for all you electronically minded people

**Naz** · by **Naz** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 11:42 am

Hello

I need help. I have a mini DV camcorder which uses 2AA batteries. The problem is that it uses lots and lots of battery, 2 brand new batteries will only last about 15-30min.

So what i wanna do is to make a small power supply so that i can connect it to my car battery.

The car battery is 12v and when charging you get around 14v, so to step this down to 6v DC, would i just put a 6v regulator before the camera or do i need any filteration circuit as well?!!!

I know 6v regulators are rated to around 30v, which means anything up to 30v they can reduce to 6v and above that i take it as they blow?!!

Cheers for the help

**Rusty_CallyT** · by **Rusty_CallyT** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 11:47 am

gonna need a heatsink on the reg as it will get really hot dropping 12/14v to 6v but it should work

**icewizard** · by **icewizard** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 12:47 pm

If if takes 2 x AA batteries then should it not run off 3V?

Unless it has a DC socket that takes 6V

if it kills batteries in 30 mins then it's prob drawing over 1 Amp.

So you're gonna need a decent regulator that can handle that current.

Does the DV Camcorder display how much Current or power it uses?

**Naz** · by **Naz** » Fri Apr 08, 2005 12:56 pm

lol

YOu are absolutely right! my math think went out the door!

So yeah i will need a 3v regulator. I can't find any specs on the camcroder itself. Bought it about a yr ago, will look on the web to see if i can find any specs.

THe problem is that it has LCD display and i think thats what kills the bloody bateries.

I can measure the current by a multimiter i guess

Cheers

Chavtastic · by **Chavtastic** » Sun Apr 10, 2005 9:50 am

Why not just get an 240v invertor for the cig lighter in your car... then run the camcorder off the house charger plug you have?

**sofaman** · by **sofaman** » Sun Apr 10, 2005 11:05 am

I'm not very good with electronics, I basically know how a circuit works. But if you can run off 2 X AA then could you modify one of these to give you better amps??

<a href="http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=37423&TabID=1&source=15&WorldID=&doy=10m4" target="_blank">http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?Module...rldID=&doy=10m4</a>

prob not much help but may give u another idea [img]/smile.gif[/img]

Stupink · by **Stupink** » Sun Apr 10, 2005 11:10 am

Not such a bad idea, naz arnt you running the vhs off an inverter anyway? the extra current from the power adaptor will still be well within any of the basic inverters capabilities [img]/smile.gif[/img]

**Naz** · by **Naz** » Sun Apr 10, 2005 9:14 pm

Well no Stu, The VHS is a incar one, it already has a 12v input for it, the screen is also 12v. Thats why i bought them, so i wouldn't need a inverter.

In my work van i have some DC to DC converters, i think they regulate 12v to 5v for out use. One of them could be faulty, if you know what i mean [img]/wink.gif[/img]. Will have a look and see what i have in the van.

Cheers

**davamb** · by **davamb** » Mon Apr 11, 2005 9:17 am

You want 3V as Stu says. Best bet is to use an LM317-ADJ voltage regulator, setting the programming resistor values for 3V. Let me know if you need help with that. A heatsink would be wise also.

**Naz** · by **Naz** » Mon Apr 11, 2005 4:57 pm

Hi Dave

Been looking at the RS website and can't find that component on theirs. Do you know of any online places i can download info on that?!!

Cheers

for all you electronically minded people

for all you electronically minded people

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