Hey all, I'm hoping someone can give me some info on a Christmas tree star with led lights we bought for our tree, unfortunately it came with a USA style plug and we live in Aus, I know the voltages and Hz are different, I need to know if a simple adapter would work or do I need a converter of some sort, I've attached a pic of the details on the power supply, and as mentioned, I need it to be used in Australia, which is 240v 50hz, America is 120v 60hz. any help appreciated, Thanks.

 

Hi Drew,
I would suggest you buy one of these adaptors, set it for 4.5V

Just cut off the existing 2 pin power supply and join the wire ends to the new 240V adaptor, ensure you keep the same polarity when connecting.
Do you want a diagram?
E
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Zolt-Unive...qid=1733821757&sprefix=4.5v+2,aps,143&sr=8-41

 

Thanks, will give it a go

 

That plug you linked is a UK plug, I will try to source one with Australia type.

 

Will give this one a go, Thanks again.
https://www.amazon.com.au/GTGUGR-Ad...pcontext&ref_=fplfs&psc=1&smid=A22P2JQYDEPY3B

 

Re polarity, is there an easy way to identify this when the two wires are the same colour on the light

 

Hi,
What are the two wire colours, they look white with black lines, also are the black lines continuous on one wire and broken lines on the other wire?

E

 

On this one, they are both clear, but one has white dots all along it

 

hi ,
Check this link.
E
Clip from link:
It doesn't matter if it is striped or dashed, the presence of any kind of marker is the indicator of the wire being the "positive" end of things, as opposed to the unmarked "negative" wire.

https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/39450/what-do-solid-striped-lines-on-a-wire-indicate

 

Great, thanks so much for your time and info.

 

hi Drew,
When you cut off the plug that comes with the new adaptor, cut it about 6 inches from the plug.
After Xmas is over you can reconnect the plug , set the power supply to 5v and charge your mobile phone.
E

 

I suggest caution if using that supply for anything else. Consider that it's output may not be isolated from the mains. There is no reason for an ornament to have an isolated supply. So it may not be isolated, thus providing a shock hazard.

 

I suggest caution if using that supply for anything else.

Hi,
Which of the two supplies are you referring too?
Please make an effort to be clear!

E

 

What are the two wire colours

Just tossing this into the hat:
Clear wires may have copper conductors in one and tinned conductors in the other.

The sole purpose of having differing wires is so the user can identify which wire is which. You might hook the copper wire to the negative circuit (just out of pure chance or choice) and the tinned wire to positive. When you get to the other end of the wires you know which is which based on how you wired them up. Same goes for black colored wires. One has a stripe or dashes or dots or may even have ridges. It's purely a means of identifying which wire is which. Lamp cord will have ridges "Typically" on the neutral side of the wiring of a lamp. Again, this is purely for identifying which wire is which.

 

Hi,
Which of the two supplies are you referring too?
Please make an effort to be clear!

E

I was referencing the supply shown attached to the cord of the star ornament, shown in post #1. What is interesting is the very small size of that supply. I doubt that the output side was isolated from the mains side.
My experience with a decorative outside item lighted with white LEDs all in series groups was that the supply module contained only a bridge rectifier, nothing more. So there was no actual isolation from the mains.

 

hi,
Instead of raising doubts in the mind of the TS, regarding the safety of his Chinese power supply, I suggest you do some simple research into his product, also bear in mind he is NOT able to use the product on his local power supply.

Also, the rating of the JT-DC045 power supply is 4.5Vdc at 0.8A, so how can that drive a series of white LED's???

Read this specification for the product

 

Reading is such a lost art.....

 

 

It can easily drive a few PARALLEL white LEDs, such as would be in a treetop star.
AND I avoid yootoob as much as possible.

 

I avoid yootoob as much as possible.

Clive is a reliable source of knowledge of YouTube. I guess you know everything (a fact not in evidence) so there's no need to keep up with current technology.