Reply to: Why are power supplies so expensive?

[singhr]

16VAC 1000mA for a sound card? Bleedin eck!!! That's not yer average PSU or sound card.

Anyway, if it's AC you just need a transformer. Not in sussex I suppose? I've got loads of huge old ones.

Thanks for offer. You saved me £30 there mate - thank you kindly. Nestling at the bottom of my box of cables and old pc junk was indeed a transformer of the right spec. Know idea what it came from but it's powering the sound card and not even a whiff of smoke. If you are interested in such matters its a Presonus Firebox which lets you hook up midi, mics, guitars etc. Sadly not my Plan B but my son's Plan A.

[DiscoStu]

No, as long as the voltage is the same.

No, except that a cheap power supply may give a higher voltage than the nominal value, when it is not fully loaded.

Thank you kindly

[xoggoth]

16VAC 1000mA for a sound card? Bleedin eck!!! That's not yer average PSU or sound card.

Anyway, if it's AC you just need a transformer. Not in sussex I suppose? I've got loads of huge old ones.

[ctdctd]

When you plug it in, make sure you get the polarity right! Some are positive centre contact and others are negative. Get that wrong and you might see smoke!

FAIL - AC output adaptors don't care about polarity. It only matters for the DC ones!

[DimPrawn]

This would probably work - it gives 15VAC at 1000mA but the voltage is not regulated so it will be higher at low current drains. Probably be OK unless whatever you are trying to power draws the full 1000mA all the time.

When you plug it in, make sure you get the polarity right! Some are positive centre contact and others are negative. Get that wrong and you might see smoke!

[ctdctd]

I am looking for 16VAC 1000mA and been googling for last half hour trying to find a cheap alternative. Maplin throws up links on Google but they appear to be red herrings.

This would probably work - it gives 15VAC at 1000mA but the voltage is not regulated so it will be higher at low current drains. Probably be OK unless whatever you are trying to power draws the full 1000mA all the time.

[singhr]

I am looking for 16VAC 1000mA and been googling for last half hour trying to find a cheap alternative. Maplin throws up links on Google but they appear to be red herrings.

[Tarquin Farquhar]

Sorry to hijack the thread, but I've got a general power supply question.

If I get a replacement transformer but the current (that's the bit in mA I'm guessing ) is much higher than the old one, will it do any damage to the device?

No, except that a cheap power supply may give a higher voltage than the nominal value, when it is not fully loaded.

[DimPrawn]

Sorry to hijack the thread, but I've got a general power supply question.

If I get a replacement transformer but the current (that's the bit in mA I'm guessing ) is much higher than the old one, will it do any damage to the device?

No, as long as the voltage is the same.

[DiscoStu]

Sorry to hijack the thread, but I've got a general power supply question.

If I get a replacement transformer but the current (that's the bit in mA I'm guessing ) is much higher than the old one, will it do any damage to the device?

[singhr]

Go to B&Q and take a look at the cordless drills

B&Q drill kit with charger and battery + assorted bits £38

Replacement New charger £47
Replacement New battery £36

WTF

agreed

[DimPrawn]

Check the current rating required

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=35927

[singhr]

What spec are you after? If it has about the right voltage within a fair range and sufficient current rating, can't see why any wouldn't do. Who doesn't have a big box of old power supplies from things that no longer work?

good shout! I'll go hunting.

[Diver]

I need to get a power supply for an external sound card and been quoted £30.

Given that just about every elecrrical appliance seems to come with a transformer these days, even on items that cost a few quid, what do they put in these transformers that make them so specific to the product they are powering? In our case the sound card should get it's juice from a firewire connection out of a macbook but overloads the mac on power up.

Go to B&Q and take a look at the cordless drills

B&Q drill kit with charger and battery + assorted bits £38

Replacement New charger £47
Replacement New battery £36

WTF

[xoggoth]

What spec are you after? If it has about the right voltage within a fair range and sufficient current rating, can't see why any wouldn't do. Who doesn't have a big box of old power supplies from things that no longer work?