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Author Topic: What's the difference bet AC and DC?  (Read 4548 times)

Offline Machine_Head

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What's the difference bet AC and DC?
« on: April 13, 2006, 12:57:44 PM »
I believe my mfx takes in DC as with the Boss pedals. What's the difference between AC and DC? And where can i get a power supply with DC only? Most of them power supplies out there are AC-DC.

Thanks

Offline Poundcake

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What's the difference bet AC and DC?
« Reply #1 on: April 13, 2006, 01:22:16 PM »
AC stands for alternating current while DC stands for direct current. from its name, AC means that the instantaneous value of the current/voltage varies with respect to time, cycling 60 times per second (thus, 60 Hz/cycles per second) while DC maintains a constant voltage and current value. AC is provided by the power suppliers (plants, distribution companies, etc.) because it is much easier to produce AC than DC (AC occurs naturally). you won't find direct DC adaptors because the voltage rating provided to the power outlets in our country is 220V AC. the adaptor transforms or steps down the 220V AC, rectifies it and transforms it into pulsating DC (positive peak for both half-cycles) signals before producing the filtered/regulated DC voltage signal that your adaptor is rated to provide. the only way to directly supply DC is via battery. otherwise, you'll have to use a power supply or adaptor. PM me if you have any more questions and i'll gladly help you out :)

here's a waveform diagram that i drew to explain things a bit more clearly:

"The LORD will save me, and we will play my music on stringed instruments all the days of our lives, at the house of the LORD." Isaiah 38:20

Offline Machine_Head

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What's the difference bet AC and DC?
« Reply #2 on: April 13, 2006, 01:27:54 PM »
Thank you very much sir. I already sent you a pm.

Offline sonnyrayvaughn

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What's the difference bet AC and DC?
« Reply #3 on: April 13, 2006, 04:15:51 PM »
perfect explanation VenusIsle... are you sure you aint my science teacher before? hehe

me idadagdag ako about boss adapters... kelan ko lang nalaman to. nagtataka ako kasi when i use the standard boss PSA adapter sa Boss GE7 or sa CS3, di umiilaw yung led lights..pero pag nakadaisy chain sya, ok naman... tagal ko nagkamot ng ulo kung baket, until i read this article:

http://www.stinkfoot.se/andreas/diy/articles/bossadapt.htm

i hope it helps too.

Offline Machine_Head

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What's the difference bet AC and DC?
« Reply #4 on: April 13, 2006, 07:22:13 PM »
So i should set the adaptor to 12V when using the Boss Digital Delay?  :?:


Offline Poundcake

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What's the difference bet AC and DC?
« Reply #5 on: April 13, 2006, 09:21:11 PM »
SRV: hehe di pare, wala kong balak magturo ng science hehehe..

Machine_Head, try using a standard 9V adaptor first. if it's working fine, then use that adaptor. but as far as i know, the DD-3 is a modern Boss pedal and it's compatible with a PSA adaptor. kung wala talaga, ejbasses is the way! he builds quality PSUs for a cheap price :)
"The LORD will save me, and we will play my music on stringed instruments all the days of our lives, at the house of the LORD." Isaiah 38:20

Offline sonnyrayvaughn

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What's the difference bet AC and DC?
« Reply #6 on: April 13, 2006, 09:37:37 PM »
Quote from: Machine_Head
So i should set the adaptor to 12V when using the Boss Digital Delay?  :?:


My DD3 works well with a boss PSA adapter...

Offline Machine_Head

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What's the difference bet AC and DC?
« Reply #7 on: April 13, 2006, 09:50:13 PM »
Quote from: sonnyrayvaughn
Quote from: Machine_Head
So i should set the adaptor to 12V when using the Boss Digital Delay?  :?:


My DD3 works well with a boss PSA adapter...


I use a generic one. It doesnt work.

