I just got a fancy, used, WiFi extender (uses a 12 V, 3.5 A adapter) that the
ignorant seller apparently tried to power with a 12 V, 2 A adapter (that's
what's included).

Is there possible damage to the device caused by using that underpowered
adapter?

Thanks.

On Monday, June 14, 2021 at 4:32:14 PM UTC-4, John Doe wrote:
> I just got a fancy, used, WiFi extender (uses a 12 V, 3.5 A adapter) that the
> ignorant seller apparently tried to power with a 12 V, 2 A adapter (that's
> what's included).
>
> Is there possible damage to the device caused by using that underpowered
> adapter?

Probably reduces power output.

>
> Thanks.

On Monday, June 14, 2021 at 1:32:14 PM UTC-7, John Doe wrote:
> I just got a fancy, used, WiFi extender (uses a 12 V, 3.5 A adapter) that the
> ignorant seller apparently tried to power with a 12 V, 2 A adapter (that's
> what's included).
>
> Is there possible damage to the device caused by using that underpowered
> adapter?

Unlikely, but possible. A 'WiFi extender' would have lower-voltage logic functions,
and a voltage down-converter might (if it lacked current limit) hurt itself by
making PWM near 100% duty cycle.

What kind of WiFi gizmo needs more than 24 watts?

In article <sa8ec8$ep0$2@dont-email.me>, always.look@message.header
says...
>
> I just got a fancy, used, WiFi extender (uses a 12 V, 3.5 A adapter) that the
> ignorant seller apparently tried to power with a 12 V, 2 A adapter (that's
> what's included).
>
> Is there possible damage to the device caused by using that underpowered
> adapter?
>
> Thanks.
>
>

While anything is possiable, I doubt the device was damage. Seems that
the adapter would go bad first or there would notbe enough power for the
extender. It may not even take the 3.5 amps for the extender and it may
use less than 2 amps.

On Mon, 14 Jun 2021 20:32:09 -0000 (UTC), John Doe
<always.look@message.header> wrote:

>I just got a fancy, used, WiFi extender (uses a 12 V, 3.5 A adapter) that the
>ignorant seller apparently tried to power with a 12 V, 2 A adapter (that's
>what's included).
>
>Is there possible damage to the device caused by using that underpowered
>adapter?
>
>Thanks.

Measure the voltage and the current.

Lots of adapters will output more than their spec, and the box may not
use 3.5 amps.

Damage is unlikely.

--

My search for extending a weak modem/router signal appears to be over.

Netgear EX8000... ZOOM!!!

Not their newest, but beating the pants off of all my other old extenders
(lots). All of a sudden, I'm getting the max that is supplied to the main
house. Jumped from the mid-30s (with regular disconnects, that was the
problem) to 210. BOOM. Time will tell whether the disconnects are gone.

YMMV.

John Larkin wrote:

> John Doe wrote:
>
>> I just got a fancy, used, WiFi extender (uses a 12 V, 3.5 A adapter)
>> that the [wonderful] seller apparently tried to power with a 12 V, 2 A
>> adapter (that's what's included).
>>
>> Is there possible damage to the device caused by using that
>> underpowered adapter?

> Measure the voltage and the current.
>
> Lots of adapters will output more than their spec, and the box may not
> use 3.5 amps.
>
> Damage is unlikely.

Using a "KIL-A-WATT" makes measurement easy. Conversion not so easy...

--

Thanks to the replies.

On 15.6.2021 00:02 AM, whit3rd wrote:
> On Monday, June 14, 2021 at 1:32:14 PM UTC-7, John Doe wrote:
>> I just got a fancy, used, WiFi extender (uses a 12 V, 3.5 A adapter) that the
>> ignorant seller apparently tried to power with a 12 V, 2 A adapter (that's
>> what's included).
>>
>> Is there possible damage to the device caused by using that underpowered
>> adapter?
>
> Unlikely, but possible. A 'WiFi extender' would have lower-voltage logic functions,
> and a voltage down-converter might (if it lacked current limit) hurt itself by
> making PWM near 100% duty cycle.
>
> What kind of WiFi gizmo needs more than 24 watts?

