Travel Technology - Kensington 70W AC/DC charger - What's the deal with the adaptor tips?

Hi,

I just purchased a Kensington AC/DC charger. The laptop connection works fine, and I've also just ordered the iPod tip. So all good.

Now I'd also like to charge some 'unusual' devices such as a travel/car AA battery charger and another travel charger for my Canon "BP-511" SLR batteries (bought from Sterlingtek). Both these batteery chargers want 12V for input.

Can anyone explain to me the "voltage logics" behind the various tips Kensington has on offer? What are the colour codes on the tips for (green/yellow/blue)? Do they stand for different voltages?

The "N2" tip fits perfectly into my AA battery charger, but it seems to be too strong for it (the AA charger swtiches off after 1 minute).

Cheers
CelticPixie

Hi,

I just purchased a Kensington AC/DC charger. The laptop connection works fine, and I've also just ordered the iPod tip. So all good.

Now I'd also like to charge some 'unusual' devices such as a travel/car AA battery charger and another travel charger for my Canon "BP-511" SLR batteries (bought from Sterlingtek). Both these batteery chargers want 12V for input.

Can anyone explain to me the "voltage logics" behind the various tips Kensington has on offer? What are the colour codes on the tips for (green/yellow/blue)? Do they stand for different voltages?

The "N2" tip fits perfectly into my AA battery charger, but it seems to be too strong for it (the AA charger swtiches off after 1 minute).

Cheers
CelticPixie

The color codes are for device types; green for cell phones, yellow for audio, etc.

As for using tips not specifically made for a particular device it is really hit or miss.

The color codes are for device types; green for cell phones, yellow for audio, etc.

The difference colours are for high (c. 20V), medium (c. 12 V) and low voltage (c 5V) items.

With the 'Y' splitter you can run one high voltage device (notebook) and one other lower voltage device off the one power supply.

The difference colours are for high (c. 20V), medium (c. 12 V) and low voltage (c 5V) items.

With the 'Y' splitter you can run one high voltage device (notebook) and one other lower voltage device off the one power supply.

I guess that means I was almost right despite being wrong. ;)

Makes sense though...

Glad I found this forum :))

I take it green = 24V, yellow = 12V, blue = 5V ?

Does anyone know a link with some photographs of all (or at least some/most) available tips? I contacted customer service but had no response about this.
What I need is: the size/diameter of N2 (but in 12V instead of 20V), and another one the size of old-school Nokia (but in 12V instead of 5V).

If I remember it right from my old school-days, the amps don't matter that much (the device I want to charge will dictate the amps so long as the voltage is right, right?)


CelticPixie

Isn't there anything resembling a "Tip Finder" on Kensington's site?

No? This is Customer Service?:p

If I remember it right from my old school-days, the amps don't matter that much (the device I want to charge will dictate the amps so long as the voltage is right, right?)
A device will draw however much current it needs. If this is more than the capacity of the charger, the device will first pull down the voltage of the charger, then one or the other of them will burn out (typically the charger unless it includes protection circuitry).

Unfortunately not – and their email customer service isn't very helpful either. They don't seem to read their emails properly. I did say that my laptop charges fine and that my question is about some 12V devices I would like to charge. Still, their answer repeatedly referred to "your laptop"... tsss.

Meanwhile I phoned them up and tried to get some information on how I can convert certain power-tips to a different voltage. The tips look very basic inside (+ and - poles only).
Person on the phone couldn't help me, but he told me to email him directly... so I shall wait & see.