Posted 7 October 2023

Can I use these power adapters interchangeably?

As per title. I have an IP camera installed with a 12V output power adapter. The IP camera has died and I am now replacing it with a new one which comes with a 9V output power adapter. Can I use the 12V on the new camera so that I do not have to reroute the cable or would this cause any issues?

Sadly, I know nothing about Volts and Watts, so I am asking the good people of HUKD.

Many thanks.

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  1. joyf4536's avatar
    IT DEPENDS on the product.

    itead.cc/pro…sv/

    This for example has a wide range of accepted voltages. 5-24v DC (edited)
  2. AndyRoyd's avatar
    I have a C200 (9V supply) that I want to mount in my motor home and power off the 12 V coach batteries.
    I did not see any firm answers here if I can power the C200 from the batteries.
    So I just did it.
    It has been working fine.
    Does not get hot or affect the performance of the camera at all.
    community.tp-link.com/en/…986
  3. mutley1's avatar
    You can't. You need the exact volt that your machine takes.
    Resali's avatar
    Author
    Okay, thanks!
  4. melted's avatar
    In general, the output voltage of a replacement power supply needs to be the same, but the output wattage / current can be higher.

    Some devices have additional on board voltage regulation and will work on a range of voltage, which will be indicated on their label, and instructions. And some LEDs require a special constant current supply.
    Resali's avatar
    Author
    Thanks for this. I’ve checked the label on the camera which matches the details on the adapter, so I better use the adapter that came with it.
  5. mutley1's avatar
    below is a link to 12V and 9V. it is to do with guitar pedals, but the same logic applies to other devices.

    i made the error of sticking a higher volt adapter plug into a device that took a lower volt input and the device was kaput as soon as i did that.

    guitargearfinder.com/faq…ls/

    "Most guitar pedals require 9V either from a battery or external power supply. If you have a 12V adapter, you might wonder whether you can use it to power your 9V guitar pedals.

    In most cases, you cannot use a 12V adapter to power a 9V guitar pedal. Using a 12V adapter on a pedal designed to only handle 9V can completely destroy it. There are some guitar pedals built to handle voltages higher than 9V. Those pedals will work perfectly fine with a 12V adapter. Check the pedal’s manual before you try plugging a 12V adapter into any pedal." (edited)
  6. melted's avatar
    One solution would be to cut the lead off of the old power supply and attach an inline DC socket to accept the plug from the new, however you would need a multimeter to check you've got the polarity right before connecting the camera, since the wires probably aren't colour coded. I would separate and strip the wires before cutting to identify the positive wire, and also check at the plug end before plugging it in to the camera.

    It is vitally important to get the polarity right, you require centre (pin) positive. Reversing the polarity is likely to kill the camera.


    If you can't solder, you can buy screw on plugs if they are the standard 5.5mm x 2.1 or 2.5mm pin size eg ebay.co.uk/itm…~WH (these ones are 2.1mm pin size) (edited)
    Resali's avatar
    Author
    Thanks for your reply but that is probably slightly too advanced stuff for me
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