I knew there had to be a way to do this without soldering, but every other video I saw was saying I had to solder. Thanks so much for for posting something for those of us with some know-how and tools, but not a full electrical workshop!
I just wanted to say THANK YOU!! I just did this for my fairy lights on my desk and now I don’t have to go through a million batteries!! Every other tutorial I saw needed soldering and this was so easy. Thank youuuuu
Will it work also if the striped positive and negative wire from the plug goes directly into the baby device without fake batteries. And hot glue or blutack them together because I'm crap with this DIY and just need a easy way to convert batteries into plug power
The idea with the wooden sticks is genius! No clue, no soldering and it fits perfectly. If you want an even more generic solution, you could think of using a regulated switching power supply like from Goobay with 3, 4.5, 6, 7.5, 9 and 12 volts which is exactly the voltage added by additional batteries. But people, if you will ever do this CHECK THE VOLTAGE CAREFULLY. If you do wrong, the powered device might get broken or catch fire. Thanks for this video ;-)
The additional batteries aren’t needed. All he needed to do was connect the positive on one end of the battery compartment and negative on the other side. The wooden “batteries” don’t need to be there but in order to make it solderless I guess you could just use two of them
@@howtofixitworkshop if I have 4 AA batteries with a wire going to a hands free water tap for touch less activated flow can't I just marrett the transformer wires to the tap wires and completely remove the battery containment box then plug in ?
I used this to power a Christmas LED lamp post that for some reason they decided to have it run on 3 AA batteries which used to burn out in a day or two. I found an old 5V AC adapter and did this and worked liked a charm. Only thing I would suggest is maybe make the fake batteries a tad shorter than the actual battery length because the screws will take up space. One of the pieces I had to really wedge in there. This has got me thinking now....could I follow the same principle but wire it to a photocell for solar....Great video!
Most importantly use caution especially if kids are going to be around and always verify the output voltage of the transformer using a multimeter before connecting anything else . Just because a AC to DC adapter says it's a certain voltage doesn't necessarily mean that it is . Often times they can go bad and can either be too high or too low or not working at all . In other words never EVER assume even when you bought it brand new . I've seen my fair share of dead adapters right out of the box and then some while installing security systems for a living which is why I always had extras on hand for just in case I needed them . Also always check the adapter for any excessive heat build up or unusual high pitched sounds that would indicate that it's on its last leg .
Great video ! Replaced 3 AAA batteries with a 5 volt adapter. A half a volt more than the batteries added up to, but it works just fine. Thanks again !
If you would like to wire more than one similar device to a single transformer, I did that recently on three motion lights that I have in a large dark cupboard. In my case, each light had 3AA batteries at 1.5v each. Batteries in these device are generally tip+ to tail- hence the voltage is additive, ie. 3x1.5v = 4.5v transformer requirement (for a 2-battery device, you'd need a 3volt transformer). This circuit type is called a "series circuit" or in a row. When you want to add further similar devices, the wiring within each device and the transformer requirement will be the same as the video, but between them has to be what is called a "parallel" circuit. This means the pos+ feed from the transformer connects to the first main pos+ wired-dowel device, and then to the next device pos+ wired-dowel, and so on, same for the negative side of the circuit. You can do this by running a double wire (speaker wire for example) between devices, keeping the positive to positive and negative to negative on each of the main pos+, neg-wired-dowels. The other dummy dowels in each device are the same as in the video that part doesn't change. Final note, in parallel circuits the electrical "current" (called mA or milliAmps) is *additive*. Think of current as force, 3 devices requires 3 times the force as a single device. Very generally, I would say a small battery-powered device needs about 100-150 mA of current, therefore if you are wiring three devices in parallel, your transformer should have an output of at least 300mA (3x100). If the output is too low, your devices will behave as if a dead battery! A comment below mentions a phone charger transformer with 5v output. I checked and the one I had is a very generous 1.35A of max current (=1350 mA), so that would be great option to power multiple 3-battery devices. Many thanks to all the RUclips community! Cheers from Canada.
did you know that there are only two connectors necessary for the positive and negative on the battery compartiment. I mean you only need to connect two wires at the right place, all the 'dummy batteries' are completely useless ! If you don't want to solder the cable to the two spot you can use the dummy battery only on the negative and positive spot. Those spots are easy to see, if you take apart the whole thing you'll see the red and black wire connected only in one place each. You can even see them without taking appart sometimes !
exactly what i was looking for. I'm wanting to permanently power my scale model of the USS Enterprise NCC-1701D so I can always see the Warp engines lit up in my mancave. I know what my Sunday project is going to be :)
If your device can work with rechargable AA's (NiMh) then a decent USB power supply (5 volts 1amp-2.1amp) should be fine for many devices. NiMh usually hold a charge of about 1.2volts. So in this case 4 x 1.2 = 4.8 Volts, so a 5 volt supply should be fine. I have also been able to run devices (motion sensor night lights) which require 3 AAA batteries from a USB supply and put a 100 ohm resistor circuit to drop the power a bit. After all 3 x1.5v=4.5v, which is only a half volt lower than the USB supply.
Very cool! Wondering if it's possible to safely wire up multiple devices to a single adapter. I have a set of three Christmas candles, each powered by 2 AA cells. I'd love to wire them all into a single AC adapter. Is that possible to do safely?
