Adapters for pedals? (calling electronics experts)

[twoheadedboy]

I have an old Hughes & Kettner Tubeman Pedal. It says on the back that it requires a 12v, 400ma, 50-60hz adaptor. I have an adaptor that is 12v, 1.25a, and 60z. Will this work with the tubeman? Will this ruin the tubeman? Thanks.

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Adapters for pedals? (calling electronics experts)

I have an old Hughes & Kettner Tubeman Pedal. It says on the back that it requires a 12v, 400ma, 50-60hz adaptor. I have an adaptor that is 12v, 1.25a, and 60z. Will this work with the tubeman? Will this ruin the tubeman? Thanks.

Sounds like you're ok providing the tips are the same match for both the pedal and the adapter? If the pedal calls for negative tip,be sure the adapter is negative tip also...

[twoheadedboy]

Re: Adapters for pedals? (calling electronics experts)

The pedal doesn't say. The pedal powers up when I use this adaptor, but I get no sound through it. All I get is loud crackling and buzzing when I turn the master volume knob. This is a tube pedal. Could it be that the tube inside is blown?

[ArtieToo]

Re: Adapters for pedals? (calling electronics experts)

I can only cover one part of this. 1.25a is 1250ma, so you're good to go there. (The pedal will only draw as much current as it needs.)

Artie

[twoheadedboy]

Re: Adapters for pedals? (calling electronics experts)

Oh, also the H&K manual says you need an AC adaptor. On the adaptor I found, there is a tag that says DC. Is that a problem?

[twoheadedboy]

Re: Adapters for pedals? (calling electronics experts)

I just swapped out the tube for a new 12AX7 and that didn't change anything. Also, there's a little transformer-type part inside that gets REALLY hot if i leave the pedal on for more than a couple minutes. Like, so hot that it would burn me if I kept my hand on it. There's no visible sign of anything wrong with the pedal. The tube lights up when I turn on the pedal. This is a mystery!

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Adapters for pedals? (calling electronics experts)

I just swapped out the tube for a new 12AX7 and that didn't change anything. Also, there's a little transformer-type part inside that gets REALLY hot if i leave the pedal on for more than a couple minutes. Like, so hot that it would burn me if I kept my hand on it. There's no visible sign of anything wrong with the pedal. The tube lights up when I turn on the pedal. This is a mystery!

Ac and DC(Not the band) are different forms of electrical current..

[twoheadedboy]

Re: Adapters for pedals? (calling electronics experts)

I know that, but when someone says AC adapter, do they mean that it converts AC to DC, or do they mean that it converts AC to a different form of AC? I've noticed that people tend to say AC Adaptor even when the device being powered by the adaptor is DC.

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Adapters for pedals? (calling electronics experts)

I just swapped out the tube for a new 12AX7 and that didn't change anything. Also, there's a little transformer-type part inside that gets REALLY hot if i leave the pedal on for more than a couple minutes. Like, so hot that it would burn me if I kept my hand on it. There's no visible sign of anything wrong with the pedal. The tube lights up when I turn on the pedal. This is a mystery!

Take that pedal somewhere and let a tech look at it so you don't have a completely non-functioning pedal...

[twoheadedboy]

Re: Adapters for pedals? (calling electronics experts)

haha, yeah man. I bought this thing off ebay years ago and when I got it, it was in this condition. Every once in a while I open it up and try to figure out whats wrong with it, but I never can. I think I'm either going to take it to a tech or throw it off a bridge so that I can stop thinking about it already.

[stevie_bees]

Re: Adapters for pedals? (calling electronics experts)

If you're going to throw it off a bridge, can you throw it in the direction of the UK?

[ArtieToo]

Re: Adapters for pedals? (calling electronics experts)

"AC adaptor" is more of a slang term than a technical one. It simply refers to something that converts household 120v AC to something else. So, an adaptor that supplies 12VAC or one that supplies 9VDC would both still be called AC adaptors.

I was just looking over the Tubeman owners manual on the H & K website, and it appears as though your pedal needs an adaptor that supplies AC voltage. You should be able to verify this on the unit itself. Usually, the input power jack will be marked with a "plus" sign if it requires DC. Also, the AC adaptor you have will show polarity on a little diagram on it if its DC.

Look those things over carefully. DC will fry the input if its made for AC.

Artie

[twoheadedboy]

Re: Adapters for pedals? (calling electronics experts)

Well then, I may have fried the input, but if I fried the input, wouldn't it not power up?

[ArtieToo]

Re: Adapters for pedals? (calling electronics experts)

Its just going to depend on how the circuitry is layed out. For example, they may split the AC as it comes in. Part goes to power a tube, and part goes to a bridge rectifier to power the rest of the circuit. DC will go through a bridge rectifier just fine, possibly lighting an LED. But if an input transformer is toasted, the tube itself, may not be active.

There's a bunch of things that can go wrong if you mismatch AC and DC. It only takes one component to fry to keep the unit from producing sound, even if 90% of the circuit is still good.