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SmartTAG user, ever got stuck at the SmartTAG gate due to low battery and hence weak signal?
Even if you have a spare battery for such occasion, it's still rather embarassing. You know those impatient drivers behind are swearing under their breath.
Resident D.I.Y. master among my colleagues added a switch to his SmartTAG, and by turning off the device when it's not in use, which is basically all the time except when going through the toll, he has lengthened the battery life.
Wonder why the designer of SmartTAG doesn't implement such a simply thing?
Anyway, I wanted a similar modification on my SmartTAG. The way I see it, I would have to cut the circuit at some point, add in a mechanical switch to the circuit, probably by soldering, and have a way to secure the switch on the device.
The thing is, slacker's D.I.Y. skill level is... nevermind. =P
So I opted to just remove the battery manually everyday instead.
When my father was around last few days, I enlisted his help since he is an excellent E&E engineer, skillful at D.I.Y. and has a workshop full of electrical and electronic components. Not a problem he told me.
Of course, my father is also very good at problem solving, and a lot of other things really.
So the next day when he handed me the modified SmartTAG, I found that there is... no modification!
Instead, he handed me a cable that plugs into the car charger, with the SmartTAG end in the form of the standard connector for the 9V battery, wires reverse of course.
Simply brilliant! ^_^
Okay, my E&E knowledge is rubbish so I am not very sure about the electronic components in the cable, there's a type of diode, a resistor and one other thing. But I know together they function as a voltage regulator, as voltage from the 12V car battery can fluctuate and SmartTAG uses 9V only.
Yes, this is a better solution than a switch. My SmartTAG is now powered by the car battery, and can use normal battery as well. =)
Well, you see it here first, all credits to my father and any copycat who uses this to do business should have the courtesy of paying my father royalty.
Knowing businessmen, it's never going to happen. =P
3 comments:
Simply brilliant!!!!
You dad becomes DIY king now! :D
can help to modify mine? haha
As a businessman, first step! get a patent, then sell this idea back to Plus.
Nelson: ask him yourself.
Though I think Dr D.I.Y. can do it if you provide the parts to him, since it's really just the making of an accesory.
You need a 9V (or slightly less) car charger for whatever appliance and a standard connector for 9V battery. Soldering them together should be straight forward.
If cannot get 9V (or slightly less) car charger, then have to ask Soda Peng's help to make the voltage regulator.
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Mr Mean: intellectual property has any meaning in this country where pirated stuff and imitations are everywhere?
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