wall wart basic question

Yes but you might have to add a regulator to the output. The output of your wall-wart might be poorly filtered as well. Use a volt meter and measure its unloaded output voltage. If it is higher than 5 volts, you need a regulator.

What sort of device?

A wireless extra keypad for a wireless burglar alarm. (see spec sheet link below)

In that case it's probably not very critical. I would use the other wall wart. Or I'd get a cheap multi voltage one and use the 4.5 VDC setting.

"Lorraine"

** Says " 5.0 volt ** REGULATED** DC output " !!!

So that is what you must have.

........ Phil

You might be able to use that, if you put a 20 ohm

5 watt resistor in parallel with the output so that the wall wart feeds both the resistor and your keypad.

------- | +|-----+-------+ | Wall | | | | | [20R] [Keypad] | Wart | | | | -|-----+-------+ -------

The resistor needs to be at least 2 watts, but

5 or even 10 watts will let it run cooler.

But a regulated supply is called for, and the above is only very crudely regulated, so you may need to buy one. The output current rating on a regulated 5V supply does not matter, as long as it is at least 220 mA. DCTX-512 for $3.50 from Allelectronics

will do the job.

Ed

It it's 5v regulated, it's safe to use. most 5V supplies are regulated.

if it doesn't say you'll have to measure ...

Bye. Jasen

You could test your wall wart - put a load on it that's 220 mA at 5V - that'd be - rats, I always forget if it's E/I or I/E - uhm, 22 ohms.

Like that other poster said, use a power resistor.

Then, if you have 5V, you're good to go. Otherwise, post back with what you do measure, and we'll dream up something else. ;-)

Cheers! Rich

LB wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

it

Wall plug-in transformer adapters are a good economical source for transformers. Beware: most are only halfwave rectified but that is no problem if you output into a fullwave bridge. You can find them for little cost at swapmeets, garage sales, surplus stores etc. Some things to look for on the transformer case are voltage, current, and if it's DC or AC, and if it's a positive or negative ground -- usually indicated on the ouside ring of the plug symbol. AC is our first choice.

When measuring the output voltage with no load applied the voltage will always read as much as 40% higher than its rating. To determine the true voltage and current rating of the unit apply a resistance load at the ouput and measure the voltage.

For example, to find the resistance for a voltage rating of 12VDC @

300mA. Looking at Ohms Law with , E/I , E=12V, divided by I=.300A = .040k ohms or 40 ohms and the wattage of the resistor should be E X I or 12V X .300A = 3.6Watts. That's the wattage required for a permanent application, but for a fast voltage measurement a one watt resistor could be used. roma