Just did that yesterday on three motion lights that I have in a large dark cupboard. In my case, each light had 3AA batteries at 1.5v each. Batteries in these device are generally tip+ to tail- hence the voltage is additive, ie. 3x1.5v = 4.5v transformer requirement (for a 2-battery device, you'd need a 3volt transformer). This circuit type is called a "series circuit" or in a row. When you want to add further similar devices, the wiring within each device and the transformer requirement will be the same as the video, but between them has to be what is called a "parallel" circuit. This means the pos+ feed from the transformer connects to the first main pos+ wired-dowel device, and then to the next device pos+ wired-dowel, and so on, same for the negative side of the circuit. You can do this by running a double wire (speaker wire for example) between devices, keeping the positive to positive and negative to negative on each of the main pos+, neg-wired-dowels. The other dummy dowels in each device are the same as in the video that part doesn't change. Final note, in parallel circuits the electrical "current" (called mA or milliAmps) is *additive*. Think of current as force, 3 devices requires 3 times the force as a single device. Very generally, I would say a small battery-powered device needs about 100-150 mA of current, therefore if you are wiring three devices in parallel, your transformer should have an output of at least 300mA (3x100). If the output is too low, your devices will behave as if a dead battery! A comment below mentions a phone charger transformer with 5v output. I checked and the one I had is a very generous 1.35A of max current (=1350 mA), so that would be great option to power multiple 3-battery devices. Many thanks to all the RUclips community! Cheers from Canada.
I really liked the video...it gave me hope. I want to make a Sangean DT400W pocket radio work off of AC when I want it on 24/7. I think i would have to drill a hole in the case and us a plug to connect....Do you have such a video. I think it takes 2 AA's. thank you
Question: I have 5 cabinet bulbs that are run on battery, I want them all to run on AC, can I just connect them with one adapter? Do I have to add the voltage of all of them? Or only one of them?
Is there any fire risk using a wood dowel? I realize it's not a lot of electricity. Is there a non-conductive material other than wood that comes in dowels?
Great video! But I would like to provide the AC adapter as an alternate source without the user having to put in the mock batteries. Is there a connector on the market that will disconnect the battery supply when you plug in the adapter plug for running it with the adapter? I.E. some sort of double pole switch that is activated by pushing the adapter plug in? I'm making trophies with a scene inside that is lit by LEDs. Right now they are powered by 4 AA batteries. If the owner could simply plug in the adapter if he wants to, I could offer it with batteries plus an adapter.
Why do u add the wooden dummy batteries? As opposed to just soldering the neg and pos wires to the terminals on the device? Just curious because I’ve done this with various Christmas lights and such so I don’t have to change batteries all the time and Ive always just soldered the wires. That being said I’m not an electrician and just learned how to do that from a similar RUclips video. Just curious what the difference is. Thanks
Great video. So i have a device running 4xC batteries so also 6V. I do however not own a 6v power device. How much wiggle room is there? Could i safely use a 5v or 7.5v?
enjoyed the video. I want to make one of these to run a dc fuel pump. I have some power inverters around and realize I need a 12v one. 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 with the clamps but have to keep the truck running to get enough power and it's to loud (diesel truck). thank you for your assistance.
@@DarrenPauli On most things with more then one battery, positive starts on the first battery and negative is at the end of the last battery. Putting the other three basically makes a long chain.
@@Dspic09 hey @_partyOfOne_ did you (as I now realise I did) think that one battery would have been enough? I didn't consider that the device needs each battery slot to be powered. I'm assuming that was my mistake :)
you didn't mention matching the amperage required of your transformer versus what the batteries provide. also didn't understand why you bran why are from 1 side to the other on the wood dowel and the other three slots
The power supply must be able to supply at least enough current to meet the demand of the device. Agreed, this would be useful to discuss as if the wired supply is unable to provide enough current, the power will be low and the device may not function. As for the other three slot dowel wiring, this is basically just replicating the physical attributes of the battery. It allows the current (power) to get from the first battery (the one hooked up to the new supply) over to the correct location for the powered device (see this video: ruclips.net/video/GeIzrl22YSk/видео.html for a visual explanation). This aspect of the build wasn't explained thoroughly in the video. When these batteries are inserted into a device, they run all together, connecting one end (through all the batteries) to the other end. Think of it as a stack of batteries together that add (in a series connection, as this is) to get a higher voltage. So, look at the batteries all connected together in this way: +1.5v- +1.5v- +1.5v- +1.5v- would get you +6v- total (where + is the positive and - is the negative of the battery or power supply). The batteries alternate (+ on top, to - on bottom) in physical layout to put the +/- in the proper orientation and minimize wiring needed.
It’s like people can’t multiply by 1.5? 1.5x4 =6. You want it to run faster, go with 7.5, slower? Drop it to 4.5. Most electronics have a threshold they will work on, like putting three good batteries and one dead one. It’ll run! (Sometimes depending on the circuitry inside.) Current is a “draw” limiting factor, not a supply. If a wall charger has a 2A rating, that’s the most it can supply. It will never “push” all 2 amps through the device and will either shut off or limit to 2A max. Battery operated electronic devices have such thin wire inside, amperage is very rarely a factor unless it’s a motor spinning toy or fan. But if that’s the case and you’ve supplied 12 v to your device that is meant to run on 6 v, you’ll smell burnt plastic before any fire occurs.
@@danielkoontz6732 That one isn't really as important since things only draw as much current as they require and most switch mode supplies will just keep cutting themselves off if too much current is drawn. :/
Thanks, this is great, now I have a question, I have 4 light devices, each takes two AA batteries, so that would make all of them together 12v right? Is there a way to connect them all to a single 12v plug?
