Can I use any 12V adaptor for a keyboard?

I bouth an electronic keyboard that requires a 12V 1.5 A AC adaptor
but did not come with one. I have a 12V 1300 mA adaptor lying around
the house. Can I use that ? I hope I won't destroy anything if I test
it out? Or will just the top volume of the keyboard be limited, and
all else should work fine?

 

[tempus fugit]

<nonsense@mynonsense.net> wrote in message
news:05b44a7f-34ab-495d-80da-36ba0712d60d@s21g2000vbb.googlegroups.com...

I bouth an electronic keyboard that requires a 12V 1.5 A AC adaptor
but did not come with one. I have a 12V 1300 mA adaptor lying around
the house. Can I use that ? I hope I won't destroy anything if I test
it out? Or will just the top volume of the keyboard be limited, and
all else should work fine?

No you can't just use any 12V AC adaptor on your keyboard. Here's why:

1. the keyboard specifies needing 1.5A. Yours is only rated for 1.3A
2. some AC adaptors output AC voltage, while others ouput DC voltage (you
need to know which one your keyboard requires)
3. the plug that goes into your keyboard likely has 2 contacts - the sleeve
(outside) and the centre (inside). Depending on the adaptor, the 12V could
be on the sleeve, or on the centre. If your keyboard requires the opposite
of what the adaptor plug has on it, very bad things could happen.

 

[Nobody]

On Thu, 14 May 2009 08:03:42 -0700, nonsense wrote:

I bouth an electronic keyboard that requires a 12V 1.5 A AC adaptor
but did not come with one. I have a 12V 1300 mA adaptor lying around
the house. Can I use that ? I hope I won't destroy anything if I test
it out? Or will just the top volume of the keyboard be limited, and
all else should work fine?

It might damage the adaptor if the keyboard actually draws the full
1.5A, or it might not.

Whether or not it will damage the keyboard depends upon whether the
keyboard needs e.g. 12V+/-0.1V or 12V+/-3V.

The thing about "12V" supplies is that 12V is the nominal voltage for
most car electrics. In a car, the actual voltage can be anywhere from 11V
with a flat battery to over 15V with the engine running. Anything
designed to be fitted in a car will be designed with this tolerance in
mind. "12V" supplies are often designed assuming this tolerance, but if
you have a device that really needs close to 12V, it may not like 15V.

 

[petrus bitbyter]

<nonsense@mynonsense.net> schreef in bericht
news:05b44a7f-34ab-495d-80da-36ba0712d60d@s21g2000vbb.googlegroups.com...

I bouth an electronic keyboard that requires a 12V 1.5 A AC adaptor
but did not come with one. I have a 12V 1300 mA adaptor lying around
the house. Can I use that ? I hope I won't destroy anything if I test
it out? Or will just the top volume of the keyboard be limited, and
all else should work fine?

One can never be sure. 1300mA is less them 1500mA so if the keyboard needs
that 1500mA the adaptor can become (too) hot or even destroy itself. Another
chanche is a voltage drop so the keyboard may malfunction. You can give it a
try. For all I can see you may blow a fuse but I expect no other damage.
That's to say, not immediately. If you're lucky the 1300mA is enough but if
you want to stay on the safe side you'll have to find an 1.5A or better
adaptor.

petrus bitbyter

 

On May 14, 1:31 pm, "tempus fugit"
<tocc...@quitspammingme.ciaccess.com> wrote:

No you can't just use any 12V AC adaptor on your keyboard. Here's why:

2. some AC adaptors output AC voltage, while others ouput DC voltage (you
need to know which one your keyboard requires)

I checked and both require DC voltage. The specs on the keyboard
adaptor are:
Input: AC voltage 120V, 60 Hz
Output: DC12V 1.5A

The specs on mine are:

AC Input 100-120V AC 50/60 Hz 25VA
DC Output: + 12V 1.25A

The pins on both look the same. What do you think? I also know the
electronic keyboard takes 6 C cell batteries. Do you think I could use
a AA to C cell size converter like this one:

http://tinyurl.com/phytcs

 

On May 14, 1:48 pm, "petrus bitbyter"
<pieterkraltlaatdit...@enditookhccnet.nl> wrote:

nonse...@mynonsense.net> schreef in berichtnews:05b44a7f-34ab-495d-80da-36ba0712d60d@s21g2000vbb.googlegroups.com...

I bouth an electronic keyboard that requires a 12V 1.5 A AC adaptor
but did not come with one. I have a 12V 1300 mA adaptor lying around
the house. Can I use that ? I hope I won't destroy anything if I test
it out? Or will just the top volume of the keyboard be limited, and
all else should work fine?

