HP82144A DC charger for Spice (34C)

[bugs1357]

Newbie here. Hi all!

I purchased a 34C and it came with an 82144A charger.
This charger is marked as "use 10-16V DC only" and has a figure 8 (IEC C7/C8) style connector as input but I don't have a suitable input cable.
The input connector looks to be polarized with a flat top and triangular shaped ridge at the bottom, so not exactly the same as a C7/C8.
I disassembled it and it looks to have a 4.7 ohm 3W line input resistor on one of the inputs feeding a bridge rectifier formed by 4 x 1N4002 diodes so it looks like it can handle, AC and DC and reverse polarity.
Anyone else have one of these and can confirm how to connect it to a suitable voltage source?
I have pics of the inside if anyone with better circuit knowledge than I have is interested in studying it.

Thanks

[Dieter]

What? Still no answer? Let me see if I can help. ;-)

(03-23-2014 07:54 AM)bugs1357 Wrote:  I purchased a 34C and it came with an 82144A charger.
This charger is marked as "use 10-16V DC only" and has a figure 8 (IEC C7/C8) style connector as input but I don't have a suitable input cable.

First of all, the regular AC-adapter/charger for the 34C is the 82090B (220 V) resp. the 82087B (110 V). It plugs directly into the rectangular socket on top of the calculator. There also was an external charging cradle + battery set that was used with the same charger.

As far as I can tell, the 82144A is a charger that is intended for the 12 V output of your car's cigarette lighter. If I understand you correctly, you seem to have just one half of the complete charger. What you need is the other half that plugs into the lighter socket and where the other end connects to the input you described.

But... that's not the regular AC charger. Maybe you can build your own 12 V supply that connects to what you have - this may be answered by others. But I think getting the regular Spice charger, i.e. the 82087B or 82090B, would make more sense.

Regarding the 8-shaped socket you described: Please take a look at this website. The Sting section shows a picture of the regular 82090B charger. Now take a look at the 82066B (next picture above). It's just an idea, but do you think this plug would fit?

Dieter

[bugs1357]

Hello Dieter,

Thanks for the response.

The input connector looks identical to the 82011A shown on this page.
The output cable is for Spice not Woodstock as shown on the 82011A.

I am going to see if an IEC C7 connector fits it. At least I can then wire up a 12V DC plug pack to it and get it going.

Wish me luck.

Regards

[Dieter]

(03-24-2014 12:49 PM)bugs1357 Wrote:  I am going to see if an IEC C7 connector fits it. At least I can then wire up a 12V DC plug pack to it and get it going.

Hm. You have this output cable that plugs into your 34C. Why don't you just connect this to a suitable AC adapter so that you can charge directly from 230/240 Volts? The site I linked to says the dedicated Spice charger is nothing but a simple AC/AC transformer. ;-)

BTW, although I have one or two Spice chargers, I prefer charging my 34C batteries (two regular Sanyo AA Eneloops) in an external charger - of course with automatic charge control. Fast, simple and the best you can do to a NiMH battery. You even get 4x the original capacity. And if you do not use your 34C every day there even is another benefit: these Eneloops have virtually no self-discharge.

Just my 2 Euro-cents,

Dieter

[bugs1357]

Thanks Dieter, I'll explore your suggestions further this weekend when I get some free time.