Need to ID and replace a battery charger
February 18, 2015 9:09 AM Subscribe
What type of charger is this and where can I buy a replacement?
It's for a Ni-MH battery (DC1.2V / 2000mAH) that comes with this now-discontinued Brio toy train.
Is that a US wall plug? Does the charger have anything printed on it?
posted by subtlemel at 9:33 AM on February 18, 2015
posted by subtlemel at 9:33 AM on February 18, 2015
Response by poster: Yes, a US wall plug. This is a photo of the charger that I found online (we're missing ours, hence the search), so I can't see if it has a model number, etc.
posted by ryanshepard at 9:47 AM on February 18, 2015
posted by ryanshepard at 9:47 AM on February 18, 2015
Best answer: The charger should have a rating printed on it, for voltage and current output. Any supply that equals the voltage output, and equals or exceeds the current output, and has the same DC connector, including polarity will fit.
The DC connector end is known as a barrel or cylinder connector - you can measure its external diameter to work out what size it is, and find a specific AC/DC adapter that will provide the voltage and size connector you need. It will also need the right polarity connector.
Alternatively, a universal AC/DC power adapter - like this one - will likely have the right size barrel connector as one of the options, and you can change the supplied voltage and polarity - just make sure the current draw of the power adapter you're replacing is not greater than the universal power adapter can supply.
On preview; well nuts. Replacing it will be a bit tricker if you don't know what voltage the original was supplying! It's probably quite low - you could still try a universal adapter and start low and cycle the voltage up one step at a time until it starts charging - there's usually a fair bit of leeway you can get away with, and it should be setup to be safe and not charge if you supply the wrong polarity
posted by ArkhanJG at 9:53 AM on February 18, 2015
The DC connector end is known as a barrel or cylinder connector - you can measure its external diameter to work out what size it is, and find a specific AC/DC adapter that will provide the voltage and size connector you need. It will also need the right polarity connector.
Alternatively, a universal AC/DC power adapter - like this one - will likely have the right size barrel connector as one of the options, and you can change the supplied voltage and polarity - just make sure the current draw of the power adapter you're replacing is not greater than the universal power adapter can supply.
On preview; well nuts. Replacing it will be a bit tricker if you don't know what voltage the original was supplying! It's probably quite low - you could still try a universal adapter and start low and cycle the voltage up one step at a time until it starts charging - there's usually a fair bit of leeway you can get away with, and it should be setup to be safe and not charge if you supply the wrong polarity
posted by ArkhanJG at 9:53 AM on February 18, 2015
Best answer: As ArkhanJG says, a universal adapter should work.
According to this article, you need 1.5V at 200mA.
posted by bgrebs at 9:57 AM on February 18, 2015
According to this article, you need 1.5V at 200mA.
posted by bgrebs at 9:57 AM on February 18, 2015
If you hurry, your local Radio Shack might have a universal adapter at a discount price if they're being closed. RS was my goto place for this kind of stuff since they'd let you bring things in to be sure it would fit.
posted by tommasz at 12:51 PM on February 18, 2015
posted by tommasz at 12:51 PM on February 18, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by ryanshepard at 9:15 AM on February 18, 2015