Running a 600mA pedal at 500mA

[lidl e]

terrible idea? 

 

my power supply only goes up to 500mA. Can i use it to run a 600mA pedal?

 

 

[ahpook]

Yo Big E. !

 

At 500mA, I guess it's something digital ?

 

Give it the juice it craves - digital stuff can act strangely if underpowered.

 

Also, it's not going to make your power supply happy.

Edited November 20, 2023 by ahpook

[jrixn1]

What power supply?  If it has multiple outputs, use a "current doubler" cable to combine two outputs (which don't have to be the same current as each other); e.g. use the cable with a 500mA output and a 100mA output to create 600mA.

[lidl e]

23 minutes ago, ahpook said:

Yo Big E. !

 

At 500mA, I guess it's something digital ?

 

Give it the juice it craves - digital stuff can act strangely if underpowered.

 

Also, it's not going to make your power supply happy.

my man! yeah, it is digital. 

 

How's tricks?

 

I want to put this plethora on my new "to go" board, but it looks like i'm going to need 2 power supplies.

[basstone]

9 minutes ago, jrixn1 said:

What power supply?  If it has multiple outputs, use a "current doubler" cable to combine two outputs (which don't have to be the same current as each other); e.g. use the cable with a 500mA output and a 100mA output to create 600mA.

It's unlikely that this will work unless the power supply specifically has multiple individually rated outputs. Often pedals don't actually run at the rated current so may be worth a try if you must, checking for the power supply overheating or strange behavior. Power supplies are not expensive though so maybe to be safe just get one with a higher output?

[lidl e]

18 minutes ago, jrixn1 said:

What power supply?  If it has multiple outputs, use a "current doubler" cable to combine two outputs (which don't have to be the same current as each other); e.g. use the cable with a 500mA output and a 100mA output to create 600mA.

does that work? i thought it would double to power but not the mA.

 

I don't know anything about this stuff! I do have plenty of ports on the PS. So if i use two 9V, both at 300mA, that will give me 600mA?

[lidl e]

1 minute ago, basstone said:

It's unlikely that this will work unless the power supply specifically has multiple individually rated outputs. Often pedals don't actually run at the rated current so may be worth a try if you must, checking for the power supply overheating or strange behavior. Power supplies are not expensive though so maybe to be safe just get one with a higher output?

i got one of those power ship HB pedal boards with the power supply built in

[basstone]

1 minute ago, lidl e said:

does that work? i thought it would double to power but not the mA.

 

I don't know anything about this stuff! I do have plenty of ports on the PS. So if i use two 9V, both at 300mA, that will give me 600mA?

It all depends on the design of the power supply. If you have a commercial multiple output power supply it might be worth contacting the manufacturer for their advice.

[lidl e]

just found this. 

 

Two outputs can be combined to deliver more current (mA) to a pedal. With more and more digital effects on the market there is a growing need for such combinations. In this case the voltage remains unchanged, but the output of two power supply outputs is combined to double the available current. These adapter cables are called current doublers. For example, by combining two nine volts outputs that deliver 100 mA each the current doubler will output nine volts and 200 mA.

 

that should do the trick. I do have 2 open 300mA outputs.

[ahpook]

Just now, lidl e said:

just found this. 

 

Two outputs can be combined to deliver more current (mA) to a pedal. With more and more digital effects on the market there is a growing need for such combinations. In this case the voltage remains unchanged, but the output of two power supply outputs is combined to double the available current. These adapter cables are called current doublers. For example, by combining two nine volts outputs that deliver 100 mA each the current doubler will output nine volts and 200 mA.

 

that should do the trick. I do have 2 open 300mA outputs.

 

Sounds promising.

[basstone]

1 minute ago, lidl e said:

just found this. 

 

Two outputs can be combined to deliver more current (mA) to a pedal. With more and more digital effects on the market there is a growing need for such combinations. In this case the voltage remains unchanged, but the output of two power supply outputs is combined to double the available current. These adapter cables are called current doublers. For example, by combining two nine volts outputs that deliver 100 mA each the current doubler will output nine volts and 200 mA.

 

that should do the trick. I do have 2 open 300mA outputs.

OK if that is from the manual of your power supply then you're good to go!

[ahpook]

10 minutes ago, lidl e said:

my man! yeah, it is digital. 

 

How's tricks?

 

All good thanks, hope you are too 👍

[lidl e]

so my power supply board comes with:

 

1x Voltage doubling cable

1x Power doubling cable

 

I assume it is the power doubling cable i need? I wonder how i can tell the difference.

[warwickhunt]

All power supplies are not created equal.  

 

My X5 Plethora happily runs off my 400Ma rated Arion pedalboard (has been for nearly a year and plenty of gigs) and my Fishman Plat Pro is running off the same power at the same time.  

 

However, my X5 hooked up to a 500Ma 'newer' supply doesn't like it even when hooked up by itself and switches itself off and on... well it did it a couple of times before I thought 'S0d that'.  

[lidl e]

i just realised my board has a 9V 3000mA port! That will definitely do the trick. I initially read it as 300.

 

I guess it is for adding a helix or similar

 

[paul_5]

Oof! 3 Amps is more than enough!!

[lidl e]

9 minutes ago, paul_5 said:

Oof! 3 Amps is more than enough!!

This spaceship power board continues to impress!

[Al Krow]

38 minutes ago, lidl e said:

does that work? i thought it would double to power but not the mA.

 

I don't know anything about this stuff! I do have plenty of ports on the PS. So if i use two 9V, both at 300mA, that will give me 600mA?

Should be fine, as @jrixn1 suggested. But make sure you're using a current doubler not a voltage doubler otherwise you will fry your pedal. 

[lidl e]

Just now, Al Krow said:

Should be fine, as @jrixn1 suggested. But make sure you're using a current doubler not a voltage doubler otherwise you will fry your pedal. 

This board comes with both. Will ha e to figure out which is which, although looks like i wont need!

[Al Krow]

Just now, lidl e said:

This board comes with both. Will ha e to figure out which is which, although looks like i wont need!

Yeah just seen your PSU comes with enough juice to power the Grateful Dead... 😁

[Downunderwonder]

On 21/11/2023 at 01:18, lidl e said:

so my power supply board comes with:

 

1x Voltage doubling cable

1x Power doubling cable

 

I assume it is the power doubling cable i need? I wonder how i can tell the difference.

You have it covered for the meantime but for future reference it's pretty easy to figure out what each cable is doing if you have a multimeter.

 

The rough way would be plug in and see what the voltage is coming out the output. A power doubler will have the same as the input. A voltage doubler will have.... yup.

 

More brain involvement way would be to check the continuities of the plugs at each end. Power doubler has everything in parallel at the input, centers and barrels.

 

Voltage doubler puts the one up the other in series. The centre of one input side will be continuous with the barrel of the other side. The other two will be continuous with their respective output ends.