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Thread: Battery Time!

  1. #1
    Marmoset Warrior
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    Battery Time!

    Ok, here's the deal guys:
    /me hussles up

    I have some El Wire inside my keyboard (I modded it and glued it in) and I want it to keep lit up. Only problem is that I don't have wire long enough to reach, so what I was proposing was is there anyway to run it off batterires with a switch?

    Hope someone can help.

  2. #2
    HEXUS webmaster Steve's Avatar
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    The require inverters and the inverter will require 12V, so it doesn't sound like you will be able to.

    Can't you just buy a length of wire? Doesn't have to be EL wire... just from the PSU to the inverter.
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    Ahh, damn

    I could use a length of wire but i'm not very confident with the old electronics so I don't want to screw anything up!

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    HEXUS webmaster Steve's Avatar
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    Didn't you have to wire up the EL wire in the first place anyway?
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    Thankfully it came pre-wired with connectors so I just had to plug it into the inverter and then that molexed into my PSU.

    If anyone could do it for me i'd be very greatful

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    Senior Member SilentDeath's Avatar
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    You can get 12v batterys

    Im not sure of the specifics of EL stuff, I know it will run on quite a large voltage range - 40-150v maybe? I know the EL backlight in my watch runs on 50v and thats from a tiny watch battery (3.3v). Higher voltage means brighter but lasts less long. Your inverter probably outputs around the max EL stuff will work at.
    You might be able to find a schematic for a very simple EL inverter (the one in my watch had very few parts!) which will run from battery.

    EL doesnt require much power, you might be able to run it from the keyboards +5v (if its a usb keyboard, dunno about ps2 power req.) but you will need a 5v inverter, or two inverters (one 5v to 12v then the other 12v to 50-150v)
    Last edited by SilentDeath; 25-09-2004 at 03:20 PM.

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    EL wire will run OK on a 9V PP3 but it's a lot dimmer than on the proper 12V supply.

    If you don't fancy running a 12V line from the PC, either most any 12V DC adaptor will do, or a 8-pack of 1.5V AA cells, Ni-Cads to keep running costs down, Maplin do a holder.

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    Cool

    Have you thought about using rubber cement to glue 2 wires to the keyboard cable and running it into the back of your case to the inverter and a DPDT switch between the Inverter and a 12v Lantern battery inside the case? That would be the easiest thing for someone without much experience.

    If you feel more ambitious you could use a pair of rechargable 9V and 2 switches to recharge the batteries from a recharger in the case (Get one that has a cigarette lighter plug and attach a molex to it) when the wire is switched to PSU power.

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