Accessories Use any AC adapter on PE?

[WDM.Amy]

Can I use a universal power adapter for my PE assuming it has the correct voltage and amerage? Is there a risk of it hurting my PE? I would like to have a charger at home and at work.

[Turtlehead]

Originally Posted by WDM.Amy

Can I use a universal power adapter for my PE assuming it has the correct voltage and amerage? Is there a risk of it hurting my PE? I would like to have a charger at home and at work.

I would be careful. If you look at the plug that comes with the PE, you will see it has plastic into the opening. Regular plugs that size do not have that plastic going into the opening. I only guess that the OEM plug is that way to protect when plugging it into the headphone socket. I have power supplies with the correct specs and will probably use them but I will be super careful where I plug it into.

[emusan]

as long as it outputs 12V, yes. If it outputs less than ~500mA you won't get a fast charge though, if any(it will still keep you from losing battery while using though).

[WDM.Amy]

I noticed a lot of posts about using alternate chargers from a few months ago. Did anyone using the PowerLine ones have any issues? I am very skittish about breaking my PE since my EE just went down...

[Turtlehead]

I said in above post: "Regular plugs that size do not have that plastic going into the opening"

I should have said regular plugs that size may not have that plastic going into the opening. The five or six I have do not.

[ivanjt]

Originally Posted by WDM.Amy

I noticed a lot of posts about using alternate chargers from a few months ago. Did anyone using the PowerLine ones have any issues? I am very skittish about breaking my PE since my EE just went down...

The main things you need to be careful about are, the voltage must be 12v, amperage can be anything greater than 500 mA. The plug must be the same size both the external barrel and the hole - and if it of the interchangeable type then you must make sure the outer barrel is negative (-).

To set your mind at rest my EE has 5 units that I use to charge it, the one that came with it, 3 that I made and one that is a universal charger with a set of plugs. All of them work without problems.

I'm not sure what Turtlehead is talking about - all concentric plugs have a plastic insulator between the inner and outer conductors.

[Turtlehead]

"I'm not sure what Turtlehead is talking about - all concentric plugs have a plastic insulator between the inner and outer conductors. "

The OEM has the plastic insulator extending into the opening of the positive conductor. This way if you insert the plug into the headphone jack it will not connect to any part of the headphone jack. The plugs that I have and I have five or six of the same size and maybe 50 of other sizes, have the inner conductor (Positive) extending out to the end of the plug. If you insert this type plug in the headphone jack then you have a good chance of putting 12 VDC into your head phone circuit.

[Turtlehead]

Originally Posted by Turtlehead

"I'm not sure what Turtlehead is talking about - all concentric plugs have a plastic insulator between the inner and outer conductors. "

The OEM has the plastic insulator extending into the opening of the positive conductor. This way if you insert the plug into the headphone jack it will not connect to any part of the headphone jack. The plugs that I have and I have five or six of the same size and maybe 50 of other sizes, have the inner conductor (Positive) extending out to the end of the plug. If you insert this type plug in the headphone jack then you have a good chance of putting 12 VDC into your head phone circuit.

I don't mean to beat this to death but it could save someone a migraine.
Here is a youtube video I just uploaded showing what I am trying to explain. You can see the difference in the end of the plug. Some of my other power supply plugs do have the extended insulator but only two or three out of maybe fifty.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0UEP0NzkFA

[emusan]

I really don't think that either plug would short out in the headphone jack, they are designed completely different(I can try though if someone wants)...

Also, nice lawn Turtlehead...

[ivanjt]

Originally Posted by Turtlehead

I don't mean to beat this to death but it could save someone a migraine.
Here is a youtube video I just uploaded showing what I am trying to explain. You can see the difference in the end of the plug. Some of my other power supply plugs do have the extended insulator but only two or three out of maybe fifty.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0UEP0NzkFA

OK now I know what you are talking about.

I just checked in our stores and had a look at the concentric plugs then had a chat with my repair tech.

Unless the PE has some very strange headphone socket that we have not seen, there is no way that you will get voltage into the sound circuit with either type of plug. The worst thing that could happen is to have a plug that has a barrel longer than 9 mm (edge length), in which case it will bend the innermost contact and so make using the socket for headphones rather unreliable. The solution to that is to use a small length of sleeving to reduce the inserted length to 9 mm.

Edit: Just to add pictures of a 12 mm long plug with a sleeve fitted to reduce length to 9 mm (sleeve in red).

[WDM.Amy]

OK, thanks for all the feedback. I think I might be ordering one from Amazon when I have enough items to purchase to qualify for free shipping :-)

[arcticmaniac]

Originally Posted by WDM.Amy

OK, thanks for all the feedback. I think I might be ordering one from Amazon when I have enough items to purchase to qualify for free shipping :-)

I am using the powerline. The cheaper one without the usb is only about 0.6A while the one with the USB is 1.3A which is what I have. The Car adapter also works. I have both. I don't know if the 0.6A works though.