rushbo Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 Hi BassChat electricity experts. For years I've powered my Zoom B3 from its own dedicated power supply - ie, the plug it came with. I'm expanding my modest board and so I thought I'd get a powerbrick to power it, along with my Smoothound wireless receiver and a Korg tuner. Unfortunately, muggins here didn't read the small print and the Zoom requires 500mA and the brick (an otherwise lovely Harley Benton Powerplant Junior) only supplies 5 x 120mA. This means the Zoom powers on for a second, then goes off when I use the brick. It came with a Y adapter which combines two of the five outputs to a single one - with some trepidation, I tried using that and it seemed to work. I'm reticent to keep it on longer than 30 seconds in case I do irreparable damage to my beloved B3, so my question is... ...will I kill my Zoom B3, if I use the Y adapter from the Powerplant Junior to power it? Please help an electrical numptie... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
songofthewind Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 Wow, I never thought of that! I have the same problem with a B3n, and I look forward to hearing what the Basschat collective wisdom says. Uh, sorry for the hijack, I got all excited there! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deedee Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 Not sure whether you'll kill it but just to be on the safe side I'd recommend getting a Truetone 1-Spot. I used one to power my B3 along with a couple of other pedals for several years. Cheap as chips and they handle up to 1700mA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrixn1 Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 For quite a while I was powering with no problems a Zoom MS-60B (which is also marked as 500mA) with an Adams Cioks, which only delivers 250mA. http://stinkfoot.se/archives/829 has measured B3 as drawing 143mA so that's consistent with your 120mA not being enough but 240mA being ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
songofthewind Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 I’ve got the large blue Harley Benton Powerplant, but I still use a separate Diago power supply for the Zoom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
songofthewind Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 So does using the Y cable double volts to 18 volts, as well as doubling the amps? I know nothing about elecktrickery, so be gentle with me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 I powered my zoom b3 from a Harley Benton powerplant jr for a long time, no harm came to it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rushbo Posted January 5, 2020 Author Share Posted January 5, 2020 11 minutes ago, Woodinblack said: I powered my zoom b3 from a Harley Benton powerplant jr for a long time, no harm came to it Good to know- did you use the Y adapter? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 2 minutes ago, rushbo said: Good to know- did you use the Y adapter? Yep. Seem to remember something came with a yellow adapter. I changed much later to a different power supply but I used that for a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rushbo Posted January 5, 2020 Author Share Posted January 5, 2020 5 minutes ago, Woodinblack said: Yep. Seem to remember something came with a yellow adapter. I changed much later to a different power supply but I used that for a while. That’s the chap- brilliant news. Thanks to the Basschat hive mind from Rushbo and songofthewind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
songofthewind Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 Can anybody confirm this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
songofthewind Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 Sorry just re-read Woodinblack’s post. I’m off to blow up my pedalboard. Thanks guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete.young Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 Smoothhound is centre positive, you'll need an adaptor for that as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 (edited) It is (it comes with an adaptor doesn't it?), and it needs more than 125ma. It sort of appears to work on one output but it gets noisy and unreliable. Edited January 5, 2020 by Woodinblack 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted January 7, 2020 Share Posted January 7, 2020 On 05/01/2020 at 20:00, songofthewind said: So does using the Y cable double volts to 18 volts, as well as doubling the amps? I know nothing about elecktrickery, so be gentle with me. Depends on the Y cable. They are typically either current doublers (leaving the voltage the same) OR voltage doublers (leaving the current the same). But not doubling both at the same time. The cables should specify which they are when you buy them, or be colour coded with a guide if they come with your power brick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
songofthewind Posted January 7, 2020 Share Posted January 7, 2020 Thanks, Al, I will check the one that came with the Powerbank. Perhaps I can buy a voltage doubler cable somewhere. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rushbo Posted January 7, 2020 Author Share Posted January 7, 2020 15 minutes ago, songofthewind said: Thanks, Al, I will check the one that came with the Powerbank. Perhaps I can buy a voltage doubler cable somewhere. Try GuitarGuitar - I just got one for for £7 https://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/product/12011410194688--voodoo-lab-current-doubler-cable?gclid=Cj0KCQiA9dDwBRC9ARIsABbedBP0ZAmP6Y_M9zrZL6CKiuE1-RhUbhMNktQ-c74Bz1qX37UfWaTaonAaAiWpEALw_wcB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
songofthewind Posted January 7, 2020 Share Posted January 7, 2020 Aargh, no wait it’s a current doubler I need. I told you I was no good at this elecktrickery stuff!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
songofthewind Posted January 7, 2020 Share Posted January 7, 2020 ...which is what you posted, Rushbo. I truly am useless at this. I’m the kind of person who licks the iron to see if it’s hot enough. Thanks for your help, guys. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rushbo Posted January 8, 2020 Author Share Posted January 8, 2020 12 hours ago, songofthewind said: ...which is what you posted, Rushbo. I truly am useless at this. I’m the kind of person who licks the iron to see if it’s hot enough. Thanks for your help, guys. Don't beat yourself up...I am maybe one rung further up the ladder than you, but I still can't wire a plug without looking at a diagram... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
songofthewind Posted January 8, 2020 Share Posted January 8, 2020 I can’t believe it! I’ve just found an old thread from November 2018, when I asked the same questions and got the same answers! Doh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
songofthewind Posted January 8, 2020 Share Posted January 8, 2020 Thanks, Rushbo et al, just bought one of those cable thingies. Stand back, everyone.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
songofthewind Posted January 11, 2020 Share Posted January 11, 2020 Reporting back. The splitter thingy didn’t work with the B3n, alas. The mosquito whine was still there. Time for a rethink. Maybe I need to spring for a Helix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelDean Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 I just upgraded my power supply in order to be able to ditch the additional power supply for my B3N and got one of these: https://www.dv247.com/en_GB/GBP/Fame-DC-Junior/art-GIT0040359-000?campaign=PSM_UK/kelkoo&ProgramUUID=MrLAqJarZEUAAAFobL.P7Dz7#rating-area With 500ma off each output, it should power just about anything I throw at it. Seems solid so far! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
songofthewind Posted January 13, 2020 Share Posted January 13, 2020 11 hours ago, MichaelDean said: I just upgraded my power supply in order to be able to ditch the additional power supply for my B3N and got one of these: https://www.dv247.com/en_GB/GBP/Fame-DC-Junior/art-GIT0040359-000?campaign=PSM_UK/kelkoo&ProgramUUID=MrLAqJarZEUAAAFobL.P7Dz7#rating-area With 500ma off each output, it should power just about anything I throw at it. Seems solid so far! Does it kill the B3n? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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