Two pin shaver adaptors

And for that matter what wally changed the perfectly adaquate design we had for years, and why?

Brian

On Monday 25 November 2013 08:56 Brian Gaff wrote in uk.d-i-y:

Same wally that doesn't like making mains LED/VFD alarm clocks and insists on:

I could understand it slightly more if the EU had a wide range of supply voltages, but were are all on 230V nominal, including China where everything is made. I really do not see the reason bloody wallwarts are everywhere except for very space contrained devices like mobile phones and laptops.

Because it's cheaper. If you use a wallwart, you only need provide LV flex rather than a mains flex, and you don't need a separate plug.

No neither do I howewever, one up side to this is that a phone I have had one that kicked out so much rfi it interfered with any portable radio withing several hundred yards. I found a similarly rated old fashioned ananlogue psu and all was again peace and radio. so, I'll add to your call and say this, When these warts have various comply with stickers on them, could some kind person actually test them as I'm sur many do not comply with much at all. Brian

On Monday 25 November 2013 09:30 Huge wrote in uk.d-i-y:

I really cannot see that is a deciding factor - those costs are microscopic.

Microscopic x millions = well worth doing.

Given that "value engineers" try and squeeze the last few pennies out of a design, I suspect you're wrong.

Also there are things like not having to ensure the construction/insulation is up to mains standard in the device.

Maybe it's cheaper to buy a million wallwarts that can be used for multiple devices than build the circuitry in

Beware that this is almost certainly a permanent conversion adaptor - it's designed to never let the 2-pin plug out again, thus converting it into a BS1363 plug, as required for such items when sold in the UK.

You can't buy them easily in shops, because the retailer is required to have already fitted it onto the 2-pin euro plug before you buy the appliance that needs it, so there's no retail market for them. The exception might be something you buy outside the UK and need to convert.

It's not a UK shaver adaptor, which is a different 2-pin plug.

BTW, CPC sell them for much less than this.

And why do the cables come out of the top rather than the bottom, making it much harder to use an adaptor for several of the things?

Jonathan

Router - bottom DECT phone - top

TBF to the manufacturers, there's not many countries where it'd make a difference.

It is done on safety grounds since the mains voltage can be restricted to a tightly controlled double insulated zone. Much cheaper overall - and it will be cheaper still when most of them are standardised.

I have lost count of the number of adaptors with different random plugs on that I have accumulated over the years.

America and Japan are not and these days it is a global market (except in the USA where they use really crap 100v 60Hz only junk)

Those terrible old mains electric razors they used to advertise around Xmas are an example of US "engineering" they depend on a mechanical resonance at 60Hz to work properly and are complete crap in the UK.

It is the safety approval costs. If the main bulk of the unit only contains low voltages there is no need for expensive safety testing.

The PSU needs to be certified once for many many products.

Amazon sell this that is functionally the same and costs £1.99 delivered.

On Monday 25 November 2013 10:32 chris French wrote in uk.d-i-y:

We used to manage perfectly well. I know old appliances had a little transformer which was failry idiot proof. But surely they could just as well insert a mains SMPSU module? In fact, why not have a sealed module with a moulded flex - basically an internal wallwart? Heat will not be a problem for the majority of these appliances thta take a couple of watts.

Gawd knows. Incompetence?

but add them up over the number sold. The real reason is that only the Wallwart needs to be CE approved.

On Monday 25 November 2013 11:28 charles wrote in uk.d-i-y:

The "approval" is self certified - isn't anything complicated and expensive like FCC compliance (which is much more difficult and externally tested).

If it means the item costs 50p more, there'd be a market for it (people like me and everyone else who hates unnecessary wallwarts).

Thanks very much for that. I wonder why I didn't spot it before.

It may not work for my application since I think the PSU part may be just to wide to allow it to fit (and would be pointing downwards so might be inclined to fall out under the effects of gravity).

Worth a try though for £2