No, each device are using the same voltage 3v (2xAA =2x1.5 =3). Your power source will need to be 3v but will need to have enough amp to feed all the device. Example, if you have a device that need 3v and 500mA (0.5A) , and you want to plug 4 of these device on the same power source, you will need a power source of 3v and a minimum of 2A (2000mA). As long as all device are the same voltage. And dont worry if you have a power source with more mA that needed, it is the max it can give, the device will take only what it need, so a device that need 500mA can work with a power source of 2A.
I got a new lamp that runs on batteries but I have it on almost all the time so I felt like it would be a waste of money to keep buying batteries so I wanted to convert it and this helped so much.
What about the different amperage loads of various ac/dc converters? I would like to do this with a beard trimmer that devours 2 aa batteries, but each converter I have, the volts are very close, but the amps vary from 0.7, all the way to 2.5. I was told amps are the power behind the electricity, so how do we avoid hurting our devices, or worse damage our home?
Hi I’ve got six batteries I’m looking to do an automatic bin as I keep replacing the batteries there is three batteries in a line. Then another three batteries in a line. Where would I put the wires of the AC adapter. Would it be on one battery on either end? Not sure how to tackle this. Many Thanks. Also great video.
I'm not sure why so many youtubers are posting dowel rod battery videos and people are commenting its genius. Crazy waste of time IMHO, just split the wires back from the adapter and cut them unequally to make the length you need. If you don't want to solder to make permanent, crimp on some alligator clips and secure your wire as it leaves the housing (many ways to do that simply).
this actually works. i had a food scale that used 4 AAA bateries that i didnt use cuz i dont buy batteries so used a old power plug that had a output of 9 volts and held two ends that were ultimately looking for power to the scale and the scale works fine! thank you, my plan is to go inside and solder the connections inside the unit as soon as i get a chance or at lest make a pig tail of some sort that i can connect to just incase my transfomer blows (we all know they do blow eventually) ... not entirely sure if the fact that im supplying 3 extra volts to it is a big deal in long run. im assuming the scale has a voltage protection circutry of some kind in unit and i dont plan to leave it plugged in alll the time. its just for once in a while when im cooking so it should be fine ... i think
It's a good idea, but I think the best way to save materials, time, container space, and extra work is to leave out both of the middle dowels and just make a positive dowel for one end and a negative dowel for the other end. Should work just the same as having all 4 running zigzag in series, but simpler. Still cool though dude🤙
Wow! I love RUclips. You provided the method I am going to use. I have what is basically a flashlight with 3 end to end AAAA batteries. The dowel solution is PERFECT. Genius. Really elated that you posted this. Regards, Bill
@@93coupes26 Yep. Wired it to a toggle switch and mounted it to the bottom of my upper arm on the scroll saw. Casts a great shadow aiming my scroll cuts. Works well. Bill
The amperage that the charger is rated at must be equal to or greater than what the device requires. The voltage should be exact. If the amps are less than needed, the charger can overheat or even damage your device.
OMG, dude. You do not need to make fake batteries. Just wire the black wire to positive on far left, red or white on far right terminal either through soldering or just tape it to it. you do not need to bridge anything either. Don't worry if you get it wrong, it will not come on, but it will not hurt it, then just switch wires around till it works. There does not need to be any batteries in the device for it to work. So to clarify, there are plates that turn the four batteries into one long large 6v battery with a pos+ and neg- terminal. So from the picture of the device above, you see (looking at back of device) the rayovac battery top position is isolated, (pos+) and the right side Ever Ready top is also isolated (neg-) this is where your wires go. Either drill a small hole in battery cover, slide wire through and tie a knott to keep it from coming back out, then wire it terminals/tape/solder/etc. You can also prob just file out the side of the cover and slip wire in that way. So again, it goes from right to left, neg- terminal down, across pos+ to neg- next battery, to pos+end, neg- next battery, and so on till it ends with left side battery top pos+. One long battery. The way you do it is fine, but unnecessary. Best of luck.
Your comment just completely reassured me that this is easier than the extras steps taken in the video. Both ways work, thank you for the video & comments.
If you listen instead of running your mouth like a jerk off, he said he uses the dowels incase he wants to go back to battery power he just removes the dowels instead of twisting or un soldering .
There's just one thing you're forgetting about there mister. Each battery is usually 300 milliamps or 300mAh x4=1.200 now granted amperage is partly the measure of capacity but at too low in amperage you can actually burn your electronics because you're changing the wattage it's not all about voltage. so you need an adapter that will at least do one amp but I'd still try to find one at 1.2.
@@njtexit8 I think you may be wrong in that assumption. Because amperage is capacity. If it is in series voltage does increase amperage stays the same however in parallel voltage stays the same and amperage increases because of the reduced resistance. However the batteries in those things do die quickly and a standard battery is 300 milliamps you could do that but some batteries as in rechargeables have higher amperage close anywhere up to 1000 mAh
This looks like a great tip! I am looking at buying some light up marquee letters for my street food stall and need 5 of them altogether. I was going to make some, but if I can figure out a way to do what you have here to them instead, that would be much better and more cost effective :) Each letter requires 2 x AA batteries, but they are not interconnected and I would like them all to work from one connection if possible. Any help/advice would be most welcome :D
That's very cool. I have a small hand mirror that I found thrifting. I was disappointed after putting AAA batteries in it for the light part, because the toggle button wouldn't switch it off. So the only way to turn off the light is to remove the batteries. Is there possibly any other fix for this issue?
Question: I don’t have any dummy batteries. I just have 4 dummies. One of them is named @TheRunawayCreeper . With that work instead of tying the ends together?
