Comments on: Hacking the Elefun http://hackaday.com/2008/08/25/hacking-the-elefun/ Fresh hacks every day Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:56:20 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: CSC http://hackaday.com/2008/08/25/hacking-the-elefun/comment-page-1/#comment-107619 CSC Tue, 17 Nov 2009 03:41:42 +0000 http://hackaday.iheartcashews.com:8181/2008/08/25/hacking-the-elefun/#comment-107619 Got into trouble of finding batteries to feed the elephant. Almost things were out of hands, and saw the above suggestions. Before buying a new adapter, curiously checked my NOKIA MOBILE CHARGER, which was giving an output of 5.8V/0.8Amp. Hooked it up to the toy and it started working pretty well. Just some tips: 1. Secure the wires inside the battery compartment with knots and tapes. Two holes provided very next to the +/- points helps to do this. 2. Have atleast 2-3 m of wiring, so that the charger doesn't get pulled out from mains, even if someone steps on wire by chance. 3. This also ensures that when the kid handles the toy (to fill in butterflies), the wire nearby would be at low voltage only. But All-In-All, though it started giving fun... the lack of adapter by design actually disappointed us, and this fact makes the toy 'non- suggestible to friends' or 'non-giftable'. Got into trouble of finding batteries to feed the elephant. Almost things were out of hands, and saw the above suggestions.

Before buying a new adapter, curiously checked my NOKIA MOBILE CHARGER, which was giving an output of 5.8V/0.8Amp. Hooked it up to the toy and it started working pretty well.

Just some tips:

1. Secure the wires inside the battery compartment with knots and tapes. Two holes provided very next to the +/- points helps to do this.

2. Have atleast 2-3 m of wiring, so that the charger doesn’t get pulled out from mains, even if someone steps on wire by chance.

3. This also ensures that when the kid handles the toy (to fill in butterflies), the wire nearby would be at low voltage only.

But All-In-All, though it started giving fun…
the lack of adapter by design actually disappointed us, and this fact makes the toy ‘non- suggestible to friends’ or ‘non-giftable’.

]]> By: Co http://hackaday.com/2008/08/25/hacking-the-elefun/comment-page-1/#comment-61427 Co Sat, 31 Jan 2009 05:47:26 +0000 http://hackaday.iheartcashews.com:8181/2008/08/25/hacking-the-elefun/#comment-61427 We used a 9v cord as that's all we could find. I did make quite a few more butterflies (out of tissue paper) and it's a much more enjoyable game now. Actually, with all the power it has now, I may be off to make even more butterflies. We used a 9v cord as that’s all we could find. I did make quite a few more butterflies (out of tissue paper) and it’s a much more enjoyable game now. Actually, with all the power it has now, I may be off to make even more butterflies.

]]> By: aerofan999 http://hackaday.com/2008/08/25/hacking-the-elefun/comment-page-1/#comment-58652 aerofan999 Sun, 11 Jan 2009 20:58:15 +0000 http://hackaday.iheartcashews.com:8181/2008/08/25/hacking-the-elefun/#comment-58652 I could only find a 12VDC @ 500ma lying around. How do you think that would work? Aerofan999 I could only find a 12VDC @ 500ma lying around. How do you think that would work?

Aerofan999

]]> By: Michael http://hackaday.com/2008/08/25/hacking-the-elefun/comment-page-1/#comment-43769 Michael Sun, 28 Sep 2008 21:17:49 +0000 http://hackaday.iheartcashews.com:8181/2008/08/25/hacking-the-elefun/#comment-43769 I finally got around to doing this to our Elefun, but the AC adapter I found was 7.5V and only 600mA. It is still more powerful than the batteries, but not as powerful as the guy describes in the article. Oh, and I drilled into the battery compartment from one of the intake holes in the back rather than have the Elefun sitting on the power cord on the bottom (and I knotted the cable inside as suggested above). I finally got around to doing this to our Elefun, but the AC adapter I found was 7.5V and only 600mA. It is still more powerful than the batteries, but not as powerful as the guy describes in the article. Oh, and I drilled into the battery compartment from one of the intake holes in the back rather than have the Elefun sitting on the power cord on the bottom (and I knotted the cable inside as suggested above).

