Got to get rid of batteries!!

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S

SolarCzar

New Member
Jul 15, 2020
4
Monroe, LA
Hey guys, new rookie to the site and first post. On a mission to change my fireplace to eliminate batteries. I have a DESA model# VS24NRA. Works fine, but it eats 9V batteries every 1-1.5 months, they are hard to access to install, always go out at the worst moment, and my wife/daughter have broken plastic cover parts where the batteries go trying to replace them when I'm not home. I've had enough and being a programmer and home automation iOT guy, I plan to convert it, but wanted some advice before proceeding.

First, has anyone had luck converting these to a low volt transformer with an inline switch? Once that is working, I can look to using a remote iOT switch like Shelly 1 or Sonoff to provide wifi/voice activation. I need to know if there are issues with me taking batteries out of the equation, or allowing them to be an augmentation when I want them. I live in Louisiana, so I rarely need the gas fireplace as an emergency heat source.

If anyone has done this or knows of obstacles that I will encounter, please let me know. Thanks
 
Sorry, the website wouldn't resolve Chrome, so opened it in Safari. Yes that would work, and is on the same line of thinking. My question is more related to how to bypass the battery connection portion, such that I used a different relay to apply power to the fireplace's "thermopile" (forgive me, I'm learning the nomenclature). If I have a relay when turn on applies the 500mV-700mV to the thermopile. Battery remote connection stays in place, so if I lose power and want to turn it on, the I can simply add a battery.
 
transformer 110v to9v ( could be 12 v) at about a 1/4 amp , couple diodes or a full wave bridge rectifier to get to DC, a resister or a variable one to get to 9 V dc on the + line. that's the basic. It is a lot harder now to source components as all the corner electronics shops have pretty much disappeared. Back in the day this was a 15 min project. if you have any old ac adapters around from various stuff a lot of those were 9v dc output amperage might be too low though had to tell. Now days it is pretty much 5 or apx 3v.
 
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Agreed, so this is what I'm looking at... Amazon product ASIN B076H3RFX4
I don't hear anyone saying don't do this for code or functionality. I will get into the voltage measures before I order anything. No since in asking the Vendor, as they always claim that they can't help due to liability reasons. Once I get the project completed, I will map it out and repost for others. Thanks
 
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