 You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
Simple question for electronics experts. My power supply to my PC monitor keeps cutting out. It is rated at 12V and 3.3A. I have found an adapter in my "man drawer" which outputs at 12 v and 2.0A. I have plugged it in and the monitor works fine. Am I liable to do any damage to the monitor? Is the adapter likely to get hot and explode? Or will it be just fine. Anything is better than the picture cutting out every 30 seconds!
For reference, the light on the power supply would go out and the monitor picture would disappear. If you then unplugged the adapter for 10 seconds and then turned it back on, the light would return and the monitor would work again. Sometimes it would be fine for days, and other times it would switch off every minute or so.
Have a look on the back of the monitor itself, there will be a specification for the power supply on there somewhere.
If the monitor requires more current than the other power supply is rated for, it'll probably kill the power supply over time I'd imagine.
The plate on the monitor suggest input of 12V 3.3 amps, which is what the original power adapter puts out. So if it is only the new weaker power supply at risk, rather than the monitor, I will risk it for a few days until I can get a new one in spec sent to me.
Don't leave it unnattended, then. Overloading the power supply equals over heating so a possible fire risk but should have a thermal cutout. But better safe than sorry.
PSU sets on fire, burns house down?
The rating (current draw) will surely be the maximum possible power requirement of the monitor. So max brightness, maximum volume (inbuilt speakers?) etc. etc.
So IMO (Mechanical engineer, failed at electrical engineering LOL) check the power supply isn't getting too hot, turn the brightness down and crack on for a few days. You're unlikely to damage the monitor.
If your replacement supply is unregulated and the original was regulated then some things maybe running quite a long way out of tolerance. Test it off load and see what you get.
One would expect graceful shutdown, voltage drop and/or fuses to go before bad things happen. You'd have to be almost trying to find wires that would overheat at 3A and not at 2A on the off chance that it is capable of delivering the power.
Am I liable to do any damage to the monitor?
No
Is the adapter likely to get hot and explode?
Maybe, but not likely. It'll probably just cut out before catching fire - might smell a bit. There's probably a thermal cut-out device in there for this purpose. But DO NOT take this as me telling you it's ok - you should still not do it. And I'm not a qualified electrical engineer either.
Oh and you could try reducing the screen brightness, that'll reduce the power draw. But still don't do it.