Hello
I thought I would post a fun project that I have been working on other peoples amusement. My school is outdoor based meaning we walk outside to classes under covered paths. This is ok because we are in the warm climate of Los Angeles, CA. Naturally our security guards have a golf cart that they drive around on because the campus is large and they are really lazy. The computer guy and I have been having fun with them, stealing their cart, tieing power strips to their axles, racing them and throwing boxes at them during the race. They find this rather funny and everyone is ok with this. Also, I have a period off which is 2 hours so I have time to do this.

Anyway, the computer guy and I where joking around and where scheming more ways to annoy them. I suggested to make it remote and he thought I was joking. Well, 2 days later I brought in a relay board I got off ebay. The board had 4 relay channels controlled by a wireless remote. I had it mounted in a little plastic box that was duct taped to a battery for the remote. I then took the box and wired it into the key circuit for the golf cart after they left it to us for some "electrical repair" Now I could press a button and kill their ignition. This was really funny because their cart would SLAM to a stop as a safety feature if the key got "removed". Well, the first thing we did was race them for pink slips. Since the computer guys cart was a Taylor Dunn pile of crap they gave us a head start. Soon they caught up and where passing us. BANG, they disappear behind us as a siren built into their cart started wailing. I had just pressed the button and the computer guy and I where laughing our heads off. Behind us the guard sat in his now disabled cart looking rather surprised and annoyed. This is how my shutoff V1.0 was born. I will post more because I am now ready to install V3.1 in their cart because there is a new security guard. This is all real and I actually did this.

We played this trick on both security guards on duty that day. They both thought it was hilarious and wanted me to use it on the other woman who was a guard there but was not on duty that day. I now had a new target and I needed to redesign the control to run off the carts batteries.

Well, after like 15 min at home I had V2.0 born. It had the option of running off internal battery of running off the security carts power. It also had the wires with quick connect crimps so I could just click the wires onto the back of the key switch. And of course it was held together by duct tape. What I forgot to mention before was that when I install the unit in security's cart, I hide it inside the dash so they would never find it. The new unit was better than before.

The next day at school one of the guards I had used the remote on brought the cart to me. I proceed to install the unit in their cart and wired it to the cigarette lighter. Unfortinatly the unit was not working. Apparently when someone changed the carts batteries they wired the lighter wrong and it was only getting 6v. Well, 10 min later I had that fixed and running at 12v. They actually liked me fixing the 12v becasue now their headlights where brighter and the strobe worked. The remote box could now be left in the cart becasue it would run off the external power. As an agreement, I gave the "only" remote to the guard. I had spare remote in my pocket with a better transmitting range. We then watched as the lady drove the cart away and then slammed to a stop. The other guard had hit his remote. She was PISSED. Eventually she liked it. The guards where now having a small war stealing the remote from each other and shutting themselves off.

Now to the spare remote I had. I gave it to the computer guy. The war had now started. He would chase security around and shut them off. Now security had to hide from him. It got even more amusing later in the week. I had the remote back and I was sitting in Physics working. The computer guy pulled up and got the remote from me. Security had stolen his seat and he had to drive standing up. He then drove away with my remote. After that class uneventfully. As soon as the bell rang I went over to the lab and found out what happened. Apparently, after he had my remote, he saw security across our common grassy area about 200 feet away. He extended the antenna and shut them off without them even seeing him. How he ransomed off the use of their cart for his seat back. This was getting just too fun.

Of course, one of the head janitors got all upset that I had somehow damaged the cart. No one listened to him of course becasue everyone liked the remotes, including security. The computer even had some of the counselors on the back of his cart one day as they played remote tag trying to shut off security's cart.

More to come on V2.1 and possibly some photos and video. Trust me, it gets MUCH better.

Well, the guards now know me well. They now call me "Evil Genus". Anyway, the lady guard was leaving the week before winter break. She wanted to to reinstall the reinstall the remote but instead of shutting the cart down it would turn some buzzer on to annoy the other 2 guards who have been annoying her. I thought the concept of a buzzer was trivial and I decided to 1up it. I found an old wolo sound box that did sirens, animal sounds and PA. I installed that in their cart with an old computer speaker. Now it would turn on whenever I hit the button on the remote. Of course, I set the unit on musical mode. Now every time I hit the button their cart would emit the most annoying, 6 bit (not sure what bit) sound anyone had ever heard. Basically they sounded like an ice cream truck. Imagine security trying to do their job with "Its a small world" blasting from their dashboard. I gave one of the remotes to the lady who was leaving. This was her going away gift.

