M
Martin Brown
- Jan 1, 1970
- 0
I wonder how many of us have old modems/WiFis/Routers salted away in a
dark cupboard waiting for the day when they might be needed again for
something? (usually helping a charity with their IT needs)
The main annoyance is that the wall warts and even laptop PC supplies of
old span a crazy range of random voltages and both polarities. And the
PSU often dies or simply gets lost leaving the unit orphaned.
That isn't too much of a problem since modern switched mode supplies and
fit anything connectors are easy enough to come by. The really annoying
thing in recycling kit for a charity where the original PSU is lost is
that in most cases neither the manual nor the unit itself states whether
the power connector is positive or negative centre pin. The lost PSU of
course displays which voltage, current and polarity it outputs but the
unit requiring power very often does not.
Now you could take it apart, but more often just play Russian roulette
and see if the LEDs light. Why can't manufacturers label the connector
with (+)- or (-)+ nnV/mmA? I am fed up with just seeing "POWER".
That label tells me nothing I can't already guess from the type of
connector - what I really want to know is what voltage and polarity!
Does anyone else find this annoying?
dark cupboard waiting for the day when they might be needed again for
something? (usually helping a charity with their IT needs)
The main annoyance is that the wall warts and even laptop PC supplies of
old span a crazy range of random voltages and both polarities. And the
PSU often dies or simply gets lost leaving the unit orphaned.
That isn't too much of a problem since modern switched mode supplies and
fit anything connectors are easy enough to come by. The really annoying
thing in recycling kit for a charity where the original PSU is lost is
that in most cases neither the manual nor the unit itself states whether
the power connector is positive or negative centre pin. The lost PSU of
course displays which voltage, current and polarity it outputs but the
unit requiring power very often does not.
Now you could take it apart, but more often just play Russian roulette
and see if the LEDs light. Why can't manufacturers label the connector
with (+)- or (-)+ nnV/mmA? I am fed up with just seeing "POWER".
That label tells me nothing I can't already guess from the type of
connector - what I really want to know is what voltage and polarity!
Does anyone else find this annoying?