Is it safe to use a different power adapter for the router

power supplyrouter

Can I use this adapter for my router:

Input:  150-300v - 50hz 500mA
Output: 12.0v -- 1.2A

Adapter instead of this broken one:

Input:  100-240v - 50/60Hz 0.3A
Output: 9v -- 0.6A

Best Answer

You cannot use that adapter because it is outputting more voltage than the original (12v vs. 9v). This has a likely chance of burning out one or more of the components within the router. In order to swap out chargers, 3 things must be the same:

  • The output voltages must be identical
  • The output amperage of the new one must be equal or greater than the original
  • The new adapter must have the same tip polarity

There is some wiggle room in the amperage, but the voltage and tip polarity must match. Tip polarity can usually be seen as a symbol like this:

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In this picture, it indicates that the tip is negative. Mixing tip polarities is just as likely to fry your router as using too high a voltage.

If replacing the power supply direct from the manufacturer is too expensive, try an electronics shop like RadioShack. They typically sell universal plugs that can be used for any device. Sometimes they even have selectable voltage and tip polarity.

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