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I have a device and on the bottom it says:

[VAC]: 100-240
[VDC]: 12
[A]: 0.5

I know P=VA but it seems like the answer would be either 6W or 50-120W, which seems like a major difference.

The device gets plugged into the wall (AC).

How much power can I expect it consume? Why do they list VAC and VDC if it can only be plugged into the wall?

strikerdude10
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  • Your missing the most important information. What is the device? My guess without any information is that it's 100-240VAC input with 12VDC output and max current of 500mA. A power brick? – MOSFET Feb 22 '24 at 21:50
  • Why do they list VAC and VDC if it can only be plugged into the wall? So that people don't put 12VDC into a device that is not rated for 12VDC as its input. – Colin Feb 23 '24 at 02:47

1 Answers1

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I assume that this is a DC power supply that is designed to produce 12 volts at up to 0.5 amp, or 6 watts. If so, the maximum AC input power should be a little over 6 watts, to allow for a little inefficiency.

The actual power consumption will depend on the load on the output. If the load is only 0.25 amp or 3 watts, the AC input power should be a little over three watts.

Peter Bennett
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