Tomy baby monitor power adaptor (wall wart)

[MM]

The baby unit has a wall wart, with no battery option.

The parent unit has the option of using either batteries or a power adaptor. However, I don't have a second power adaptor. But if I run the parent unit on batteries (3 x AA), these get consumed very quickly, so I'm thinking of buying a second adaptor (£9 plus delivery).

However, I do have a spare D-Link power adaptor with the same voltage output rating (7.5v) and plug polarity (centre pin +) so I tried it.

It doesn't work.

So I took the Tomy power adaptor off the *baby* unit briefly and tried it on the parent unit. It works (inasmuch as the LED illuminates).

So why doesn't a non-Tomy power adaptor work? It's not broken. It's off my D-Link ethernet switch and it works fine on that.

The ONLY difference is that the Tomy adaptor is rated at 200ma, whereas the D-Link one is rated at 1000ma. Output voltage is the same in both cases.

Does the parent unit somehow 'know' that the D-Link is the wrong adaptor?

MM

[dennis]

Are you sure the pins are the same diameter and are actually making contact? Use rechargeable batts.

[Bruce]

Two sets of rechargeable AAs and a charger could be a wise investment.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Are you sure the other one is DC?

[NT]

The 2 adaptors must be different specs after all. Rarely needed to buy one, just ask for the specs you need on freecycle, some people have piles of them.

NT

[Peter Parry]

Assuming both are DC it is almost certainly because the centre pins are of different diameters.

[MM]

The plug is as per the picture on this page:

I was trying a D-Link adaptor, since I don't have a second Tomy adaptor.

The plug, when pushing it over the pin in the body of the parent unit, feels exactly the same as when pushing on the plug on the baby unit. I inspected both plugs and they appear identical. Both adaptors have the centre pin marked as positive.

That's what I have been doing, but they run down mighty quickly!

MM

[MM]

MM

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Ah. The VA gives a clue - it's AC. DC uses mA. Quite a few computer peripherals use AC wall warts and rectify/regulate internally. A better way of doing things.

[Piers Finlayson]

How quickly? We generally get 2-3 evenings (so I would guess around 10 hours) from a mid-life set of rechargable AAs. Have you enabled the sound activation mode (assuming your unit has one)?. As well as presumably meaning that battery life on the receiving unit is improved (although it must be constantly "listening" it isn't always constantly playing) it also means you don't get the constant slight background hiss from other units.

[MM]

So it's not going to work, then?

MM

[MM]

I don't use mine to monitor babies! I use it, for example, to listen for the City Link van if I'm in the back garden. It might be switched on for hours.

I find generally that rechargable AAs don't last nearly as long as brand-new non-rechargable ones of a good brand.

Maybe I'll get three - four hours, then the red LED starts alternating with the green and a short while later it beeps, then finally switches itself off.

Of course, I ~could~ buy a second adaptor direct from Tomy, but they are 9 quid!!

MM

[Piers Finlayson]

Agree with that.

That doesn't seem like long given we get about 10 hours. I guess it may due to differences between monitors, or the range you are using it over.

I eventually needed to buy a new wall wart for the base station of mine. I got it from RS, with free delivery (having an account via work) and paid about £4 IIRC. The back did come off pretty quickly but nothing a bit of duct tape couldn't fix. (Decided against the angle grinder in this instance.)

[MM]

Admittedly much further than typically for monitoring a baby (I should assume, not having any). I mount the listener on the window sill at the front of the house (open window), and the monitor unit is then near me in the back garden or in the garage where I might be doing woodwork.

MM

[Dave Plowman (News)]

No. A DC type can be used in place of an AC one, but not the other way round.

[NT]

you mighthave killed the monitor, but hopefully not. Get yourself a multimeter - and dont get batteries for anything that can run on mains.

NT

[MM]

I thought that. But I stuck recharged batteries back in and it still works okay. I think I shall just buy a Tony official spare part, since it's only 9 quid after all said and done. (And Maplin ain't cheap!)

MM

[NT]

ouch. But just a small ouch.