# batteries to plugs can it be done?



## angel3210 (Oct 10, 2011)

i have been reading for weeks and havent come across this topic , so as a non electrical person,and no local cheap or free help. heres my question - can battery run props ( 2 or 3 AA battery things , 2 D battery etc) be turned into things that plug into extention cords? because i am sick of buying 40 or more AA batterys that by mid week need replacing on some things. local halloween yard contest requires we have everything up and running a week to 10 days before halloween and during that week stuff has to be running every night sunset to 10 pm or so. im getting frustrated by the amount of things to switch on by hand and replacing batterys. i am willing to to have miles of cord linking things or each thing plug to an extention cord individually. but can anyone tell me how if its possible. detailed info requested. i read the sticky here but it didnt seem to be what i needed when it concerns batterys switching to be a plug in. while i still have everything out not put into the 14 tubs and back to the basement. this would be a good time (early winter project) so i dont have to do it next sept when getting things slowly set up for next halloween. diograms are most helpful not just written please. i learn best when i can see how.:googly: if you need more info on types of things i want to do this to, just ask. we noobies will all apreciate the help. ps can i daisy chain 3 plug in pumpkins so they dont each plug to cord? and just use one conection on cord? i am thinking i can after reading the sticky here. i know to anyone that knows the answers this seems like simple (duh) questions but to anyone that doesnt know:undecidekin: its learning steps into the world of electric things and not burning house down. (or my precious decorations !!! , house is insured think it would count as electric accident? but dont need winter news saying - silly old recluse woman burns house down while playing with electric items )


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## corey872 (Jan 10, 2010)

Yes, this can be done, though there are quite a few options.

The basic way one would go about it would be to get a power supply in the correct voltage range for the given props. A 2AA battery prop is most likely going to be very happy with a 3 to 3.3 volt supply. A 3AA battery prop would be happy with 4.5 to 5 volt power. You'd also want to make sure you have enough amperage for the given props. That will be a little harder to determine without actually measuring how much current the prop draws. Though for most I suspect the current would be >200mA steady and maybe surge to 300 or 400mA max. If you want to be really safe, maybe figure 500mA / .5 amps per prop, so 10 props - you'd want supply for at least 5 amps. From there, you'd need to take each prop and wire into the + and - power, then hook up to your supply.

This is where the options begin:

Many options for power supply - do you want one centrally located with a bunch of wires, do you want several spread out with groups of props, you could use typical 'wall warts', you could hack a computer supply which would have 3.3v and 5v outputs, you could use a 12V transformer with your own voltage regulators, you could find a SMPS 'brick' from a laptop and regulate that, probably several more options, too.

How do you want to hook the prop up? Quick and dirty, you could identify the 'power' terminals in the battery case and solder a cord to them, or you could open the prop up and solder to the circuit board. You could have a length of cord hanging out of the prop, or drill a hole / mount a small barrel socket and have all the cord coming from the power supply.


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## Doc Doom (Aug 28, 2008)

Ditto what Corey says. Like you I got real tired of buying battaries. I converted almost all of my battery operated props to run off wall warts. I leave the battery compartment as-is and simply solder wires to the metal battery terminals. That way I can still convert back to batteries if I want to.


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## groovie ghoulie (Nov 12, 2008)

heres an even easier way than soldering. Get some dowel rods appox size of batts and wrap wall wart wires around screws. see pic


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## joker (Sep 25, 2007)

groovie ghoulie said:


> heres an even easier way than soldering. Get some dowel rods appox size of batts and wrap wall wart wires around screws. see pic
> 
> View attachment 2514


That's a clever idea!


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## angel3210 (Oct 10, 2011)

thank you all that all helps the wood dowel idea is niffty too


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