Thinkpads Forum

Hello,

I'm looking at my AC adapter (mostly because I want to buy an additional one on ebay) and it says on it:

Input - 100-240V~1.5a-0.9a 50/60Hz

but there is no switch of any sort on the unit.

This implies that the same adapters work in most or all countries, despite the AC power differences and that all you need is the correct power cord to fit the AC outlet - and then the adapter automatically senses the input and adjusts accordingly - thus allowing IBM to make one unit which they can sell worldwide - despite the dozens and dozens of 72W part numbers.

The implication is that any genuine IBM Thinkpad adapter will work if it is 16V 4.5a and has the right connector...

Can someone verify that this is correct?

kstuart wrote:thus allowing IBM to make one unit which they can sell worldwide - despite the dozens and dozens of 72W part numbers.

There is a difference between "use" all over the world and "sell" all over the world. There is essentially one global T series power adapter but there will be a different regulatory "type" approval on it for each country, each having a different valid duration. So, to manage the different expiry/renewal dates for the various national regulators, you end up with a multiplicity of part numbers for what is essentially the same part.

The "type" approval is really only necessary for selling the adapter as new part in a country. In most countries you can use a device bought in another country as long as it has a "type" approval in that country, issued through a reputable regulatory authority.

The implication is that any genuine IBM Thinkpad adapter will work if it is 16V 4.5a and has the right connector...

Can someone verify that this is correct?

Yes, that is correct.

Cheers,

Bill

Can't verify the rules/laws etc, but I can verify that my 72W adapter from the UK (240V AC) works fine all over Europe (generally 220 or 230V) and in the states. No idea what strange electric is in the states, but I think it's a lot lower quality - around 110V AC??

Seriously - my experience is they work anywhere.

We have anywhere from 110VAC to 130 VAC, it depends on the area, and fluctuations generate numbers as low as 90 and as high as 150 at times, although this is rare. The amperage is much higher; a typical household will have sockets capable of delivering the 117 volts at 10, 15, or even 20 amps. For heavy appliances we also have 220, 230, and 240 volt circuits and sometimes "double-110s" that are two 110 lines and a common neutral. Sometimes also with an earth. Most appliances are rated at somewhere around 110-125 volts. The surpluss or lack of voltage doesn't usually hurt them so long as it's in the 110-130 volt range. Computers and TV projectors can be picky, among other things.

The IBM supplies work on anything from 100VAC (Japan) to 240VAC (Parts of Europe) and handle 50 or 60 cycles (varies by place, here it's always 60) This is handy becauese whatever is available you can connect up with just an adapter like for your shaver, etc.

I verified with IBM once on this... if it's 120-240 it will work just about anywhere in the world with the right cable/adapter. I've used mine in Europe and the US with no incident.

And here in the UK the legal upper limit is 254V... so since that's only a legal limit, finding voltages even higher is not that uncommon - especially next door to the transformer station....

This is unversal kind of adapter suitable for both 110/117V and 20/230V AC of 50/60Hz (I don't talk about fluctations) which covers pretty much entire globe where consumer electricity is officially supplied.
IBM thinkpad concept takes into acount business users will travel often and have to have their machines ready in the countries outside the country of the original purchase, so the AC aadpters are universal to handle that.
Moreover, today's globalization actually made many of AC adapters (or built in power supplies) for many appliaces to be universal, no matter this is for laptop, TV or fridge.

I bought my T43 from US but is used in my home country overseas where we have a 230V 50Hz supply.

Hope this helps, Alex

mikek wrote:And here in the UK the legal upper limit is 254V... so since that's only a legal limit, finding voltages even higher is not that uncommon - especially next door to the transformer station....

So, the IBM adapters handle that - even though the spec only goes up to 240V ?

I would think so considering it is only about 6% over spec. I wouldn't leave anything that is any more than 5% over spec plugged in all the time, though. I've been into Betamax VCRs for quite some time, and many superior models were released for JDM only, and in Japan the voltage is 100VAC, so to run one over here is rougly 10-30% over-spec, in my case 17% precisely. I use a step-down for my JDM beta. Some people report no problem at all plugging them right into our sockets, however. (Anyone notice how in Japan they seem to do just fine without polarization? Why is only the US that is saddled with polarization, not just for things that one can rightly understand why maintenance of correct polarity is required, but nowadays for LAMPS as well???)

