washing machine that uses 100-140 ah batteries. Can u help me out on why it didn't work? It turned on the machine and all but but when I tried running it, it turned off. To it's seems like it's does not produce enough juice to keep on running the machine.
Hello
Stumbled across this video looking at how to power a device.
Synopsis: I have the same label printer, it won't work on batteries and it has a mains power point.
I don't have the mains power supply, tried a couple of phone chargers, but worry I fried it due to the unusual central pin.
Question: my label printer won't print, the tape runss out, but the wheel that pushes the tape onto the head doesn't move forward to apply pressure. . . . . Any ideas..?
Can you use dead AA batteries instead of making dummy batteries out of wood (Drilling holes and running wires)? What about dead AA Rechargable NiMH batteries? Would the consistent DC voltage damage the unit or cause/damage the batteries to foam/explose?!
Thanks!
Can you still do this kinda set up on battery power Halloween/Christmas lights?
Absolutely.
is there a video for the other way around???
Hi there, I know this is an older video at this point, so you might not see this comment, but how would I do the opposite? I have a small clock that plugs into the wall that would be much more convenient to have with batteries instead.
Another battery gobbling device - No more! Sweet conversion.
Thanks.
So to convert something that only uses 3 batteries or 4.5 v I need to have the relevant powered adaptor?
Yes. Battery powered stuff is very lenient and you could easily use up to a 5 volt power supply(easier to find than a 4.5v)
@@sixtyfiveford I chickened out and returned it 😂 I'll try to get another back because I really liked it... It's a LED Edison bulb lamp in this gorgeous cage but it's battery powered, for where I wanted to put it, batteries are a total waste of time. I'll get another one, and try your method.
I have an old battery powered dremel that i have jerry rigged to use an RC car liPo battery, but i have no way to adjust the RPMs, can i do this while adding in a rheostat?
Mains adapters seem to be 3v minimum but my device only uses one battery. What can I do?
You can buy wall adapters that will drop the voltage down to 1.5volts. Here's an example amzn.to/3jiI68g
how do you know positive/negative leads to attach it to in the battery compartment? (mine has 4 D's) I tried to simply attach the negative to the spring side and the positive to the flat side...no go. I know I'm getting power. I hooked it up to multimeter so I know I'm getting power from the plug (6.2). the batteries seem to be connected to one long continuous strip of metal.
Put some batteries in and test the voltage at those same two places.
Question, I have four tap lights that take 3 Double A's each and I would like to hardwire them and ditch the batteries. How do I do this? I'm assuming I'd have to hardwire them all together and then find a stronger converter? Thank you so much for helping!
You'll just need a power supply that puts out 4.5 to 5volts and around 1 amp. That should handle the power for all.
@@sixtyfiveford thank you so much for answering me so quickly! I'm excited to give this project a go! If you would like to make a video on this project of mine specifically, I would greatly appreciate that! LOL but I'm being serious as well! LOL
badass. I'm going to do this to every battery powered device i have.
Is there a way to rig up something that uses 3 (357) type batteries? I have a decorative porcelain Christmas snowman that uses 3 small batteries & only 1 coil. Any way to add a plug to this?
If the batteries are run in series/end the end then you'll need 4.5v to run it (3x 1.5v). There's always enough leeway in battery operated stuff to go up a little or down in voltage. 5 volts is very common won't damage your lights, so i would choose to run it off 5 volts. You can get pretty much any usb power supply (phone charger) and it'll supply 5v. You could make it plug in or even run it off a cheap power bank.
Great idea. Would that also work as a charger if you put in rechargeable batteries?
It would. You would just need to pull the power cord off after a while, as it wouldn't stop charging.
@@sixtyfiveford No. It would fry your batteries without a current regulator circuit.
hai, what is the different between transformer and adaptor??
let say, if i want to by-pass my phone battery connected directly to wire can i use this method?? do i need to buy transformer or adaptor that have the same volts like my phone battery volts??
Great video, and thanks Moe. Do you happen to have a link to the AC adapter ans female receptacle, sold as sets? Looking forward to eliminating my battery hungry device with AC, but finding it difficult to find the female portion of the adapter, and especially dont want them to be incompatible.
I don't see any as sets. Just make sure both pieces say 5.5mm-2.1mm and they'll fit together. I have a link in the video description for both parts separately.
@@sixtyfiveford Just hard wire it...you don't need the connectors
Search ebay or amazon for female dc power jack (or socket or panel mount). Just need to get the same size barrel plug on the adapter, I ordered some 5.5x2.1mm jacks and ac adapters to match. You can get 10 of the jacks that are all metal for under $10 shipped.
Where are the links you mentioned in the video? Looking for power adapter and power plug to purchase to attempt this conversion. Thanks!
In the video description directly under the video of you watching it on a computer or phone.
Good idea and nice little hack! Over time, the price of batteries can really add up.
It's just annoying that when I randomly need this every 4 months, the batteries are dead.
on the female connector, how do you tell what's the positive, negative, inside, outside...? I got the ones from amazon but can't tell, no diagram.
