There oughta be a law

[74-911]

Just another one of those little annoyances of life:

Cleaning out a closet I came across a heavy cardboard box with 22 AC adaptors in it with a veritable snakepit of tangled wires and jacks. Output voltages from 2.5 to 12V, amps from 300 ma to 1 amp, most DC but some AC output and several types of jacks. The common denominator? Besides all of them being made in Taiwan or China, I haven't a clue what any of them go to. Most likely whatever toy or device, etc. they went with was tossed long ago.

There oughta be a law requiring manufacturers to label AC adaptors with the name of the device/toy/etc. they go to.

Rant over.

[Hugh R]

I'd prefer one standardized charger, like wall plugs

[redstrosekNic]

Yeah it is pretty annoying. Some manufactures put their name on the power converter, which is nice, unless you have multiple gadgets made by the same company...

[944Larry]

Originally Posted by Hugh R

I'd prefer one standardized charger, like wall plugs

you got my vote Hugh!

[mossguy]

Hugh! The smartest guy in the room!

[Neilk]

Or at least standardize the voltage and polarity of each plug size, so any size "1" charger would work in size "1" devices. Then you could have various standardized chargers in each voltage.

[azasadny]

Yes, very annoying! I especially hate the huge AC adapters that take up two or three spots on a strip outlet.

[Superman]

One charger is not going to work. Some batteries/devices run on 1.5V, others run 3.7V, etc. Part of the reason the chargers/AC adapters are unique to a particular device is so you cannot plug a 3.7V, 1-amp charger into a device that's supposed to get .7V at .15 amps.

[svandamme]

they could have the devices do the final bit of voltage drop internally.. it's not like it matters where they drop it.. and if they only need 1-5 volt drop, there is no big equipment needed, just a resistor

[Hugh R]

Most chargers now work 110v or 220v at either 50 or 60 hz automatically, why not automatic load as well?

[dan88911]

Hey this reads like a business opportunity.
Wish I knew how to run with it.

[look 171]

Hugh's spot on. They should do that to cell phones and other devices that are used daily. Pass a law on that.

[74-911]

Originally Posted by look 171

Hugh's spot on. They should do that to cell phones and other devices that are used daily. Pass a law on that.

As far as cell phones go, ANSI should jump on that one. There definitely should be a standard charger connection/jack for cell phones. As the same cell phones are used world wide that is pretty much not gonna happen unfortunately.

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by Superman

One charger is not going to work. Some batteries/devices run on 1.5V, others run 3.7V, etc. Part of the reason the chargers/AC adapters are unique to a particular device is so you cannot plug a 3.7V, 1-amp charger into a device that's supposed to get .7V at .15 amps.

+1

Exactly! Lots of devices run on different voltages and have different current needs.

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by Hugh R

Most chargers now work 110v or 220v at either 50 or 60 hz automatically, why not automatic load as well?

This is the output. It is pretty easy to put a clipping circuit in which holds the voltage at 110VAC for the input side of the power supply. The better idea would be to require most of the devices that are never intended to run solely on DC to have an AC input and the AC to DC converter built into the device.

[Superman]

Originally Posted by red-beard

+1

Exactly! Lots of devices run on different voltages and have different current needs.

Okay, so I guess I got my fact straight that time.

[red-beard]

Credit where credit is due...

[Zeke]

Seems like everything that hooks up to a USB runs on the same requirements. Isn't that a start to standardization? Freakin' laptop chargers piss me off. When one gets messed up it costs way too much to replace it.

However, I don't know what we have more of, extra power supplies or things that are missing a supply. Have to get them all out on the table and marry them up.

Or sch!tcan all of it.

[74-911]

Originally Posted by Zeke

Or sch!tcan all of it.

I like that approach personally.

[look 171]

At our house, once the device is done, the charge goes into the trash immediately.