21 Jan
2009
21 Jan
'09
3:37 a.m.
On Tuesday 20 January 2009 05:25:38 pm Paul Koning wrote:
I've not seen either of the latter two (yet).
>>>> "Tony" == Tony Duell <ard at p850ug1.demon.co.uk>
writes:
> > I assume the input connector on the SMPSU is either an IEC plug
>
> or > one of those figure-of-8 connectors, or at least something
> stnadard.
>
> Figure-of-8? I suspect you're probably talking about the same
> thing, even though it doesn't quite look like most fonts' 8 to me.
> Here's a
Tony> 'Figure of 8' is the common (although incorrect for many
Tony> reasons) name for the normal 2 pin main connector you find
Tony> (found?) on cassette recorders, radios, etc in the 1980s. I've
Tony> seen it caleld a 'Telefunken connector', although I suspect
Tony> that name is dubious too.
Perhaps the same, perhaps not -- there are a number of IEC mains
connectors. There is the 5 sided one found on many computers, which
is rated at 10 or 13 amps depending on country. A less common variant
(also 5-sided) has the blades parallel to the long edge rather than
the short edge -- 16 or 20 amps. (There's also a version of the 13
amp connector with a dent in the long side opposite the ground pin;
that indicates high operating temperature rating.) For lower power, there are "figure of 8"
connectors. One has two
wires (no ground). The other is 3 wire (with ground); the ground is
in between the other two, offset to the side, a 120 degree or so
equilateral triangle. That plug style is good for 3 amps or so. Some
"brick" power supplies come with this; I think I had a Sony laptop
once that did.
Of the two laptops here, I have one of each of those, this Sony having the
two-pin variant and the Dell I was using before that having the three-pin
variant. At one point I had the Dell with me but not the cord (and the
battery on that one is unusable) and I had no difficulty in finding one to
use.
--
Member of the toughest, meanest, deadliest, most unrelenting -- and
ablest -- form of life in this section of space, a critter that can
be killed but can't be tamed. --Robert A. Heinlein, "The Puppet Masters"
-
Information is more dangerous than cannon to a society ruled by lies. --James
M Dakin