Aural Exciter Type B - anyone know how many watts it uses?

[Shy]

I need to get a transformer for european power, but I just need to know the watt usage of this device first (don't want to get a too strong one for no reason). Can't find the specs anywhere. If you have the info, please tell me.

[C00kie]

Power comsumption should be stated at one of the last pages of the product manual. For 19" one-unit high rack devices that don't get very hot it's often in the range of a measily 10 to 20 Watts. Any serious power transformer can handle 100 Watts, so it's hard to get it wrong.

[Shy]

Yeah, the problem is I don't have the manual and it's not available online anywhere. Yes, I found a nice compact 65 watts transformer so I figured I'll get it and that's it. I didn't want a "serious" transoformer, just a "light" one .
Companies should write watt usage on the device. It's frustrating that most only write volt and amper usage, and if you don't have the manual, you're lucky if you find that info anywhere.

[C00kie]

Companies should write watt usage on the device. It's frustrating that most only write volt and amper usage, and if you don't have the manual, you're lucky if you find that info anywhere.

Well, once you know voltage and amperage you can calculate the Watts since W = V * A.

For example a device that works on 110 volts with a 100mA (0.1 A) fuse will consume 110 * 0.1 = something in the order of 10 Watts.

NB: fuses have an amperage somewhat higher than what it actually consumes. So taking the figures of the fuse should be safe.

[Shy]

Are you sure that always works? Because on a Nord Rack 2X for example, they write 115V, 300mA fuse, and 25W. So 115 * 0.3 = 34.5 is very far from accurate.

[z15]

Are you sure that always works? Because on a Nord Rack 2X for example, they write 115V, 300mA fuse, and 25W. So 115 * 0.3 = 34.5 is very far from accurate.

Basically the fuse ampere rating means that when the amount of current it's rated for is exceeded, the fuse opens / blows up and hopefully saves the unit itself from breaking up. So no, that isn't exactly the minimum amount of power you get by calculating it like that.

However, I think what C00kie means is that the rating of the fuse is basically never that much higher than the amount of current the unit needs. It's pretty obvious that if the amount of power the unit safely works with is exceeded the fuse should blow up pretty quickly and not when the unit has already broken up. So getting an adapter that gives the amount of power based on the fuse rating is always enough, and usually not too much more than what the unit actually needs.

[kenn]

Stupid question - Have you opened the unit in question, or consulted its manual? Many, many units are built with 120/240 multitap transformers, and there's often a switch or an internal jumper for changing from 120 to 240v operation.

Are you sure that always works? Because on a Nord Rack 2X for example, they write 115V, 300mA fuse, and 25W. So 115 * 0.3 = 34.5 is very far from accurate.

The suggested method is more than close enough (and very safe). For starters, the printed power consumption of the effect unit is just an approximation, an average, they didn't measure every unit that came off the line.

Likewise with the power adaptors. If an adaptor is rated for 25w, it doesn't necessarily mean it will blow to smithereens if you draw 23, 25.1, 26 or even 30 W from it.

(For bonus marks, look up Power Factor, and how something can have a lower power consumption than V x A)

Finally... Murphy's Law: if you find you need x, buy 2x, you just never know. So if you have a need for an adaptor for a 25W device, buy a 50W adaptor - you will have extra power capacity for that last minute extra device.

[Shy]

Alright then. Good info .
kenn: yep, it has no switch. Also, I mentioned, couldn't find a manual anywhere. It's quite an old device (got it second or third hand)