Hi I want to convert my cd player also but I am worried that the amperage might be an issue as the adapter might output a larger current than the batteries.
I'm a brave amateur in the electronics/electrical arena, but I'm pretty sure your adapter doesn't output amperage, your device draws it. As long as your device doesn't draw more current than your adapter can provide, you should be fine.
why do we need to add the dummy batteries ?. Just Solder the +ve and -ve to the respective end points (There are only 2 end points even if batteries are series or parallelly arranged).
Why do I need the wooden dowels? Could I just run a wire between each pair of extra contacts, if I'm not planning to unconvert the device? Or just leave dead batteries in there?
Yes you can. The reason we used wooden dowels was to easily change it back to battery powered. If it's hard wired, it makes it a little more difficult to change back.
Hi can you do to modify a Solar Light with Solar Panel to have an option to be charged in via DC? and an option to be run via AC? without removing the batteries built-in.
I have a new motion sensor faucet that is battery powered. I've had to replace the 4 AA BTRYS every 2 months. I want to find a way to convert it to plug in electric powered. Can you help guide me?
hey man quick question. i have a device that runs on batteries. i use it with rechargable batteries. is there a way to transform this into a rechargable device? i mean, i want to recharge the batteries without taking them out from the device. thank you!
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!
I figure someone will wire led lights for entire rooms with this method. Being low voltage, the normal electric codes will not apply, so you can revamp lighting with no worry about violating codes or permitting.
Is there a way to change a flameless candle light to a ceiling light and chain several of them together to make a fake candle chandelier? Ive seen them for wall outlets or power banks but not directly into a wall or ceiling setup
![Gunna - HIM ALL ALONG [Official Visualizer]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/HiCxoDeo0hc/mqdefault.jpg)
I love how all the videos I've seen on this is working on pretty much the exact thing that I'm trying to convert
I knew there had to be a way to do this without soldering, but every other video I saw was saying I had to solder. Thanks so much for for posting something for those of us with some know-how and tools, but not a full electrical workshop!
You're welcome!
Using glue sticks instead the wooden dowel works well also just heat with a lighter and insert you conductors!
this is the first vid i found, but i'm ok with soldering.
Exactly! I don't trust myself to solder( and don't have the supplies).
This is awesome!
You really don't need to make dummy batteries. Instead solder the wires to the main power connections within the device.
Was going to comment this... so much cleaner and you don't have literal firewood in there...
Using a dowel: What a perfect solution. Brilliant!
Thanks!
I just wanted to say THANK YOU!! I just did this for my fairy lights on my desk and now I don’t have to go through a million batteries!! Every other tutorial I saw needed soldering and this was so easy. Thank youuuuu
You are so welcome!
I also came here to say this!
You're welcome?
Will it work also if the striped positive and negative wire from the plug goes directly into the baby device without fake batteries. And hot glue or blutack them together because I'm crap with this DIY and just need a easy way to convert batteries into plug power
The idea with the wooden sticks is genius! No clue, no soldering and it fits perfectly.
If you want an even more generic solution, you could think of using a regulated switching power supply like from Goobay with 3, 4.5, 6, 7.5, 9 and 12 volts which is exactly the voltage added by additional batteries.
But people, if you will ever do this CHECK THE VOLTAGE CAREFULLY. If you do wrong, the powered device might get broken or catch fire.
Thanks for this video ;-)
Good tips, thank you!
The additional batteries aren’t needed. All he needed to do was connect the positive on one end of the battery compartment and negative on the other side. The wooden “batteries” don’t need to be there but in order to make it solderless I guess you could just use two of them
@@howtofixitworkshop if I have 4 AA batteries with a wire going to a hands free water tap for touch less activated flow can't I just marrett the transformer wires to the tap wires and completely remove the battery containment box then plug in ?
I used this to power a Christmas LED lamp post that for some reason they decided to have it run on 3 AA batteries which used to burn out in a day or two. I found an old 5V AC adapter and did this and worked liked a charm. Only thing I would suggest is maybe make the fake batteries a tad shorter than the actual battery length because the screws will take up space. One of the pieces I had to really wedge in there. This has got me thinking now....could I follow the same principle but wire it to a photocell for solar....Great video!
Thank you!
This is exactly why I'm here, too. I bought some Halloween lights that were, surprise! battery-powered.
Most importantly use caution especially if kids are going to be around and always verify the output voltage of the transformer using a multimeter before connecting anything else . Just because a AC to DC adapter says it's a certain voltage doesn't necessarily mean that it is .
Often times they can go bad and can either be too high or too low or not working at all .
In other words never EVER assume even when you bought it brand new . I've seen my fair share of dead adapters right out of the box and then some while installing security systems for a living which is why I always had extras on hand for just in case I needed them .
Also always check the adapter for any excessive heat build up or unusual high pitched sounds that would indicate that it's on its last leg .
Great tips, thanks for sharing!
What if I wanted to convert my battery-powered multimeter to AC power?
What are you doing in order to accurately test the transformer ?
Thank you so, so much for this. I have been wondering about how I could make this possible for devices I use often. Excellent video.
You're welcome! Thanks for the feedback
Why this video is underrated?? THANK YOU THANK YOU
Awesome, thank you!!
Great video ! Replaced 3 AAA batteries with a 5 volt adapter. A half a volt more than the batteries added up to, but it works just fine. Thanks again !
You're welcome!
