OT Opinions wanted

[Homercidal]

I have an OT project and wanted to get opinions about it.

I play Wow a bit and my current desk chair gets uncomfortable in short time. I scavenged a power seat out of a wrecked car and nearly have the thing mounted on a base.

My question is: What would be the best way to power it?

a) With a car battery, which would be big an bulky.
b) Lawn mower battery, which would be smaller, but hold less of a charge.
c) Directly using a 12V supply, which would require having to be plugged in.
d) Some other method that I did not think of.

My plan is to essentially mount a battery or supply under the seat at the back. I'm leaning towards mounting a lawn mower battery back there, and just plugging the charger in when needed, but I have no idea how long it will hold a charge under normal use. I don't even know how often I'll feel the urge to change the seat position.

 

[david_42]

Get one of those jump-start boxes. Lot smaller than a car battery and they have the charging system built in.

 

[JetSmooth]

e) Hamster wheel generator?

 

[Homercidal]

e) Hamster wheel generator?

Oh, yeah, this gives me an idea! I could mount a small platform on that back that my wife could stand on and do stepping exercises to charge the unit. And she can give me shoulder massages at the same time!

Seriously, I'll look at those charger things. I don't really want it plugged in all the time, but if it had a retractable cord, I could plug it in now and again no problem.

 

[diatonic]

f) Stop playing WOW, and brew instead.

 

[Homercidal]

f) Stop playing WOW, and brew instead.

Yeah, I have time to brew every day...

Anyway, I put the chair together and there is not a lot of room under the seat for a large battery, and I will have to lower it more too. I may have to mount a battery or DC Supply on the legs and I'm not sure it's going to fit. The seat is much thicker than the standard desk chair, due to the extra padding and power equipment.

 

[Mischief_Brewing]

Please post pictures of this, it sounds freaking awesome!

 

[bendavanza]

small motorcycle sealed battery and a trickle charger for occasional recharge.

 

[Homercidal]

I should have took pictures. Basically I got a powered seat out of a Ford/Merc from a U-Wrench-it place for like $35. It even has a powered Lumbar!

We had a yard sale desk chair that would not stay up. So I took the seat and back off. I cut the mounting legs off the auto seat so they were just below the rail. Then I welded a simply frame with scrap 1x1 and drilled to match the bolt holes on the seat base. Then welded the frame to the auto seat and bolted it to the base.

I'm leaning now towards a small battery and a trickle charger. My battery charger is too big, but I can probably find a cheap small one that will work. Maybe wire a plug onto the battery case for easy connect/disconnect.

I'll take pics when I take it apart to replace the pneumatic cylinder with a shorter heavy pipe.

 

[DrKarma]

Hmmm 12 V and if you would integrate one of these as well for that extra thrill when gaming and you have the ultimate energizing chair.

 

[bendavanza]

Harbor freight sells a cheap trickle charger/battery maintainer. Be careful with anything other than a sealed battery indoors though, because the vented ones will leak acid and destroy everything it touches.

 

[BrewBeemer]

Why not use a old computer power supply, small compact in a tin box with a internal cooling fan. 12 VDC @ 6 amps should run any small seat motor. Tap of the 5 VDC it will supply 18 amps of power for slower speeds.
At 5 VDC on a 24 VDC 30 amp disability motor of full ball bearing 4 brushes
also makes for a great MLT / BK whirlpool stir motor.

 

[Homercidal]

Why not use a old computer power supply, small compact in a tin box with a internal cooling fan. 12 VDC @ 6 amps should run any small seat motor. Tap of the 5 VDC it will supply 18 amps of power for slower speeds.
At 5 VDC on a 24 VDC 30 amp disability motor of full ball bearing 4 brushes
also makes for a great MLT / BK whirlpool stir motor.

That was a choice, but I am not sure I want to have it plugged in all the time, which it would need to be in order to have on-demand adjustments. I think I would run over the cord all the time.

I also want to mention that this thing is pretty heavy. A powered automotive seat is not light! I think it will work out well once I get it lowered enough so that I can put my feet on the floor!

 

[Homercidal]

Hmmm 12 V and if you would integrate one of these as well for that extra thrill when gaming and you have the ultimate energizing chair.

How could I rig this to go off whenever I use my "Gnomish Lightning Generator"? :cross:

 

[IrregularPulse]

How are there no pictures of this!?

 

[Homercidal]

Sorry. I'll try to remember to snap a few. I also have a short vid of my grain crusher that needs to go up. I should add a reminder to my phone...