Replacing "C" batteries in Nintendo Popeye tabletop

[williamc]

I recently picked up a Nintendo Popeye tabletop.  I actually got one as a birthday gift in the mid 1980s.  They are expensive nowadays, but I had a lot of fun with mine back then and had been wanting to get one again, and finally found one at a not too crazy price.

 

It runs on two C batteries and doesn't have a power jack.  I don't need C batteries for anything else and don't want to buy them just for this, so I've been looking for replacement options.  I've found a few things online but they seem kind of cheaply made, not sure if these are really safe to use on vintage electronics like this.

 

1. https://www.amazon.com/Replacement-Eliminator-Flameless-Decorative-Electronic/dp/B0829466Y3/ref=sr_1_2?crid=WYO1NMR7RMKY
2. https://www.amazon.com/S-YUWEN-Eliminator-Electronic-Replacement-Batteries/dp/B08TLZ69VN/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2WYOW7KM5ACH3

 

I know about the old Coleco Perma Power battery eliminators too, but I think those are only good if you're replacing four C's, not just two.  At least, that's what it looks like to me, I've never actually owned one.

 

I've also seen adapter spacers like these that use AA batteries inside of a C-shaped shell.  I have plenty of rechargeable AA's already so this would be a good solution if they work.  But from what I've heard they aren't super reliable.

 

Anyone have any recommendations for good battery eliminators?

[fiddlepaddle]

I would just use a 3v wall wart from a thrift store, cut off the plug and splice in a pair of alligator clips. It's a temporary solution, but cheap and easy.

I have some of those D-size shell AA adapters that work fine, and some C-size shell AAA adapters that work fine, but it seems the AA-to-C-shell adapters often don't work as well for some reason. Plus the AAA adapters allow you to put 3 or 4 AAA batteries in parallel for longer use.

ni-cad batteries might not provide enough voltage; NimH would probably be OK.

[dendawg]

AFAIK NimH batteries and NiCads have the same voltage....1.25. I don't know for sure, but I think NimHs have higher amperage.

[fiddlepaddle]

Yeah, maybe you're right. I just know that ni-cads don't work in some devices where NimH do work.

[Keatah]

Depends on the exact chemistry of the NiMh cells. They can range from 1.2v to 1.45v at full charge.