Sorting wall warts
(this follows the outline of Portland's Project Planning Guidelines Template)
Program basics
- Program name: Wallwart sorting
- Program description: We have a lot of wallwarts that have become disconnected from their original appliances. We have so many that we should be able to use them for other appliances when needed, if we're unable to pair them with their original appliance.
- Why does FreeGeek need this program: Whenever someone needs to find a wallwart, they usually either spend an hour searching, or give up. By organizing them, we turn a resource that is almost useless into one that's very useful.
Proposed sorting
Each column would hold wallwarts of the same voltage. Within each column, individual boxes would hold wallwarts of the same connector type and size, with at least one box per column used for "all other types / sizes".
| 4.5v, 4.75mm OD | 6.0v, 4.75mm OD | ||||||
| 1.5v, 2.35mm OD | 3.0v, 2.35mm OD | 4.5v, 4.00mm OD | 6.0v, 4.00mm OD | 7.5v, 4.75mm OD | 9.0v, 4.75mm OD | 12.0v, 5.50mm OD | 15.0v, 6.50mm OD |
| 1.5v, all other | 3.0v, all other | 4.5v, all other | 6.0v, all other | 7.5v, all other | 9.0v, all other | 12.0v, all other | 15.0v, all other |
Where necessary, a micrometer could be used to determine connector sizes. However, other methods such as comparing to already-known sizes, or using a printed template of sizes, may be faster.
Once the adapters are sorted this way, when someone needs to find an adapter for their appliance, they simply:
- look at the back of their appliance, find out what voltage it needs
- scan down the column of boxes for that voltage, trying each one until they find a connector and size that fits
- Confirm that the polarity is correct. If not, just try other adapters from the same box.
Comments
Comment by Scott Lewis on Tue Nov 17 13:36:03 2009
Great idea!
To help keep adapters sorted and prevent cord tangles, I think we should put each wallwart into a ziploc bag with a piece of paper giving its specs. It's more hassle up front, but otherwise in ~3 months each box will be a snarl of mis-filed adapters.
Comment by Scott Lewis on Tue Nov 17 13:37:47 2009
Great idea!
To help keep adapters sorted and prevent cord tangles, I think we should put each wallwart into a ziploc bag with a piece of paper giving its specs. It's more hassle up front, but otherwise in ~3 months each box will be a snarl of mis-filed adapters.