Offline sonnyrayvaughn

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What's the difference bet AC and DC?
« Reply #8 on: April 13, 2006, 09:57:38 PM »
oh... mukhang sakit nga sa ulo yan.
not sure kung baket e... pero one more to check e yung polarity nung adapter compared to the required polarity nung effects...ingat lang baka me masunog :)

Professor Venus, i explain mo nga yung polarities ng adapters haha.

Offline Machine_Head

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What's the difference bet AC and DC?
« Reply #9 on: April 13, 2006, 10:26:52 PM »
I tried using both polarities already, still no luck. All i get is this annoyingly loud hum..

Offline Poundcake

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What's the difference bet AC and DC?
« Reply #10 on: April 13, 2006, 10:46:25 PM »
hmmm teka teka mahirap na ata i-drawing yung 9V plug ah, Paint lang gamit ko dun sa diagram kanina e hehehe..

Machine_Head, just a thought.. maybe one of your patch cables is grounded or something? in my experience, i didn't have any problems with BOSS pedals as far as input power is concerned. i even used an external fax modem 9V adaptor before as the power source for my BOSS MT-2 and CS-3 and it worked quite well. most of the loud humming problems that i've encountered were associated with faulty/shorted guitar cables. if your cables are ok, then i really suggest that you should buy a new AC adaptor. taga nga lang sa Perfect Pitch, so try Newstar first. kung kapitbahay lang kita, nagdala na ako ng VOM dyan to check your adaptors' output voltages e hehe :)
"The LORD will save me, and we will play my music on stringed instruments all the days of our lives, at the house of the LORD." Isaiah 38:20

Offline Machine_Head

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What's the difference bet AC and DC?
« Reply #11 on: April 13, 2006, 10:53:37 PM »
Quote from: VenusIsle_5150
hmmm teka teka mahirap na ata i-drawing yung 9V plug ah, Paint lang gamit ko dun sa diagram kanina e hehehe..

Machine_Head, just a thought.. maybe one of your patch cables is grounded or something? in my experience, i didn't have any problems with BOSS pedals as far as input power is concerned. i even used an external fax modem 9V adaptor before as the power source for my BOSS MT-2 and CS-3 and it worked quite well. most of the loud humming problems that i've encountered were associated with faulty/shorted guitar cables. if your cables are ok, then i really suggest that you should buy a new AC adaptor. taga nga lang sa Perfect Pitch, so try Newstar first. kung kapitbahay lang kita, nagdala na ako ng VOM dyan to check your adaptors' output voltages e hehe :)


My main problem is with my Behringer XVamp, the Boss is just sitting around the house. Cge i'll try your suggestion and i'll get a Newstar powersupply. Man i have 3 already, you guys want one? Hehe.. :D Btw, i tried my adaptor on other stuff around the house and it works fine. Muntinlupa ka sir? Hehe layo ko. Binondo ako eh. :)

Offline mr_strap

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What's the difference bet AC and DC?
« Reply #12 on: April 15, 2006, 02:35:32 PM »
sir venus, electrical engineer ka ba? :D parang pang lecture un mesage nyo a.. hehe
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Offline Al_Librero

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What's the difference bet AC and DC?
« Reply #13 on: April 15, 2006, 05:18:36 PM »
AC/DC adaptor == AC input, DC output

i've read the X V-Amp manual. it makes no mention whether the adaptor jack  needs to be center-negative or not (a very important detail). that implies non-polarity, which might mean it requires AC output from its power supply as well. i had this problem with a Digitech RP-100 before.

don't take my word for it solely, though. i don't want to be responsible for burning your pedal.  :lol:
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Offline fingertapper1

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What's the difference bet AC and DC?
« Reply #14 on: April 15, 2006, 06:43:55 PM »
ah hindi pala yun "anti-christ, devil's child" or "after christ, devil comes" hehehe. just kidding guys. walang magawa e. happy holy week! hehe.

anyway ac/dc means alternating current and direct current pala. ngayon ko lang nalaman basta alam ko lang sa adapter yun. that clears up everything about where ac/dc got their name from.