]]> By: FearoxDeluxe http://hackaday.com/2008/08/25/hacking-the-elefun/comment-page-1/#comment-41127 FearoxDeluxe Fri, 29 Aug 2008 16:04:11 +0000 http://hackaday.iheartcashews.com:8181/2008/08/25/hacking-the-elefun/#comment-41127 @pocketbrain: Mm, a 9v battery is pretty tingly on the ol' tongue. Of course, a 9v battery is going to be going some if it's supplying your tongue with even as much as 100mA. Let's swap that 9v battery for a 7.5v mains adaptor - not even one of those puny 300mA "battery eliminator" PSUs, but a full-on ONE AMP of mains-backed power supply goodness designed for super-high-drain devices like.. oh, I don't know, the ROUTER it was supplied with! Bearing in mind that it's not the volts that make the difference, it's the amps that get your attention, you want to see if this beats a 9v battery in the taste test? <br><br>(For the avoidance of doubt: DON'T DO THIS, 'kay?)<br><br>I'm not too comfy thinking about how the internal wiring and motors for something designed for 6v of puny battery power is going to cope with sustained periods of 7.5v at one amp, either. @pocketbrain: Mm, a 9v battery is pretty tingly on the ol’ tongue. Of course, a 9v battery is going to be going some if it’s supplying your tongue with even as much as 100mA. Let’s swap that 9v battery for a 7.5v mains adaptor – not even one of those puny 300mA “battery eliminator” PSUs, but a full-on ONE AMP of mains-backed power supply goodness designed for super-high-drain devices like.. oh, I don’t know, the ROUTER it was supplied with! Bearing in mind that it’s not the volts that make the difference, it’s the amps that get your attention, you want to see if this beats a 9v battery in the taste test?

(For the avoidance of doubt: DON’T DO THIS, ‘kay?)

I’m not too comfy thinking about how the internal wiring and motors for something designed for 6v of puny battery power is going to cope with sustained periods of 7.5v at one amp, either.

]]> By: strider_mt2k http://hackaday.com/2008/08/25/hacking-the-elefun/comment-page-1/#comment-41125 strider_mt2k Thu, 28 Aug 2008 04:53:14 +0000 http://hackaday.iheartcashews.com:8181/2008/08/25/hacking-the-elefun/#comment-41125 Too complex-not complex enough...waaaaa!<br><br>Someone is always gonna cry us a river on hackaday, aren't they? Too complex-not complex enough…waaaaa!

Someone is always gonna cry us a river on hackaday, aren’t they?

]]> By: PocketBrain http://hackaday.com/2008/08/25/hacking-the-elefun/comment-page-1/#comment-41124 PocketBrain Wed, 27 Aug 2008 20:44:03 +0000 http://hackaday.iheartcashews.com:8181/2008/08/25/hacking-the-elefun/#comment-41124 ...To provide protection against the horrifying electric shock of 7.5V? Seriously, guys, ever touch a 9V battery to your tongue to see if it still holds a charge? Far worse than prying fingers on 7.5V. How about "The battery compartment screws shut, to keep the wires in place" or "to prevent shorting"? <br>Although, I do confess, the game Operation would be much more fun with 115VAC as a deterrent to slipping up. …To provide protection against the horrifying electric shock of 7.5V? Seriously, guys, ever touch a 9V battery to your tongue to see if it still holds a charge? Far worse than prying fingers on 7.5V. How about “The battery compartment screws shut, to keep the wires in place” or “to prevent shorting”?
Although, I do confess, the game Operation would be much more fun with 115VAC as a deterrent to slipping up.

]]> By: chris http://hackaday.com/2008/08/25/hacking-the-elefun/comment-page-1/#comment-41123 chris Tue, 26 Aug 2008 04:28:32 +0000 http://hackaday.iheartcashews.com:8181/2008/08/25/hacking-the-elefun/#comment-41123 I thought this was hack a day not "Obvious Central". This is base knowledge for just about anybody over the age of 10. <br><br>Great, now you've adding a tripping hazard to make the game a bit more interesting. Now I know why they have that picture on the sides of 5 gallon paint buckets. It's not for the kids.... I thought this was hack a day not “Obvious Central”. This is base knowledge for just about anybody over the age of 10.

Great, now you’ve adding a tripping hazard to make the game a bit more interesting. Now I know why they have that picture on the sides of 5 gallon paint buckets. It’s not for the kids….

