| Introduction: What is an AC Adaptor? | | | | AC adaptor. Therefore, if there were 100 coils on |
| 1. Also referred to as a power supply or power | | | | the first winding, the second winding will have only |
| adaptor, an laptop AC adaptor plugs into a | | | | 50 coils. |
| standard electrical outlet and converts the AC | | | | AC/DC: The Two Electric Currents |
| electrical current from the wall outlet to the | | | | 3. The abbreviation, AC, stands for alternating |
| specifications needed by the electrical device | | | | current and is used to describe the electrical |
| that's plugged in. The AC adaptor is a box | | | | currents utilized to deliver power from power |
| attached to the power cord, either at the end of | | | | plants to homes and businesses. When graphed, |
| the cord where the device plugs into the wall | | | | these alternating currents are shown as waves |
| outlet, or in the middle of the power cord. | | | | that go up and down; this is because these |
| Tons of devices around your home rely on dell ac | | | | currents do not flow constantly in one direction, |
| adaptors for their power supply. Laptops, cell | | | | but alternate directions, flowing forward and |
| phones, cordless phones, digital photo frames, | | | | backward. |
| compact disc players, video game systems and | | | | DC, which stands for direct current, describes |
| that just names a few. | | | | electrical currents that flow in one direction. Direct |
| Technology has yet to lead us to a time when | | | | currents are produced and present primarily in |
| AC adaptors will become universal to all electronic | | | | batteries, and are used mainly by devices that run |
| devices. | | | | by dell inspiron 1520 battery power. |
| How an AC Adaptor Works | | | | Converting Alternating Current to Direct Current |
| 2. In short, an dell pa-12 AC Adaptor converts the | | | | 4. For electronics that run on battery power, but |
| electric currents received by the electrical outlet | | | | may also be plugged into an electrical outlet, AC |
| into a typically lower alternating current that an | | | | adaptors are used to convert alternating current |
| electronic device can use. | | | | into direct current. Inside the pa-12 adaptor box, |
| Inside the dell pa-12 charger are two wire | | | | behind the two wire windings and the iron core |
| windings that wrap around a single iron core. The | | | | are two rubber wrapped diodes that convert |
| first of the windings receives the 120-volt | | | | alternating currents into direct current by allowing |
| alternating current delivered to the electrical outlet, | | | | them to flow in a single direction. |
| and creates an electric field in the iron core. The | | | | Traveling Abroad |
| second wire winding turns the newly created | | | | 5. Remember when traveling out of the country |
| electric field into a smaller alternating electric | | | | that you will need to purchase converters to |
| current. The measure of the resulting alternating | | | | adapt the voltage and frequency of currents to |
| current is dependent upon the number of coils in | | | | match the devices you intend to use. While |
| the second wire winding in relation to the number | | | | residents of the United States are used to |
| in the first winding. If the second winding is half of | | | | receiving currents at 120 volts and a 60 hertz |
| the first winding, the alternating current will | | | | frequency, residents of Ireland receive currents |
| measure half of what it did when it entered the | | | | at 220 volts and 50 hertz frequency. |