Question on ZipLinq ZIP-PWR-NB retractable power cord?

Was looking at a Cables Unlimited ZIP-PWR-NB ZipLinq Retractable Universal Notebook Power Cord on Amazon for the power brick for my CF-29, but there's one thing I'm not sure I like - it has no ground pin like the OEM cable does!

Does the OEM CF-29 power brick actually use the ground pin, or does it just float or tie into neutral? Is it even particularly important on the CF-29 OEM power brick? Or can I get away with a cable that doesn't have it?



(Too bad the other cord is hardwired to the brick, it would be nice if they could both be replaced with retractable cords. (Actually, what would be really nice is a small 1-piece AC/DC supply with retractable cords that just pull inside when not in use, but I don't think such a product even exists, or at least not for cheap, so for now the stock brick and an inverter will have to do.))

 

D-P,
The third lead on the Panasonic power brick is just a safety ground, I very much doubt its really needed. I do not believe the usual two prong cable will plug into the 3 lead brick however, the hole is a different shape. If the cable you are looking at is for the usual style brick I don't think its going to work.
CAP

 

The cable that you point to is called a figure 8

The new Thoughbooks like yours use a mickey mouse style

btw: I'm serious thats what they are called... I'm not making this stuff up lol

Opps I see the adapter now

Alex

 

In the picture in the link there appears to be an adapter mickey mouse> Figure Eight. So it should work.

 

Opps
Missed that , I think I need glasses

Thanks for pointing that out tough-2-go
It will work then

Alex

 

Although I have been reading a lot on here I had not seen somewhere I though I could add to the discussion until now. I have gotten a lot of great info from here. Thanks to all. I read on here that a IBM thinkpad adapter would work. And I have one with a thinkpad that I also use. Turns out the voltage is 16 and amps is 4.5 which is close enough. And the plug is the same. You can buy them on ebay for not too much. It is AC DC depending on which cord you use. What you want is the 72W version. There are a few different 72 W ones from what I have seen but it seems like they all are the same plug. Just make sure it puts out 16 volts 4.5 amp and you should be all set. IBM also had a 20 volt model and that's now what you want. They are smaller than the IGOs and work well on AC or DC.
Ted

 

Hi all, just a little input on the earth pin... (This is based on UK standards and may not apply to your location).

Where you have an adpater that is insulated i.e plastic, and the output is electrically isolated from the input, by transformer for example, the earth pin is required for noise filtering & emc conditions.

SMPSU, switched mode power supplys, as in desktops, faxes, printers etc, are very noisey, and can return interference back up the mains supply. They work by turning the mains into DC, then chop it up into blocks. By changing the width of these blocks, you can vary the average voltage. This is how they regulate.

This chopping into blocks is normally at high frequency, and square blocks give a lot of harmonics.

By putting a filter of capacitors and coils in a delta (triangle) across live, neutral & earth, the amount of harmonics and noise is reduced.

The downside is that the capacitors leak and you can have current flowing in the earth line. UK electrical regs have special conditions to be met in offices for high integrity earthing, because a break in the earth cable could result in a lethal shock... even when everything is working normally!

If somebody has gone to the trouble and expense of an extra pin on a socket, its normally for very good reason.

God I need to get out more...

Regards Simon

 

Simon,
In the US the third lead is a secondary ground (earth) and serves to act as a safety against failure of the main ground. It becomes common with the main ground at the mains socket. I believe you chaps use 220v mains which in the US uses the primary ground lead as a hot line.
CAP

 

Hi Cap!

I had to Wiki US wiring to translate the cross atlantic jargon...!

Without getting really bogged down in boring stuff, in houses we mainly use a three wire system of line (hot), neutral (the same as you) and a seperate earth which is a parrallel conection to the neutral, which is connected to the neutral at the suppliers sub-station. This provides a path for current to flow in case of a fault. It is ed useful for squashing noise too.

I hope this internet catches on, it makes the world a smaller place, dunnit?#

Regards Simon

 

Well, here in the US, the usual wiring in houses is:

120V: 120V hot to neutral, with a third pin to earth ground (that most things don't even use - older systems often don't have the 3rd hole in the socket even).
240V: 120V hot to 120V hot (180 degrees out of phase with each other so the voltages stack), with a pin to earth ground, usually used for things like clothes dryers and larger window-mount air conditioners.

There's also 3-phase (which comes in several varieties), but that usually isn't used in houses, so that's mostly irrelevant to the discussion. However, generally though, it's phase-to-ground for 120V, and phase-to-phase for 208V (120 degrees out of phase from each other - the voltages stack differently than a complete 180 degrees would), and may or may not have a ground pin depending on the particular implementation.