Power Adapter Combination

[Rexkh]

Dear Member

 

I have a question related to Power Adapter combination. Example: I have two Power Adapters of 5V and 2A. I connect positive wires and negative wires of both adapters. How many voltage and amperage as the result? 10V 4A?

[Przemyslaw.Gruchala]

Ohms law is

U=I*R

I=U/R

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Series_and_parallel_circuits

 

In your case it's serial.

[Rexkh]

Can you tell me the answer? How many Voltage and Amperage? Will it damage the adapter with the way I connection?

[pwagen]

I'm a little unsure how you mean to connect them, but it sounds like you mean to connect them in a parrallel circuit, like what was linked above.

 

If my memory serves me, that would not double the voltage (would require a serial circuit), but it would double the maximum current.

[Przemyslaw.Gruchala]

Please first tell us how you connected them:

 

Edited April 5, 2013 by Przemyslaw.Gruchala

[Enthalpy]

These miniature power adapters use to be switched mode power supplies, with an active regulation.

 

If you put them in parallel, only the one imposing the slightly higher voltage will supply current. In the best case, the other is useless; in the worst case, you may burn one or both, though this is not very likely.

 

In series, you probably get twice the voltage and once the current - but if the output doesn't float, you just get a short-circuit. You can test this by checking the insulation resistance between the output and the mains without plugging in, but this test is far from perfect.

 

Note 1: we're speaking about active regulated circuits, that's not the same as abstract circuitry or resistors. But expect worries (zap and boom) with accumulators as well in a parallel connection.

 

Note 2: such an adapter is so cheap, for instance on eBay! Buy the proper one, don't take risks nor waste time.