The inside is positive 99% of the time. I have only ever seen 1 that was opposite. You should have a symbol like this www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwi-jdCmyf7cAhWYxIMKHf14DDwQjRx6BAgBEAU&url=https%3A%2F%2Felectronics.stackexchange.com%2Fquestions%2F33968%2Fhow-to-tell-polarity-expected-of-a-dc-barrel-jack&psig=AOvVaw13QFj7vXdSfaWlyPCfsKdR&ust=1534955550677491
would this work for something running off watch battaries?
Yes. They are either going to be 1.5volts or 3volt button cell batteries. You can also just wire a AA battery cell in it's place and it will run 50 times longer than it did off the little button watch cell battery.
I just did this but went the dummy-battery route for a wifi-enabled temperature/humidity sensor. I replaced 3 AAA batteries with an old 4.5v DC adapter but noticed with my multimeter that the adapter was outputting ~5.7v. Should I be worried about frying my device with the increased voltage, or will the load from the device make up for it? I've been reading a bit about adding some resistors/diodes to try dropping the voltage but I'm not sure if that's necessary.
The voltage will drop on the DC adapter once a load is applied.
How do I make it chargable using a powerbank ?
The DC sockets have different amperages, how do we determine the correct one?
It doesn't really matter. The item you're powering were only pull the power that it needs.
@@sixtyfiveford I have these 1.5v battery powered LED lights connected to a mains adaptor that is 3v and it melted the hot glue in the housing and caused premature failure?
@@shaunhill2466 So you're running 1.5 volt LEDs off 3 volts. That would melt them. You just need a 1.5 volt transformer.
@@sixtyfiveford But you said it only pulls the power it needs?
@@shaunhill2466 It pulls the amperage it needs but you need the correct voltage. So you can get a 1.5 volt 100mah-2amp+power supply and it'll only take what it needs
Do you think a 5V 0.5A USB cable soldered to a device running only 2 AA batteries would fry the circuitry? Should I put a resistor in series (what size?)
Battery operated stuff is generally pretty forgiving because of the nature of batteries constantly changing voltage. 5volts may be pushing it a little but you can step it down to around 3 volts pretty easily. th-cam.com/video/zrq4n5tOoTI/w-d-xo.html
Nice! Hey brother will that work with a 4.5v battery operated sensor light ?
Where can I get the part it plugs into? What is the technical name
I have all the details in the video description. They are DC power adapters. You need the same size female as male and these are the most common size: DC power adapters 5pcs - amzn.to/2kzlSoC
What about the milliamps? I seem to recall you have to get the correct MA’s or you could blow the device?
No. The device will only draw what it needs. Batteries themselves can easily put out 1000mah- 2000mah+. Most stuff draws sub 1000mah/1ah, so a transformer in this range will be adequate.
sixtyfiveford thanks! So for a device that takes 4 AAA’s a 6 volt adapter with between 1000-2000mah would be fine?
1amp/1000mah is more than ample and with AAAs a 500mah would probably be plenty. 4 cells hooked end to end will require 6 volts.
sixtyfiveford thanks!!!
Thank you for this video. I have a female jack with 3 prongs and no signs what is positive and negative. Any idea how I can tell exactly which is which?
Does anyone know if this is possible on a vacuum?
What is your take on the video that's been floating around Facebook & TH-cam on a USB charger to charge "wirelessly" by just butchering up a USB cord & adding a magnet & small diameter fine copper (The idea I am seeing in this is the "electromagnet" theory), and supposedly this is supposed to work at 50 feet as well?????
I can't say I've seen it.
How do I figure out how to convert 8 puck lights that take 3 AAA batteries in series into A/C corded lights. I’m sick of changing out the batteries. What kind of adapter do I need?
3 AAA x 1.5volts= 4.5volts. I have links to adapter in the video description.
I have a 12 V portable fan that plugs into the cigarette lighter in the car and I want to run it off of double a batteries is that possible and how would you do that
enjoyed the video. I want to make one of these to run a dc fuel pump. I have some power inverters around. can I just splice one in to my dc pump using it's clamps and will this handle my project? usually I hook my dc pump up directly to my truck battery but have to keep the truck running to get enough power and it's to loud. thank you for your assistance.
You'll need a 10-15amp power supply to keep a fuel pump running. Probably the easiest way is to just run it off of an old car battery charger.
@@sixtyfiveford thanks for the reply. would I just hook the alligator clips together and turn it on? after making sure it's set for the right amps of course.
I have something that runs on 3v I only have something that outputs 5 volts. Will I be ok?
I am a deer hunter. I made a 4x8 enclosed deer stand 16 feet off the ground. I purchased a camping fan that has 4 D batteries. I use it to defog my windows when I run my heater. Can I forgo the D batteried and hook uo a larger battery so my fan will run with out changing batteries all the time?