Red_October_7000 wrote:(Anyone notice how in Japan they seem to do just fine without polarization? Why is only the US that is saddled with polarization, not just for things that one can rightly understand why maintenance of correct polarity is required, but nowadays for LAMPS as well???

You can blame it on Underwriter's Laboratories (UL), which developed the requirement as a direct offshoot of requests from insurance companies, which were responding to lawsuits in our litigious society!

Regards,

James

JHEM wrote:You can blame it on Underwriter's Laboratories (UL)

As far as I'm aware. it is primarily driven by international standards (IEC) requirement to progressively implement explicit orientation for mains power outlets on a world wide basis.

Being able to reliably identify which "leg" of an AC single phase reticulated domestic power outlet is the active/hot side (with respect to earth/ground) is a significant electrical safety issue with all mains power systems, no matter what the normal power outlet voltage is.

With the advent of affordable international air travel and electrical equipment which has been designed to work across a wide range of mains voltages, the need for international standardisation in many aspects of mains power reticulation systems has become a significant electrical safety issuse in itself.

Trading off the ability to insert a two pin US plug in a wall outlet either way around against the ability to easily purchase and use electrical equipment (like ThinkPad pwers supplies) that can be safely plugged in just about anywhere in the world seems like a more than fair exchange to me! YMMV

Just another aspect of what globalisation means in practice.

Cheers,

Bill

bill bolton wrote:

JHEM wrote:You can blame it on Underwriter's Laboratories (UL)

As far as I'm aware. it is primarily driven by international standards (IEC) requirement to progressively implement explicit orientation for mains power outlets on a world wide basis.

Good morning Bill, my friend from down under.

When in the course of human events did the US ever give a rat's posterior for global requirements and standards? Musta' been around the same time we went metric!

I haven't seen a polarized AC cord on a US Thinkpad power brick since at least the introduction of the "figure 8" (kettle cord) 72W brick with the T and A series machines, possibly earlier. A quick sweep of my "shop" found eleven 72W bricks, none of which have a polarized AC plug.

Regards,

James

JHEM wrote:When in the course of human events did the US ever give a rat's posterior for global requirements and standards? Musta' been around the same time we went metric!

The NAFTA (let alone the US) isn't the biggest consumer market in the world any longer and "the times they are a changing".

Cheers,

Bill

bill bolton wrote:The NAFTA (let alone the US) isn't the biggest consumer market in the world any longer and "the times they are a changing".

Oh, I'm well aware of that, but the fact remains that we still get our own AC power cords!

And they're not polarized.

Regards,

James

JHEM wrote:I haven't seen a polarized AC cord on a US Thinkpad power brick since at least the introduction of the "figure 8" (kettle cord) 72W brick with the T and A series machines, possibly earlier. A quick sweep of my "shop" found eleven 72W bricks, none of which have a polarized AC plug.

While this isn't exactly my field. AFAIK, polarized plugs are not required on double-insulated devices - such as the brick mentioned above.

GomJabbar wrote:While this isn't exactly my field. AFAIK, polarized plugs are not required on double-insulated devices - such as the brick mentioned above.

You're correct Dave, it's not necessary. But that fact notwithstanding, the same brick anywhere else in the world comes with either a polarized or grounded AC cord.

Go figure.

Regards,

James

JHEM wrote:

GomJabbar wrote:While this isn't exactly my field. AFAIK, polarized plugs are not required on double-insulated devices - such as the brick mentioned above.

You're correct Dave, it's not necessary. But that fact notwithstanding, the same brick anywhere else in the world comes with either a polarized or grounded AC cord.

I believe it's law in many places, so regardless of the devices "need", they need to do that to comply with regulations.

We get off relatively easy with just polarization... in the UK they have these HUGE power plugs (Larger even than the "double 110" (220) plug on a dryer or range stove) and there are fuses in them and the ground pin opens shutters that allow the other two pins in and those two have insulation on the tips to ensure that they are not live until full inserted.......