How Much Do mAs Matter?

Rand-O-Monium

New member
Just wondering.
I've got a pile of Power Supplies w/the correct voltage/polarity for pedals,but the mAmps vary on them...

Thanx in advance...
 
Re: How Much Do mAs Matter?

Good question... I have no idea, but I'm commenting so I can find out as well! :dunno:
 
Re: How Much Do mAs Matter?

In some situations, better control over this would be desirable.

Some effect pedals produce their most interesting sounds as the battery supply voltage dwindles close to the acceptable minimum. Occasionally, it would be advantageous to intentionally starve a device of current to extract these sounds.
 
Re: How Much Do mAs Matter?

The current-producing capacity of the power supply must be more than the worst-case current rating of the pedal(s). If you have a 60mA power supply, and pedal rated at 25mA will work fine, and will draw 25 mA. An 80mA pedal might work, but when it draws its peak current, weird things could happen. A 100 mA pedal probably won't work at all.

When overloaded, some power supplies will "sag", putting out less voltage as the load increases. Others have a "crowbar" protection circuit, which senses the overload and shuts off the power output completely until the over load is cleared.

Purely analog effects, like fuzz, distortion, OD, boosters will run okay on low voltage or saggy power supplies and might sound different. Effects that use a clock circuit (modulation) probably won't work on insufficient power supplies. Digital effects definitely won't work.

Pay attention to whether the power supply puts out AC or DC as well. There are AC wall warts out there, design for products that put the rectification and filtering in the device itself, rather than the wall wart. In general, pedals need 9 volts of filtered, regulated power.
 
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Re: How Much Do mAs Matter?

The current-producing capacity of the power supply must be more than the worst-case current rating of the pedal(s). If you have a 60mA power supply, and pedal rated at 25mA will work fine, and will draw 25 mA. An 80mA pedal might work, but when it draws its peak current, weird things could happen. A 100 mA pedal probably won't work at all.

When overloaded, some power supplies will "sag", putting out less voltage as the load increases. Others have a "crowbar" protection circuit, which senses the overload and shuts off the power output completely until the over load is cleared.

Purely analog effects, like fuzz, distortion, OD, boosters will run okay on low voltage or saggy power supplies and might sound different. Effects that use a clock circuit (modulation) probably won't work on insufficient power supplies. Digital effects definitely won't work.

Pay attention to whether the power supply puts out AC or DC as well. There are AC wall warts out there, design for products that put the rectification and filtering in the device itself, rather than the wall wart. In general, pedals need 9 volts of filtered, regulated power.

+100 to that^

There are two kinds of DC adapters as well SMPS & linear regulated. 1spot is a smpskind, while a dedicated adapter like ibanez or boss will mostly be linear regulated. Smps helps keep the size small while delivering a larger current capacity, linear usually dont. You could fry a linear one if keep drawing current from it thats more than what its supplying capacity. They dont usually sag in voltage either when operating at their max stated draw specs if i remember it right.
 
Re: How Much Do mAs Matter?

The current-producing capacity of the power supply must be more than the worst-case current rating of the pedal(s).

Pay attention to whether the power supply puts out AC or DC as well.

Yeah,some of the ones I have are rated @ 1 amp.Seem to be working fine,I left a Korg AX1G on for 2 days w/o anything even getting warm,much less frying or catching fire.Figured more was better than not enough,was hoping/thinking they'd only draw what they needed.Also using them w/ Boss & Joyo pedals,as well,just not leaving them on for days...

& a big +1 on the AC/DC thing,gotta read the fine print!!!

Thanx for the responses!
:)

I've got a friend who owns a Thrift Store,so I get to rummage thru the PSs occasionally.
 
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