One More Death-Trap Adapter For The Record
While my expectations weren’t particularly high, my previous generic adapter tear-downs made me slightly optimistic about the possibility of finding a decent ~$3 adapter. However, the AR-18 clearly demonstrates that I hadn’t scraped the bottom of the barrel yet by showcasing the complete lack of isolation I had expected to see in my Colorful tear-down (but didn’t find). Let’s recap.
- Very low standby power
- Level VI efficiency up to its maximum test load
- Best output quality among cheap adapters so far
- Didn’t self-destruct
The Bad:
- Pathetic 0.96A out of 3.1A claimed output
The Ugly:
- Non Y-class EMI filter capacitor
- Insufficient creepage distance between primary and secondary board traces
- Feedback winding wound directly atop the output winding
In short: extremely unsafe construction. Don’t buy. Crush and recycle if you own one.