AC / DC Adapter wire repair question wire gauge size

[Fabiolus]

Good day,

I own a  skywatcher Heq5 pro mount, its awesome!

I just realized the AC wire for my AC / DC adapter is broken (see pic 1). I found another AC wire from an old AC adapter and was wondering if this is ok?  I see the gauge wire is bigger  though and wonder if it matters?

I am thinking of cutting near the female adapter and soldering it back to the entire length of wire that came from the laptop adapter even though the gauge is bigger. ( see pic 2).

Thank you.

 

[cletrac1922]

Would also use heat shrink over the new joint, to avoid any shorting out

Hair dryer, good for melting heat shrink over the new joint

John

 

 

[JamesF]

I'd probably just buy a new power lead.  They're usually quite cheap.

James

[steveex2003]

A flexible cord with a kettle plug on it will typically have conductors of 1.25mm cross sectional area to carry 13 amps. 

A larger replacement cable will present no electrical problems whatsoever. It maybe less flexible etc.

[Fabiolus]

Thanks for the input everyone!

 

I want to fix this adapter and keep it as a backup and more when on road trip, it uses the lighter plug. I did purchase an AC/DC adapter that connect directly to AC/Mount outlet which is better for me when at home.

 

Edited June 9, 2019 by Fabiolus
editing

[Skipper Billy]

To be honest for what they cost I would bin it. If you are not 100% sure what you are doing (I don't think you are or you wouldn't be posting the question 😉 ) then mains power should be treated with great respect. 

[JamesF]

Just now, Skipper Billy said:

To be honest for what they cost I would bin it. If you are not 100% sure what you are doing (I don't think you are or you wouldn't be posting the question 😉 ) then mains power should be treated with great respect. 

Quite.

If I were to attempt to join the ends of these two power cords then I'd probably put heatshrink over the individual soldered joins, then wrap the entire length of the exposed inner conductor with plenty of insulating tape, and then wrap the entire join with insulating tape.

But actually I really just wouldn't do it.  The join would always be a weak point and prone to failing, potentially in ways that could be quite unhealthy for equipment and/or people.  I don't like throwing stuff out if it can be made to work, but in this case safety wins.

If I were really desperate to keep the cable I'd chop off the plug and fit a new one, but the way things go that's probably more expensive than just buying a new cable altogether.

James

[DaveL59]

surely you can buy a replacement plug and just fit that after cutting the old one off?

Far better than splicing the two leads unless you use a proper in-line joining block. Only downside would be it won't be sealed so in moist conditions perhaps not ideal unless there are rubber housing types rather than the cheaper plastic housing that are probably easier to source.

[Ricochet]

8 hours ago, Fabiolus said:

I am thinking of cutting near the female adapter and soldering it back to the entire length of wire that came from the laptop adapter even though the gauge is bigger

You cannot do this. The cable is flexible (and likely to be flexed in use) and a solder joint is very inflexible. Without adequate strain relief (heat shrink and insulating tape are not strain relief), the cable will break at the point where the joint is made. This could result in electric shock, fire and/or the electronics in your mount being damaged.

If you want to join two cables then you need to do so inside a suitable jointing enclosure. It is easier to make one connection in a new plug. However, the cost of the plug and the cost of a new cable will be similar enough that you would be better off buying the cable with moulded plugs.

[banjaxed]

Are you sure the wire is broken as it looks like it is just the insulation to me.

If it is the insulation then pvc tape will be fine to stop any moisture from getting in.

[Ricochet]

8 hours ago, banjaxed said:

Are you sure the wire is broken as it looks like it is just the insulation to me.

If it is the insulation then pvc tape will be fine to stop any moisture from getting in.

This is incorrect. The black sheath is not insulation, but mechanical protection for the conductors and their insulation. It looks to have been pulled out of both the cord grip and the moulded section that prevents the cable from being bent at too tight a radius. Insulating tape will not provide the necessary strain relief if the cable is tugged while the plug is in the socket. As the existing plug is moulded it cannot be opened up to refix the sheath in the chord grip. The only options are to cut the existing plug off and wire the cable into a rewireable plug where the chord grip can be accessed, or to buy a whole new cable. 

Edited June 10, 2019 by Ricochet

[banjaxed]

If that is the case then you are right, to my eyes it looked like just the insulation, maybe my eyes need testing  🙄

[wookie1965]

Which one do you need the left or right I assume they have 3 pin plugs on the other end.

[JamesF]

37 minutes ago, wookie1965 said:

Which one do you need the left or right I assume they have 3 pin plugs on the other end.

By the looks of it they do, but from the photos they don't appear to be of a UK variety.

James

[wookie1965]

2 minutes ago, JamesF said:

By the looks of it they do, but from the photos they don't appear to be of a UK variety.

James

Well if any of mine will work the op is welcome  to have the one that fits foc.

[Fabiolus]

Hey guys!

 

So I wanted to share the experience, turned out soldering was out of the question. The cable that came with the mount is quite cheap and wiring was quite small.

 

I needed the female adapter model C and to my luck turns out computer monitor cables are the perfect fit and more robust. Scored 3 of them for free.

 

Thank you