Power supply issues.

**Merlz** · October 5th, 2004, 05:32

Hi all,

Have pre ordered 2 Nintendo DS's, (one to sell one to keep) and have a couple of questions.

What if any, are the issues regarding the power adaptor that comes with the US and Japanese versions? Obviously they dont fit the UK wall sockets, but does anyone know if they can be charged using the UK's Gameboy SP chargers, as several e-bayers seem to be saying that they will blow up if the wrong adaptors are used. This I dont believe.

Also any advice/info regarding customs charges when they arrive in the UK would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Merlz

**MetaFox** · October 5th, 2004, 05:49

[quote author=Merlz link=board=NDS;num=1096975973;start=0#0 date=10/05/04 at 06:32:53]Hi all,

Have pre ordered 2 Nintendo DS's, (one to sell one to keep) and have a couple of questions.

What if any, are the issues regarding the power adaptor that comes with the US and Japanese versions? Obviously they dont fit the UK wall sockets, but does anyone know if they can be charged using the UK's Gameboy SP chargers, as several e-bayers seem to be saying that they will blow up if the wrong adaptors are used. This I dont believe.[/quote]Believe it. If you pump 220V into a device that is only regulated for 110/120V (JP/US respectively), then it's bound to have disasterous consequences.

There are converters that you can purchase to run them at standard UK voltages, but whatever you do, don't try to run them straight.

**Merlz** · October 5th, 2004, 06:43

Thanks for the early reply Metafox,

Another one for you -

How can these sellers on e-bay offer a UK power cable with imported machines?

Would the machines have to be 'tampered' with internally, to de-regulate the voltage allowance?

Thanks in advance.

Matt

**MetaFox** · October 6th, 2004, 20:56

[quote author=Merlz link=board=NDS;num=1096975973;start=0#2 date=10/05/04 at 07:43:48]
Thanks for the early reply Metafox,

Another one for you -

How can these sellers on e-bay offer a UK power cable with imported machines?

Would the machines have to be 'tampered' with internally, to de-regulate the voltage allowance?

Thanks in advance.

Matt [/quote]Yeah. In the Dreamcast, the power board in the NTSC-J or NTSC-U machine needs to be replaced with a power board from a PAL-E machine.

I live in the US, and have a PAL-E machine with an NTSC-U power board.

Other machines would have similar procedures.

**bobetski** · October 13th, 2004, 12:56

There should be no issues with power supplies unless you are mad enough to try and plug an american one into a uk socket. All the reviews say that the DS will take a SP charger/supply so just simply buy a UK SP power supply.

Remember hand hel consoles have never used full voltage like TV game consoles do. The hand held power supplies step down the voltage at the plug so aa UK supply will run an American console providing the plug in bit matches. I bought 2 gameboy advance SP's from the USA and simply bought UK supplies when I got home.

Sorted! ;D

**bobetski** · October 13th, 2004, 13:02

http://www.cubed-3.co.uk/modules/new...p?storyid=2855 will reveal all. That little ol' power supply looks mighty like an SP supply to me!

8)

**grimmacejones** · October 26th, 2004, 09:04

??? ???
I've been getting increasingly confused by this power supply issue. I've trawled the net and found so many different opinions I'm left none the wiser. In the end I contacted Importmadness.com to see what they thought and the answer was that I would need a step down voltage converter! they dont sell them so it wasnt an attempt to wring money out of me. I had asked at the same time whether I could use my GBA:SP charger but they reckoned not.

Does anyone have anything concrete on this? Please no more wild speculation or guessing that one plug looks similar to another...... If I did get a converter (only about a tener I reckon) would it matter what voltage/ wattage I get?

I really am very confused by all this and all in a tiz....

Thanks you so much for any help or knowledge. ???

btw, Im in the UK and importing from the US

**tinku** · October 26th, 2004, 09:44

Usualy in many English cities there are places like Tandy with good knowlegable staff that will be able to help you with your problem.

the voltage required is usually on the electrical appliance and it quite easy to solve as to what adapter you require.

tinku

**Kron** · October 26th, 2004, 13:28

It looks like there is some bad info floating around so I will try and fill in the blanks.

The power supply's for the GBA/GBA-SP and DS are external, They are fully interchangable over worldwide voltages 110v-240v as they trasform the ac current from the mains to a DC current.

So if you buy a US or JP DS and you live in the UK you have these options:

1.Buy a stepdown transformer and use the USA power adapter that comes bundled.

2.Use a PAL GBA SP power adapter as they have the same connection type.

3.Change to a PAL DS power adapter when they become available seperately.

**grimmacejones** · October 27th, 2004, 02:46

Thanks for your replies fellas. :-*

I guess that when sellers on places like ebay cliam to have the UK adapter bundled in they simply mean an SP charger!

Cheers