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Replacing Harley Benton power supply advice pls

uk_lefty

By uk_lefty,
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uk_lefty Grand Master

uk_lefty

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Once more asking for your wisdom and advice. I've got a Harley Benton power plant thingy on my board now because I wanted the slimness of it and the number of outputs. Of course it came with a European PSU and a UK wall socket adaptor. I'd like to replace the European PSU for a UK one so I don't have a big and wobbly connection into the mains that my singer or a punter putting down their jacket/ handbag/ drink could knock over. I've photographed the plug...

PXL_20231103_125149190.jpg

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uk_lefty Grand Master

uk_lefty

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1 hour ago, Jean-Luc Pickguard said:

When Thomann sent me a powered pedalboard with a non-uk plug I emailed them and they send me a new power cable for no charge. Maybe they'll be able to send you the correct adaptor if you ask them nicely.

Thanks unfortunately this is more than a kettle lead type thing. I would like to buy a UK replacement but not sure how to decipher all the electrical gubbins. I don't expect they make a UK version of this at all, sadly. 

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Jean-Luc Pickguard Grand Master

Jean-Luc Pickguard

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Thomann might send you the correct psu if you ask nicely — or at least sell you the correct one and comp the postage.

 

What you need is a 12v centre negative 3A PSU, however most suppliers seem to have centre positive ones which are supplied with a polarity switching adaptor that goes on the pedalboard end — which isn't a particularly elegant solution.

 

 

edit: typo

Edited by Jean-Luc Pickguard
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uk_lefty Grand Master

uk_lefty

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5 hours ago, Jean-Luc Pickguard said:

On reflection, I think if you contact Thomann, rather than sending a new adaptor, they'd probably send you one of these

-> https://thmn.to/thoprod/350932?partner_id=31190

Which isn't ideal, but it wouldn't be as wobbly as a shaver adaptor

 

15302528_800.jpg

That's what came with it. It's not very good. 

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nekomatic Mentor

nekomatic

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22 hours ago, uk_lefty said:

Wondering if this fits the bill? Can't see anything that says centre negative?

https://www.switchelectronics.co.uk/products/3a-12vdc-plugtop-power-supply-powerpax-sw4414c


If you look closely at the picture, the symbol at the bottom of the label shows it’s centre positive. Of course the picture might not be of the actual product, but centre positive is standard for everything except effects pedals so if it weren’t I’m sure they would say so. 
 

It does look (again assuming the picture is accurate) as if the cable is a figure-8 style, which makes it an easy job to solder on a replacement plug with the correct polarity. Either that or get a polarity changing adapter. 

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tauzero Grand Master

tauzero

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3 hours ago, nekomatic said:


If you look closely at the picture, the symbol at the bottom of the label shows it’s centre positive. Of course the picture might not be of the actual product, but centre positive is standard for everything except effects pedals so if it weren’t I’m sure they would say so. 
 

It does look (again assuming the picture is accurate) as if the cable is a figure-8 style, which makes it an easy job to solder on a replacement plug with the correct polarity. Either that or get a polarity changing adapter. 

 

No, it shows it's centre negative. 12V 3.0A. Attaching a centre positive PSU will let out the magic smoke.

 

powersupply.thumb.jpg.b7563229096b2febcdebd56aff4056d1.jpg

 

The + going to the encircling, er, circle is the outer, the - going to the inner pin is the inner. Hence centre negative.

 

The HB Iso-1 I have has a similar but different power supply. The plug will be a 5.5mm outer, but it could be either a 2.5mm or 2.1mm inner - on mine it's a 2.1 inner, I expect it to be the same on yours.

 

There's a few sellers on Ebay who sell a vast array of power supplies. Try contacting https://www.ebay.co.uk/str/effectspedalpowersupplies and see if he can do you a 12V 3A 5.5/2.1 centre negative power supply.

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nekomatic Mentor

nekomatic

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5 hours ago, tauzero said:

 

No, it shows it's centre negative. 12V 3.0A. Attaching a centre positive PSU will let out the magic smoke.

 

powersupply.thumb.jpg.b7563229096b2febcdebd56aff4056d1.jpg


I was referring to the Switch Electronics one that uk_lefty linked to, which is what I thought they were asking about. 

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Chienmortbb Grand Master

Chienmortbb

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There is a convention in electronics that the positive rail, the 12V, in this case. Is on the centre pin. This is because it is possible for the outer connection to be shorted to earth via another piece of equipment's metal parts. If the 0V or ground (GND) is connected to the outer, it causes less chance of a short circuit (bang followed by magic smoke).

 

Our good friends at Boss. Decided that in order to sell more pedals, batteries were not the answer, so they used a 9V DC power supply but saw that as a sales opportunity. So how could they make more money selling power supplies too, keep us safe from cheap power supplies? The answer initially was to make a proprietary (now de facto) standard for their pedals. So we are stuck with negative centre DC plugs. The other 98% of equipment uses centre positive.

 

  1. Buy one like the Switch Electronics one and solder a new plug,
  2. Ask Thomann about a new one or buy one with multiple tips.
  3. Get one with multiple tips.

The first option is great if you can solder. The second is easiest but maybe more expensive. The third is easy and cheap, but there is the danger that the tip could come off during a gig.

 

If you do go the third route, use some heat shrink to make the mechanical attachment more mechanically secure.

 

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uk_lefty Grand Master

uk_lefty

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On 10/11/2023 at 01:56, tauzero said:

There's a few sellers on Ebay who sell a vast array of power supplies. Try contacting https://www.ebay.co.uk/str/effectspedalpowersupplies and see if he can do you a 12V 3A 5.5/2.1 centre negative power supply.

Contacted these guys and just got a "sorry, No". Seems to be the most rare plug in the world. 

 

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tauzero Grand Master

tauzero

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2 hours ago, uk_lefty said:

Won't that f things up completely? Might see if I can get an extension lead that takes European inputs and has a UK wall plug, could be a good half way option..

 

No, it takes a centre positive plug and turns it into a centre negative plug, which is what you want.

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