I suppose this should be in the tavern, but I’m not registered there, and this is an electrical question.
This year, we purchased a Mojo Junior Duck Decoy. It uses a 6 volt battery, with a simple on/off switch. The more expensive versions use a remote switch, but of course, I was pinching pennies and bought the cheaper version.
I’d like to hardwire a switch with a 30′ wire and be able to control this thing from my duck blind (lounge chair). Will voltage drop affect the Ducky?
blue
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Replies
You got an electric duck?
Does it electrocute anything it runs across?
Quack quack, I want my money back.
Joe H
Not if you use 4 or 6 gauge wire.
Mr. T. MOTOL
"I think natural selection must have greatly rewarded the ability to reassure oneself in a crisis with complete bull$hit."
I'm Swiss!
Shooting from the hip, blue, but here goes:
If it is a cubical 6-volt that weighs about 2-3 pounds, the roboduck probably pulls an amp or two.
If is 1.0 amps, you'll drop 0.5 volts in 30 feet (round trip) of 18 gauge copper.
At 2.0 amps, you'd want 14 gauge copper or better (gives a 0.4 volt drop). I wouldn't go smaller.
12 gauge would be good to 4 or 5 amps w/o a lot of voltage drop.
So I'd get a 50-foot, extension cord because it is a cheap, easy way to buy double insulated wire. Preferably the low-temperature-type (usually blue) because they are the most flexible. Cut to length and add your switch. Step up to the spec-grade with cadium contacts (about $5) or something preferrably rated for 10 or more amps of DC.
David, it is a cubicle battery. Heres some more information.
I'd really like to keep the wires as small and light as possible. We already have enough gear and weight to pack in.
I'm figuring that I'd place the ducky 15' away. That's where I came up with the 30' of wire: 15' there and 15' back.
Heres a picture of the battery with some data on it.
blue
Any idea how long those 4.5 amp-hours will let it run? Then we'd now what the ampearge is.At 15+15 feet, yes, as Fornl1 suggests, 16gauge lamp cord is fine. Those in-line rotary switches are cheesy for an amp or DC, but you only switch a few times an hour, right? So maybe that is a very compact, cheap option.David Thomas Overlooking Cook Inlet in Kenai, Alaska
>>I suppose this should be in the tavern, but I'm not registered there, and this is an electrical question.
A question about an electric duck? Have you though of asking at "News Of The Weird" <G,D*&R>
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*Standard issue, wind up clock spring duck....
RJW, I'd ask at the weird news site if I thought I could get an answer. I'm just trying to do something without burning up the electric motor. I don't know enough about motors.
blue
Use #16 lamp cord, two conductor zip, and you will do fine. Worse case the battery has a slightly shorter life. This stuff is relatively cheap and it is available at any hardware store.
The slightly heavier stranded wire is a bit more rugged. Be sure to provide adequate strain relief. Given the choice the black zip cord would be both easier to camouflage and more resistant to UV damage.
As an aside you might consider getting one of the cheaper wireless doorbells. Easy enough to use it as a remote. Just unhook the bell and connect up the duck's motor. I have seen them on sale for about #10.
A remote would be sweet. Using those remote door chimes, you'd have to install the bell portion in the duck, and add a relay that task the current to the buzzer (3 volts?) and flips the relay to on. Then the next buzz flips it off. Unless you hold the buzz down whenever you want the mecho-duck to spin it's wings.David Thomas Overlooking Cook Inlet in Kenai, Alaska
Now were getting somewhere!
I like the idea of the remote, and I also like the idea of keeping the battery near in a warmer climate.
If I use 4lorn1's idea of 16 guage, and keep the battery near me, I can simply unclip it when I want it to stop. Additionally, I could keep a spare battery and easily switch it if things went dead.
What to do? What to do?
I think I like the idea of keeping the battery near me the most. But, the remote would allow me to place the duckie at a much greater distance.
For the most part, it just runs constantly, but when geese approach, it's best to shut it off.
Thanks for the help. Because I'm not really mechanically inclined, the hardwire probably would be my best choice, but I do have a friend that could easily solder in a relay.
What to do, what to do!
blue
So throw the battery in a small ice chest with your coffee, hot chocolate and burrito. Two alligator clips on the lamp cord and you're good to go.David Thomas Overlooking Cook Inlet in Kenai, Alaska
4Lorn1's suggestion seems to be a reasonable one. I was going to suggest using a relay in the duck so that you don't have to truck all those electrons from the duck to the switch and back again. With the relay, which you could buy at Radio Shack, but which would cost alsmost as much as the remote doorbell, you could run really fine wire from the blind to the duck.
One other thing to think about is that battery performance can fall off quite a bit in cold temperatures. If you went the heavier wire route, you might want to keep the battery in your blind and warmed in some way.