In an effort to record Imus even if the power goes out, I've equipped
a 128MB RadioYourWay with a D-cell power pack.

The rare-sized tip from the wall wart was snipped a few inches down
and attached to a 2-conductor Jones plug (polarized plug, in particular).

This tip then could be used with that 3v wall wart or my battery pack.

Well...

It turns out that 2 NiMH D cells show low battery externally, but work
fine internally (AAA cells there). What's going on?

Measuring the 3v. wall wart, it produces 4v.

So. I guess they drop the voltage that comes in externally.

I went to 3 D cells and a forward conducting rectifier to take out
0.7v. Now it measures 3.5v, but best of all it shows a full battery
indication.

Radio Shack parts, www.theshack.com

270-396 4 D-Cell holder $1.89
276-1661 4-pack 50v 6amp rectifier diodes $2.49

Solder one rectifier into the 4th battery slot (crimp lead over lug and
spring respectively, solder for mechanical security only, the crimp makes
the connection; it won't really solder to the spring). Line (cathode)
end orients as if it were a battery and that were the + end of the battery.
(So the cathode sees the negative end of the battery pack through the
load, and thus forward-conducts.)

Put a .5a inline fuse in the + lead out of the battery pack so it won't
burn the house down if something shorts out.

I have 3 RadioYourWay's and wired up two of these things, driving two
(which operate at different times of day, Rush and Imus) with one, and
one (Imus, saving the Friday show) with the other, taking up with its 32mb what
won't fit in the 128mb of the others.

So if the power goes out, I still get the shows I want to hear. Recording
had been flakey after Wednesday with the low battery indication, sometimes
working and sometimes not.

The PC downstairs real-encodes the shows if nothing goes wrong power-wise.
--
Ron Hardin


On the internet, nobody knows you're a jerk.