AC-Adaptor & AC/DC Adaptor differences?
- Thread starter kelvin
- Start date
Re: AC-Adaptor & AC/DC Adaptor differences?
Again the terminology is important, more important is if it is being used correctly ... an AC adaptor can mean an AC transformer ... meaning it takes the AC at your wall, and converts it to say 9V but it's still AC. Or it can mean that it converts the AC at the wall to 9V but it's DC. The difference is one has a rectifer and converts the AC to DC, the other is just a transformer and lowers the voltage but keeps it AC. You also have regulated adaptors, which keep the output voltage stable in regard to wall vlotage fluctuations. I believe it's possible to regulate AC, but I don't recall it seeing in in a pedal, regulated DC , yeah you see that quite a bit.
The best thing to do is see what the pedal says on it, and in the manual, or e-mail digitech. It should say on the side of the pedal, and should list pin polarity, and maybe current draw as well. RTM
When matching up something like that you have to look for the following ...
1) The pin polarity must be the same, if it says the tip or pin needs to be +, then that's what it needs, this may also apply to AC as well (knida like hot and neutral) ... Make sure it matches.
2) The voltage must be the same, don't try to power a pedal that wants to see 9V off a 12 volt adaptor.
3)The voltage must be the same type (kinda part B of number 2), if the pedals needs DC give it DC, if it needa AC give it AC (I have several rack effects that are actually feed AC, not DC)
4) Make sure that the adaptor/power supply is capable of deliveing the maximum current draw required by the unit, it should be marked as mA DC or mA AC; in the case of pedal boards powered from a single supply (daisy chained, or isolated power outs)the supply must be able to supply the total of all the current draws of all the pedals ... if the ttotal currecnt draw of 6 pedals equals 230mA , then that supply must be capable of putting out that much current. In reality you a supply that can put out more thn what's asked current wise. A 300mA supply would be great for the 230mA example above.
kelvin said:
Again the terminology is important, more important is if it is being used correctly ... an AC adaptor can mean an AC transformer ... meaning it takes the AC at your wall, and converts it to say 9V but it's still AC. Or it can mean that it converts the AC at the wall to 9V but it's DC. The difference is one has a rectifer and converts the AC to DC, the other is just a transformer and lowers the voltage but keeps it AC. You also have regulated adaptors, which keep the output voltage stable in regard to wall vlotage fluctuations. I believe it's possible to regulate AC, but I don't recall it seeing in in a pedal, regulated DC , yeah you see that quite a bit.
The best thing to do is see what the pedal says on it, and in the manual, or e-mail digitech. It should say on the side of the pedal, and should list pin polarity, and maybe current draw as well. RTM
When matching up something like that you have to look for the following ...
1) The pin polarity must be the same, if it says the tip or pin needs to be +, then that's what it needs, this may also apply to AC as well (knida like hot and neutral) ... Make sure it matches.
2) The voltage must be the same, don't try to power a pedal that wants to see 9V off a 12 volt adaptor.
3)The voltage must be the same type (kinda part B of number 2), if the pedals needs DC give it DC, if it needa AC give it AC (I have several rack effects that are actually feed AC, not DC)
4) Make sure that the adaptor/power supply is capable of deliveing the maximum current draw required by the unit, it should be marked as mA DC or mA AC; in the case of pedal boards powered from a single supply (daisy chained, or isolated power outs)the supply must be able to supply the total of all the current draws of all the pedals ... if the ttotal currecnt draw of 6 pedals equals 230mA , then that supply must be capable of putting out that much current. In reality you a supply that can put out more thn what's asked current wise. A 300mA supply would be great for the 230mA example above.
Re: AC-Adaptor & AC/DC Adaptor differences?
Off the subject but here is a really cool article concerning the BOSS ACA vs PSA adaptor thing, I have an ACA that I thought was old, well it wasn't think that old although I have some old pedals that match up to those old adaptors ... My ACA reads ~9VDC at ~120VAC, not a little over 12vDC like the old ones here is why ... kinda cool as those older Boss pedals that actually need to be modded are real simple to do such to.
Here is the story ...
http://members01.chello.se/pastorn/fx/mods/bossadapt.htm
or try ...
members01.chello.se/pastorn/fx/mods/bossadapt.htm
not sure which way to list it.
Off the subject but here is a really cool article concerning the BOSS ACA vs PSA adaptor thing, I have an ACA that I thought was old, well it wasn't think that old although I have some old pedals that match up to those old adaptors ... My ACA reads ~9VDC at ~120VAC, not a little over 12vDC like the old ones here is why ... kinda cool as those older Boss pedals that actually need to be modded are real simple to do such to.
Here is the story ...
http://members01.chello.se/pastorn/fx/mods/bossadapt.htm
or try ...
members01.chello.se/pastorn/fx/mods/bossadapt.htm
not sure which way to list it.
