Electronics guys - Please help!

[cking]

Hi guys,

Hopefully some of you electronics guys will be able to help out a COMPLETE idiot when it comes to electronics. I've decided to make a custom display stand for my MR Falcon because I find the massive mirrored base to be a bit overpowering.

On the current MR support rod, there is a jack plug which connects directly into the underside of the Falcon model. The power supply requirements for the lights is 9 Volts. I'd prefer to set something up which is battery operated (rather than play around with wiring that goes into a wall socket).

I just can't seem to figure out what is required to connect the jack plug to the 9V Battery box. I'd be grateful if someone could give me a "shopping list" of what I need to get to hook this up.

Here's the drawing. Thanks in advance.

Chris

 

[ShackMan]

First thing you need to do is figure out the polarity of the plug. If you have a voltmeter, that'd be easy. Otherwise, you could do it with an LED. You need to know which contact is positive voltage and which is ground. It's easiest to do this before you cut the cable from the power supply (if you haven't done so already). If you have, then the best bet (here's to hoping) is that the power supply tells you whether or not the output is tip positive or negative.

Anyhow, once you know which contact is which, use a meter (or you can use your LED and a battery) to figure out which conductor of the cable goes to which contact, and connect the conductors to the battery pack as needed.

Hope that was clear enough ... tried not to make it TOO wordy.


ATM
ShackMan

 

[cking]

Thanks Shackman,

I should clarify that I need to get all of these components - I'm not going to use anything from the current MR stand. Do I still have to do what you've mentioned if I'm buying the parts from new?
What sort of cable / wires do I use to connect the jack plug to the battery pack?
As you can see, I'm totally ignorant about these things.

Chris

 

[cking]

Guys,

Anyone else have some suggestions? I thought it would be relatively easy for someone experienced with electronics. Some more help would be REALLY appreciated.

If the lights require 9Volts to power them, will a 9V battery be sufficient, or should I get a battery box that can contain something with a bit more power (totalling up to 12V maybe? )

Thanks.

Chris

 

[xwingband]

It requires 9V you don't want to be pushing that.

Unless MR used some esoteric weird plug then a simple radioshack trip should do you fine. They carry most common plugs. Grab a 9V battery pack, wire, and a simple on/off switch.

If it's just lights there is very little you need to worry about. If you switch the power wires LEDs just won't light. Assuming it's like the pic with a mono jack you'll notice it has two pins/tabs when you get one. One is for the tip and the other is everything below it. Solder a positive to one and negative to the other. Run the wire out as far as you need to the battery pack. Then between one of the two wires splice in the on/off switch.

That's all assuming you aren't keeping anything of the existing. Seems like Shackman assumed you were keeping the plug and rod... I'll assume you meant you are keeping absolutly nothing of it.

 

[cking]

Thanks xwingband.

Your assumption is correct - I will not be using anything from the MR stand because I want to keep it in perfect condition. I will be buying all new parts and making the stand / rod / electronics from scratch.

Thanks for your help. That makes a lot of sense.

Cheers,

Chris