Can I use any AC adaptor for my Yamaha P-80 keyboard?

February 27, 2009 by admin
Filed under: Yamaha Keyboards 

Need a new adaptor but the manual says I need an official Yamaha PA-3B adaptor or basically the machine will "blow up". Sounds like BS. Can I just get any other adaptor from the local Radio Shack? I need a 12V AC adaptor.

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One Comment on Can I use any AC adaptor for my Yamaha P-80 keyboard?

  1. an_gel_on on Fri, 27th Feb 2009 7:44 pm

    2. Yes, it is BS. You can use any adapter with the same specifications. I'm speaking as someone who has played portable keyboards for 50 years.

    The Yamaha PA-3B adapter's specifications are:

    12v (12 volts)
    700mA (700 milliamps)
    + tip polarity (tip polarity is positive for all Yamaha keyboards)

    Just make sure your new adapter matches those three things and you'll be good to go! If you can't find one with 700mA, you can safely use any with a higher mA. Using one with a mA below the recommended 700 capacity can cause the adapter to overheat, but is is perfectly safe to go higher than the recommended mA. This just means your adapter would be capable of running a device that requires more mA, but as long as you have atleast 700mA you will have satisfied the Yamaha keyboard's specifications.

    If you do not match the "tip polarity", you can "blow" the circuit in the keyboard. This is what Yamaha is really warning you against.

    The polarity is a little symbol like the letter "C" with a line protruding out of the opening of the "C". At the end of that line you will see either "+" or "-". That is telling you the polarity of the "tip". If it is "+" tip polarity on the keyboard then you must use an adapter that also says "+" tip polarity. If it says "-" tip polarity on the keyboard then you must use an adapter that says "-" tip polarity. Using the wrong polarity can permanently and usually instantly damage the keyboard! YOUR YAMAHA KEYBOARD USES "+" TIP POLARITY ONLY!!!

    You can buy a "universal" adapter which allows you to select the voltage and polarity and match it to whatever you're using it with. If you do this, just make sure it is atleast 700mA.

    IF YOU FIND THIS ALL TOO CONFUSING go to your nearest Yamaha dealer and they will know which adapter you need. You could also take the keyboard to a Radio Shack and they should match the adapter for you as well.

    I hope this was helpful.

    Good luck

    PS: "Tez" below has the amperage thing backwards. It is safe for your adapter to "exceed" 700mA. It is not safe if it is "below" 700mA.

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