Really easy question

[perez]

Sorry for the really easy question but I am clueless when it come to
this stuff.

Problem:
I am in the UK and I have an American made Kawaii keyboard that has
been working fine for years. Recently, the power adaptor gave up. It
was American and was attatched to a rubbish adaptor for British
sockets (which I think was a shaver adaptor!).

I bought a new AC adaptor (with variable voltage switch) and that was
fine until recently when it gave up too. I had it set at 12v which was
fine.

I know there is a compatibility problem with UK current (or whatever,
I really don't know) and US appliances, but is it now a problem with
the keyboard or is there a simple adaptor I can get that will work
better??

Thanks,

 

[Lord Garth]

"perez" <arifshah1@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:7168ff7e.0502210626.b056983@posting.google.com...

Sorry for the really easy question but I am clueless when it come to
this stuff.

Problem:
I am in the UK and I have an American made Kawaii keyboard that has
been working fine for years. Recently, the power adaptor gave up. It
was American and was attatched to a rubbish adaptor for British
sockets (which I think was a shaver adaptor!).

I bought a new AC adaptor (with variable voltage switch) and that was
fine until recently when it gave up too. I had it set at 12v which was
fine.

I know there is a compatibility problem with UK current (or whatever,
I really don't know) and US appliances, but is it now a problem with
the keyboard or is there a simple adaptor I can get that will work
better??

Thanks,

Find a switching supply that has the same polarity at 12V as the original
power supply and an equal or greater current capacity. The idea here is
that most modern switching supplies are smaller and lighter than an
iron core transformer and they are universal input which allows for
either American or British power standards. Some, like Viewsonic
uses with their LCD monitors, have both standard power cords. Others
will require an external socket adapter.

 

[Kitchen Man]

On Mon, 21 Feb 2005 14:44:29 GMT, "Lord Garth" <LGarth@Tantalus.net>
wrote:

"perez" <arifshah1@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:7168ff7e.0502210626.b056983@posting.google.com...
Sorry for the really easy question but I am clueless when it come to
this stuff.

Problem:
I am in the UK and I have an American made Kawaii keyboard that has
been working fine for years. Recently, the power adaptor gave up. It
was American and was attatched to a rubbish adaptor for British
sockets (which I think was a shaver adaptor!).

I bought a new AC adaptor (with variable voltage switch) and that was
fine until recently when it gave up too. I had it set at 12v which was
fine.

Is it possible that this second adapter did not have a large enough
current capacity? <see garth's answer on this point>

I know there is a compatibility problem with UK current (or whatever,
I really don't know) and US appliances, but is it now a problem with
the keyboard or is there a simple adaptor I can get that will work
better??

<addressing op>
Well, the quesion isn't all that simple! This is a good answer:

Find a switching supply that has the same polarity at 12V as the original
power supply and an equal or greater current capacity. The idea here is
that most modern switching supplies are smaller and lighter than an
iron core transformer and...

I extract the key clause:

...they are universal input which allows for
either American or British power standards....

This will get you around your "rubbish" adapter. There are two big
differences between European and American house current. The first
problem is the voltage - ~220 vs. ~115. The second (and most critical),
problem is the frequency - 50 vs. 60. A switching power supply
eliminates both problems. They're readily availible, I did a Google on
the text:

switching power supply universal input

And got a page full of on-line vendors.

Some, like Viewsonic
uses with their LCD monitors, have both standard power cords. Others
will require an external socket adapter.

--
http://www.xmission.com/~tiger885/motorbike/NART/nart.html

 

[John Fields]

On Mon, 21 Feb 2005 16:50:47 -0700, Kitchen Man <nannerbac@yahoo.com>
wrote:

This will get you around your "rubbish" adapter. There are two big
differences between European and American house current. The first
problem is the voltage - ~220 vs. ~115. The second (and most critical),
problem is the frequency - 50 vs. 60.

---
Really? Plugging a 60Hz adapter into 50Hz is likely going to make the
adapter run a little warmer and reduce its output current capability
by about 17%, but plugging a 120V adapter into 240V is certainly going
to result in something much more severe happening.

--
John Fields