Whew, okay, good. So how long would this battery last in it?

Sunbeam? Not sure. If you can find a datasheet on the Sunbeam I can help you figure it out. A standard Energizer will last about five hours. Assuming the Sunbeam has less capacity, I'd guess you'll get 3-4 hours out of it.

Can you explain how to switch the slider with the reed switch?

1. Bend the metal bracket back so it is no longer pressing against the board OR desolder it - heat the base of the bracket with your iron until you see the solder around it liquify then pull it off.
2. Remove the plastic slider.
3. Solder a wire to the base of the metal bracket or, if you removed the bracket, solder the wire to the pad on the board where the metal bracket was.
4. Solder the other end of this wire to the end of the reed switch with the single lead.
5. Solder another wire to the pad on the board where the plastic slider was positioned.
6. Solder the other end of this wire to the longer of the two leads on the reed switch.

I suggest trying this on your bad board first to give you some practice.

 

It turns out the metal bracket isn't actually soldered to anything. It is attached to the first battery holder, and simply fits into a hole near the battery, and slides into place next to the other two batteries.
When you say the pad where the metal bracket was, do you mean the one near the top, directly to the left (or underneath thanks to the picture being flipped) of where the battery holder was? Or would the pad in question be the strip underneath the remaining battery holders?
And that would mean the pad where the plastic slider was would be the pad on the right, right?

 

See the attachment.

 

Okay, this worked. I got .03 when putting the probes where you said, that's close enough, right?
Is this definitely safe to do? The sound card came in the mail today and if I work really fast I can get it done on time. Which side of the reed switch am I connecting to which pad?

 

Okay, this worked. I got .03 when putting the probes where you said, that's close enough, right?

Yes.

Is this definitely safe to do?

To the best of my knowledge, you should be fine. Can I make an absolute guarantee? No. Am I 95% sure? Yes.

Which side of the reed switch am I connecting to which pad?

Does not matter. Use the one single lead by itself on one end. Use the longer of the two leads on the other end. Do not use the shorter of the two leads on the one end.

Put the magnet next to/on top of the reed switch before you apply power. Once power is applied, remove the magnet and the sound module should be turned on.

 

Okay I'll let you know what happens

 

I did everything as you said, but it seems that the reed switch on the sound card, SW2 in your diagram, doesn't really do anything. When I take the magnet off SW2 and then SW1, it plays. When I take the magnet off SW1 first and don't touch SW2, it plays. Is this supposed to happen?

 

I have seen cheap Chinese Sunbeam batteries at The Dollar Store, leaking in their wrappers because they have been there for a few years plus a few months on a boat.
Use an Energizer or Duracell name-brand battery instead.

 

Okay, thank you for the information.

 

I did everything as you said, but it seems that the reed switch on the sound card, SW2 in your diagram, doesn't really do anything. When I take the magnet off SW2 and then SW1, it plays. When I take the magnet off SW1 first and don't touch SW2, it plays. Is this supposed to happen?

Hmm, that may be how the sound card works when power is removed and re-applied.


Try the following:

1. Put magnets on both SW1 and SW2.
2. Use your meter set on VDC and verify the voltage across the + and - power wires to the sound card is 0VDC.
3. If yes, set the meter to measure resistance and check the resistance across the pads on the sound board where SW2 is wired. Resistance should be high (probably see OL on the meter).
4. Remove the magnet from SW1. Does the sound module play?
5. Put the magnet back on SW1.
6. Remove the magnet from SW2.
7. Check the resistance of the two pads where SW2 is connected to. Is reading close to 0Ω?
8. If yes, remove magnet from SW1 again. Does the sound module play?

If the sound module seems to play regardless if SW2 magnet is on or removed, remove SW2 from the sound module completely (remove wires from pads) and test with SW1 only. If this works, then you only need SW1.

 

Okay, I did what you said and there is no need for S.W. 2

 

Cool beans. I wouldn't have guessed applying power to the sound board in and of itself would cause it to play without the use of the slider switch.

 

Yeah, I didn't think that either. But now there's one less thing that could go wrong!

 

Soooo, I completely scrapped the entire circuit. I had it all soldered and set up, but when I went to put everything in the box for the final time, it just stopped working. I have no idea what went wrong. The I checked the last possible connection, the one right before the mini-USB port, and got a reading of 5.3 volts, so the power was getting all the way through. After like twenty minutes of trying to figure it, I gave up with the 9V. Instead, I soldered a Reed switch to those two connection on the souk card and am simply using that

 

I gave it to her and I'm pretty sure she liked it She was impressed at least! Her first reaction, "Wow..." , so I'll take that as I good sign!
Thank you so much, elec_mech, I could not have done this without you. You were extremely thoughtful,helpful, understanding, and patient throughout this entire project and there's no way I could ever repay you in just a few simple words. I really appreciate what you did for me, especially since it was coming completely from your free time. If there's any way I could do something for you on this forum, please, just let me know.

 

I'm sorry to hear the circuit didn't work out as planned, but I'm glad the box was well received.

Did you put the LEDs in or just stick with the sound module?

Any chance of posting a picture(s) of the box?

Glad to be of (at least some) help. Hopefully you had fun and this gave you some hands-on experience with electronics should you have another project you wish to pursue in the future.

 

Don't worry about it, I'm just glad it worked

No, I didn't do the LEDs

Here's a video. Let me know if you want a back or underside view or something
View My Video

You were more help than you could ever imagine And yes, this will definitely help in the future.

 

Cool beans. That looks good. Thanks for the video.

 

No problem
Have a nice life, man