Power Supply (simple question)

RedNifre

Hi,

I don't know that much about electronics, especially how to use foreign ones in Germany. I'm worried about the power supply, because I guess I can't just use the US-powersupply by simply using an adaptor, right?

The Swiss shop offers this:
http://www.zerko.ch/parallaxshop/netzgeraetecdkabel/02b8e698190b1af90.php

Do you think that I need to buy exactly this power supply, or is it possible to connect something else I can buy here (Germany)?
Or are there any other options?

AndreL

Well, if you just order the hydra from www.xgamestation.com, you can select a universal power supply that is compatible with your system. However, if you have a local distributor then its much cheaper to buy there due to shipping. That aside, all you need is a 9V DC adapter with a 2.1mm barrel connector, TIP +, RING -, totally a common part. You probably have 10 of them already connected to things at your house. And looking at that link, it looks like a universal adapter, so that will do the trick. Just make sure if you use it to set it to 9V DC and use the 2.1mm with TIP +, and RING -.

Andre'

LoopyByteloose

If all else fails, read the power supply's lable several times to make sure of what you have.

Europe is 220volts while the US is 110 volts.
[noparse][[/noparse]There is also a difference fo 50 cycles per second versus 60 cycles per second, but that is not very important in this case. Most newer supplies can handle either.]

Using a purely 110 volt adapter on a 220 volt line, might double the output voltage to the Hydra's regulators. So instead of ideally+9V DC, you would have +18volts. That could be a bit too much for the regulators and even if it were safe, it would run much hotter. And, overall power output might be reduced to only 50%.

Currently, many manufacturers and suppliers are using so-called 'smart' power supplies that actually can know when the line is 110 or 220. These make it easier to export world-wide with only one kind of power supply, but may confuse some of us. Apparently Andre provides these universal supplies.

I have several of these - one came with my cellular phone, another is with my PDA. If the lable clears says both 110 and 220 voltages are okay and 50 or 60 cycles are both okay; you can expect to have it consistenly output the expected voltage.

It never hurts to double check the output with a Volt Meter, some cheaper supplys run a bit higher than marked.

Also, I have so many supplies now that I must mark the cable ends to indicate which one belongs to which [noparse][[/noparse]PDA, ADSL modem, LAN firewall, electronic dictionary, Stamp projects, etc.] Though you can buy them, I don't recommend using an adjustible supply and the odds are against you having it properly set all the time.

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
"If you want more fiber, eat the package.· Not enough?· Eat the manual."········

···················· Tropical regards,····· G. Herzog [noparse][[/noparse]·黃鶴 ]·in Taiwan

AndreL

Yup, that's a good idea, I started labeling mine years ago, I found that writing on them with a silver Paint pen is best, right on the backside that faces the wall so they aren't that ugly, that way you reemember what the heck some supply is for.

Andre'