Making a 'new' charger for a camcorder

[jotwerde]

I've got an old camcorder whose charger recently stopped working. It's a pretty common 5V 2A charger.
I've also got a phone charger with the same specs lying around, which I don't use anymore. The only difference between the two is that they have different connectors.
So, I figured I could just cut off both connectors and solder the camcorder charger connector to the phone charger.
Is there any reason why I shouldn't do this?

Thanks a lot in advance.

[Ranayna]

As long as the USB supply is not some kind of "smart" charger this should work fine. A "smart" charger might rely on some kind of negotiation protocol to deliver full power.

One important thing though: Do not rely on the wire colors in regards to polarity. Use a multimeter to verify polarity, and try to find documentation on how the original plug should be wired.

[t1d]

Additionally, should the replacement charger have a lower amperage rating, I believe that your charging time could be extended.

Why not repair the original charger? That would be a great low-level, fun, learning project and we would be glad to talk you through it. It is most likely a very simple problem... My bet is, in order of likelihood, a bad fuse, a bad cap, or a bad diode... There are other possibilities, farther down the list...

What is your interest in doing that? If you might give it a go, what is your skill level and what equipment do you have access to? Most likely you would only need a Multimeter and a solder iron/supplies.

Come on, let's do it! Start by unplugging it and opening it up. Hint - Screws are often hidden under labels and rubber feet.

Give it a good look, but there is no need to do anything else, yet. The problem may be readily apparent. Look for scorch marks and swollen, leaky capacitors. If you don't see the issue, we will tell you what to do next.

Pictures would be most helpful, please and thank you.

[jotwerde]

Additionally, should the replacement charger have a lower amperage rating, I believe that your charging time could be extended.

Why not repair the original charger? That would be a great low-level, fun, learning project and we would be glad to talk you through it. It is most likely a very simple problem... My bet is, in order of likelihood, a bad fuse, a bad cap, or a bad diode... There are other possibilities, farther down the list...

What is your interest in doing that? If you might give it a go, what is your skill level and what equipment do you have access to? Most likely you would only need a Multimeter and a solder iron/supplies.

Come on, let's do it! Start by unplugging it and opening it up. Hint - Screws are often hidden under labels and rubber feet.

Give it a good look, but there is no need to do anything else, yet. The problem may be readily apparent. Look for scorch marks and swollen, leaky capacitors. If you don't see the issue, we will tell you what to do next.

Pictures would be most helpful, please and thank you.

Thank you very much, I really appreciate your nice reply!
I decided to take a look, and indeed it was just a leaky cap, like you said!

The charger has no screws at all and I had to pry it open with a screwdriver/pocket knife, which originally was the reason I didn't want to try to repair it (opening it was quite tough for me).

However, I accidentally removed some of the white adhesive around the wires running to the connector, do I have to replace it or is this not important?

[kjr18]

This white silicon like stuff is used to keep components from "flapping around in a breeze". Probably used to stabilize cable so it would not move too much under vibration, so they wouldn't break. If you want you could put some hot glue on it.