Safe to use 12V 800mA DC converter for 9V 100mA DC appliance?

The converter that comes with our baby monitor has output of 9V 100mA DC.

I would like to connect the baby monitor in a second location using another converter which is 12V 800mA DC.

I tested it and it seems to work just fine, but is it safe? Will it burn out the appliance? Is it a fire hazard?

Thanks in advance.

Roger

Reply to
rogersheldon
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This is just my opinion, but the monitor isn't going to draw anymore current than it needs to operate and the adapter is going to run cooler than the 9V unit because of less stress on it.

I cannot say it is safe or unsafe( since I don't work for UL). Just keep an eye on it for a while and if no smoke or strange odors are noticed I would say you would be OK.

I recently replaced a battery in a portable bearcat scanner. Ther orginal battery was a rechargable 4.7V pack. I put in a standard 9V Battery (which is double the voltage) and it is working actually better than before. Besides, I really didn't want to fork over $48.00 for a new battery Pack. The only thing I lost was recharging capability.

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Reply to
Lacy

Reply to
Mike Berger

On the label maybe - what is it really?

That may be what is says on the label - but try measuring it with a mete - could easily be 18 volts.

Not without measuring its output voltage and checking the rating of the components within the baby monitor.

It might pop some capacitors - if a 9 volt supply is specified than the amplifier design will probably use 12v electrolytic capacitors

Possibly.

Geo

Reply to
Geo

Usually the connected component has a zener or some other form of regulation that regulates the voltage to say your 9V. So even if the voltage at the plug is say 18V which is probably the Max it could rise, I wouldn't think it will fail any sooner, after all it is only seeing the 9V to the circuitry.. I have done this numerous time with my item s(because I usually lose the adapter specific to that item) and I haven't had any problems..

It comes down though to what you feel safe doing. I would suggest buying a universal adapter that has adjustable Current and Voltage so that you can at least have peace of mind. Everyone here is going to have different opinions about this and probably everyone will be correct in their statements. But doing what I have stated may make you feel better about it.

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Reply to
Lacy

Now THERE'S a rash statement. These things run the gamut. Berger's take seems closer to the norm.

It's not had to get the right unit:

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I also see wall warts in my favorite thrift shop all the time.

Reply to
JeffM

Usually the connected component has a zener

Not a rash statement, just years of experience. Your an idiot if you don't design a circuit with regulation especially if the voltage is coming from an external source. I have even seen battery equipment use regulation (take for instance my scanner I recently modified from a 4.7V to a 9V Battery). It didn't burn up, smoke at the instant power was applied, then it is regulated. I didn't even open the case to look for regulation, I already knew it was there if the designer was worth anything. Besides you missed the part where I said "Usually".

He said in is original post he had already hooked it up and it seemed to work fine no smoke, no fire, no abnormal operation. Therefore you can assume regulation of some kind.

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Reply to
Lacy

I would like make an addendum to my last statememt before someone jumps in with thier comments. The scanner I modifed was a Bearcat Scanner. The designers of these are top-notch, that is why I had no fear to do what I did. I trusted their design knowledge and years of design experience to have what I suspected was a well designed unit and not just some piece of junk someone threw together. to make a buck.

So it boils down to whether the item is made by a reputable company or not as to the quality of the design.

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Reply to
Lacy

Reply to
Mike Berger

That would depend on the specification you were given. In the competitive world of commercial electronics, COST may me the primary concern. You've never heard of Bean Counters arbitrarily removing components for price reductions?

You've obviously not heard the story from several years back about the recall on the baby monitor that kept catching on fire when used as instructed. http://66.102.7.104/search?q=cache:nHNZPvhIa34J:

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http://66.102.7.104/search?q=cache:fOlWppiaNVQJ:shop.safetydepot.com/s.nl/sc.5/category.45/it.I/id.19/.f+baby-monitor+recall+OR+recalled+fire+-Fire-Extinguishers

Reply to
JeffM

You're right it is one of the newer type. Bearcat 150 Sportscat Portable. I took a chance doing what I did knowing that I could have fried the entire thing. But it was useless anyway without a battery. Their rechargeable are just about as expensive as the entire radio. so I figure I had nothing to really lose.

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Reply to
Lacy

Sorry, but this is bad advice. While the adaptor probably won't give a toss about the low load, the load (the baby monitor) will doubtless be stressed by the high voltage and die early. The Bearcat scanner is a different kettle of fish entirely - it likely has extra circuitry to protect the device from incorrect power sources, which won't be present on a base-level consumer product.

Cheers.

Ken

Reply to
Ken Taylor

This is the point though - those scanners are (and IMHO have been for many years) made to quality, and for a market such as yourself who will pay for a decent product. Baby monitors are a consumer product made to be cheap. Expect failure.

Cheers.

Ken

Reply to
Ken Taylor

I didn't figure that into my thinking. You are right about that, especially in this day and age of greedy CEO's. Slash a million here and there so he can give himself a raise.

I know that if I would ever design a circuit, especially one for public sale, it would have regulation and every safety feature I could put in it. But that the way I think due to being in the industruial sector under tight laws, namely MSHA (of course their not what they used to be either).

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Reply to
Lacy

It is strongly recommended to not exceed the voltage rating of a product. In most consumer products, they are very sensitive to over-voltage. Running the unit on more than the rated voltage will reduce its lifespan.

As for a fire hazard, in my opinion, I would not think it is likely. All that will most likely happen, is that the unit it is feeding the over-voltage to, will fail sooner.

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JANA

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