]]> By: Andar http://hackaday.com/2008/08/25/hacking-the-elefun/comment-page-1/#comment-41122 Andar Tue, 26 Aug 2008 01:43:18 +0000 http://hackaday.iheartcashews.com:8181/2008/08/25/hacking-the-elefun/#comment-41122 bobbob, it may be cheap and easy, but its a good reminder that it can be done. I remember my dad adding a DC jack and a transformer to plug in my old battery-powered toy karaoke mic. That helped the toy last for a couple more weeks before I got tired of it. :p<br><br>I'll have to give the idea a try with my son's 'TV computer game' thing that plugs in with RCA cables. Both the main 'console' and the wireless keyboard are battery powered and have pathetic battery life, pulling this trick would allow me to avoid at least one set of battery replacements. bobbob, it may be cheap and easy, but its a good reminder that it can be done. I remember my dad adding a DC jack and a transformer to plug in my old battery-powered toy karaoke mic. That helped the toy last for a couple more weeks before I got tired of it. :p

I’ll have to give the idea a try with my son’s ‘TV computer game’ thing that plugs in with RCA cables. Both the main ‘console’ and the wireless keyboard are battery powered and have pathetic battery life, pulling this trick would allow me to avoid at least one set of battery replacements.

]]> By: Brian http://hackaday.com/2008/08/25/hacking-the-elefun/comment-page-1/#comment-41121 Brian Tue, 26 Aug 2008 00:29:34 +0000 http://hackaday.iheartcashews.com:8181/2008/08/25/hacking-the-elefun/#comment-41121 @brad: My thoughts exactly... The D cells just don't last... @brad: My thoughts exactly… The D cells just don’t last…

]]> By: Brad http://hackaday.com/2008/08/25/hacking-the-elefun/comment-page-1/#comment-41120 Brad Mon, 25 Aug 2008 22:58:45 +0000 http://hackaday.iheartcashews.com:8181/2008/08/25/hacking-the-elefun/#comment-41120 Did a similar hack to my infant daughter's baby swing. That thing churns through 4 D cell batteries like it's nobody's business. Hacking it to be a plu-in was an absolute necessity. Did a similar hack to my infant daughter’s baby swing. That thing churns through 4 D cell batteries like it’s nobody’s business. Hacking it to be a plu-in was an absolute necessity.

]]> By: Edward Nardella http://hackaday.com/2008/08/25/hacking-the-elefun/comment-page-1/#comment-41118 Edward Nardella Mon, 25 Aug 2008 20:14:16 +0000 http://hackaday.iheartcashews.com:8181/2008/08/25/hacking-the-elefun/#comment-41118 Sweet job, I've done this myself several times. Sweet job, I’ve done this myself several times.

]]> By: tiuk http://hackaday.com/2008/08/25/hacking-the-elefun/comment-page-1/#comment-41117 tiuk Mon, 25 Aug 2008 19:27:21 +0000 http://hackaday.iheartcashews.com:8181/2008/08/25/hacking-the-elefun/#comment-41117 When I was a kid my dad did this with a shadow projector (uses transparencies to project holiday-themed shadows) and an electric jack-o-lantern. Great, simple idea that can be applied to a lot of things. When I was a kid my dad did this with a shadow projector (uses transparencies to project holiday-themed shadows) and an electric jack-o-lantern. Great, simple idea that can be applied to a lot of things.

]]> By: mike http://hackaday.com/2008/08/25/hacking-the-elefun/comment-page-1/#comment-41116 mike Mon, 25 Aug 2008 18:52:12 +0000 http://hackaday.iheartcashews.com:8181/2008/08/25/hacking-the-elefun/#comment-41116 There is a hack almost identical to this with those radio shack xmods r/c cars. I did that and holy crap does it ever make a difference. Just solder in a battery clip for an extra one or two AA or AAA batteries in series with the ones on the car, then use velcro to hold it there. The bod didn't fit the car any more when I did this, but who cares? My car consistently beat the one belonging to the "hot-stuff" manager at the radio shack store who had the fancy gears and the supposedly high performance motor and stuff. He is electronics illiterate so he never could figure out how to do the mod that I did ;) There is a hack almost identical to this with those radio shack xmods r/c cars. I did that and holy crap does it ever make a difference. Just solder in a battery clip for an extra one or two AA or AAA batteries in series with the ones on the car, then use velcro to hold it there. The bod didn’t fit the car any more when I did this, but who cares? My car consistently beat the one belonging to the “hot-stuff” manager at the radio shack store who had the fancy gears and the supposedly high performance motor and stuff. He is electronics illiterate so he never could figure out how to do the mod that I did ;)

]]> By: el zorro http://hackaday.com/2008/08/25/hacking-the-elefun/comment-page-1/#comment-41115 el zorro Mon, 25 Aug 2008 18:36:29 +0000 http://hackaday.iheartcashews.com:8181/2008/08/25/hacking-the-elefun/#comment-41115 Did the exact same thing a year or so back due to the poor battery life. Its a clear design flaw, either that or a conspiracy with the battery manufacturers. Did the exact same thing a year or so back due to the poor battery life. Its a clear design flaw, either that or a conspiracy with the battery manufacturers.

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