The first time I tried the unit one of the "larger" guards was driving around the teacher parking lot trying to control some cars that should have not been in there. We hit the button right when he was stopping the car. Suddenly the warm melody's of "Ba Ba Black Sheep" blocked out his voice. The people in the car where laughing their heads off along with all of use back on the sidewalk watching this. He just let the people park and drove back to us rather annoyed to say the least. he told us that the first thing he said under his breath was "F*&king (Computer Guys Name)". The war had started again.

Once again I was in my physics class doing my work. Suddenly we hear "London Bridge" approaching our room and passing by. Security had passed our class at full speed running away from the computer guy with the remote. Even though security had a remote the computer guy had one as well and could turn the system back on. Our whole class started cracking up. I had told them about the remote ahead of time and I perpously left the door open so we could hear the cart music. I never expected them to drive right by the room.

I managed to get a low quality video of this on my cell phone. I will try to download it with blue tooth. More to come on my future design that I am about to install and how I got in trouble when the relay malfunctioned.

Ok, with the music box installed, practically everyone I talked to had heard something about an Ice Cream truck on campus. My brothers class had heard it and started having an argument about why an Ice cream truck would be near campus. Anyway, the next day I was in English class. I told some of the people about the siren becasue they where wondering why there was a remote on my desk (did they think it was a bomb?). During the period security drove by and I managed to turn the music box on, the only problem was that they where going too fast and where soon out of range for me to turn it off. That REALLY pissed them off because they where guiding a crane onto campus for construction and they one again sounded like an ice cream truck. Half an hour later they pull up to the area where my class is. I then turned the music off. One of them walks into my class look around. My teacher asks him why he was there (the teacher knew about the music box and thought it was funny) the guard told her that he was looking for someone but he could not remember my name. He then left because he did not see me sitting very still. (I think his vision might be movement based like a T-Rex) Five minutes he came back and found me. I guess he looked up my class record. Anyway he says out loud "Your coming for a ride with me" in a vary authoritative tone. At that point I was thinning that no one could really get mad at me for doing this becasue everyone knows me and knows that I would never cause any trouble. Well, as soon as we got outside he asked me to give him the remote and set the box on siren mode. I was kind of funny becasue he had a little bit of a pleading tone in his voice now that we where outside the class. I just shrugged my shoulders and yanked off the cup holder. I set the dial to a siren the guards liked and sealed the compartment back up. Then I gave them the remote and went back to class as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. I told them that the remote button had probably been held down by stuff in my backpack and that as soon as they got in range it turned them on without my knowledge. The reason they tracked me down was because the guard who had the remote was not there and I had the only other remote.

Well, later that day one of the relay channels burned out for some reason and the siren was stuck on. Luckily for me the guards now knew how to open their cup holder and they just unplugged the speaker.

At lunch I mounted the sound control box in the carts dashboard so the guards had full control of the PA, siren, and sounds. I then removed the remote box and brought it home for an upgrade.

Well, I purchased 2 more remote kits off ebay and started working on V3.0 of the control. I took a metal box from some old Alpine FM modulator for an XM radio, ripped the guts out and put the new remote board inside. I then ran wires to the outside of the box to a computer molex connector I salvaged from an old power supply. I now had a quick disconnect. The unit was now encased in a proper, tamper-proof steel box with quick connect connector and a longer antenna.

Our school is getting a new guard on Monday. The current guards want to play a trick on him or her so they want me to put the box back in. I have added a modification to make the remote box V3.1. I am going to install. I am setting it up so that one channel will cut the ignition power like the first version and the other channel will turn on the music box. Instead of running the usual ice cream truck sounds I am hooking an external audio source to the Mic in for the PA. I am planning on using my old Minidisk (yes, the laserdisk of audio) to play a clip of "Girls just want to have fun" as well as "Barbie Girl" or anything else I want to play. Unfortinatly I don't have a 12v power adapter on the minidisk player so I will need to change the battery after I use it (rechargeable). This means that I will use the minidisk like once and go back to the ice cream sound. I will try to get some pictures to add. I am in class right now and I cannot take pics at the moment.

