Electronics > Beginners
Confused and learning
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Dark Bard Raven:
First of sorry I know this is long winded I am getting old. So simple question really I am trying to get into electronics as a hobby and maybe to make some money on the side fixing things. I have decent basic knowledge but was always afraid and never had any out side motivation to get into it as a kid, now that I am going into the second half of my life I am done just standing by and not getting into the things I like when I have a genuine love of electronics but I come across some really basic info but can not seem to get a solid answer sometimes. So the question is I am determined to build my own D.I.Y. Power supply and quite a few other things to give me more versatility in what I am doing. But I know to start I need some basics. One of which is a basic power supply  to test my individual components before I install them all in and cross my fingers and hope I got it right. I am doing the research and understand the Voltage and Amp part but I am getting confused with the input part. Most of my life has been buy something and plug it in and it works knowing that there was more to it but not giving it much thought. But now looking at power supplies I notice more and more that they say to check the out side input and either make sure that your running 110 or 220 based on the recommendation. Can someone dumb this down for me and simply put if I buy a power supply that was build to use a standard American plug can I just plug it into my wall socket without blowing it out or do I have to take my multi meter to check the plug then regulate the power going to it to match the supply I get. In the end I will be converting a ATX power supply with out modifications for variable and static power out put so I know that will work just plugging it into the wall once done and means a normal power supply should just plug in and work but all these knock off companies say so much **** I just want to make sure can not really afford to waste money and do something stupid.
rstofer:
I would expect that everything you buy from a supplier inside the US to come with a US power cable.  If you buy it from China, you're on your own.

Many power inlets have a switch to select between 120 and 240.  This is particularly true for ATX power supplies.

Some items don't care which voltage you apply, they'll deal with it.

IEC cables (PC cables) come with a number of male ends depending on country.

I think you're overthinking this.  I have been playing with this stuff for 60 years and have never had an issue plugging things in.
Dark Bard Raven:
Yeah, I am agreeing with the over thinking the wording was just throwing me for a loop.
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