where to buy french power supply/transfo (Paris/online) ?

[zelda_pinwheel]

Hello,
I have just bought an ebookwise from ebay. it works perfectly and i love it. Now i want to buy a french transformateur / adapter / power supply to recharge the battery. My local hardware story did not have one. 1001 Piles (a store which specialises in batteries of all kinds) said by telephone they have one, and it will cost around 26€ (i have not gone yet, so i don't know if it's the right kind) but this seems expensive to me, since i saw some transformateurs for less than 10€ online, but I don't dare buy one because I don't know exactly what kind to get and I am afraid of ruining the battery...

Any help would be really appreciated ! Is this the right price ? Are there any good addresses to know where I can get one for less (in Paris, preferably in the 10/11/19/20 arrondissement) ? Can I buy one online (if so, which one ??) ? Should I just go to 1001 Piles ?

Thanks in advance for the reply !

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

Hello,
I have just bought an ebookwise from ebay. it works perfectly and i love it. Now i want to buy a french transformateur / adapter / power supply to recharge the battery. My local hardware story did not have one. 1001 Piles (a store which specialises in batteries of all kinds) said by telephone they have one, and it will cost around 26€ (i have not gone yet, so i don't know if it's the right kind) but this seems expensive to me, since i saw some transformateurs for less than 10€ online, but I don't dare buy one because I don't know exactly what kind to get and I am afraid of ruining the battery...

Any help would be really appreciated ! Is this the right price ? Are there any good addresses to know where I can get one for less (in Paris, preferably in the 10/11/19/20 arrondissement) ? Can I buy one online (if so, which one ??) ? Should I just go to 1001 Piles ?

Thanks in advance for the reply !

You have two choices in how you can proceed. You can reduce the 220 in your wall down to 110 and then use the charger that came with it. A pretty small transformer will do.

You can buy a charger that outputs 12 V DC (or a fraction more, the input is not fussy) with the correct DC connector on it to plug into the unit itself. Some universal chargers have various connectors and perhaps you can find one that fits. You need center positive. Coby make a universal one that will work. The output should be 800mA or more.

Dale

[zelda_pinwheel]

Hello,
thanks for your reply. Actually I have a 110/220 transformateur, so for now I use that. However it does not fit new french plugs (which are recessed in a small circle), so there is only one (old) plug in my house where i can use it. And, because the ebook transformateur is quite heavy and it's not a very snug fit, it's not very secure ; I am afraid it will fall out (the plug is quite high on the wall, so if it falls it will probably break, or break whatever it falls on). So I want to replace altogether the original transfo / plug, instead of using it with another transfo / plug in front.

i think i need something like this :
http://www.millionbuy.com/cbycav1.html

but with a french plug ; I think this is the one you were talking about, but it's an american product so I imagine it has an american plug.

I have found these :
http://www.abix.fr/xxdisplayproduct....12&xtor=ADC-15
http://cgi.ebay.fr/Transformateur-un...sid=p1638.m124

(you can see on the first one, the round platform to adapt to new french plugs).

but : i don't know what you mean when you say center positive ? also, the transformateur that came with the ebook says 1000mA, what's the difference if I get one with 800mA ? will it affect the battery life ? (I'm sorry if these are stupid questions, but I don't really know anything about electricity !) since I am in France I have no warranty, so I don't want to take any risks, i would be really sad to blow up the ebook I only bought a few weeks ago.

also i am surprised they are so much more more expensive than the coby one ; coby is on sale for 4.95$ (regular price is 9.99$), the ones i have found are around 20€ (plus shipping, if i buy them online). So I am wondering if there is something I'm missing ... it's clear I would rather pay 5€ than 20€ if I can and I only need this transformateur for the ebook, so a basic one will be fine.

So... are the ones I have found right ? anyone knows where I can buy one for the same price as the coby ?

thanks very much...
Cheers

[zelda_pinwheel]

hm... i just wrote quite a detailed reply, but when i posted it there was a message saying it must be approved by a moderator ! why ? that didn't happen for my other post ?

EDIT :
now my first post has appeared, so i guess everything is fine, just ignore this !
/EDIT

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

hm... i just wrote quite a detailed reply, but when i posted it there was a message saying it must be approved by a moderator ! why ? that didn't happen for my other post ?

EDIT :
now my first post has appeared, so i guess everything is fine, just ignore this !
/EDIT

When links are included and you are new the forum has to get to know you a little better to insure you are not spamming the forum.

When I said 800mA that was the minimum and it might take a little longer to charge. 1000mA is better. The one you listed on the top of your link is a good one I think. You are not going to find one as cheap a $4.95 anywhere else and certainly not with the French plug on it. I typically just solve those kinds of problems with an extension cord but if you don't like them then you will have to go with what you can buy.

When I said center positive (+) I was talking about the plug that you actually stick in the eBook reader. For DC there are two polarities that dictate the flow of the current, + and -. The center of the connector is + while the outside is -. When you get the tips you will see that they are marked to indicate which way to plug them into the adapter and this is generally referenced to the center plug.

Dale

[zelda_pinwheel]

hello again,
thanks for all the info, i was feeling quite confused.

I typically just solve those kinds of problems with an extension cord

i would love to solve this problem with an extension cord, but beleive it or not... even the extension cords have a built-in "wall" around the end to make a circular depression for the plug (in theory it's to protect the ground wire, but even on outlets / extension cords that don't have a ground wire, they still use the standard shape...). my transfo is a square box with the prongs coming directly out, it was not made for a safety outlet with a ground wire (it must be old, i don't know where / when / why i got it. i've never used it before), so it's the classic "square peg in a round hole" problem, the box is too big for the round recessed part on new outlets and the prongs cannot reach the holes.

anyway now i think i understand what type of transformateur i need, i am going to go tomorrow to the shop 1001 Piles, and if they don't have the right one i will buy the one i found online. too bad i can't find a cheap one like the coby...

thanks very much for your help !