If you would like to wire more than one similar device to a single transformer, I did that recently on three motion lights that I have in a large dark cupboard. In my case, each light had 3AA batteries at 1.5v each. Batteries in these device are generally tip+ to tail- hence the voltage is additive, ie. 3x1.5v = 4.5v transformer requirement (for a 2-battery device, you'd need a 3volt transformer). This circuit type is called a "series circuit" or in a row. When you want to add further similar devices, the wiring within each device and the transformer requirement will be the same as the video, but between them has to be what is called a "parallel" circuit. This means the pos+ feed from the transformer connects to the first main pos+ wired-dowel device, and then to the next device pos+ wired-dowel, and so on, same for the negative side of the circuit. You can do this by running a double wire (speaker wire for example) between devices, keeping the positive to positive and negative to negative on each of the main pos+, neg-wired-dowels. The other dummy dowels in each device are the same as in the video that part doesn't change. Final note, in parallel circuits the electrical "current" (called mA or milliAmps) is *additive*. Think of current as force, 3 devices requires 3 times the force as a single device. Very generally, I would say a small battery-powered device needs about 100-150 mA of current, therefore if you are wiring three devices in parallel, your transformer should have an output of at least 300mA (3x100). If the output is too low, your devices will behave as if a dead battery! A comment below mentions a phone charger transformer with 5v output. I checked and the one I had is a very generous 1.35A of max current (=1350 mA), so that would be great option to power multiple 3-battery devices. Many thanks to all the RUclips community! Cheers from Canada.
did you know that there are only two connectors necessary for the positive and negative on the battery compartiment. I mean you only need to connect two wires at the right place, all the 'dummy batteries' are completely useless ! If you don't want to solder the cable to the two spot you can use the dummy battery only on the negative and positive spot.
Those spots are easy to see, if you take apart the whole thing you'll see the red and black wire connected only in one place each. You can even see them without taking appart sometimes !
thanks for the feedback!
Thank you thank you. I was thinking the same thing and I was racking my brain trying to figure out why you would need 4 dummy batteries
This is my favorite video for converting a battery operated device to electric. Thank you for sharing
Thanks for the feedback! You're welcome
exactly what i was looking for. I'm wanting to permanently power my scale model of the USS Enterprise NCC-1701D so I can always see the Warp engines lit up in my mancave. I know what my Sunday project is going to be :)
That's cool! How did that turn out for you?
Yes! Now my discman (the power supply is lost) runs on USB-power - thank you so much for this hack! :D
This is a great solution, can the same method be used for other devices such as external speed light flash?
If your device can work with rechargable AA's (NiMh) then a decent USB power supply (5 volts 1amp-2.1amp) should be fine for many devices. NiMh usually hold a charge of about 1.2volts. So in this case 4 x 1.2 = 4.8 Volts, so a 5 volt supply should be fine. I have also been able to run devices (motion sensor night lights) which require 3 AAA batteries from a USB supply and put a 100 ohm resistor circuit to drop the power a bit. After all 3 x1.5v=4.5v, which is only a half volt lower than the USB supply.
Very cool! Wondering if it's possible to safely wire up multiple devices to a single adapter. I have a set of three Christmas candles, each powered by 2 AA cells. I'd love to wire them all into a single AC adapter. Is that possible to do safely?
Just did that yesterday on three motion lights that I have in a large dark cupboard. In my case, each light had 3AA batteries at 1.5v each. Batteries in these device are generally tip+ to tail- hence the voltage is additive, ie. 3x1.5v = 4.5v transformer requirement (for a 2-battery device, you'd need a 3volt transformer). This circuit type is called a "series circuit" or in a row. When you want to add further similar devices, the wiring within each device and the transformer requirement will be the same as the video, but between them has to be what is called a "parallel" circuit. This means the pos+ feed from the transformer connects to the first main pos+ wired-dowel device, and then to the next device pos+ wired-dowel, and so on, same for the negative side of the circuit. You can do this by running a double wire (speaker wire for example) between devices, keeping the positive to positive and negative to negative on each of the main pos+, neg-wired-dowels. The other dummy dowels in each device are the same as in the video that part doesn't change. Final note, in parallel circuits the electrical "current" (called mA or milliAmps) is *additive*. Think of current as force, 3 devices requires 3 times the force as a single device. Very generally, I would say a small battery-powered device needs about 100-150 mA of current, therefore if you are wiring three devices in parallel, your transformer should have an output of at least 300mA (3x100). If the output is too low, your devices will behave as if a dead battery! A comment below mentions a phone charger transformer with 5v output. I checked and the one I had is a very generous 1.35A of max current (=1350 mA), so that would be great option to power multiple 3-battery devices. Many thanks to all the RUclips community! Cheers from Canada.
@@TiogaAdventures Wow! What a terrific, comprehensive answer! Thank you, kind internet stranger!
The AC adapter sometimes dont tell us which wire is negative and which one positive. Any idea how to check it out ? Thank you.
I really liked the video...it gave me hope. I want to make a Sangean DT400W pocket radio work off of AC when I want it on 24/7. I think i would have to drill a hole in the case and us a plug to connect....Do you have such a video. I think it takes 2 AA's. thank you
You're welcome, good luck!
Question: I have 5 cabinet bulbs that are run on battery, I want them all to run on AC, can I just connect them with one adapter? Do I have to add the voltage of all of them? Or only one of them?
Yo check my comment
Got me geeked up
Brp if you want AC to run them give it Gatorade. They love that. And I mean LOOOOVE!!
Thanks so much for the helpful and versatile advice.better than many useless unhelpful others I was tortured by watching
You're welcome
I'm on a "fix all the little annoyances" kick and that was a satisfying ✔️
Do you need the other 3 dummy batteries to complete the series? (I think I just answered my own question) haha
Thank you for making this so easy to understand!!!
