9v Power Pack / Transformer help

[Trainee]

Hi all.

Ok here's the problem i bought a controller and power pack not knowing it was for (i think) the european market. For those that don't know im in new zealand. Now what im trying to do is swap the power pack for an equivalent i have at home but im having trouble figuring it all out. I don't want to add power to the controller until im certain i won't blow anything inside.

Now i already have a power pack for nz usage so im going off of what it says on the label to find the equivalent. This is what it says.

PRI: 240V ~ 50 Hz (Power in 240 Volts at 50 Hz)

SEC: 10V ~ 7 VA (Power out 10 Volts at 7 Volt amps (i think))

Now i have narrowed down 2 power packs which are:

Input: 100-240V ~ 50-60Hz 0.5A

Output: 12V === 1.0A 12.0W

The other Pack is:

Input: 240V ~ 50Hz 100mA

Output: 9v ~ 800mA 7.2VA

These power packs are from old wireless routers and luckily they have the right size connector on the end. If im able to use one of these it will save me having to hunt down and buy another power pack off bricklink or somewhere.

I do have a multimeter but lack the knowledge of what settings to use to test the output.

Im assuming that the controller it's self will be standard and that it's the power pack i cant use, the reason i cant use the pack is because of the voltage input. The label on it says:

Input: 120VAC 60Hz

Output: 10.8VAC 700mA 8W.

Hopefully one of you will be able to help or give me some advice.

Logged

[Brickaroo]

Hi all.

Ok here's the problem i bought a controller and power pack not knowing it was for (i think) the european market. For those that don't know im in new zealand. Now what im trying to do is swap the power pack for an equivalent i have at home but im having trouble figuring it all out. I don't want to add power to the controller until im certain i won't blow anything inside.

Now i already have a power pack for nz usage so im going off of what it says on the label to find the equivalent. This is what it says.

PRI: 240V ~ 50 Hz (Power in 240 Volts at 50 Hz)

SEC: 10V ~ 7 VA (Power out 10 Volts at 7 Volt amps (i think))

Now i have narrowed down 2 power packs which are:

Input: 100-240V ~ 50-60Hz 0.5A

Output: 12V === 1.0A 12.0W

The other Pack is:

Input: 240V ~ 50Hz 100mA

Output: 9v ~ 800mA 7.2VA

These power packs are from old wireless routers and luckily they have the right size connector on the end. If im able to use one of these it will save me having to hunt down and buy another power pack off bricklink or somewhere.

I do have a multimeter but lack the knowledge of what settings to use to test the output.

Im assuming that the controller it's self will be standard and that it's the power pack i cant use, the reason i cant use the pack is because of the voltage input. The label on it says:

Input: 120VAC 60Hz

Output: 10.8VAC 700mA 8W.

Hopefully one of you will be able to help or give me some advice.

Logged

You're better off not risking it and getting one of these from a local electronics retailer:

http://dicksmith.com.au/product/M9927/regulated-international-voltage-power-adaptor.jsp?bmForm=selImgPathSubFrom&bmFormID=iW.U2tX&bmUID=iW.U2tY&bmIsForm=true&bmPrevTemplate=%2Fproduct%2FM9927%2Fregulated-international-voltage-power-adaptor.jsp&bmEditable=selImgPathHdn&bmHidden=selImgPathHdn&selImgPathHdn=%2Fmedia%2FDSAU%2FProduct%2F300x300%2FM9927_0_0037023_med_v1_m56577569830762167.jpg&bmSubmit=selImgPathSub&selImgPathSub=Submit+Query&bmHidden=PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441781529&bmHidden=FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302025590&bmFields=bmFormID%2CbmHidden%2CbmIsForm%2CbmUID%2CbmForm%2CbmEditable%2CbmPrevTemplate%2CbmSubmit&bmHash=46edf9e35375c24efc4ada138d2b098ddd8de01f

I've used a few on 9V sets and they work like a charm.

[Trainee]

Cool, thanks brickaroo.

Trust good old Dicksmith to have something like that lol. Just one thing though, the original output is 10v and this is going to be 9v will there be a lot more voltage drop on larger tracks than if it had the 10v going through it?

[Fuzzylegobricks]

You're better off not risking it and getting one of these......

*SNIP*

I agree.

Just a little reminder for the future, to watch your punctuation, example: instead of "i" and "im" try and make them "I" and "I'm"

Good luck on the Power! (EDIT: reply difficulties)

Edited March 19, 2011 by Fuzzylegobricks

[lightningtiger]

Time for the tiger to put his electronics tech hat on, now to clear something up - you have missed an important note on the power pack - the 9 Volt system uses a 10V AC output power pack as the regulator unit has it's own bridge rectifier setup and it's voltage drops to 7 Volts AC when current is being drawn. Now you have a 12 Volt DC and a 9 Volt AC power packs, taking the diodes in the regulator unit in to count a loss of 1.2 Volts and the LM317 is a common regulator used in power supplies that have an input voltage greater than 12 Volts, but it's a floating regulator where both input voltage and resistor voltage divider networks set the output voltage.

So try this....try both out on the regulator unit and measure the output voltages for maximum speed which would be 9V and see which one is the closest. You can not harm the regulator as the LM317 can handle 37 Volts and there is a diode bridge rectifier so it doesn't matter which way the DC is flowing - it will get sent the right way.

Good luck and Brick On !

[Trainee]

Time for the tiger to put his electronics tech hat on, now to clear something up - you have missed an important note on the power pack - the 9 Volt system uses a 10V AC output power pack as the regulator unit has it's own bridge rectifier setup and it's voltage drops to 7 Volts AC when current is being drawn. Now you have a 12 Volt DC and a 9 Volt AC power packs, taking the diodes in the regulator unit in to count a loss of 1.2 Volts and the LM317 is a common regulator used in power supplies that have an input voltage greater than 12 Volts, but it's a floating regulator where both input voltage and resistor voltage divider networks set the output voltage.

So try this....try both out on the regulator unit and measure the output voltages for maximum speed which would be 9V and see which one is the closest. You can not harm the regulator as the LM317 can handle 37 Volts and there is a diode bridge rectifier so it doesn't matter which way the DC is flowing - it will get sent the right way.

Good luck and Brick On !

Nice Tiger, glad you took time out to help with your knowledge.

Now, I put the Lego power pack I have already, through the controller along with the track connector lead and measured the output at maximum. Using my multimeter set at 20 DCV ther output was 9.16. I first tried the 9V AC pack, connected it all up and took a reading of 9.16, the same as the lego one. I did try the 12V DC pack I also have but couldnt get a reading for some reason and with my son pestering me I have had to call it quits for a while.

Thanks heaps though all.