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Old 1st Nov 2022, 4:28 pm   #1
majex45
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Default Wall Wart Eliminator

I got fed up with all the wall warts plugged in to power DACs, Phono amps, etc so I have made a wall wart eliminator.
There are outputs for 5V, 6V, 9V, 12V, 15V and 18V DC.
It uses two toroids, bridge rectifiers & smooting caps providing two DC rails (high & low) for the five voltage regulators using 14 off 78xx regulators on two heatsinks.
There are 6 outputs but the load is divided into two for each voltage (ie 2 regulators for 18V one for the left three connectors and one for the right three connectors.
The 6V and 9V are pre-regulated with a 12V regulator each.
All decoupled with lashings (28) of the red capacitors as near to the pins as I could get them.
There is a 5V SMPSU (thank you Analogue Man) to supply the two 5V USB sockets then there are 6 off 6 pin aircraft type sockets each with all of the other voltages on it.
It is all in a 1U 19 inch rack. It is mounted on 4 feet made from Ikea drawer handles.
There is even a DAC built in for emergency use.
It may not look elegant inside but it does seem to work.
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Old 1st Nov 2022, 5:24 pm   #2
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Default Re: Wall Wart Eliminator

Sorry, 24 x red 0.1 uF 100v caps in total.
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Old 1st Nov 2022, 6:33 pm   #3
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Default Re: Wall Wart Eliminator

Looks much nicer in the pic than I was expecting from your description! Well done!
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Old 1st Nov 2022, 6:41 pm   #4
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Default Re: Wall Wart Eliminator

I'm impressed, very well done. And you still have a spare 5v PSU for the next project
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Old 1st Nov 2022, 7:09 pm   #5
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Default Re: Wall Wart Eliminator

Nicely done.
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Old 2nd Nov 2022, 12:31 am   #6
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Default Re: Wall Wart Eliminator

Quote:
Originally Posted by majex45 View Post
.
It may not look elegant inside but it does seem to work.
It looks very good inside to me!
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Old 2nd Nov 2022, 9:37 am   #7
RichardGM
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Default Re: Wall Wart Eliminator

I can't quite follow your listing of the outputs. Could you post a block diagram, please nicely?
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Old 2nd Nov 2022, 10:24 am   #8
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Default Re: Wall Wart Eliminator

Was the purpose of building it to localise your DC supplies for your hifi equipment, or to reduce/eliminate digital hash from wall warts. In the case of the latter, how successful is it? Superb job by the way!
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Old 2nd Nov 2022, 9:59 pm   #9
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Default Re: Wall Wart Eliminator

Quote:
Originally Posted by AnalogueMan View Post
I'm impressed, very well done. And you still have a spare 5v PSU for the next project
Yes, this will probably be a multi output charger for phones, cameras, pads etc.
I am bitten with the constructing bug again.
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Old 2nd Nov 2022, 10:01 pm   #10
majex45
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Default Re: Wall Wart Eliminator

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Originally Posted by stevehertz View Post
Was the purpose of building it to localise your DC supplies for your hifi equipment, or to reduce/eliminate digital hash from wall warts. In the case of the latter, how successful is it? Superb job by the way!
Just to reduce the sheer number of wall warts. However I am hoping for some sonic mprovement by eliminating most of the SMPSUs.
Yet to give is a good listening to as I need to make up the leads to each device.
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Old 7th Nov 2022, 12:42 am   #11
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Default Re: Wall Wart Eliminator

Indirectly prompted by this thread, I plugged my USB load monitor between my Samsung wall wart and my Samsung phone.

Previously I had wondered why the phone seemed to charge quicker using the Samsung PSU rather than with a generic 2A device.

The answer is, the Samsung wall wart puts out 5v when idle, but switches to 9v when the phone is plugged in. When the phone is charged the voltage drops back to 5v.

So don't be surprised if your phones are slow to charge, no matter how many amps are available on your 5v USB ports.

Cheers,

Buzby
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Old 7th Nov 2022, 9:16 am   #12
stevehertz
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Default Re: Wall Wart Eliminator

Quote:
Originally Posted by Buzby123 View Post
Indirectly prompted by this thread, I plugged my USB load monitor between my Samsung wall wart and my Samsung phone.

Previously I had wondered why the phone seemed to charge quicker using the Samsung PSU rather than with a generic 2A device.

The answer is, the Samsung wall wart puts out 5v when idle, but switches to 9v when the phone is plugged in. When the phone is charged the voltage drops back to 5v.

So don't be surprised if your phones are slow to charge, no matter how many amps are available on your 5v USB ports.

Cheers,

Buzby
Good information!
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Old 7th Nov 2022, 11:51 am   #13
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Default Re: Wall Wart Eliminator

The iPhones have some handshaking thing going on to set the charge current too. Possibly as simple as a resistor or two, but that's just from a quick Google.
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Old 8th Nov 2022, 12:43 am   #14
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Default Re: Wall Wart Eliminator

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nickthedentist View Post
The iPhones have some handshaking thing going on to set the charge current too. Possibly as simple as a resistor or two, but that's just from a quick Google.
Not just iPhones, my cheapo Samsung doesnt like non original wallwart chargers or some USB leads, and I suspect not all USB charging leads have all 4 connectors wired up to do the handshake.
I fell foul of this a couple of days ago when I bought a Goodmans branded iPhone/iPad charging lead that wouldnt work with apple devices but was fine on a samsung tablet and phone (it had 3 output plug options for micro USB, C type USB and apple Lightning). I suspect its the safety functions built in to Apple kit that demand a data link between device and charger so that over charging can't happen, or other nasties. It's annoying, nay frustrating,, but I can see the point of it.
Thinking of the spate of news reports of (usually) vaping devices self immolating whilst on charge using any old wallwart etc etc etc.