You're so welcome!
Is there any fire risk using a wood dowel? I realize it's not a lot of electricity. Is there a non-conductive material other than wood that comes in dowels?
Great video! But I would like to provide the AC adapter as an alternate source without the user having to put in the mock batteries. Is there a connector on the market that will disconnect the battery supply when you plug in the adapter plug for running it with the adapter? I.E. some sort of double pole switch that is activated by pushing the adapter plug in? I'm making trophies with a scene inside that is lit by LEDs. Right now they are powered by 4 AA batteries. If the owner could simply plug in the adapter if he wants to, I could offer it with batteries plus an adapter.
Why do u add the wooden dummy batteries? As opposed to just soldering the neg and pos wires to the terminals on the device? Just curious because I’ve done this with various Christmas lights and such so I don’t have to change batteries all the time and Ive always just soldered the wires. That being said I’m not an electrician and just learned how to do that from a similar RUclips video. Just curious what the difference is. Thanks
Thank You for this video! You saved me from throwing away my make-up mirror!! 👍🏻
I have a 6 volt device and wondering if the transformer should be 120v to 6 volt AC or DC. I can buy either on Amazon.
Can you do this with D batteries?
I have 4 in a baby swing.
Normally D’s are 1.5v so it would be 6v but the amps is what’s confusing…
Did you sort out an answer to that? I'm trying the same issue with my baby swing
Great video.
So i have a device running 4xC batteries so also 6V. I do however not own a 6v power device. How much wiggle room is there? Could i safely use a 5v or 7.5v?
hi mr howtofixitworkshop. I have a question. what is the wire size of the other dummy batteries. thankyou
enjoyed the video. I want to make one of these to run a dc fuel pump. I have some power inverters around and realize I need a 12v one. 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 with the clamps but have to keep the truck running to get enough power and it's to loud (diesel truck). thank you for your assistance.
Can I ask why you need to used the other 3 fake wooden dials (wired) when you already connect the main to the negative and positive?
Also interested
@@DarrenPauli On most things with more then one battery, positive starts on the first battery and negative is at the end of the last battery. Putting the other three basically makes a long chain.
@@Dspic09 hey @_partyOfOne_ did you (as I now realise I did) think that one battery would have been enough? I didn't consider that the device needs each battery slot to be powered. I'm assuming that was my mistake :)
@@DarrenPauli now. I didn't bother with the batteries. Instead took out the battery holder and connect directly to the wires inside
@@Dspic09 I'm about to do that with a 9v, just need to find the right chargers (current ones are a little too small or a little too big)
you didn't mention matching the amperage required of your transformer versus what the batteries provide. also didn't understand why you bran why are from 1 side to the other on the wood dowel and the other three slots
The power supply must be able to supply at least enough current to meet the demand of the device. Agreed, this would be useful to discuss as if the wired supply is unable to provide enough current, the power will be low and the device may not function. As for the other three slot dowel wiring, this is basically just replicating the physical attributes of the battery. It allows the current (power) to get from the first battery (the one hooked up to the new supply) over to the correct location for the powered device (see this video: ruclips.net/video/GeIzrl22YSk/видео.html for a visual explanation). This aspect of the build wasn't explained thoroughly in the video. When these batteries are inserted into a device, they run all together, connecting one end (through all the batteries) to the other end. Think of it as a stack of batteries together that add (in a series connection, as this is) to get a higher voltage. So, look at the batteries all connected together in this way:
+1.5v- +1.5v- +1.5v- +1.5v-
would get you +6v- total (where + is the positive and - is the negative of the battery or power supply). The batteries alternate (+ on top, to - on bottom) in physical layout to put the +/- in the proper orientation and minimize wiring needed.
Great Video. I learned something new, thanks.
I just want to know the name of the rod that you cut and connect the wires. And where do you get that ?
install a barrel jack for the adaptor
you know how many people are going to set their baby stuff on fire now bc they will try this without using a multimeter and testing voltages lol...
Or matching current output...
It’s like people can’t multiply by 1.5? 1.5x4 =6. You want it to run faster, go with 7.5, slower? Drop it to 4.5. Most electronics have a threshold they will work on, like putting three good batteries and one dead one. It’ll run! (Sometimes depending on the circuitry inside.)
Current is a “draw” limiting factor, not a supply. If a wall charger has a 2A rating, that’s the most it can supply. It will never “push” all 2 amps through the device and will either shut off or limit to 2A max. Battery operated electronic devices have such thin wire inside, amperage is very rarely a factor unless it’s a motor spinning toy or fan. But if that’s the case and you’ve supplied 12 v to your device that is meant to run on 6 v, you’ll smell burnt plastic before any fire occurs.
Thanks for adding the details to the conversation, really appreciate the feedback!!
@@danielkoontz6732 That one isn't really as important since things only draw as much current as they require and most switch mode supplies will just keep cutting themselves off if too much current is drawn. :/
Only the ones who don’t believe in themselves, operate under heavy self doubt, and lack a focus of attention, could. Fact.
Thanks, this is great, now I have a question, I have 4 light devices, each takes two AA batteries, so that would make all of them together 12v right? Is there a way to connect them all to a single 12v plug?
No, each device are using the same voltage 3v (2xAA =2x1.5 =3). Your power source will need to be 3v but will need to have enough amp to feed all the device. Example, if you have a device that need 3v and 500mA (0.5A) , and you want to plug 4 of these device on the same power source, you will need a power source of 3v and a minimum of 2A (2000mA). As long as all device are the same voltage. And dont worry if you have a power source with more mA that needed, it is the max it can give, the device will take only what it need, so a device that need 500mA can work with a power source of 2A.
