Does this product exist? Convert from battery to AC power?

[Kelemvor]

We have some baby items that use batteries. I'm looking for a way I can use something that will allow me to plug them into the wall instead of going through batteries like crazy.

Mainly a baby swing that takes 4 D batteries and they have to get changed out every couple months.

Do they make anything I can put into the battery area and connect to the appropriate leads and then plug it into the wall so it will get the same voltage and amps it would have form the actual batteries but will run off the normal household electric current?

If not, someone should make one...

 

[bsobel]

Your concerned about 4 batteries you need to swap out every few months and would prefer a phantom load 24/7? Get some rechargable batteries.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

There are wind up baby swings you know.

 

[Kelemvor]

That was just one example. We have baby stuff all over the house. A simple converter type device with a switch to choose what sort of batteries you want it configured for would be great and completely universal.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

How in the world did people ever look after their babies before electricity? Barbarism I tell you!

The item you're looking for is called a power adapter or power brick. They are cheap because they only supply one or two specific voltage and amperage requirements. As soon as you add the ability to pick your own, not to mention form factor, the cost would rapidly move past the cost of the device you were using it in. Get it?

Buy rechargeable batteries or learn to live without.

 

[mugs]

http://www.amazon.com/Sanyo-En...&qid=1223139615&sr=8-5

$26 at Costco. Won't last as long as alkaline D cells, but they'll save you a lot of money if you use a lot of batteries.

 

[allisolm]

Hmmm... I'm thinking juryrigged electrical cords + baby = not a good idea.

 

[IEC]

Originally posted by: mugs
http://www.amazon.com/Sanyo-En...&qid=1223139615&sr=8-5

$26 at Costco. Won't last as long as alkaline D cells, but they'll save you a lot of money if you use a lot of batteries.

++

 

[Evadman]

buy some rechargeable batteries.

 

[Double Trouble]

I wondered about this myself. My wife and I had twin boys, and we went through an unbelievable amount of batteries for all sorts of stuff (swings, toys etc etc etc). I bought lots of rechargeable batteries, but it becomes a hassle, it would be much easier if there was an adapter so you could plug things into the wall. Take baby swings for example -- the baby might take a couple of hours of a nap in a swing... but then a half hour into it, the batteries die. Sure, you change the batteries and it's fine again, but in the meantime the baby gets up, won't go back to sleep and ends up cranky for the next 8 hours. ugh.

 

[Eli]

No.

What you need is a good set of rechargeable batteries and more importantly, a good charger.

Edit: However..

If you are handy at all, it would not be hard to "replace" the batteries with a wall wart, and it would not be dangerous to the baby.

It would probably be unsightly, though. You would either have to keep the battery cover off, or drill a hole in it for the wires to pass through.

If you can't figure out what voltages you would need, this project would not be for you.

 

[Sphexi]

Yes they do. Radioshack used to have it, you basically get an AC to DC converter, and a special plugin that takes the place of the batteries. Expensive though, as the converter itself is like $30.

 

[AlienCraft]

Originally posted by: allisolm
Hmmm... I'm thinking juryrigged electrical cords + baby = not a good idea.

Nonsense. How else are you going to know the Q, uF, or Z of the kid? :shocked:
Bottom line, is this baby built to spec? :laugh:


Serious answer: The reason is UL listing and the differing costs associated with building something that plugs into the wall permanently attached to the device and something that just needs to be rated for LOW Voltage, as opposed to 120vAC.
The materials may be of a type not suited for areas where arcing may occuring during a fault, thus rendering them unlikley to pass a UL test if sold with cord attached.

By selling an item with a detached power supply or better yet, batteries, one avoids all kinds of costs / hurdles associated with getting approval to stamp that all important UL listing on it.

 

[Leros]

Originally posted by: Sphexi
Yes they do. Radioshack used to have it, you basically get an AC to DC converter, and a special plugin that takes the place of the batteries. Expensive though, as the converter itself is like $30.

You can get a multivoltage, decent amperage wall-wart from radio shack (or even wal-mart) for $7-10.

You will have to figure out how to attach this to the battery pack in the device you want to power, but it shouldn't be too difficult.

 

[Kenazo]

or, if you felt like cutting and splicing, just find an adapter with the right voltage and decent wattage, cut the end off of it and just twist the positive & negative wires onto the correct terminals in the swing/whatever.

If you cut a little notch in the battery cover, you could feed the cable into there quite neatly.

It should be safe enough though not sure what your insurance company would say if it caught on fire.

 

[Squisher]

I've done this with things I really don't want to run out of battery power like the outside keypad for the garage door. Like others have said splice in a converter. I must have 30 old converters laying around.

btw-this is so you can get in the house if you lose the key. Spare key hidden in garage. On the key is a luggage tag that says, "IF YOU DO NOT RETURN THIS TO WHERE YOU FOUND IT YOU WILL DIE!!!"

 

[Leros]

Originally posted by: Squisher
I've done this with things I really don't want to run out of battery power like the outside keypad for the garage door. Like others have said splice in a converter. I must have 30 old converters laying around.

btw-this is so you can get in the house if you lose the key. Spare key hidden in garage. On the key is a luggage tag that says, "IF YOU DO NOT RETURN THIS TO WHERE YOU FOUND IT YOU WILL DIE!!!"

Did you wire in a battery too in case the power goes out?

 

[Squisher]

Naw, the chance that the power is out at exactly the same time that you lose your keys are pretty slim, but you could.

 

[Kenazo]

Just get a trickle charger and wire it to a 12v marine battery and then on to the keypad. You will be set for the apocalypse.

 

[IEC]

Originally posted by: Kenazo
Just get a trickle charger and wire it to a 12v marine battery and then on to the keypad. You will be set for the apocalypse.

Backup power FTW!

Now to find me shotgun and wait for those zombies...