"Rob Stampfli" wrote in message
...
In article ,
David G. Nagel wrote:
wrote:

When looking for a power supply for my Alinco dr-590, what type of
power supply would I look for? The radio says 13.8 v dc but if I get a
12 volt power supply will it put out the same wattage at the radio?

12 VDC to 13.8 VDC are nominal voltages. Very few radios are sensitive
to variation of voltage as long as the power supply can supply the amps.
The Icom 706 series seem to be sensitive to .LT. 12 VDC. I can't speak
to the Alinco.
Generally the front of any given power supply will say 12 VDC but the
specs will indicate 13.8 VDC.
No, if you provide 12 VDC you will output a lower wattage regardless of
the capacity to provide adequate amperage.

OK. When the meter lamp in my Kenwood TS-430S burned out recently,
I substituted a 12V replacement from Radio Shack. So, are bulbs
rated the same way? Certainly, it would appear auto bulbs are,
but what about wheat lamps?

Rob

Small light bulbs live in a different world. For instance, many flash lights
use a bulb that is rated for a lower voltage than the battery. I have one
that uses 2 AA cells and a 2.4 V bulb. This makes it brighter, and if the
life of the bulb turns out to be 10 hours, that is inconsequential, because
10 hours of use is beyond the life expectancy of a flash light. You probably
should have bought a 14 V bulb, since you do care about bulb life.

Tam/WB2TT