ac adapter question

[KerriAnn]

i have an appliance here which needs 14v and .5 amps. i don't happen to have an ac adapter which is rated at 14v, but i do have a laptop adapter that says 10-20v.... what's that all about? can i use it?
(there is no switch or anything to choose the voltages between 10v and 20v....)

 

[ribbon13]

http://www.partsexpress.com/pdf/catalog05/105pec05.indd.pdf

 

[KerriAnn]

Originally posted by: ribbon13
http://www.partsexpress.com/pdf/catalog05/105pec05.indd.pdf

yeah, thanks, but i don;t see what it is your trying to point out there...
those adapters are the selectable kind, like there's a switch on the front of the adapter....

1.5 / 3 / 4.5 / 6 / 7.5 / 9 / 10.5 / 12

i'm talking about one without a switch.
heres a picture of it- http://img207.exs.cx/img207/5756/b7_1_b.jpg

 

[natto fire]

Your best bet is to get a hold of a multimeter to check what voltage that lappy adapter puts out normally. That seems like a wide voltage range to run a laptop at.

 

[KerriAnn]

i thought so too.... i have a dmm, can i apply voltage directly to the probes, or do i have to put the probes in series with a circuit like when testing current?

 

[ribbon13]

I linked that because if your laptop thingy wont work, you could get on of the 13.5v ones.

 

[nineball9]

Originally posted by: KerriAnn
i thought so too.... i have a dmm, can i apply voltage directly to the probes, or do i have to put the probes in series with a circuit like when testing current?

If you try to do a voltage measurement with the meter's leads in series with the circuit, you'd better hope the meter is fused or otherwise protected!

You can measure the voltage of the adaptor directly with the meter's probes. Without a load though, you may get a higher reading than the normal operating voltage.

 

[KerriAnn]

ok, thanks for everyone's help.