Probably illegal - exceeding the 100 mW EiRP limit
by some tens of dB.

--

..TV

On 2021-06-15, John Doe <always.look@message.header> wrote:
> John Larkin wrote:
>
>> John Doe wrote:
>>
>>> I just got a fancy, used, WiFi extender (uses a 12 V, 3.5 A adapter)
>>> that the [wonderful] seller apparently tried to power with a 12 V, 2 A
>>> adapter (that's what's included).
>>>
>>> Is there possible damage to the device caused by using that
>>> underpowered adapter?
>
>> Measure the voltage and the current.
>>
>> Lots of adapters will output more than their spec, and the box may not
>> use 3.5 amps.
>>
>> Damage is unlikely.
>
> Using a "KIL-A-WATT" makes measurement easy. Conversion not so easy...

It maskes a useless measurement easy. you need to measure the DC current and
voltage into the appliance, not the AC draw of the adaptor.

--
Jasen.

Jasen Betts <usenet@revmaps.no-ip.org> wrote:

> John Doe wrote:
>> John Larkin wrote:
>>> John Doe wrote:

>>>> I just got a fancy, used, WiFi extender (uses a 12 V, 3.5 A adapter)
>>>> that the [wonderful] seller apparently tried to power with a 12 V, 2
>>>> A adapter (that's what's included).
>>>>
>>>> Is there possible damage to the device caused by using that
>>>> underpowered adapter?
>>
>>> Measure the voltage and the current.
>>>
>>> Lots of adapters will output more than their spec, and the box may not
>>> use 3.5 amps.
>>>
>>> Damage is unlikely.
>>
>> Using a "KILL-A-WATT" makes measurement easy. Conversion not so easy...
>
> It maskes a useless measurement easy. you need to measure the DC
> current and voltage into the appliance, not the AC draw of the adaptor.

Nope! Not necessarily. Even with the overhead of the adapter, if the
measured power is significantly less than the max adapter output, then
it's fine.

Tauno Voipio <tauno.voipio@notused.fi.invalid> wrote:

> whit3rd wrote:
>> John Doe wrote:

>>> I just got a fancy, used, WiFi extender (uses a 12 V, 3.5 A adapter)
>>> that the wonderful seller apparently tried to power with a 12 V, 2 A
>>> adapter (that's what's included).
>>>
>>> Is there possible damage to the device caused by using that
>>> underpowered adapter?
>>
>> Unlikely, but possible. A 'WiFi extender' would have lower-voltage
>> logic functions, and a voltage down-converter might (if it lacked
>> current limit) hurt itself by making PWM near 100% duty cycle.
>>
>> What kind of WiFi gizmo needs more than 24 watts?

> Probably illegal - exceeding the 100 mW EiRP limit by some tens of dB.

Maybe in your country, but here in America... The chance of Netgear
selling an illegal device is extremely small.

On Tue, 15 Jun 2021 06:34:21 -0000 (UTC), John Doe
<always.look@message.header> wrote:

>John Larkin wrote:
>
>> John Doe wrote:
>>
>>> I just got a fancy, used, WiFi extender (uses a 12 V, 3.5 A adapter)
>>> that the [wonderful] seller apparently tried to power with a 12 V, 2 A
>>> adapter (that's what's included).
>>>
>>> Is there possible damage to the device caused by using that
>>> underpowered adapter?
>
>> Measure the voltage and the current.
>>
>> Lots of adapters will output more than their spec, and the box may not
>> use 3.5 amps.
>>
>> Damage is unlikely.
>
>Using a "KIL-A-WATT" makes measurement easy. Conversion not so easy...

No, measure the DC voltages and currents.

Or just plug it in and go.

--

John Larkin Highland Technology, Inc

The best designs are necessarily accidental.

