Amps vs Watts?

[cityside75]

Quick question for any electricians or electricity experts: I have an item that requires the following power rating from an AC adaptor: 13.5 Volts 1.5 amps.

My question is, I'm having a bit of difficulty tracking down a power supply with these specs. I've gotten it powered up with a 12 Volt 1.5 amp supply, but haven't left it on for long. I have found a number of adaptors online rated at 13.5 Volts 1 amp. So, if I have to settle for one of these options temporarily until the right supply turns up, which is my better option? Will either of these damage the component (my guess is no since nothing is exceeding the rated specs).

The item is an exercise bike that I posted about in the February finds thread if it matters.

Thanks!

[InsaneDavid]

Quick question for any electricians or electricity experts: I have an item that requires the following power rating from an AC adaptor: 13.5 Volts 1.5 amps.

My question is, I'm having a bit of difficulty tracking down a power supply with these specs. I've gotten it powered up with a 12 Volt 1.5 amp supply, but haven't left it on for long. I have found a number of adaptors online rated at 13.5 Volts 1 amp. So, if I have to settle for one of these options temporarily until the right supply turns up, which is my better option? Will either of these damage the component (my guess is no since nothing is exceeding the rated specs).

The item is an exercise bike that I posted about in the February finds thread if it matters.

Thanks!

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say the 12V @ 1.5A supply would be within tolerance for voltage. You need to get ballpark with the voltage since the circuit will have to take what it is given. For amperage you need to be equal or higher to what is required, as the circuit will only draw what it needs.

[jonjandran]

The 12V 1.5A is the better choice.

[cityside75]

Thanks David, my thought was similar but I wanted to bounce it off someone else.

Incidentally, since I know you've been following my posts in the finds thread, you wouldn't believe the amount of searching I had to do in order to come up with that spec for the bike. It's not listed anywhere on the bike itself, and every type of search I did (I'm talking looking through newsgroups, webarchive, etc) would yield a parts list with the adapter but no rating. Finally, on what felt like my millionth search term variation I found a pdf of the manual sitting on a website somewhere, and thank goodness the power specs were listed on the last page! I was nervous to plug anything into it until I knew that answer, as you can imagine.

Thanks again!

Edit - Thanks jonjandran as well!