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BP-511 adapter specs?

Hi Chieh

I love your book!

I also love your website and have enjoyed the process of opening up my BP-511 after reading your hack.

My question to you is this:

Can you please tell me what specifications I should look for if I want to buy an AC adapter for my hacked BP-511 case? I want to plug it into a 110volt wall socket for continuous power.

I know I should look for an adaptor that can provide 7.8volts of DC from 110-240 volts AC.
I do not know the output amps or output watts I should be looking for.

Many thanks for any advice/help you can offer me on this subject!

charles le guen
Fri, 14 Aug 2009 15:29:49 +0000

Do you have the Canon Compact Power Adapter CA-PS400. It's the battery charger for the BP511 and allows you to connect your camera to the AC outlet? If so, you can see if there is power spec on it. I'm not at home, so I don't have it handy.

If you don't have it, then just try an AC adapter and see. The amp/watt rating on the AC adapter is the maximum rating that the AC adapter can supply, not what the camera will draw. So it's perfectly fine to use, say, a 2 amp supply with a device that draws 100 milliAmp.

Personally, I don't think a digital camera will draw 1 amp, so you are probably safe with one of those.

Chieh Cheng
Fri, 14 Aug 2009 20:10:35 +0000

I don't know much about choosing adapters. I was under the impression that the volts should be exactly what the camera needs.

I don't have the power adapter CA-PS400, unfortunately.
I only have the recharger (Canon CB-5L).

I was under the impression that the volts should match the needs of the camera. The camera underside says it takes 8.1 volts. But the battery pack only delivers 7.4 volts (according to your tutorial). the recharger I have says it outputs 8.4 volts (but the power needed to recharge the battery is not to be confused with the power needed to run the camera, right?)

And you say it doesn't matter at all what the amperage is? Can I go to Radioshack and buy any adapter that delivers 8.1 volts?

Can I use one that delivers 9 volts? (these seem very easy to come by). Or am I better erring on the side of too little voltage (like 5 or 6 volts)?

Is there any danger of frying my camera if I take an adapter that has the wrong specs?...

Thanks VERY much for your help (I'm trying to set this up for tethered shooting at my wedding -- in ONE week!!!)

Thanks again for all your help.

charles le guen
Wed, 19 Aug 2009 20:02:57 +0000

The voltage has to match. I believe the voltage range is 7.2v to 7.4v. If you are in a hurry, I'd suggest you get the CA-PS400 power supply and the DR-400 adapter.

Chieh Cheng
Wed, 19 Aug 2009 21:21:49 +0000

Thanks for this mail

My power pack says it delivers 7.4volts of power, but the camera says it takes up to 8.1volts of DC power.

I went to radio shack and found a $20 adapter with regulated and unfiltered output of 7DC volts or 7.5 DC volts (it has two settings). It can provide up to 2000 mA of current.

If I solder this into my hacked power pack, it should work if set to 7.5 volts, no?

charles le guen
Thu, 20 Aug 2009 17:50:44 +0000

Haha. That's excellent. I believe 2 amp is more than enough juice. As long as the voltage matches the spec, it should work fine.

Chieh Cheng
Thu, 20 Aug 2009 18:10:21 +0000

Just to let you know:
It worked great!

7.5volts and 200mA worked!

And all it cost me was one old battery pack and a $30 universal AC adapter from radio shack
;)

thanks for your feedback!

charles le guen
Tue, 01 Sep 2009 05:24:45 +0000

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