Lost a power supply/cord

[friar1610]

I have an audio system made by a now defunct local company - Como Audio. Supply chain issues caused them to go belly up during the pandemic when they couldn’t get chips to manufacture enough units to meet high demand. I lost the power cord. The power cord is technically an external power supply (cube that plugs into a standard wall outlet on one end. Round plug that plugs into the device on the other. Looks like what comes with many electronic devices.)

The owners’ manual spec says it is 18VDC/2.8A. As a non-technical guy who has not yet found a replacement meeting those exact specs, I’m trying to find out whether the system will be damaged if I use something that’s “close enough for government work.” For example, I’ve seen a couple of references on the web that say you can exceed the amps figure (2.8, in this case) with no problem. But I haven’t gotten a definitive reading on whether I’ll blow out the unit if I use, say, a 20 volt power supply instead of the specified 18. Is anyone more electronically literate than I am?

Thanks.

 

[CaptTom]

First hit on a search for "18VDC power supply 3a":

Amazon.com

 

[friar1610]

First hit on a search for "18VDC power supply 3a":

Amazon.com

Thanks.

 

[Jerry1]

I’m no expert but I’ve always understood that equipment “draws” amps. Therefore, having a supply that exceeds the draw would seem okay and having one that is less than the draw would cause issues. So, I think close is good enough as long as you’re a bit over. I’m not sure about the volts, but it looks like you can match that from the one CaptTom linked.

 

[5Miler]

Exceed the voltage of the device and risk letting all the smoke out.

 

[rk911]

Haven't read all of the previous posts but...

You'll need a power supply (brick, wall-wart, power cube) that supplies 18-volts DC and a MINIMUM of 2.8 amps. More amps is ok as the device will draw what it needs. The final issue is the connector. Do you have a schematic? The odds are great, but not 100%, that the barrel connector has a + tip and a - shell. Check the specs before you purchase. And FYI...there are different sizes (diameters) of barrel connectors. Check online and eBay for an exact replacement.

 

[friar1610]

‘Thanks for the responses. I have ordered one from Amazon. Inputs were a great help!

 

[mountainsoft]

I have an audio system made by a now defunct local company - Como Audio. Supply chain issues caused them to go belly up during the pandemic when they couldn’t get chips to manufacture enough units to meet high demand. I lost the power cord. The power cord is technically an external power supply (cube that plugs into a standard wall outlet on one end. Round plug that plugs into the device on the other. Looks like what comes with many electronic devices.)

The owners’ manual spec says it is 18VDC/2.8A. As a non-technical guy who has not yet found a replacement meeting those exact specs, I’m trying to find out whether the system will be damaged if I use something that’s “close enough for government work.” For example, I’ve seen a couple of references on the web that say you can exceed the amps figure (2.8, in this case) with no problem. But I haven’t gotten a definitive reading on whether I’ll blow out the unit if I use, say, a 20 volt power supply instead of the specified 18. Is anyone more electronically literate than I am?

You would want a power brick with at least 2.8A output, but a higher output would be fine. The device will only consume as much current as it needs, just like a light bulb on a 15A circuit doesn't draw 15 amps, and a clock in your car doesn't draw the full 800 cold cranking amps.

The voltage is probably more critical though. While your device "might" be able to handle a higher voltage (if it has an internal voltage regulator), it could be damaged with a higher voltage. So stick with the 18V of the original.

It sounds like you might have a barrel plug on the audio end of the power brick. You will want to verify the polarity of the center pin. Usually the center pin is the positive terminal and the outer barrel is ground, but that's not always the case. Sometimes the polarity is shown on a diagram of the brick itself. It might be printed on the audio device too.

 

[friar1610]

Yes, the polarity diagram is on the back of the stereo and I’ve made sure it’s matched to the new plug I’ve ordered. Thanks.