Reader Joe Arthur sent in this pic as a joke to comment on a recent column where I complain about adapters. The joke is this is EXACTLY how I store adapters. I thought he robbed the house.
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John, I have only one sentence for you: You’re weird!
Here’s an alternative solution: http://tinyurl.com/63s3zu
[Please use TinyUrl.com for overly long URLs. – ed.]
I have a similar bag in the garage graveyard for cables and adapters.
Need an original Palm Pilot docking station? I got it.
I didn’t read the column but let me guess. Most of them don’t have a label that tells you what the hell they are for?
I have a similar bag with the ones I use the most and a 20 gallon Sterilite container of the ones I can’t figure out what they are for but refuse to throw them away.
I’d like to see common power supplies…. But I’d settle for clearly marking the adapter as to what it’s for….
I’ve got the experience, and the test gear, to make a good guess, but my experience is not typical.
Sometimes it gets terminally silly. I bought more than one of those Radio Shack wall warts with adjustable output and multiple plug ends.
Problem is that they cost about $13 the last time I bought one, and RS is no longer giving you the plugs in some cases. (You get one.)
Regards,
Stu.
1. I would LOVe if the companies would TAG/LABEL their own PRODUCTS..
2. Standardized VOLTAGES would be wonderful
3. Black WRITING/embossing on BLACK, SUCKS..Make them WHITE and then i can use a MARKER on them to bring out the instructions.
4. Standardized PLUGS..dont you LOVE sony.
My problem is I have Adaptors that I don’t know what they go too? I give some manufactures credit for putting the model# or something that indicates what the adaptor is for. Many do not. Just a note, any adaptor that’s plugged into a outlet is using power even if it is not attatched to it’s product.
So to save energy, make sure to unplug when not using.
An amazing collection of adapters
That’s just crazy. My bag is brown.
John, I admire your collection of adapters and only hope that one day my collection can match it. I also have not labeled most of the adapters so your dilemma is my dilemma.
That’s exactly how I store my adapters, in a big bag with lots of other adapters. What other options are there?
#9 jescott418,
Hah! Me too. Even stranger, I have adapters to equipment I don’t ever remember owning. Now how the heck does that happen?
Looks like Leo Laportes overnight bag.
I neatly wrap everything I own, and I have a huge collection of twist-ties I steal from stores. If I can’t twist-tie it, I use the wire to tie it together.
It’s still a mess, sadly, but less of one. And as for labeling, I just find a cheap set of paper stickers. Either that or permanent white marker…
Adapters, Keep this in mind looking for a replacement adapters for your orphan devices:
Voltage – it must be the same as what the device is expecting.
Amperage – More is acceptable but it wastes electricity.
polarity – Center positive is the most common.
So keep the voltage the same and feel free to get a supply that gives you at least the amount of amperage the the device is rated at.
That said please forgive but let me say FUCK companies that use proprietary plugs, proprietary plugs should be outlawed. Fuck companies that change the plug to eliminate backward compatibility.
I use Zip-Lock plastic bags to store mine. You can write plenty on the bags, and the cords don’t get tangled. Color coding helps, too.
Ditto #17’s comments on the proprietary designs — maybe a complaint as to how “un-green” the practice is will shame the companies into standardizing. The same applies to toner and ink cartridges…