Offline Poundcake

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What's the difference bet AC and DC?
« Reply #15 on: April 15, 2006, 10:18:56 PM »
Quote from: mr_strap
sir venus, electrical engineer ka ba? :D parang pang lecture un mesage nyo a.. hehe


sir ECE ako, di EE :)

ano Machine_Head, ok na ba setup mo ngayon? balitaan mo na lang kami pre :)
"The LORD will save me, and we will play my music on stringed instruments all the days of our lives, at the house of the LORD." Isaiah 38:20

Offline Machine_Head

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What's the difference bet AC and DC?
« Reply #16 on: April 15, 2006, 10:44:48 PM »
Sir, its still not working. Im gonna visit electronics depot tomorrow and see what they can do. We have gigs coming up and i really gotta have it up and working.

Offline MIG AYESA

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What's the difference bet AC and DC?
« Reply #17 on: April 16, 2006, 05:33:56 PM »
Usually sa mga digitech efx. walang polarity ang mga adaptor nila kaya ac ang gagamitin mo.
    Bihira lang makakita sa mga electronics shop ng ac adaptor, kaya kailangan magpagawa ka sa mga electronics tech. Sa raon maraming gumagawa ng ac adaptor na customize.

Offline skin

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What's the difference bet AC and DC?
« Reply #18 on: April 19, 2006, 05:35:13 PM »
Quote from: Machine_Head
Sir, its still not working. Im gonna visit electronics depot tomorrow and see what they can do. We have gigs coming up and i really gotta have it up and working.


baka effects mo yung sira...try to use a tester to check your power supply...kung ok ang power supply, effects mo ang sira...

Offline jeba_03

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What's the difference bet AC and DC?
« Reply #19 on: April 19, 2006, 06:17:27 PM »
AC walang fixed na polarity kaya alternating current. the only way to reduced a 230vac to 9vac locally is to use a step-down transformer.

DC fixed ang polarity (positve at negative) dahil ito sa mga diodes na ang trabaho ay paghiwalayin ang p+ and n- polarities. yung capacitor naman para ma-sustain yung voltage kasi kapag na step-down na, meron pa din + or - sine waves.

yung 1spot at godlyke hindi gumagamit ng transformer. although ac-dc ito. yung step-down part niya ang dapat pagaralan. kasi kino-convert niya yung 230vac to 9vac without the use of transformers.
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Offline skin

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What's the difference bet AC and DC?
« Reply #20 on: April 19, 2006, 06:34:04 PM »
it's 9 volts AC...


Offline bugoy

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What's the difference bet AC and DC?
« Reply #21 on: April 19, 2006, 09:53:32 PM »
Quote from: skin
it's 9 volts AC...



brad san nakakabili nito ? ganito mismo kailangan ko eh ? kahit copy lang basta pareho ng amphere at voltage at 220

Offline lykenhowl

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What's the difference bet AC and DC?
« Reply #22 on: April 19, 2006, 09:58:34 PM »
Tanong ko rin lang...yun bang newstar na adapter eh regulated o hindi?

Offline mia_00

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What's the difference bet AC and DC?
« Reply #23 on: April 20, 2006, 02:36:31 AM »
there are a lot of generic ac-dc adapters available out there, some with variable voltage outputs and/or multiple/interchangeable dc plug.

correct me if im wrong, pero lam ko po, rating-wise, 2 things your should be aware of are that the dc voltage (V) output should be exact with your equipment. while the current rating (A, mA, etc) of the adapter should be at least equal to the requirement of the equipment. ;)
;)

Offline bugoy

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What's the difference bet AC and DC?
« Reply #24 on: April 20, 2006, 03:00:31 AM »
Quote from: mia_00
there are a lot of generic ac-dc adapters available out there, some with variable voltage outputs and/or multiple/interchangeable dc plug.

correct me if im wrong, pero lam ko po, rating-wise, 2 things your should be aware of are that the dc voltage (V) output should be exact with your equipment. while the current rating (A, mA, etc) of the adapter should be at least equal to the requirement of the equipment. ;)


wow !!! smart gal ehehehe  :P