A Question about battery chargers

I have just purchased a Quantum Battery 1+ pack for my flash unit, it's coming over from the US and will come with a 110v charger. (Cheers Rob )

The Official UK Quantum Charger is the best part of £50, but would I be right in assuming that this is just a wall wart PSU, or is there something different about it? From what I can tell it's a 9v 500ma PSU. I am wanting to save myself a few £££££, so I figured I could just get my hands on a standard 9v 500ma PSU, problem solved?

My other option would be to used a 240v-110v transformer, which I already have knocking around here. Would this pose any problems to the cell I am charging?

Cheers

Cris.

Looks pretty standard:

I'll bet the charger that arrives from the US is a 110/240 one but with a US plug.

Hmm, that brick looks very much like a transformer-based one as opposed to a switch-mode PSU. Still, 9v/500mA is not a hard brick to find, either in SM form or transformer form...

Hugo

Yes, I think it is a transformer not a switch mode, all the specs I have on it say 110v only

So there is nothing "special" about this charger, ie timers etc... Any standard PSU that outputs the correct voltage and current would do the same job?

Cheers

Cris.

Doubt it. Making a custom PSU is a major pain. You've got to design, make and then certify it. Much easier to just buy a standard model from a supplier and just integrate whatever electronics you need for the charger circuit in the unit itself.

You ought to be a little careful (especially as the pack you are charging isn't cheap) - some devices rely on the inherent current limit from the brick to limit the battery charge current and you don't know the variance on the specs that they are using are going to be matched by the brick you find.

Safest way is going to be an auto-transformer to get down to 110v. This one looks perfect and quite overspecced too (given you only need something like 5VA) - under a tenner:
http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?TabI...O&U=Strat15

Hugo

Thanks Hugo, I think I will go with the Maplin option you suggest. I already have something similar kicking around here somewhere

Cheers

Cris.

If you can't find yours I've got that exact unit Hugo linked to which you can have. I don't use it any more.