Comment on 🔌 testing an a/c adapter before use-- 12v PSU measures at 18+v, increasing. Is that a problem?
diyrebel@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 days agoIt’s a lightweight switching power supply.
But I also wonder why you say it sounds like the linear transformer variety. My understanding is the linear transformers give a more clean and stable output. I think transformers are more robust and longer lasting. OTOH, it’s not good that they warm up and waste energy (“vampire bricks”), hog space… and not good that they are hard-wired to only handle 110v or 220v, not either/or.
Overall I prefer the small light switching PSUs, despite the fact they are often badly built and have short lifetimes.
cmnybo@discuss.tchncs.de 2 days ago
A switching power supply should be regulated. The one you have is defective. Some do have a minimum load, but I’ve never seen that on an adapter that can be unplugged from the load.
A linear power supply has a linear regulator and will supply its rated voltage with very little ripple. The unregulated power supplies are just a transformer, rectifier & capacitor. They only provide their rated voltage when they are supplying their full rated current and there will be a lot of ripple.