[zelda_pinwheel]

In case anyone else in Paris wants to know,
1001 Piles did not have anything that would work, but I found one at an electronics store near there :
ECE
66, rue de Montreuil (11ème), M° Nation

It is called "SkyTronic Switching Power Adapter"
output : 1000mA 3-12V (you can regulate the output with a switch)
It can use 90-240V input current so it can be used with just a plug adapter for travelling and it has 6 different adapter tips for different devices.
Price : 12,50€

[Stephanos]

Glad to hear you solved your problem and hope you enjoy the reader. There are a lot of EB-1150 users on these boards so feel free to ask for help with file conversion or whatnot.

[woldinghamuk]

Hello everyone,

I have the same problem. I have just received my ebookwise off ebay..works great and I am extremely happy with it. However, when I plugged in my european adaptor for the charger, it started smoking, so I quickly unplugged it (I think no damage was done, also I did not plug it in the ebookwise, just to make sure).

Do you think I could get a USB charger? Have you got any experience with it or can you perhaps recommend a USB charger brand? Otherwise I will just order the "SkyTronic Switching Power Adapter" mentioned above.

Thank you for any help.

[zelda_pinwheel]

woldinhamuk,
i don't know anything about usb charger for the ebookwise 1150, but in case it could be useful for you here is all the information about the power adapter i found (i am sure there are other brands, and maybe the same one is not available in Czech Republic). All this information is from the box.

Specifications :
max current : 1000mA
input voltage : 90-240V/50Kz Universal
output voltage : 3 - 4.5 - 6 - 7.5 - 9 -12V
accessories : 6 adaptor plugs

Description :

English
Switch Mode Power Supply with universal 3 to 12V output voltage
A switch mode power supply with adjustable output voltage. because of the modern switching technique, the selected output voltage is very stable. Output has short circuit protection. Available in different currencies. Supplied with 6 adaptor plugs for adjustment to the suitable power connections. Supplied as plug-in model. The 1500mA is supplied with power cord.

Français
Alimentation universelle à découpage à tension de sortie de 3 à 12V
Une alimentation à découpage à tensions de sortie réglables. La technique moderne du découpage permet des tensions de sortie très stables et un encombrement réduit. La sortie est protégée contre des courts-circuits de courte durée. Complète avec 6 fiches adaptateur pour les branchements usuels d'alimentation. Livré comme bloc secteur. La version 1500mA est équipée d'un cordon secteur séparé.

Deutsch
Schaltnetzteil mit universal 3 - 12V ausgangsspannungen
Eine Schaltnetzteile mit regelbaren Ausgangsspannungen. Durch die moderne Schalttechnik ist die gewalhte Ausgangsspannungen sehr stabil. Der Ausgang ist gegen kurzzeitige Kurzschlüsse geschützt. Lieferbar in verschiedenen Intensitäten. Komplett mit 6 Adaptersteckern fur die gängigsten Versorgungsanschlüsse. Das 1500mA Modell besitzt ein separates Netzkabel.

EDIT
I forgot to mention, you must also choose whether the positive current is in the center or the outside : on mine, the tips are attached with 2 small prongs, with a "+" and "-" on opposite sides next to the prongs ; to determine the center-positive, the "+" must be plugged in on the same side as the word "tip" on the end of the wire.
/EDIT

Good luck !

we could make a new thread, "where to find power adapters in all Europe, city by city"...

[woldinghamuk]

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

woldinhamuk,
All this information is from the box.

Specifications :
max current : 1000mA
input voltage : 90-240V/50Kz Universal
output voltage : 3 - 4.5 - 6 - 7.5 - 9 -12V
accessories : 6 adaptor plugs

Description :

English
Switch Mode Power Supply with universal 3 to 12V output voltage
A switch mode power supply with adjustable output voltage. because of the modern switching technique, the selected output voltage is very stable. Output has short circuit protection. Available in different currencies. Supplied with 6 adaptor plugs for adjustment to the suitable power connections. Supplied as plug-in model. The 1500mA is supplied with power cord.

thank you ...I only had the quick guide in my unit box...but ..sorry I am stupid :-) what adaptor are you describing above..any name? I do not want to destroy my reader so please bear with me.

[woldinghamuk]

Is it this toy? If it is ..you have made my day: http://www.twenga.co.uk/offer/109399263.html

[zelda_pinwheel]

Is it this toy? If it is ..you have made my day: http://www.twenga.co.uk/offer/109399263.html

well, i think your days is made, i believe that is the same one as i bought, in any case the specifications are the same so it should work. i can't beleive the price, mine cost 12.50€... it might have a british plug type (since the price is in £), however this is no problem, you will need only a plug adaptor and these seem to be very easy to find (my local hardware store has them) and very cheap.

remember to pay attention to the positive / negative when you attach the tip !

[woldinghamuk]

Excellent :-) ..I have like 3 UK plug adaptors, so there is no problem there.. I only hope there is nothing wrong with th epower suply as it did smoke a little before I quickly pulled it out .. also I have found a specialised forum for those "electricity proz" where I am going to ask about an equivalent to the skytronic gadget.

thanks again for help!!

[zelda_pinwheel]

if you get something like the one i have, it doesn't matter if your original power supply is damaged or not, because you will not need it ; you will use the new one instead (you don't need the original power supply in addition). so the only worry is, was it the power supply, or the eb 1150 which was smoking ?? (i hope it was the power supply !).

can you post a link for the electricity forum (if it's in english) ? i could use some help sometimes !