Would 1000mA into a 200mA input hurt?

[Mugsy]

I have a device that needs a 9v 200mA power supply. Problem is, the input requires a tiny 3.5mm female barrel type plug.

I can find p/s's that are 9v 200mA with a 5.5mm plug, and a 9v 1000mA supply with 3.5mm plug, but not the right amps with the right sized plug.

Q: Might using a p/s rated at 1000mA damage a device expecting 200mA of power? Or would I be better off going through the trouble of snipping off the 5.5mm plug on the 200mA unit and replacing it with the right sized plug?

The device in question is a Belkin "Tunecast II" FM transmitter that runs on two AAA batteries. The input jack is labeled "12v 200mA", though some online research claims anything between 7v and 14v would work, but no mention if the mAmp window is variable as well.

Belkin does NOT sell an A/C adapter (only car cig-lighter adapters).

Any help is appreciated. Thx.

 

[Resqueline]

The power supplies in question here are no doubt unregulated. A low wattage supply has a higher no-load voltage than the higher powered supply. My guess is that the 200mA gives 15V off-load but the 1000mA one gives only 12V unloaded (although 11V at 200mA). So the answer is that it's usually quite safe to use a higher current supply, and sometimes even safer.
If they'd happen to be stabilised then the higher current available is of no concern.

 

[Mugsy]

Thanks for the info. I went ahead and purchased the 200mA supply a couple of weeks ago, snipped off the plug and replaced it with a smaller one. The wires on the replacement plug are so tiny, I'm getting a bad connection and will try soldering the wires to improve the connection.

 

[davenn]

You are forgetting a basic electronic principle ....

the current used is related to the voltage supplied and the resistive (load) value of the device.

that is in this case you say that the device has 9 V at 200mA that means that is ALL it will draw from the power supply @ 9V it doesnt matter is the 9V supply is capable of supplying 200mA, 1A, 2A or 20 Amps it will ONLY draw 200mA from the supply.
If devices worked on the principle that you are suggesting then EVERY device in my shack would fry!!!
example .... my amateur tranceiver radio only requires 1 amp in receive mode BUT it is supplied from a PSU capable of 40Amps !!! it doesnt fry it only uses 1 A of current. In transmit mode it draws 22 amps from that 40A supply

now a different device .... the 240V AC desk lamp plugged into the mains outlet
capable of 10Amps supply it doesnt fry it draws the 400mA it requires
V * I (Amps) = Watts therefore say its a 100W globe / 240V = 0.4166A

just remember Ohms law and all is ok

Cheers
Dave

 

[neon]

I got lost on the reply. a current source of a million amp will supply a 200ma load with no problems but not the other way around.