Andy

Last edited by bikerhifinut; 8th Nov 2022 at 12:45 am. Reason: missed a bit
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Old 8th Nov 2022, 5:41 pm   #15
Al (astral highway)
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Default Re: Wall Wart Eliminator

We need to see the 'eliminated' Wallwarts.
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Old 8th Nov 2022, 8:38 pm   #16
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Default Re: Wall Wart Eliminator

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nickthedentist View Post
The iPhones have some handshaking thing going on to set the charge current too. Possibly as simple as a resistor or two, but that's just from a quick Google.
We had to test some so-called Apple chargers once. They were actually very convincing-looking copies from china....well they looked good even down to the Apple markings, but they didn't work properly or sometimes at all. Forgetting the internal electronics which were atrocious, the main problem was the lead supplied with the copies. The original Apple Lightning lead has a chip built into the plug (the end that goes into the phone). This detects (a) that it's connected to an Apple phone, (b) what Apple phone it is and (c) what charging rate the phone requires by detecting the charge state of the battery. Via the data leads it then sets the chip in the charger to the appropriate voltage and current. Once the battery is at a suitable charge, it then switches to the low charge to top the battery off. Clever stuff. So Nick, it's not just a simple resistor!

The copy lead just didn't do what the Apple lead did. So next time anyone complains about the cost of an original Apple charger or lead, that's why!
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Old 8th Nov 2022, 11:17 pm   #17
bikerhifinut
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Default Re: Wall Wart Eliminator

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sideband View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nickthedentist View Post
The iPhones have some handshaking thing going on to set the charge current too. Possibly as simple as a resistor or two, but that's just from a quick Google.
We had to test some so-called Apple chargers once. They were actually very convincing-looking copies from china....well they looked good even down to the Apple markings, but they didn't work properly or sometimes at all. Forgetting the internal electronics which were atrocious, the main problem was the lead supplied with the copies. The original Apple Lightning lead has a chip built into the plug (the end that goes into the phone). This detects (a) that it's connected to an Apple phone, (b) what Apple phone it is and (c) what charging rate the phone requires by detecting the charge state of the battery. Via the data leads it then sets the chip in the charger to the appropriate voltage and current. Once the battery is at a suitable charge, it then switches to the low charge to top the battery off. Clever stuff. So Nick, it's not just a simple resistor!

The copy lead just didn't do what the Apple lead did. So next time anyone complains about the cost of an original Apple charger or lead, that's why!
So, if I was to use a simple USB "extender" cable, would the genuine iPhone lead still work between the Apple wallwart and the IPhone or iPad? Or would it detect the addition of extra wire and refuse to co operate.
I ask because the lady sharing a hospital room with my missus, both in extended stays, can't reach round to use the standard 1m charge lead on her devices and I could supply one of my USB extension wires to help her do the charging by herself. These seem like minor irritations until you are in a fix and have to rely on the services of others.
Andy.
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Old 19th Nov 2022, 2:15 am   #18
Buzby123
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Default Re: Wall Wart Eliminator

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Originally Posted by Buzby123 View Post
... The answer is, the Samsung wall wart puts out 5v when idle, but switches to 9v when the phone is plugged in. ...
A further finding, the actual USB cable matters.

Some allow the PSU switch to 9v, and some stay fixed at at 5v.

I've not yet investigated what is the difference between the cables.

Cheers,

Buzby
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Old 19th Nov 2022, 10:04 am   #19
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Default Re: Wall Wart Eliminator

Quote:
Originally Posted by Buzby123 View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by Buzby123 View Post
... The answer is, the Samsung wall wart puts out 5v when idle, but switches to 9v when the phone is plugged in. ...
A further finding, the actual USB cable matters.

Some allow the PSU switch to 9v, and some stay fixed at at 5v.

I've not yet investigated what is the difference between the cables.

Cheers,

Buzby
Ha! This isn't a simple matter (unless some expert can clarify)!

Prior to USB-C it wasn't too hard to find accurate easy technical details, but since the two wireless and USB-C cable power delivery standards have become available, it's now harder to find accurate, simple, definitive information - again, unless someone knows better (do tell if so)

The best link that also covers the older power delivery aspects seems to be here https://www.howtogeek.com/769888/wha...livery-usb-pd/ for an overview.

The real specs are available from here https://usb.org/document-library/usb-power-delivery but there are several hundreds if not thousands of pages if you want the complete story from USB 2.0 USB standard. PD 1.0 on USB Type-A/B onwards to the current USB 3.x (including USB-C PD).

It's also worth checking how the USB standards compliance work https://www.usb.org/compliance

if you manage to find the time and gain an understanding of the above do please share!
(I've yet to do much more than gather some links and docs - the "get an understanding" bit is paused currently)

Oh, and there are (as usual now) some cheap USB PD modules on the usual suppliers sites (ali..., bang..., eba.. etc.) if you wish to try or experiment - that is what I have managed to do so far, and it's clear that there are several 'understandings' of these specs with some differences, hence my caution in going further without getting the accuarte background. The good news, get the right module and it's fairly easy - but choose the wrong one or a bad module and ooops you may lose. BTDTGTTS

Cheers,
Paul.
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