Adapter not working

breadmonkey

I originally posted this in the "technology" forum but didn't get very far so hopefully I'll get a better response here.

OK, here's the problem:

I bought an mp3 player (Zen Touch) from eBay about a month ago. It came from the U.S.A., so naturally the charger that came with it has the U.S.A. plug on it. I thought "no problem, I'll use my trusty adapter", and here is where the problem starts.

To charge the player, I have to plug it into the socket via a transformer (well, I think it's a tranformer), like this:

socket-->(adapter)-->transformer-->mp3 player

The only thing is, the adapters don't seem to work. The green light on the transformer doesn't light up, indicating that there is no currnt flowing through it. I replaced the fuse in the first adapter and bought a new one when that didn't work. What is preventing the adapter from working?

At the moment I have to use this bizzare adapter which fits into the light bulb socket in a lamp.

socket-->lamp!-->(adapter)-->transformer-->mp3 player

This is very cumbersome as you can imagine so any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Delphi91

Given that it's from the USA where the normal socket voltage is 110V, I would have thought you'd have to connect it up as follows:

socket --> Transformer --> Adapter --> MP3 player?


Mike

breadmonkey

I'm not sure what you mean. The adapter in question is an adapter for the plug. Basically, the lamp is plugged into the mains, then the plug adapter is screwed in where the light bulb should be, the transformer plug (U.S.A.) is plugged into that, and the cable leading out of the transformer (USB) is plugged into the Zen.

Spear

Are you saying that the adapter only changes the plug socket and nothing is being done about the different voltage?

breadmonkey

Doesn't the transformer change the voltage?

Spear

The transformer will only alter the voltage for the area it's intended for, i.e. 110V of the North American market down to the 9 or 12V of DC that something like an MP3 player would want.

breadmonkey

Then why does it work when I use the lamp adapter?

Spear

ross*k wrote:

Then why does it work when I use the lamp adapter?

Because the lamp adapter is clearly doing something else that the other transformer isn't. I'd hazard a guess and say the lamp is transforming the 220V down to 110V, which the MP3 player's own transformer is then happy with. But without knowing more about this lamp adapter thingy I can't be sure.

themole

find out what voltage the mp3 player works off. i should be written on the adpaper (output voltage).

then go into maplin and buy an adapter that gives the same output voltage. also check the connector and wattage rating.