Juryriggying a power cable connection thingy

[Pengwuino]

So do I has the craziest question evers! YAY ME.

Anyhow, I have an old piece of video capture hardware, but the problem is I am missing the power plug thingamabobber :(. SADFACE.

And by that, I mean...

Now, I have a 5-12V adjustable power supply (cost me like $150 and only used it like once, be jealous!) that I can use for the power source, but how in the world can I connect it to that lil son of a witch? I've recently discovered that despite the fact that I swear every single device in the universe has its own separate plug and connector, apparently this is not true and there are only like 10 different standard adapters?

http://www.espow.ca/images/big/DCADAPTER.JPG

These things at the bottom! YAH! Those thingies.

So is it possible to actually go and buy an adapter at an electronics store that will fit in the DC jack as pictured and I can just run the wires to my power supply? What are those ends called? I don't want to go to the electronics store and be like "I need 2 of those kajiggers that fit inside this hole".

If this is better suited for a different sub-forum, please move it, I don't want Evo and rhody spamming my thread in GD talking about their peppers and what's on the food network and what not. TEEHEE.

DISCUSS! kthx.

 

[TurtleMeister]

It's called a coaxial dc power plug.

 

[berkeman]

Do you have the power supply and adapters in the photo? If so, just pick the one that fits the hole and be sure to configure it for positive tiip (I think I read that right in your first photo, but double-check that).

If you just have some other power supply, they you'll need to take your video thing to Radio Shack or similar place, and have the helpful sales person assist you in finding the right size. It has to have the right ID and OD both in order to fit. Then you have to wire it up with the right polarity.

 

[Pengwuino]

Do you have the power supply and adapters in the photo? If so, just pick the one that fits the hole and be sure to configure it for positive tiip (I think I read that right in your first photo, but double-check that).

If you just have some other power supply, they you'll need to take your video thing to Radio Shack or similar place, and have the helpful sales person assist you in finding the right size. It has to have the right ID and OD both in order to fit. Then you have to wire it up with the right polarity.

No, I just grabbed that image off the net so that people knew what I was talking about. The "helpful" people at radioshack seem to get stupider and stupider and I plan on dropping by my university, grabbing a micrometer, and just measuring the power plug and determining the correct one that way. I'll also get them to fit some just to be sure... *sigh*... despite my hatred of asking them. The polarity is marked on the device, the photo just doesn't have the detail so that you can see it :).

 

[jtbell]

Or you can just buy a whole set of them and find out which one works by trial and error. They can't be too expensive, and they might come in handy for something similar later.

 

[Studiot]

Be very careful about this.

There are two standards with these plugs.

On your photo the centre pin is marked as plus (+).

The other standard is, of course, with the centre pin minus (-).

Make sure any replacement suupply you use is connected the correct way round.

go well

 

[Pengwuino]

I'm actually just using this guy temporarily so I don't need to worry about that. However, I do realize that maybe I SHOULD be looking into getting replacement power supplies. Can you buy transformers at various voltages with bare wires at the end for you to attach your own plugs?

When I see the ones I have laying around the house and it says say, 6V DC 300mA, is the 300mA the maximum current the transformer is rated for?

 

[StevieTNZ]

http://www.espow.ca/images/big/DCADAPTER.JPG

That's an adapter for a car, right? I have one of those! (to charge my laptop while I'm on long distance trips) [I don't drive; my dad does]

 

[Pengwuino]

That's an adapter for a car, right? I have one of those! (to charge my laptop while I'm on long distance trips) [I don't drive; my dad does]

Oh snap, how about that! I didn't even realize the rest of the picture had some neat stuff. I need to go find out where that website is :D I'm guessing it has a universal hookup so you can connect any of those adapters.

On a side note to the thread, I started my years old power supply and it's all sorts of screwed up :(. The voltage fluctuates and I can't get certain voltages and it's all sorts of sadface!

 

[Pengwuino]

It worked <3 HAPPYFACE

And I barely killed myself :D