Hi all,

I've been lurking here for months, joined today!

Has anyone converted their garage or similar remote to run off of the car's electrical system?

I have no problem with designing the VDc reg. but was curious if anyone has done this and what, if any, (unexpected) problems you may have encountered.

Why buy batts. (12v or 9v) when for about the same cost you could build an eliminator?

Thanks in advance...

Von

 

I did that in 1974 with a Ford Pinto. It worked. My current car (Honda) has the remote built in from the factory.

John

Edit: You may not need a voltage regulator. A simple dropping resistor may work. And, if you use a circuit that is always on (such as the old cigarette lighter...your owner's manual will tell you which fuse it is), you won't need to start the car to open the door.

 

There are items on the market which plug into the cigarette lighter and give you 9 volts. If you use this approach the remote can be moved between cars.

 

Keep in mind that if you use a traditional linear regulator with a connection that's always powered (eg: lighter or other "always on" circuit) you will have a constant 5mA to 10mA drain on the battery. While not a lot of current, it will add to the already existing static current drains (like keeping your radio station presets, powering the clock circuit, etc) and everything adds up.

I suggest using a circuit that's switched (like the accessory circuit) or otherwise disconnect it (unplug from lighter circuit) when not in use.

Otherwise, the continual drain will result in a shorter battery life. Lead-acid batteries begin sulphation when their voltage drops to roughly 12.4v @ 77°F