Basic, ugly build, but it is my first

[rhdelaney]

I know I haven't done anything ground breaking here, but it is my first build and I wanted to share.

I was feeling inspired the other day, and built this with what I had around the house. It is very simple. I gutted a stud finder and wired a 510 battery connector to a 9v battery (I know, not recommended and potentially dangerous, but I just built this to try it out, not to use much), and through a 5v regulator.

I think I am going to build another one this weekend with a protected, rechargeable cordless phone battery with 4.8v 800mAh. I would like to make this second attempt more attractive, and easy to modify later. I want to set it up so I can bit by bit incorporate a number of other concepts later on, rather than having to start all over each time I want to try something new.

Thanks for all of your ideas, everyone. The modders forum can easily eat half of my day, if I let it.

Btw, for those of you who know more about batteries than I do, how much trouble can I get into using a standard 9v batt?

 

[5cardstud]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. So you now have the modders fever? Welcome abord. Let me know how the cordless phone battery works. I've had two of them I've been wondering about for awhile. Your mod looks good to me, do the LEDs work still?
I think the only trouble with the 9v will be how long it lasts.

 

[rhdelaney]

No, those were part of the pcb for the stud finder. I didn't bother putting LEDs in this one. It is a bare-bones design. Nothing unnecessary, just to try it.

And yes, I have modders fever now. Badly. I don't know whether to thank you people, or e-punch you in the nose for it, but it's too late now. I am hooked.

 

[Huffheinz]

Nice mod! I'd love to see a pic of the guts if you can swing it. Did you use a 3-pin or 4-pin regulator? Did you have any literature on it? Did it list the max input voltage?

I'm pretty much a noob, but my guess is that the only problem you'll have with using a 9V battery is the heat generated by the regulator. I would seriously think about a heat sink for it. At the very least, go easy on it until you know how hot it's getting.

 

[rhdelaney]

I used a 3 pin regulator with input voltage max 35V.

Here are some photos of the innards. Like I said before, it is nothing complicated or remotely ground breaking. And the only reason I used a 9v battery is that it was the only thing I had lying around that day except for AA, and I didn't want a bulky battery compartment. Sorry for the low image quality. I took them on a first gen Iphone.

The problem I am having now is that I somehow pinched one of the ground wires really badly, and I need to replace it.

 

[rhdelaney]

Also, as I said before, this was built primarily for the sake of experimentation. The next step is to make it use USB in stead of the 9v, which simply has terribly battery life. I think I am going to connect a USB cable to a 9v connector, so I can just snap the USB cable to the 9v connector that is already on my pv. Does anyone see a potential problem with this?

 

[5cardstud]

Well I think you did a good job. Not only did you show ingenuity in saving money and using what you had, you also did what many people don't have the talent to do. The only problem is the fever just gets worse from here on. Now everything you look at you will be trying to figure out how to mod it. Kudos

 

[tattooer601]

neat O............
I know the idea of using a normal 9 volt isn't cool...but how does it work??......

 

[Huffheinz]

I think I am going to connect a USB cable to a 9v connector, so I can just snap the USB cable to the 9v connector that is already on my pv. Does anyone see a potential problem with this?

I don't know...what happens when you provide a 5-volt regulator with 5-volts?

Thanks for posting the pic of the guts. I always like to see how things are wired up. Is that an aluminum plate your regulator is mounted to? If so...I don't think you'll have to worry about heat.

 

[deitra]

Your vision will never be the same, you will see potential mods everywhere you go.

Question...I just got battery connectors from the GREAT Hoogie. They have no middle thingie, How do I solder these?

Thanks a bunch or a bushel, your choice.

 

[rhdelaney]

The regulator, as I understand it, regulates the max voltage, and generally will allow a lower current, depending on which one you get. I believe that the cheap one I used will allow an input and an output of, say, 4.8v just fine. If I am wrong, I am sure someone on here will tell us.