You could get a 6volt Deep Cycle Lead Acid battery, and it would run forever. But I'm not sure if you would want to lug it up 16 feet.
tks
You matched the voltage. What about the current?
You just need more than the device will pull. Battery operated stuff is generally very low, especially anything running on AA or AAA cells. A small 200ma would handle virtually anything powered by these small cells. So pick up one that's larger and you'll be fine. Even hooking up a 1000ma is fine as the device will only pull what it needs.
sixtyfiveford Thanks!
Would you consider changing your title to include the words: Brother Label Maker? I serendipitously found your TH-cam video while looking for a solution to the battery replacement issue for my PT-70 and PT-M95 Brother label makers. Yours is a nice, simple and cost-effective solution to an everyday annoyance issue. Thanks.
I'm glad the video was helpful.
Good hack, I hate all the different size batteries
Thanks Shawn.
Thank you! Excellent money saver idea and you did a great job of showing us how to do it.
The EXACT reason I scoured the web! My P Touch Label Maker!
Thanks man. Great video.
Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Great idea! I take it you don't need to care about the output current of the charger? (I assume the device will only take the current it wants)
chr11sf if the maximum output of the charger is higher than the maximum possibly consumed from the tool yes. it won't work for a cordless drill for example. there are some needing 20 Amps and more.
It will only pull what it needs from the transformer.
Could this work to connect to a cigarette port??
Yes. A cigarette lighter port is going to put out 12volts, so you just need a converter to convert it to whatever power your device needs.
Great Video! 2 simple questions hopefully if you can answer for me that i feel seemed missing in the video....
1. How did you determine the positive and negative tabs on the unit or what would be the best way to do that.
2. If i have a unit that takes 3 AA batteries, will i still be soldering to just two tabs for positive and negative?
thanks so much!
Negative and Positive were determined by the battery orientation. With 3 cells laying side by side they are both connected to the center battery so it's just a chain of 3 batteries end to end. Look closely and you should be able to determine which end is your final positive and negative. A multimeter makes it easy but external visual inspection or opening the device both work.
So 6V but what amount of current?
Battery operated stuff generally isn't going to draw more than 250-500ma at the most. So a 1000mah power source is more than ample.
Would a 1000 mA source not damage the device? I think I used a 300 mA adapter.
@@origamigek No. Because the device will only draw what it needs. Batteries themselves will put out in excess of 1000mah.
Oh rly
What about amps / milliamps?
What about them? Most AA, AAA, C and D powered items only pull maybe 100-200milliamps. Any power supply over 500 will supply them with ample power.
@@sixtyfiveford ohhh ok yeah that makes sense. I forgot that you can have more amps than is needed but only volts need to be the same. Thanks!
Ever try this on a 18650 battery? Thx
I have. An 18650 cell seams to work fine in place of most 2 cell devices but should also work in 3 cell devices. The 4.2v-3v that you get from the 18650 seams pretty good. It is about a volt higher than 2 cells(1.5/1.6x2=3.2v) but the things I've tried it in didn't seam to care. I can't say that about every 2 cell device though.
Lol! I've been reusing wallwarts for the "wrong" thing, for years!
I installed a car radio in my toolbox & it is powered by an HP laptop charger.
good video, theres a lot of people out there that dont know about that and this can help.
Thanks Man.
thanks for great video! Question: If you have 2 of these devices and you want to convert them both to just 1 ac power cord how would you do that? do you have to adjust the voltage?
If they both used the same amount of batteries, ie 4 they both need 6 volts. So they can share the same 6 volt power supply at the same time if you want.
How do you know how many amps are needed? I just converted a 2 AA battery hobby drill to wall socket. The thing needs 3V to run but it runs much slower than when I connect 2 AA batteries to it. You can change the voltage on the adapter from 3V to 12V, I tried putting it at 4.9V but it ran at the exact same speed as before so I'm wondering if it has something to do with Amps?
The adjustable plug has several version of it, the one I bought puts out 600mA at 3V. Other versions have 2,1A at 3V and another at 1,5A at 3V. I don't know how many mA or A 2 AA batteries put out and finding that out is confusing. Google gave me
anywhere from 1200-3000 mAh for a single AA battery depending on type. I'm so confused as to how to calculate what Amps are needed. Anyone know how much mA or A I need to output to equal 2 AA 1.5V batteries?
A power tool will be on the extreme end of power draw. A full alkaline AA will allow a current draw of upwards 2-3amps. I would say .6amps is too low and you'll need to go upwards 1.5amps or even 2.1amps. They have a capacity of around 2500mah at a slow 100ma draw, so we can use this to guesstimate the current draw.
Fresh Alkaline batteries
At 2amp draw: should last 10-15 minutes before the tool feels super weak
At 1amp draw: should last 30-40 minutes before the tool feels super weak
At .5amp draw: should last 60-75 minutes before the tool feels super weak
Great video! Great subject! How is the restoration going on the truck?
It's waiting for some non freezing temperatures to sandblast.
I was putting batteries in a device right before i watched this, LOL very helpful, thanks Moe!