Asking about pedal power supply

-Kiedis- · #1 08-01-2009, 11:48 PM

Hey guys I'm new to this kinda stuff so I got 2 pedals that are powered by 9v batteries but I'm getting sick of having to take them out after use or pull out the leads.

I have a random 5v 2000mA power supply I don't know what it is or where it came from, will that power atleast one of my pedals? Or will something bad happen?

Thanks

bongomania · #2 08-01-2009, 11:49 PM

5V is not 9V.

warwick.hoy · #3 08-01-2009, 11:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bongomania

5V is not 9V.

Which means no.

-Kiedis- · #4 08-01-2009, 11:56 PM

so it won't work at all?

J. Crawford · #5 08-01-2009, 11:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by warwick.hoy

Which means no.

Which means buy a 1SPOT.

warwick.hoy · #6 08-02-2009, 12:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by -Kiedis-

so it won't work at all?

Nope,...you need 9v (that's why they run off 9v batteries),...but your original post got me thinking,...

The 1 spot is 9v,...1700ma? How does 9v go to each pedal in a daisy chain if the wart is only 9v? I get current draw which is limited,...but how is the voltage unlimited?

bongomania · #7 08-02-2009, 12:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by -Kiedis-

so it won't work at all?

No. 100% no. "Nuttin' but no." Hellz no.

bongomania · #8 08-02-2009, 12:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by warwick.hoy

How does 9v go to each pedal in a daisy chain if the wart is only 9v? I get current draw which is limited,...but how is the voltage unlimited?

In a parallel connection, voltage does not drop, but current does. In a series connection, voltage drops, but current does not.

warwick.hoy · #9 08-02-2009, 12:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bongomania

In a parallel connection, voltage does not drop, but current does. In a series connection, voltage drops, but current does not.

Sounds like voodoo magic,...I have a feeling I'll learn all about that when I get into school though.

bongomania · #10 08-02-2009, 12:10 AM

Yeah that's just part of "electricity 101".

-Kiedis- · #11 08-02-2009, 01:21 AM

what if i use my laptop power supply its over 9v, will it blow the pedal? sorry im new

bongomania · #12 08-02-2009, 01:37 AM

You need between 9 and 10 V, nothing higher or lower. You usually need center-negative polarity. It MUST be DC voltage, not AC. The amperage is usually not so much of an issue, but the ideal range is between 100 mA and 1500 mA.

TOOL460002 · #13 08-02-2009, 01:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by -Kiedis-

what if i use my laptop power supply its over 9v, will it blow the pedal? sorry im new

eh... maybe its not the same across the board, but im pretty sure most laptops work at 24v. this is part of the reason that no professional recordings are EVER EVER EVER done on laptops. this extra voltage makes for noise. im pretty darn sure im right on that.

phatbass · #14 08-02-2009, 02:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by -Kiedis-

what if i use my laptop power supply its over 9v, will it blow the pedal? sorry im new

What are the pedals? *MOST* common effects will take a standard Boss, or similar spec, 9v wall-wart. But some stuff may need AC, or 12 or 18 (or something else) volts. Check your manual or specs on the manufacturers website. You'll find something like:

DC 9 Volts, 200mA

These are the important numbers. The supply should be the correct voltage (doesn't matter if it's a LITTLE higher - I think the Boss are actually 9.5v or something). The mA (milliamp) rating of the power supply should always be greater than the pedals requirement.

You'll also need to know the polarity for DC supplies. Usually it's negative center pin and positive sleeve. It's pretty standard nowadays, but there are some rare exceptions.

Adapters are so inexpensive that it's not worth risking damaging your pedal. All you need (for Boss-type stuff) is a generic 9 volt dc adaptor with a 2.1 mm barrel plug (the bit that goes into the pedal). They usually come with a bunch of different plugs to choose from. Your local consumer electronics place, like Radio Shack, will have an aisle of them.

Just make sure you get the polarity right when attaching the barrel plug to the end of the lead.

NEVER, EVER plug a DC adapter into a pedal requiring AC, or vice-versa.

bongomania · #15 08-02-2009, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TOOL460002

im pretty sure most laptops work at 24v. this is part of the reason that no professional recordings are EVER EVER EVER done on laptops. this extra voltage makes for noise. im pretty darn sure im right on that.

Not trying to be snotty, but you're totally wrong. Laptop supplies are commonly 15-19 V, and some are higher, up to 45 V. Many many professional recordings have been done on a laptop. And "extra" voltage does not cause noise. That is nonsense.

JustDavid · #16 08-02-2009, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TOOL460002

eh... maybe its not the same across the board, but im pretty sure most laptops work at 24v. this is part of the reason that no professional recordings are EVER EVER EVER done on laptops. this extra voltage makes for noise. im pretty darn sure im right on that.

Where in the name of all that is holy did you ever get those ideas from?!?!?

KarateKid25 · #17 08-02-2009, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by warwick.hoy

Sounds like voodoo magic,...I have a feeling I'll learn all about that when I get into school though.

It might help you if you think of voltage as 'push'. It is electromotive force. Now imagine components in series or parallel. In series, you will have resistance. This resistance to the 'push' = voltage drop.

The less resistance a circuit has, the more you can do with the same amount of 'push'.

This also relates to the OP. The random power supply might have the current (2000ma), but it doesn't have the 'push' required to get things going.

Oh yeah, I really suck at explaining this type of stuff...

GregDunn · #18 08-02-2009, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bongomania

In a parallel connection, voltage does not drop, but current does.

In the gritty real world, this is only true so long as the regulator in the power supply (if it has one!) can maintain enough voltage drop to keep the regulation working. Current is divided among the loads in a parallel connection, so each load adds to the current draw. Once you pull "too much" current out of the supply, regulation goes away and the voltage will drop like a stone. This is why power supplies have a current rating - not that it's all they can provide, but it's the rated current at which the voltage will be maintained within a few percent of the stated value.

bongomania · #19 08-02-2009, 03:24 PM

True and agreed--I was only making a simple generalization to answer W.H's question.

TOOL460002 · #20 08-02-2009, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bongomania

Not trying to be snotty, but you're totally wrong. Laptop supplies are commonly 15-19 V, and some are higher, up to 45 V. Many many professional recordings have been done on a laptop. And "extra" voltage does not cause noise. That is nonsense.

really? hmm... i dont recall exactly where i read that, but i definitely didnt just make it up myself. sorry for the bad information. i wonder where the heck i got that info from... thatd be a pretty random "fact" to just make up. anyway, ignore that comment, and thanks for the correction.