I would love to hear feedback or recommendations on this project. I am looking for more things I could plug into the additional spare 2 channel on the relay board. I can either make it act like a contact hold close or have the relays output 12v to something. Please leave me feedback.

wow, thats funny, if i did that at my school, and they figured out it was me, id prolly get expelled. please get some pics of all this stuff. and did u get that video uploaded?

Ok, I managed to get the video off the phone. It is hard to see what happens but you can see the shape of the cart going around a corner and the music playing. I also added a photo. The links are below.

Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/thedeepfryedboot/362257602/
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3xXXp9KkSU

When I install V3.0 I will try to get some more photos of it behind the dash, the wiring, and some more video.

If anyone wants more wiring diagrams or closer pictures please feel free to ask and I will do what I can.

Geez, and I thought we were having fun when we used 2-part epoxy to stick quarters to the hallway floor before class let out.

Of course, they still used mimeograph machines, film projectors, and opaque projectors when I was in high school. I remember the first shuttle disaster happening while I was in Economics class, ignoring the teacher and listening to the radio on my Walkman. My English teacher was one of the alternates for the trip. He took it really hard, he had been good friends with Sally Ride.

Holy Crap! I'm OLD!

Sounds like you're having fun!

I took a picture of the siren controller I used to make the Ice Cream truck sound. I have it hooked up to my minidisk player. I hope the security guards like "Girls just wanna have fun" in a redundant loop.
I am hoping to put it in tomorrow. The new guard is on campus and this should be fun.

Click to view attachment

how much did it cost to put this together?

The control board from ebay cost me around $12-$15 depending on what type of remote you want. There is then a $7 shipping charge to the US from Hong Kong. There is then the various wires and connectors I used. The metal box I put the control in was from an old modulator and that was free. I am guessing that the finished metal box cost around $25 rounded up.

The sound part is different. The box that controls the music is about $40 these days. Most auto stores carry it. I got it at Pep Boys several years ago. It includes a mic and a speaker. All I needed is more wire to make that work with the control box. The MiniDisk player was a gift I got several years ago.

If anyone wants to buy one of the control relay boards for themselves, the ebay seller is Fencolo. His store is the link below. Since its from Hong Kong. Things can take up to a month to arrive. I was very patient.

http://stores.ebay.com/Electronics-Gallery

Thanks for your interest.

P.S. I added a clip of the song "Barbie Girl" to the Minidisk player for the guards "enjoyment"

Now you've got me motivated to cause some trouble. I'm not at a school, but where I work, we have a campus that is covered by a wireless network. So I looked through my closet, desk, and junk drawers last night and came up with the following stuff -
- A small 2-plug 12V power converter
- An old "tiny' IBM thinkpad that has a busted screen
- A wireless pcmcia 802.11b network card
- The working guts to a usb webcam
- A serial GPS mouse with ps2 power adaptor
- A parallel port controlled 6 port relay switch (gotta find the power adaptor for it) and API software cD
- A cheap radioshack bullhorn (has tons of preprogrammed midi's .. or could possibly tap into the Mic from the -laptop)
- An old 12V universal boat motor jack
- A couple old motorla PRS radios

We have a Gator cart that the facilties guys drive around the campus here that would be fun to mess with. It's a bit too cold/wet right now to be messing with electronics that would be primarily outside, but maybe a project could be devised by spring/summer.

I've gotten "in trouble" in the past for little antics, so I've gotta decide if I really want to "donate" all of this stuff to the cause (knowing that I will never be able to claim it back... since they would certainly pitch a fit if they found out who did it)

I'm thinking I would have virtually 100% control at all times since our wirless cloud is virtually 100%. I would be able to see where the cart is visually by streaming video and by GPS overlay, and I'd be able to hear whats going on by using the PRS radio (always on).

I could have some fun with sound, lights, motor control via the relay switches, and could maybe do something with raising and lowering the cart using the boat motor jack (it's pretty heavy-duty.. just old)

Everything seems pretty straight foward, except that I'd have to mount the laptop where it's fans wouldn't be heard if they kick in, and maybe modify the power section so that it starts when the Gator starts - or maybe look at monitoring the laptop battery level and utilizing the relay to connect and disconnect the external power supply so that it doesn't drain too much power from the Gator when it's not in use.

