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I bought an external drive a while back (this one) and now I seem to be unable to find the power adapter for it. Are power adapters more or less universal? Would there be an easy way to pick up a replacement adapter?

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There isn't anything amazing about the power supply. There are three details to get right for a replacement:

  • Voltage: This will be only one of a few values: 3.3 V, 5.0 V, 12.0 V
  • Minimum current: probably in the 6.0 to 8.0 amp range for the 3.3-5.0 volts, and 1.0 to 2.0 for a 12 V. A power supply which provides more is just fine.
  • Connector type and polarity.

That particular connector is on a lot of equipment nowadays and should be easy to find.

Look carefully on the drive itself to see the exact specifications. The NewEgg photo shows that the outside of the connector is negative and the inside positive, 12.0 volts, and 2.0 amps. This is probably the same as yours, but might not be. Be sure to check. Armed with this info, go to your local computer parts store, or electronic components retailer and find an exact match. Bringing the drive along would be a great idea to check the connector fit.

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They are not really universal at all. First, you need to have the same connector. Then you need the same voltage and polarity, and at least the same amperage. Can you take pictures of the connector and the sticker on the PSU (the one with the voltage) and upload them?

Addition: I just found this OEM manufacturer's web page selling replacement PSU's. They are not very expensive, so I would consider just buy from them.

http://store.micronet.com/adapters.aspx

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