Topic: iRiver H120 Wall Power - What to get from Radio Shack??

[davepeck]

ok, i know there's replacement iriver ac adapters on ebay, but i'm in a bind and need to pick one up from radio shack tomorrow.

will this work (3-7.5v; 5v is selectable, and up to 2000mA)? or is there a better (cheaper?) option?

also, it says it includes adaptaplugs A, B, and H. will one of those work with the iriver?

TIA.

[hyperplane]

That Power Adaptor should work, with the following provisos:

- You set the voltage to 5V
- You use the size H adaptaplug
- The polarity is correct. This is very important; if the polarity is incorrect, you will likely fry your iriver and it will be an expensive paperweight.

You need to use a multimeter to test the polarity.

To test the polarity, plug up the Power Adaptor to a wall outlet, and place the red "needle" from the multimeter on the inner part inside the tip of the adaptaplug, and the black "needle" on the outter part of the adaptaplug. It should read about 5V.

If the multimeter reads -5V, then you need to reverse the polarity of the Power Adaptor.

To reverse the polarity of the charger, you cut the Power Adaptor cable, and solder/crimp the inner wires to the opposite ones (e.g. solder/crimp the red wire from the adaptaplug end to the black wire of the outlet plug end, and vice versa). Then test the polarity again to make sure you have a solid connection and that the polarity is correct, wrap it up in electric tape or use heat shrink tubing, and you're all set.

* EDIT: for punctuation. *

[davepeck]

- The polarity is correct. This is very important; if the polarity is incorrect, you will likely fry your iriver and it will be an expensive paperweight.

You need to use a multimeter to test the polarity.

To test the polarity, plug up the Power Adaptor to a wall outlet, and place the red "needle" from the multimeter on the inner part inside the tip of the adaptaplug, and the black "needle" on the outter part of the adaptaplug. It should read about 5V.

If the multimeter reads -5V, then you need to reverse the polarity of the Power Adaptor.

To reverse the polarity of the charger, you cut the Power Adaptor cable, and solder/crimp the inner wires to the opposite ones (e.g. solder/crimp the red wire from the adaptaplug end to the black wire of the outlet plug end, and vice versa). Then test the polarity again to make sure you have a solid connection and that the polarity is correct, wrap it up in electric tape or use heat shrink tubing, and you're all set.

* EDIT: for punctuation. *

thanks! one question about the polarity -

last time i bought an ac adapter from RS, it had instructions on which way to line up the adaptaplug, depending on whether the unit read (-)--(o)--(+) or (+)--(o)--(-). is that the polarity? basically, what i'm asking is if your last paragraph is necessary, or will the proper alignment of the adaptaplug do the trick?

thanks again. +t

[hyperplane]

thanks! one question about the polarity -

last time i bought an ac adapter from RS, it had instructions on which way to line up the adaptaplug, depending on whether the unit read (-)--(o)--(+) or (+)--(o)--(-). is that the polarity? basically, what i'm asking is if your last paragraph is necessary, or will the proper alignment of the adaptaplug do the trick?

thanks again. +t

Ahhh, I did not know about that feature on AC adaptors from the Rat Shack.

If that's the case, then yes, that appears to be a much simpler/easier way to ensure proper polarity.

After hooking up the size H adaptaplug, I would still suggest plugging up the AC adaptor to a wall outlet, and using a multimeter to test it to make sure you've got its polarity correctly set up. (I'm paranoid about polarity with iriver charging cables, and test my cables about 5x before using them with an iriver.)

[whatboutbob]

I cannot underline strongly enough that you do NOT want to get the polarity wrong.

[hyperplane]

I cannot underline strongly enough that you do NOT want to get the polarity wrong.

Quote For Truth.

[612]

http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=68553.msg963316#msg963316

Check that post out. I don't know if you have the 2 prong adapter but I got THIS.

[davepeck]

SUCCESS with the plug i linked above from radioshack.. of course, being RS, there's a fun story to go along with it..

so i stop by RS on my way home from work yesterday. mind you, i need to pick up the power adapter, go home to change, and charge my iriver in the car on the way to a show.. i go right over to the power adapters, and i'm looking over them one by one, and i'm NOT seeing the one i saw on the website (figures).. within a minute, a helpful RS staff member is there to assist..

RS kid: can i help you find something?
davepeck: yeah, i'm looking for a power adapter that i saw on rs.com, that's selectable from 3-7.5v.
RS kid: (looks at shelf) hmm... here's some other ones..
davepeck: yeah, none of them have 5v selectable, which is what i need.
RS kid: hmm... this one has 4.5v.. and this one has 6v.. i guess we don't have it..
davepeck: uhhhh... is there a way you can check and see if you have any of the one on the website in the store??
RS kid: i'll check, but it would be out here if we did..

so i walk him through how to find the adapter on radioshack.com.. so he takes the item number and looks to see if they have any in the store..

RS kid: hmm... that's weird.. it says we have them in stock..

he walks BACK to the shelf, and continues to look there (we both know it's not there)..

davepeck: maybe you have them in back??
RS kid: hmm.. i'll check.. uh.. do you know what size tip you need, cause you'll need to know that.
davepeck: yeah, i need an H, and it comes with 3 different ones, including the H, so i'll be fine.. (oy...)

RS kid shows back up in about a minute with the adapter in hand.. GO FIGURE!!

i swear, getting hired at radioshack is like being selected for a jury.. in order to be picked, you must have NO prior knowledge of ANYTHING you're gonna be dealing with.. scary!

http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=68553.msg963316#msg963316


Check that post out. I don't know if you have the 2 prong adapter but I got THIS.

interesting.. i'll have to see if i still have my foreign adapter.. that will come in handy for a backup..

thanks again, everyone. +t's all around..