Great video. I want to try it for some outdoor decorations. What kind of wire did you use for the wood dowels? What do you recommend? Thanks again!
it's low voltage so you can use just standard 12v from any auto store.
Can i use the empty batteries instead of the wood with screws?
I got a new lamp that runs on batteries but I have it on almost all the time so I felt like it would be a waste of money to keep buying batteries so I wanted to convert it and this helped so much.
Great! Glad we could help
What about the different amperage loads of various ac/dc converters? I would like to do this with a beard trimmer that devours 2 aa batteries, but each converter I have, the volts are very close, but the amps vary from 0.7, all the way to 2.5. I was told amps are the power behind the electricity, so how do we avoid hurting our devices, or worse damage our home?
Hi I’ve got six batteries I’m looking to do an automatic bin as I keep replacing the batteries
there is three batteries in a line.
Then another three batteries in a line.
Where would I put the wires of the AC adapter.
Would it be on one battery on either end?
Not sure how to tackle this.
Many Thanks. Also great video.
It may be that 3 batteries are in parallel with 3 batteries.
The only we can tell is you post a link to a photo of the battery compartment.
I'm not sure why so many youtubers are posting dowel rod battery videos and people are commenting its genius. Crazy waste of time IMHO, just split the wires back from the adapter and cut them unequally to make the length you need. If you don't want to solder to make permanent, crimp on some alligator clips and secure your wire as it leaves the housing (many ways to do that simply).
Thanks for the feedback, does that work for you?
this actually works. i had a food scale that used 4 AAA bateries that i didnt use cuz i dont buy batteries so used a old power plug that had a output of 9 volts and held two ends that were ultimately looking for power to the scale and the scale works fine! thank you, my plan is to go inside and solder the connections inside the unit as soon as i get a chance or at lest make a pig tail of some sort that i can connect to just incase my transfomer blows (we all know they do blow eventually) ... not entirely sure if the fact that im supplying 3 extra volts to it is a big deal in long run. im assuming the scale has a voltage protection circutry of some kind in unit and i dont plan to leave it plugged in alll the time. its just for once in a while when im cooking so it should be fine ... i think
Awesome, glad it helped you!
The "dummy" batteries are used in order to quickly change the device back to a battery operated device by simply removing the 4 "dummy" batteries.
It's a good idea, but I think the best way to save materials, time, container space, and extra work is to leave out both of the middle dowels and just make a positive dowel for one end and a negative dowel for the other end. Should work just the same as having all 4 running zigzag in series, but simpler. Still cool though dude🤙
Wow! I love RUclips. You provided the method I am going to use. I have what is basically a flashlight with 3 end to end AAAA batteries. The dowel solution is PERFECT. Genius. Really elated that you posted this. Regards, Bill
Glad it helped!
@@howtofixitworkshop Just FYI, I did it and it really came out well. Bill
@@billinfarmington5189 everything working well with it?
@@93coupes26 Yep. Wired it to a toggle switch and mounted it to the bottom of my upper arm on the scroll saw. Casts a great shadow aiming my scroll cuts. Works well. Bill
Why do you use three different colored wires, can I just use one type for all batteries?
The wood won't get too hot to catch fire? Just curious.
Is there any consideration of milliamps when selecting a wall plug?
The amperage that the charger is rated at must be equal to or greater than what the device requires. The voltage should be exact. If the amps are less than needed, the charger can overheat or even damage your device.
I have a frame with LED back light using AC power. Can i change to battery power?
Why u have 2 in red and one in white? Is it a different kind of cable?
OMG, dude. You do not need to make fake batteries. Just wire the black wire to positive on far left, red or white on far right terminal either through soldering or just tape it to it. you do not need to bridge anything either. Don't worry if you get it wrong, it will not come on, but it will not hurt it, then just switch wires around till it works. There does not need to be any batteries in the device for it to work.
So to clarify, there are plates that turn the four batteries into one long large 6v battery with a pos+ and neg- terminal. So from the picture of the device above, you see (looking at back of device) the rayovac battery top position is isolated, (pos+) and the right side Ever Ready top is also isolated (neg-) this is where your wires go. Either drill a small hole in battery cover, slide wire through and tie a knott to keep it from coming back out, then wire it terminals/tape/solder/etc. You can also prob just file out the side of the cover and slip wire in that way.
So again, it goes from right to left, neg- terminal down, across pos+ to neg- next battery, to pos+end, neg- next battery, and so on till it ends with left side battery top pos+. One long battery.
The way you do it is fine, but unnecessary. Best of luck.
Your comment just completely reassured me that this is easier than the extras steps taken in the video. Both ways work, thank you for the video & comments.
I use my vibrator most of the day & I guess I'll just have to stay near an electrical outlet at all times, but I'll be saving bundles on batteries 😆😆😆
If you listen instead of running your mouth like a jerk off, he said he uses the dowels incase he wants to go back to battery power he just removes the dowels instead of twisting or un soldering .
There's just one thing you're forgetting about there mister. Each battery is usually 300 milliamps or 300mAh x4=1.200 now granted amperage is partly the measure of capacity but at too low in amperage you can actually burn your electronics because you're changing the wattage it's not all about voltage. so you need an adapter that will at least do one amp but I'd still try to find one at 1.2.
Voltages add when in series. Current does not! So 300 mA remains 300 mA. He doesn't need to find one that is 1.2A!
