12v AC PSU Source?

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Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 5:02 pm

My router keeps clicking off when I so much as brush the lead from the PSU. It seems the wire is broken internally, just where the lead leaves the PSU block.

Before I lose the interweb thingy altogether, I need a new one.

The plug is a standard UK 3 pin, for 240V AC the plastic psu block it is built into says the output is 12V AC, 1000Ma.

The business end has a barrel plug, which as best as I can measure it, is 5mm wide.

For once, Google and Ebay have drawn a blank. Ebay i found similar, but the output plug was 2.5mm.

My local computer shop suggested a multi output PSU, with various different plugs and switchable voltage. Aha! i thought, Ive got one of those. On digging it out, however, the outputs are all DC. Sad

Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 5:09 pm

Try this

Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 5:14 pm

Hi neighbourino, nope, that has a DC output.

Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 5:18 pm

Nice to see the Harley back. My little Suzuki sounds like a diesel - it's in the garage for a while.

AC/AC, hmm unusual. Well, you could try this

Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 5:23 pm

I've got an older version of one of these, Uniross Universal mains adaptor AC/DC, works brilliantly

Baiting Guru Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Posts: 3193

iMike's one will do, although an AC power supply is basically a transformer in a box. You could halve the price if you can do a bit of easy soldering and drill a couple of holes.

On the other hand, if you could do that, you could just fix the wire. Don't you know a man who can?

Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 5:30 pm

Good spot guys. Ugly and expensive, but the right flavour of elastictrickery, so the smoke should stay in the router. Hopefully the right plug too, I guess mine is the 5.5mm one.

A new wireless router is tempting, but then I would have to set it up, and iMike could monitor my internet 'research' Shocked

@ Thud, I could cut the thing open on the output side & try to fix the break, I can solder, but if I balls it up, or the break's where I cant get at it,or a dry joint inside the block, I cant come back on the net to ask for more help.

Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 5:33 pm

^^^ you'd be surprised how many people round here have open wireless connections! Useful for checking my emails while I'm having a dump.

Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 5:34 pm

/\/\ thankyou for that mental image1 I'll go and wash my mind out with soap.

Baiting Guru Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Posts: 3193

The 5.5mm size is the length of the barrel, but the other sizes look odd, they might be the internal size rather than the external one. That does look like a complete set of plugs, but take the old PSU to Maplin's and check before you buy.

If you can solder, why not make your own? http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?ITAG=SPEC&ModuleNo=46757&doy=15m10#spec

Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 5:38 pm

The length? shoot, mines around 5mm wide. Sad

Baiting Guru Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Posts: 3193

I've just measured one of my multi-outlet things, and got external sizes of 3.3mm, 5.0mm and 5.25mm. So I am 99% certain that the numbers on the Maplin spec are the internal diameter of the hole in the middle.

Edit: I was wrong. clicky
The two sizes are internal and external diameter - the spec of the power-supply does not mention shaft length.

Elite Baiter Joined: 02 Jul 2006 Posts: 1702

Your local electrical shop can do it for you.

Bring the router / psu, and a universal AC psu at the right 1000ma

Then ask them to do a henry the 8th - chop the existing connector off, and place it on the new universal psu - voilla correct connection.

Should cost about �20 quid all in, but umm a router off ebay is probably the same price with half the hassle. (id buy a new router its quicker, and it wont run the risk of serious fire if its left on 24/7 - remember multi connectors are not designed for 24/7 use - neither are routers but theres not much chance the factory one will explode and burn the gerbil the cat and the flat.

Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 12:36 am

Yep, D-O is correct. Cheap home routers die after a few years. For very little you can buy a wireless, use the ports and turn the radio off if you don't need it.

Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 12:01 pm

This is not rocket science Smile

However if in doubt skip this post.

Go and get a compatible transformer unit (power pack) from your local electrical store dont worry about the plug if it's wrong. Less than $20
Make sure it is as good as the old unit in the current, ie it's at least 1000ma(1amp), 1500ma (1.5amp) will do just fine. The voltage has to be the same 12vac. (thats not quite true but will do for now)

Chop the plug off the old unit leaving as much cord as possible. Chop the plug of the new unit, bare and twist the the wires from each item about 20mm and splice the pairs together. Polarity is not an issue as it's AC. However there will be a stripe down one wire so in keeping with convention try and join the like wires.

Don't even worry about soldering the wires if you don't have the tools.
Just make sure you make a good connection to the wires by either twisting
or a connector and insulate the the joins from each other.

If you need a drawing I'll send you one
Smile