One can never be sure. 1300mA is less them 1500mA so if the keyboard needs
that 1500mA the adaptor can become (too) hot or even destroy itself. Another
chanche is a voltage drop so the keyboard may malfunction. You can give it a
try. For all I can see you may blow a fuse but I expect no other damage.
That's to say, not immediately. If you're lucky the 1300mA is enough but if
you want to stay on the safe side you'll have to find an 1.5A or better
adaptor.

petrus bitbyter

I dont ever plan to play it anywhere near full volume, so will that
mean it will draw less current?

 

[amdx]

<nonsense@mynonsense.net> wrote in message
news:9a2f9e78-bbd3-4b60-bd77-ebe5bcc8c644@v17g2000vbb.googlegroups.com...

On May 14, 1:48 pm, "petrus bitbyter"
pieterkraltlaatdit...@enditookhccnet.nl> wrote:
nonse...@mynonsense.net> schreef in
berichtnews:05b44a7f-34ab-495d-80da-36ba0712d60d@s21g2000vbb.googlegroups.com...

I bouth an electronic keyboard that requires a 12V 1.5 A AC adaptor
but did not come with one. I have a 12V 1300 mA adaptor lying around
the house. Can I use that ? I hope I won't destroy anything if I test
it out? Or will just the top volume of the keyboard be limited, and
all else should work fine?

One can never be sure. 1300mA is less them 1500mA so if the keyboard
needs
that 1500mA the adaptor can become (too) hot or even destroy itself.
Another
chanche is a voltage drop so the keyboard may malfunction. You can give
it a
try. For all I can see you may blow a fuse but I expect no other damage.
That's to say, not immediately. If you're lucky the 1300mA is enough but
if
you want to stay on the safe side you'll have to find an 1.5A or better
adaptor.

petrus bitbyter

I dont ever plan to play it anywhere near full volume, so will that
mean it will draw less current?

Yes, lower volume will draw less current.

Just make sure the polarity is correct. Usually the adapter will have a
picture showing
the connector and the polarity of the center, make sure the keyboard is the
same.
If it all matches up, try and play it for 10 minutes and see how hot the
adapter gets.
Mike

 

[petrus bitbyter]

<nonsense@mynonsense.net> schreef in bericht
news:9a2f9e78-bbd3-4b60-bd77-ebe5bcc8c644@v17g2000vbb.googlegroups.com...

On May 14, 1:48 pm, "petrus bitbyter"
pieterkraltlaatdit...@enditookhccnet.nl> wrote:
nonse...@mynonsense.net> schreef in
berichtnews:05b44a7f-34ab-495d-80da-36ba0712d60d@s21g2000vbb.googlegroups.com...

I bouth an electronic keyboard that requires a 12V 1.5 A AC adaptor
but did not come with one. I have a 12V 1300 mA adaptor lying around
the house. Can I use that ? I hope I won't destroy anything if I test
it out? Or will just the top volume of the keyboard be limited, and
all else should work fine?

One can never be sure. 1300mA is less them 1500mA so if the keyboard
needs
that 1500mA the adaptor can become (too) hot or even destroy itself.
Another
chanche is a voltage drop so the keyboard may malfunction. You can give
it a
try. For all I can see you may blow a fuse but I expect no other damage.
That's to say, not immediately. If you're lucky the 1300mA is enough but
if
you want to stay on the safe side you'll have to find an 1.5A or better
adaptor.

petrus bitbyter

I dont ever plan to play it anywhere near full volume, so will that
mean it will draw less current?

Most likely the power amplifiers in the keyboard are class AB which means
more volume requires more current.

You can find out by powering the keyboard by the appropriate batteries and
measuring voltage and current. Almost every (cheap) unimeter will do.
Small(er) batteries may not be able to provide the required current. If they
do not fail immediately they will last for only a short time.

petrus bitbyter

 

[ian field]

<nonsense@mynonsense.net> wrote in message
news:da209a8b-c55d-484a-ae21-5a36271dca52@s16g2000vbp.googlegroups.com...

On May 14, 1:31 pm, "tempus fugit"
tocc...@quitspammingme.ciaccess.com> wrote:

No you can't just use any 12V AC adaptor on your keyboard. Here's why:

2. some AC adaptors output AC voltage, while others ouput DC voltage (you
need to know which one your keyboard requires)

I checked and both require DC voltage. The specs on the keyboard
adaptor are:
Input: AC voltage 120V, 60 Hz
Output: DC12V 1.5A

The specs on mine are:

AC Input 100-120V AC 50/60 Hz 25VA
DC Output: + 12V 1.25A

The pins on both look the same. What do you think? I also know the
electronic keyboard takes 6 C cell batteries. Do you think I could use
a AA to C cell size converter like this one:

Examine the casing next to the power jack for a symbol showing whether the
pin in the middle is "+" or "-" and make sure the power pack is the same or
it will let the magic smoke out of your keyboard!

You might just get away with the underrated power pack - but feel its
temperature regularly in use.

 

Thanks for all the replies. My keyboard came today and my home adapter
works fine with that. I checked the polarity and it was the same as
the manufacturers one. The adapter does not seem to be getting hot
while using it.