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Technical Topics => Equipment => Topic started by: Ragnar on March 09, 2014, 1859 UTC

Title: Wall Warts are nasty, RF spewing little balls of evil.
Post by: Ragnar on March 09, 2014, 1859 UTC

and I need to go buy one.
 I just dropped the Rat Shack 12v VDC 1000ma wall wart that was powering my PCR1000. Damn thing just shattered.
 Is there any model or supplier that is better than the others?
 

Title: Re: Wall Warts are nasty, RF spewing little balls of evil.
Post by: ChrisSmolinski on March 09, 2014, 1907 UTC

Quote from: Ragnar on March 09, 2014, 1859 UTC

and I need to go buy one.
 I just dropped the Rat Shack 12v VDC 1000ma wall wart that was powering my PCR1000. Damn thing just shattered.
 Is there any model or supplier that is better than the others?
 

I have bought some from Jameco that seem to be pretty good. You want to try and find a regulated linear supply, vs a switcher.

Another option is to get a large well made linear supply (I have one from Astron rated 12V at 20A) and use that to power everything in the shack.

Title: Re: Wall Warts are nasty, RF spewing little balls of evil.
Post by: Beerus Maximus on March 09, 2014, 2015 UTC

Quote from: ChrisSmolinski

I have bought some from Jameco that seem to be pretty good. You want to try and find a regulated linear supply, vs a switcher.

Another option is to get a large well made linear supply (I have one from Astron rated 12V at 20A) and use that to power everything in the shack.

That's the way to do it. I use an Astron RS-35 linear supply feeding a "Rigrunner" 12v distribution strip. This allows you to throw Anderson power pole connectors on any power lead that needs 12v and slap it into the Rigrunner. Each tap has its own fuse which is really nice. I've tried one of the newer small switchers (you can see it on top of the Astron) but found it generated too much noise.

(http://i.imgur.com/ZdpobFK.jpg?1)

Title: Re: Wall Warts are nasty, RF spewing little balls of evil.
Post by: redhat on March 10, 2014, 0239 UTC

The heavier the better seems to be the main rule when it comes to wall warts.  Cell phone chargers are pretty bad too.

+-RH

Title: Re: Wall Warts are nasty, RF spewing little balls of evil.
Post by: Zoidberg on April 14, 2014, 0349 UTC

Sorry to hear about your loss, Ragnar.  My Radio Shack floor muffin is the quietest AC adapter doodad I've found.  Dunno if they still carry it.  It was catalog number 273-1653B.  Came with plug adapters for just about every connection.

Weight and mass do seem to be fair indicators of freedom from RFI/EMI.  Good noise reduction cores are big and heavy.  The smaller, lighter wall warts seem to cheap out on the noise controlling bits.