Then it's just a matter of writing some software to handle connecting to the network and putting out its video/audio stream, and well as making its control interface availble.. lots of software fun there :0

I already went through the trouble of digging everything up.. so its just a matter of getting it done, I suppose ...

Thats actually a funny idea. I would recommend not taking control of the gas or steering for legal reasons. If something happened and the cart ran off you would be liable. Try taking control of the horn, lights and other engine shut off controls. You should also make a shut down controller so the laptops would shut off when their cart was off so it would not drain the batteries. You could use a second radio and an amp to allow you to broadcast messages to the public. Imagine making their cart shut down and then screaming at them about cheating it with the lawn mower. As soon as this happened though they would probably find the laptop. Maby you could put it in a sealed container on the bottom that you could make drop off by remote. That way when they are driving you can make it drop off and grab it quickly.

I would recommend you try something like I did becasue it uses very little power, can be made to look like part of the engine controls, and is easy to hide. I do like your laptop idea but I would recommend something smaller. If you ever do make this please post it and PM me right away. I would love to see it.

OK, I just finished one of my midterms and I am now using my PC in class. I just finished screwing with the new security guard. I installed the box with the "Barbie Girl" looped song in their cart and the computer guy and I chased them around with my remote. They where driving down this hill and they did not notice us following them. I then hit the D button on my remote and the music starts looping. The new guard turned around, pointed at me and started cracking up. The other guard, the grumpy one got really pissed. He turned it off with his remote. We then turned it back on and drove away as fast as we could. The cart that we where on, being the pile of crap that it was, did not go very fast and the security guards where soon behind us, so I turned their music back on again. At this point the new guy was cracking up soo hard it looked like he was about to fall out of their cart. He was even dancing in his seat. Well, they pulled us over and we promised them we would remove it back at the computer lab. The grumpy guard said to us "I cannot be seen driving around the classes like this, ill get is huge trouble again. I cannot believe how gay this sounds." (quote screened for cursing and pissed off mumbling). Well on the way following them back up the hill they pulled some kids over for going off campus. I once again turned on the music. The kids just stared at the cart in disbelief as the grumpy guard fumbled for his remote. I think he was really pissed off now.

Well, I took the thing back off at the lab and rewired it so that it was hooked to their strobe light. That way the sirens would come back on when the guards hit the switch. This they liked.

I took some videos of the cart playing its music. I also took some pics of the wiring inside the dash. These pics are somewhat low quality becasue I used my phone. I was not able to get a video of the guards though becasue I did not have my phone with me when we where chasing them. Anyways, I really like the new guard. He seems to like doing fun things like these. I look froward to my next project. Making the head custodians cart sing "Its raining men". The reason for this is becasue he is always getting a whiny over anything fun anyone ever does. If I get this project working I will make a post for it as well.

P.S. I will upload the videos and photos as soon as I get home.

OK, I got the video up. The box took a sec to turn on and the phone ran out of memory so it is a short clip but you can hear the song after the box turns on. I had the box volume turned down low as not to disturb other classes when I took the video. For some reason my phone stopped uploading so I did not get the pics up. I will try to get them working later. I got pics of the wiring and the boxes inside the cart.

Youtube: http://youtube.com/watch?v=Bhc0MWCXUGc

To: TheDeepFryedBoot
Bro that had to be the funniest thing i have read in a long time. I love what you have done so far. Post up some more action clips when you get a chance. The clip of the cart going around the corner with the ice cream man music was hilarious..
Good Job!!

I am glad you liked it. Unfortinatly the computer guy is leaving to goto a better job and I will not have as much time to do stuff like this. He was kind of my veil of protection when it came to the accountibilty of my actions. I am working on a smaller project. I am building my own portable 20w amp from parts I got off the web. Too bad UPS lost them again. I plan on hiding the amp where ever I feel like hiding it and hooking it to a walkie-talkie for remote voice...like in class. Just imagine the PA speaker making strange anouncements and sounds (MOOOOOOOOO).

lol that'd be funny

Im getting really tired trying to find the proper parts for the circuit so I might just throw a walkie-talkie into the security cart or the ceiling of a class I dont like. I can splice the Minidisk player into the other walkie talkie and make it keep transmitting.