What is this power supply/cable spec/called, where may sell?

[Fermit and Sexy Sarah]

An odd one, I'm really hoping someone can assist.

The below pics show one of three parts of a connector set up, for a specialist bit of work kit I have, a DataColor PhotoSpectrometer.

This bit keeps failing, it's evidently as fragile as a Bats wing. When it does (like it has over the weekend) it screws my work up for a period, as the bit needs to come from DataColor's Belgium Head Office!

Also, they charge £93 for them, which seems, to me at least, about 4x too much.

Can anyone advise me what the spec of it is/ what the connections are called, and who else may be in the game of selling them for less than the cost of a pretty posh meal out for 2!

The 'pin' as far as I can accurately measure is 4mm across.

The part number on the sticker doesn't throw up any Google matches.
The model number only throws up this match, a French company, but it states 9v, not 6.5
https://www.brobom.com/globtek-gt-21089-1509-t3-10...

The spec on the sticker, for anyone on a mobile or similar -

ITE Power Supply
Input 100-240v, 50-60Hz, 0.5A max
Output 6.5v, 2.3A
Output Power 15W max

Anyone help?

Pics

[mmm-five]

The GlobTek website (first google link searching for "GlobTek GT-21089") for that power adapter has a list of power outputs and output connectors to choose from, so I assume they make them to order for various electronic device manufacturers.

Your model is the 4th one down on their list, and the connector looks to be an "L Type" or a "C Type".

L-Type:


C-Type:

[Fermit and Sexy Sarah]

mmm-five said:

The GlobTek website (first google link searching for "GlobTek GT-21089") for that power adapter has a list of power outputs and output connectors to choose from, so I assume they make them to order for various electronic device manufacturers.

Your model is the 4th one down on their list, and the connector looks to be an "L Type" or a "C Type".

L-Type:


C-Type:

Thanks for the research, and the corresponding link. Yep, that appears it may be the case, so at least that would allow me to ring/email them direct, to ask who else may supply them?

Anyone else any thoughts, as I'd guess (I'm far from a spark or IT bod!) that it wouldn't need to be a Globetek bit, and with a spec or description someone else may stock/knock up something which would do the same job?

Times like this I wish Maplins hadn't gone bust!

[eliot]

Unusual voltage - i would be surprised if you cant get away with 6v:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Switching-Selectable-Hous...

Depending in your level of techieness, a dc-dc buck converter and convert down from 12v:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Converter-Module-Adjustab...

Edited by eliot on Monday 5th August 13:22

[Fermit and Sexy Sarah]

eliot said:

Unusual voltage - i would be surprised if you cant get away with 6v:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Switching-Selectable-Hous...

Depending in your level of techieness, a dc-dc buck converter and convert down from 12v.

My tech level is about zero! Are you saying the linked item wouldn't work out the box? Where would I find a dc-dc buck converter, and what essentially does that do?

Also the item says it's 36W, mine says 15W, is that a concern?

[twister]

eliot said:

Unusual voltage - i would be surprised if you cant get away with 6v:

Looking over the current product lineup on the manufacturers website, it seems like they supply these DC PSUs with their portable battery powered instruments, in which case (assuming they're not using an internal boost supply, which I'd be surprised at given the easier alternative of simply using a higher voltage external PSU) the minimum input voltage will have a bearing on whether or not the internal battery charging circuit is able to function correctly.

If it was a cheap bit of consumer electronics then I might agree with you that trying a 6V supply would make sense. But for a lab grade instrument, I'd not be so eager to cut corners and use a PSU that wasn't rated for the same voltage and at least the same current as the one supplied by the manufacturer.

[Fermit and Sexy Sarah]

twister said:

eliot said:

Unusual voltage - i would be surprised if you cant get away with 6v:

Looking over the current product lineup on the manufacturers website, it seems like they supply these DC PSUs with their portable battery powered instruments, in which case (assuming they're not using an internal boost supply, which I'd be surprised at given the easier alternative of simply using a higher voltage external PSU) the minimum input voltage will have a bearing on whether or not the internal battery charging circuit is able to function correctly.

If it was a cheap bit of consumer electronics then I might agree with you that trying a 6V supply would make sense. But for a lab grade instrument, I'd not be so eager to cut corners and use a PSU that wasn't rated for the same voltage and at least the same current as the one supplied by the manufacturer.

This is the thing, it's an £8000 device. I wouldn't be happy taking any risks, but by the same token, if it were a generic item (I can't imagine the spec is exclusive to DC) which could be bought for maybe £20 then obviously I wouldn't need to get them shipped from Belgium, and save a fortune when buying them.

Edited by Fermit and Sexy Sarah on Monday 5th August 15:42

[sgrimshaw]

How often do they fail?

What happens at failure?

[Mr Pointy]

6.5v is an odd value & I'd be tempted to try a 6v PSU as it's unlikley you'll do any damage. You could try a cheap supply to see if it works & then move to a better one if it does:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Universal-AC-DC-Power-S...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06XDDKP74

The come with a variety of tips. The only thing that ia slightly uncertain is whether your PSU is center positive or negative: the majority are center positive.

[essayer]

What does the *device* require - don’t go off what’s written on the PSU - maybe it’s the wrong one and this is why it keeps failing?

[twister]

Mr Pointy said:

The only thing that ia slightly uncertain is whether your PSU is center positive or negative: the majority are center positive.

Slightly unclear in the supplied photos, but it does look like the symbol for a centre positive tip.

Same comments as earlier apply in regards to your suggestion to try a 6V supply - whilst it's possible the manufacturer of these instruments is a complete control freak and has deliberately chosen a 6.5V supply to make it harder for their customers to easily source replacements anywhere except from their own overpriced spares department, I suspect it's more likely that 6.5v has been chosen based on the requirements of the internal battery charging circuit. Running this from 6v might not cause any damage (though this isn't guaranteed depending on how the internal power circuitry is designed), but there's a fairly good chance it won't allow the battery to charge correctly.

[Scrump]

Google globtek 21089 and some retailers pop up such as this one:
https://www.radwell.co.uk/en-GB/Buy/GLOBTEK/GLOBTE...
Not sure if it has the same end connector though.

[twister]

essayer said:

What does the *device* require - don’t go off what’s written on the PSU - maybe it’s the wrong one and this is why it keeps failing?

If it is the wrong PSU, then the OP would have a cast iron case for getting fully refunded the costs of all the replacements they've bought, given they've been buying them directly from the manufacturer of the device...

[Fermit and Sexy Sarah]

Thanks all for your replies. I've only just got in from the allotment and am knackered, so I'll digest your replies further tomorrow, and respond accordingly/look in to points raised. Cheers.

[Cardiff_Exile]

If the power supply itself is ok and it is just the connector at the end you can try to buy another connector or perhaps an extender taped to securley hold it to the exiting one may do the job ;

https://cpc.farnell.com/c/cable-leads-connectors/c...

this would be the only reason I ever miss a decent maplins. You may find locally a decent old school electrical place where they carry stock and could replace the 'end' for you (assuming that is the issue)