On 2021-06-15, John Doe <always.look@message.header> wrote:
> Jasen Betts <usenet@revmaps.no-ip.org> wrote:
>
>> John Doe wrote:
>>> John Larkin wrote:
>>>> John Doe wrote:
>
>>>>> I just got a fancy, used, WiFi extender (uses a 12 V, 3.5 A adapter)
>>>>> that the [wonderful] seller apparently tried to power with a 12 V, 2
>>>>> A adapter (that's what's included).
>>>>>
>>>>> Is there possible damage to the device caused by using that
>>>>> underpowered adapter?
>>>
>>>> Measure the voltage and the current.
>>>>
>>>> Lots of adapters will output more than their spec, and the box may not
>>>> use 3.5 amps.
>>>>
>>>> Damage is unlikely.
>>>
>>> Using a "KILL-A-WATT" makes measurement easy. Conversion not so easy...
>>
>> It maskes a useless measurement easy. you need to measure the DC
>> current and voltage into the appliance, not the AC draw of the adaptor.
>
> Nope! Not necessarily. Even with the overhead of the adapter, if the
> measured power is significantly less than the max adapter output, then
> it's fine.

Or perhaps the power supply is in foldback limiting due to overload - the
kill-a-watt is useless here.

--
Jasen.

Bullshit troll...

--
Jasen Betts <usenet@revmaps.no-ip.org> wrote:

> Path: eternal-september.org!reader02.eternal-september.org!feeder1.feed.usenet.farm!feed.usenet.farm!newsfeed.xs4all.nl!newsfeed8.news.xs4all.nl!news-out.netnews.com!news.alt.net!fdc3.netnews.com!peer02.ams1!peer.ams1.xlned.com!news.xlned.com!peer03.iad!feed-me.highwinds-media.com!news.highwinds-media.com!fx38.iad.POSTED!not-for-mail
> From: Jasen Betts <usenet@revmaps.no-ip.org>
> Newsgroups: sci.electronics.design
> Subject: Re: OT: Device damaged by underpowered adapter?
> Organization: JJ's own news server
> Message-ID: <sab4d0$tu7$1@gonzo.revmaps.no-ip.org>
> References: <sa8ec8$ep0$2@dont-email.me> <8tqfcg1at5nji15l7bcsngo6qpsdj10f69@4ax.com> <sa9hlc$rc5$1@dont-email.me> <sa9t4n$s1g$1@gonzo.revmaps.no-ip.org> <sa9uqu$dll$1@dont-email.me>
> Injection-Date: Tue, 15 Jun 2021 21:00:16 -0000 (UTC)
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> User-Agent: slrn/1.0.3 (Linux)
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> NNTP-Posting-Date: Tue, 15 Jun 2021 21:00:46 UTC
> Date: Tue, 15 Jun 2021 21:00:16 -0000 (UTC)
> X-Received-Bytes: 2455
> Xref: reader02.eternal-september.org sci.electronics.design:634819
>
> On 2021-06-15, John Doe <always.look@message.header> wrote:
>> Jasen Betts <usenet@revmaps.no-ip.org> wrote:
>>
>>> John Doe wrote:
>>>> John Larkin wrote:
>>>>> John Doe wrote:
>>
>>>>>> I just got a fancy, used, WiFi extender (uses a 12 V, 3.5 A adapter)
>>>>>> that the [wonderful] seller apparently tried to power with a 12 V, 2
>>>>>> A adapter (that's what's included).
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Is there possible damage to the device caused by using that
>>>>>> underpowered adapter?
>>>>
>>>>> Measure the voltage and the current.
>>>>>
>>>>> Lots of adapters will output more than their spec, and the box may not
>>>>> use 3.5 amps.
>>>>>
>>>>> Damage is unlikely.
>>>>
>>>> Using a "KILL-A-WATT" makes measurement easy. Conversion not so easy...
>>>
>>> It maskes a useless measurement easy. you need to measure the DC
>>> current and voltage into the appliance, not the AC draw of the adaptor.
>>
>> Nope! Not necessarily. Even with the overhead of the adapter, if the
>> measured power is significantly less than the max adapter output, then
>> it's fine.
>
> Or perhaps the power supply is in foldback limiting due to overload - the
> kill-a-watt is useless here.
>
> --
> Jasen.
>
>