A question for electronics guys

Q

Quad Pipe

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So the white plug below is from a B&D Dustbuster. The plug got fried by a lightning strike about 2 years ago. The Dustbuster is fine but obviously can’t charge anymore. Have never been able to find a replacement plug/charger and the Dustbuster sits in its base station all forlorn.

The black plug is from a cheapie POS cordless drill I won at golf. The drill stopped working years ago and landed up in the recycling heap.

Pottering around the garage today, I had an idea. I hooked up the black plug to the DB base and voila, it works and the DB is charging.

Question - I know that the plug power ratings are different. Is there any danger with my solution, fire, overheating, explosion, etc? It’s pretty much going to remain plugged in all the time?

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ArtyLoop said:
Almost double the voltage.... amazed the DB hasn't gone up in smoke
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Complete rubbish. The black plug will work just fine. The original supply powered 7.2V-24V, and the new black plug supplies 15V. Well within the spec.

Also the dustbuster won't draw more current than it needs. It should work perfectly fine.
 
The Skil supply provides 15vdc @ 200mA. The BD supply used to provide between 7. 2 and 24vdc @ 85mA. Strange variable output from the BD supply. The amperage only becomes a problem if the new supply you used fell below the original supply of 85mA. The duster will only draw the current it needs, the supply does not push /force the current to the load. That Skil supply should be fine to use. Plug it in somewhere you can keep any eye on it for now, but all should be good.
 
genetic said:
Complete rubbish. The black plug will work just fine. The original supply powered 7.2V-24V, and the new black plug supplies 15V. Well within the spec.

Also the dustbuster won't draw more current than it needs. It should work perfectly fine.
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Agreed, my only worry is the huge variance in voltage 7.2-24v something is going on there, also 85ma so low...
 
The way I read it there shouldn't be any issues. The black unit outputs 15v 200mA while the original white is 7.2-24v, 85 mA. The voltage of the black charger is right in the middle of the acceptable range and the Amperes are sufficient.
 
Zuner said:
Agreed, my only worry is the huge variance in voltage 7.2-24v something is going on there, also 85ma so low...
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It's probably a constant-current power supply, set to provide a constant 85 ma.

The Skil supply should work, but it may overcharge the batteries in the db if left plugged in too long. Without knowing the type of batteries in the db, i would guess that you should keep the charge cycles to 8 hours or less.
 
Zuner said:
is it though, what is it doing varying from 7.2 -24v..?
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It takes any input voltage from 100V to 240V, so when you give it an input on the low end of the spec, you'll get an output on the low end of the spec. There's probably only a transformer and a bridge rectifier in there, no regulator.
 
ginggs said:
It takes any input voltage from 100V to 240V, so when you give it an input on the low end of the spec, you'll get an output on the low end of the spec. There's probably only a transformer and a bridge rectifier in there, no regulator.
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I see, if that's the case then the black psu will work just fine.
 
dennis.se.foon said:
It's probably a constant-current power supply, set to provide a constant 85 ma.

The Skil supply should work, but it may overcharge the batteries in the db if left plugged in too long. Without knowing the type of batteries in the db, i would guess that you should keep the charge cycles to 8 hours or less.
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Thanks all for the reponses..

I don't know what battery it is - there is nothing on the web or in the instruction manual. The instruction manual does say that the appliance can be left to charge on the base station indefinitely. Its a PV1805.
 
Quad said:
Thanks all for the reponses..

I don't know what battery it is - there is nothing on the web or in the instruction manual. The instruction manual does say that the appliance can be left to charge on the base station indefinitely. Its a PV1805.
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Charge your Dustbuster with it. It will be fine - It has built in over-charge protection circuitry to protect it too..
 
genetic said:
Charge your Dustbuster with it. It will be fine - It has built in over-charge protection circuitry to protect it too..
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You hope.

I've owned a few Dustbusters and opened a few up and they typically have very little battery management circuitry inside. The cheapie way they safely get around that problem is to charge the pack very slowly. The original supply is rated at a miniscule 85ma and the drill power supply at 200ma.

The power supply is normally matched to the size and type of battery pack, I've not seen a variable output power supply but it makes sense as some have mentioned that it may be input voltage related but its unusual. 7.2 volts sounds like the battery pack size, probably Nicad.
 
airborne said:
You hope.

I've owned a few Dustbusters and opened a few up and they typically have very little battery management circuitry inside. The cheapie way they safely get around that problem is to charge the pack very slowly. The original supply is rated at a miniscule 85ma and the drill power supply at 200ma.

The power supply is normally matched to the size and type of battery pack, I've not seen a variable output power supply but it makes sense as some have mentioned that it may be input voltage related but its unusual. 7.2 volts sounds like the battery pack size, probably Nicad.
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A device will always draw the current it needs. Electronics 101.
 
genetic said:
A device will always draw the current it needs. Electronics 101.
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Zap it with 10,000 volts, then come back and defend that statement!!!

As always, current is a factor of VOLTS and RESISTANCE
 
dennis.se.foon said:
Zap it with 10,000 volts, then come back and defend that statement!!!

As always, current is a factor of VOLTS and RESISTANCE
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Eish! You are reversing our gains of the revolution, once again, a device will alway draw the current that it needs.

Fun fact for you, my house supply is 60 amps yet I am able to plug a 2amp charger on it, what's up with that?
 
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