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AC "wall wart" source in UK

Similar question to one I asked a while ago, but this time for UK, not China:

I need to refer an English customer to a retail source for quantity ONE of a wall-wart power adapter, so he can use a product I make. (I make it in the USA, so the adapter that I ship is inappropriate.)

Looking for an adapter with 12VAC (not DC) output, 500mA, with a 2.1mm x

5.5mm coaxial plug. Obviously, for UK it'll be 230V primary with the appropriate power pins.

The source could be a chain store, or mail-order - anywhere that a normal non-engineer bloke could buy a single unit from. In the USA I would point a customer to Radio Shack or to Jameco; in the UK, I'm not familiar with what's available. I looked at Farnell but they don't seem to carry wall warts at all. Looks like RS Components, part 400-6585, might be right but I can't tell if those are the right mains pins for UK (it says "Euro").

Any tips will be helpful. Thanks!

Reply to
Walter Harley
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Hi,

Not the cheapest but he can get a switched voltage (12V incl.) adaptor from Maplin Electronics (similar to Radio Shack) which is a well known high street chain here in the UK. Their stock number is N57AT and it's priced at 7.99GBP (~$12). It comes with a range of interchangeable output plugs of which the 2.1 x 5.0mm is just one and of course, with AC polarity won't be a problem.

Having said that, if the customer knows what they are looking for, there are lots of much cheaper examples around.

Cheers - Joe

Reply to
Joe McElvenney

If your device has its own low voltage rectifier/smoothing/regulator why cant you feed it from a DC supply at a little higher voltage?

The RS 400-6585 isn't suitable for UK because of its round pins. Our sockets have three rectangular pins (sometimes called square!). There is a mechanical shutter operated by the ground pin.

--
Graham W   http://www.gcw.org.uk/ PGM-FI page updated, Graphics Tutorial
WIMBORNE   http://www.wessex-astro-society.freeserve.co.uk/ Wessex
Dorset UK  Astro Society's Web pages, Info, Meeting Dates, Sites & Maps
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Reply to
Graham W

Because it generates a bipolar supply, using two opposite-polarity half-wave rectifiers.

Good info - thanks.

-w

Reply to
Walter Harley

Maplin! Right, that's who I was forgetting. Thanks! And thanks for looking up the part number, too.

Reply to
Walter Harley

Understood.

Perhaps if you get around to a redesign of the PCB, you could split the supply to provide a 'middle' rail to use as ground and thereby utilise a DC external wall-wart. Maybe the ccts don't have to run from +/-

12vdc but would 6vdc do it?

Of course, this may be more trouble than it's worth!

When you look at the picture of the Maplin part, the short black thing coming from the bottom of the wart is the output lead, most of which is out of view (tucked underneath wart) but its connector end is shown nearby with the assortment of adapters.

--
Graham W   http://www.gcw.org.uk/ PGM-FI page updated, Graphics Tutorial
WIMBORNE   http://www.wessex-astro-society.freeserve.co.uk/ Wessex
Dorset UK  Astro Society's Web pages, Info, Meeting Dates, Sites & Maps
Change 'news' to 'sewn' in my Reply address to avoid my spam filter.
Reply to
Graham W

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