Super short question about USB drive enclosures

  • Thread starter Thread starter Hg
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H

Hg

I'm wondering about the AC power converters supplied with USB enclosures as
I want to use an enclosure internationaly. Do most enclosures come with a
converter that can be used with different voltages/freqs?

Thanx
 
I'm wondering about the AC power converters supplied with USB
enclosures as I want to use an enclosure internationaly. Do most
enclosures come with a converter that can be used with different
voltages/freqs?
Click to expand...

Most work fine with the full range of voltage and freq seen internationallly.

All you need to do is fix the physical pin differences.
 
|
| I'm wondering about the AC power converters supplied with USB enclosures
as
| I want to use an enclosure internationaly. Do most enclosures come with a
| converter that can be used with different voltages/freqs?
|
| Thanx
Most converters today - at least in the US - are of the "switching" type
which among other things permits them to operate pretty much anywhere from
100V to 240V and 50-60 hz. However, you will need an adapter kit to allow
you to connect the supply to a wall outlet as the prong configuration varies
with country. See:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AC_power_plugs_and_sockets
 
Most converters today - at least in the US - are of the "switching" type
which among other things permits them to operate pretty much anywhere from
100V to 240V and 50-60 hz. However, you will need an adapter kit to allow
you to connect the supply to a wall outlet ...
Click to expand...

The PSU for my generic enclosure has a detachable AC cord.

I suspect that a lot of gear nowadays is designed to conform with EU
guidelines, which means that it must have APFC circuitry. The same
circuitry that provides the boost voltage for APFC (from 350 to
385VDC) appears to be used to boost the rectified 120VAC mains to the
same level.

Here is an example out of an LG TV chassis:
http://www.users.on.net/~fzabkar/MB-042C/

- Franc Zabkar
 
Hg said:
I'm wondering about the AC power converters supplied with USB enclosures as
I want to use an enclosure internationaly. Do most enclosures come with a
converter that can be used with different voltages/freqs?
Click to expand...

I'd say basically, yes. You'll only need to supply them with a plug
converter, but the voltage would automatically be converted.

Yousuf Khan
 
Hg said:
I'm wondering about the AC power converters supplied with USB enclosures as
I want to use an enclosure internationaly. Do most enclosures come with a
converter that can be used with different voltages/freqs?
Click to expand...

I haven't seen one yet that could not be used with anywhere from
100-240VAC, and it seems that all lightweight external converters,
whether for USB enclosures or other devices, are like that now
(lightweight because they use switching power supplies, not linear
power supplies like the old, heavy converters). Even USB enclosures
with internal converters will work at 100-240VAC, even this piece of
junk found in a Neo brand enclosure:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3205/3146827054_6bfb82799b_b.jpg

One person said his hard disk failed, soon after it was installed in
that model enclosure, but I don't know if it's because of that junk
power converter or because the drive's circuit board fit almost flush
with the bottom of the enclosure and let it overheat (a chip there had
burned out).

It was normally insulated from the controller circuit board (moved to
the left in the photo) by just a sheet of flexible plastic. It was
definitely not approved by any safety organization, like CSA or UL.
Always insist on such approval. Here's an enclosure with a UL-
approved internal power supply (chrome-plated box):

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3134/3146880058_fa00cd3486_o.jpg

It's probably safer to stick with enclosures that have external AC
power converters because almost all of them are CSA or UL approved,
and by leaving the converter outside, the interior of the enclosure
will stay cooler.
 
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