Powering a Whammy from an AC power supply

[SgtKrinkle]

Alright, I have a Digitech Whammy xp100, and a voodoo labs ac pedal power. I don't have the power cables that are supposed to come with the power supply, and this is where my problem falls. I know I need a 2.5mm barrel plug, which is on the voodoo labs website. That cable doesn't specify the polarity such as center positive or the other stuff. I was looking around on the inter-web and they say that its a dc cable that is sometimes used as an ac cable. Now my main question is, can i just get any 2.5mm barrel cable or is there a specific one that's ac that is not being displayed on the website: Power Cables, Voodoo Lab . I went to an electronics store and they had the cable but it was dc and I didn't want to chance it. If anyone knows the solution to this please tell me.

[Ba55Man1ac]

Hey SgtKrinkle. For pedal powering purposes, cables that are labelled DC are fine for passing AC as well. In fact, it doesn't even matter if they are polarity-reversing as AC polarity is interchangeable. Any 2.5mm - 2.5mm barrel cable will do. If you get it home & it won't fit in the socket then the chump in the store has sold you a 2.1mm cable & you should go back & seek retribution... sweet retribution!

[SgtKrinkle]

So then whats the deal with center negative or the other postives/ negatives? Are the 2.55 all the same? Or does the 2.1 have the specific polarities only?

[Ba55Man1ac]

Polarity is only relevant with DC.

The plugs can be wired so that the centre (sometimes called 'tip') is negative or positive. Regarding 2.1mm vs 2.5mm, this is the diameter of the of the pin on the socket & the hole in the centre of the plug. A 2.1mm plug won't fit in a 2.5mm socket. A 2.5mm plug will fit in a 2.1mm socket but won't make a good connection, will wobble around & possibly be intermittent.

95% of DC power-supplied fx use centre negative 2.1mm plugs (Boss possibly started this tradition). Having said that, never assume - confirm your pedal's power supply needs before powering it up.

All irrelevant to you on this occasion because you're talking AC but good to know for the future, right?

p.s. I power my Bass Whammy with a PPAC & the red-plug Voodoo Lab cables & have never had a problem

[SgtKrinkle]

Cool, thanks for the help, were both powering similar pedals with the same ac unit. So ac is universal where as dc is percise, got it. Once again thanks for the help