@@njtexit8 I think you may be wrong in that assumption. Because amperage is capacity. If it is in series voltage does increase amperage stays the same however in parallel voltage stays the same and amperage increases because of the reduced resistance. However the batteries in those things do die quickly and a standard battery is 300 milliamps you could do that but some batteries as in rechargeables have higher amperage close anywhere up to 1000 mAh
This looks like a great tip! I am looking at buying some light up marquee letters for my street food stall and need 5 of them altogether. I was going to make some, but if I can figure out a way to do what you have here to them instead, that would be much better and more cost effective :) Each letter requires 2 x AA batteries, but they are not interconnected and I would like them all to work from one connection if possible. Any help/advice would be most welcome :D
That's very cool. I have a small hand mirror that I found thrifting. I was disappointed after putting AAA batteries in it for the light part, because the toggle button wouldn't switch it off. So the only way to turn off the light is to remove the batteries. Is there possibly any other fix for this issue?
Question: I don’t have any dummy batteries. I just have 4 dummies. One of them is named @TheRunawayCreeper . With that work instead of tying the ends together?
Hi I want to convert my cd player also but I am worried that the amperage might be an issue as the adapter might output a larger current than the batteries.
I'm a brave amateur in the electronics/electrical arena, but I'm pretty sure your adapter doesn't output amperage, your device draws it. As long as your device doesn't draw more current than your adapter can provide, you should be fine.
Aren’t you afraid of the higher Amper produced by the charger than by the batteries? Will it not harm the device?
Thank you very much It helped me a lot
You're welcome!
So, quick response wow
😄😄😄😄😄😄😄😇😇
Yep!
Dude! I've been trying to figure this out for awhile.. thanks for the info
You're welcome!
Just assuming that the marked wire is positive is NOT sufficient -- Test the damn polarity, or risk ruining your battery powered device!
Great tip, thank you!
Thanks for this, needed to power a battery hungry hub. Cheers!
Cool, you are welcome!
Can we not use dead AA batteries. I want to do a 9v conversion (for 6x D batteries) and was wondering about it. Thanks
Dead batteries will eventually swell up, leak and corrode the contacts which will lead to continuity issues.
This is a great idea. Thank you for the video.
You're welcome!
why do we need to add the dummy batteries ?. Just Solder the +ve and -ve to the respective end points (There are only 2 end points even if batteries are series or parallelly arranged).
You don't. It is a waste of time.
Why do I need the wooden dowels? Could I just run a wire between each pair of extra contacts, if I'm not planning to unconvert the device? Or just leave dead batteries in there?
Yes you can. The reason we used wooden dowels was to easily change it back to battery powered. If it's hard wired, it makes it a little more difficult to change back.
Very useful, thank you.
You're welcome!
Hi can you do to modify a Solar Light with Solar Panel to have an option to be charged in via DC? and an option to be run via AC? without removing the batteries built-in.
good video but you choose a risky example though, single mistake and it can catch fire though.
The wire I want to use has 4 wires in it, green, red, black and white. How would I use that?
Does this same idea work with AAA batteries too? Or would it have to be adjusted?
Works for AAA batteries too.
@@njtexit8 Thanks my dude
I have a new motion sensor faucet that is battery powered. I've had to replace the 4 AA BTRYS every 2 months. I want to find a way to convert it to plug in electric powered. Can you help guide me?
Does the voltage have to be an exact match with the batteries? For example would 7 volts be too much?
i wish this was answered.....
Third dummy battery is white color wire connected, does this mean anything or just a coincidence?!
Thanks , man !
I will apply this to many things
hey man quick question. i have a device that runs on batteries. i use it with rechargable batteries. is there a way to transform this into a rechargable device? i mean, i want to recharge the batteries without taking them out from the device. thank you!
Now that was cool. I never thought this way, now I going to do some c batteries. Thanks
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!
Not really sure about that, but maybe worth testing
can i do this with 12v battery lawn mower to be able to plug in an AC outlet?
lol
Haha!
I figure someone will wire led lights for entire rooms with this method. Being low voltage, the normal electric codes will not apply, so you can revamp lighting with no worry about violating codes or permitting.
Awesome video. But it will be even better if the device can be made chargeable instead of having to find a AC power source every time. :)
Good point
I have a small 4 AAA , led lamp. I gather I can do this, thank you
Best of luck! Let us know how it turns out!
hey thank you for the video!
does it work with AAA bateries instead
It should
My device only takes 2 batteries , do the same principle apply?
2 AA batteries at 1.5V means you need a 3V adapter instead, and probably only 600mA or higher.
Great video but it was hard to hear the audio.
And my next project is.... this was super helpful
Good luck!
Do you do the same procedure for D batteries
Is there a way to change a flameless candle light to a ceiling light and chain several of them together to make a fake candle chandelier? Ive seen them for wall outlets or power banks but not directly into a wall or ceiling setup
What about the amps? Is 700 mah good?
What the hell was that sound@3:23
I’d be scaring the shit out of my baby if I put her in there Lol
how do i pick the right ac/dc power supply?
Hey man!! Great stuff. Sure beats the solder route! And we can do this with every apparatus that takes AA or AAA correct?
That's tha question
This is amazingggggg!!! Thank you 🎉
Thank you!
Hey can you provide the exact sizes and specific names or tools you have use
Sure, check the article on our website: howtofixitworkshop.com/2019/02/05/convert-battery-operated-devices-to-ac-power/
I really appreciate this. I want to use pjone charger to power simple electronics baby toys.
do you know how to convert battery operated to plug in color changing led luma candles