Organising AC Adapters

[Halcyon]

I have hundreds of various AC adapters. Some generic, some product specific like Cisco access point or Nokia phone adapters. Of course all of them are different, even among the Nokia adapters, I think there are at least 5 different voltages.

It's getting to the point where rifling through the boxes each time is cumbersome.

How do you organise your AC adapters? Do you do it by voltage (e.g.: A box for <5v) or by application?

[Andy Chee]

I organise mine by current (or current range), rather than voltage.

[Someone]

I have hundreds of various AC adapters.

Photos or it didn't happen.

[Halcyon]

I have hundreds of various AC adapters.

Photos or it didn't happen.

These are just the ones I've semi-organised today. There are others in another room and scattered around the place in bundles. There is also another container full of USB adapters.

The cardboard box is purely just Nokia adapters. Sure, the argument can be made that I don't need that many and I could throw some out...

[themadhippy]

white  paint marker (or tippex) and mark em with there use /voltage,wont cure the sorting issue but will make finding the one you want easier

[Dougmc]

I put I
Them in small boxes.
Hand bar soap boxes work well on the smaller ones.
Just label the boxes.
I've ordered the other sizes ,cheap paper box.

[bill_c]

One of those impulse sealers and the bags on a roll work well for keeping them tangle free. Print volts, amps, connector, and date on paper and stuff it in there too. I had a few boxes of adapters way past their sale date, none had anywhere near the right voltage, now I only keep a few new ones. They make anti-static bags on a roll also so you can bag more things to help justify the cost of the sealer.

[all_repair]

With usb-c getting more common, my adaptor inventory now has a chance to be used.

Sort by voltage, and then cold storage the rare one, and I pay attention to the most commonly needed voltage (12,24, and 5) and connectors.  And then on the head, heatshrink a brother label with the volt and current like AndreasSpiess did to his adaptors.

[wilfred]

I use a labeler to put a label on with what product it came with, which is handy for finding the right one under the table in a multitude of power strips. I label all of them with the current and voltage as well even if I picked it up from the scrap and don't know what it is for. That just makes life easier than finding my glasses to read the writing which is deliberately hard to read.

Having hundreds is too many. I don't know how many is enough as that is as much related to how much storage space exists. But more than the number of power outlets you have is a good starting point. I have a plastic box of maybe 25liters that is my limit for storage. It also contains power cables. I have put them in zip-loc plastic bags  to prevent cables getting tangled. One box has proven to be a reasonable working limit. I also only tend to acquire old laptop supplies now as they have more varied plugs and I find laptops without supplies more often.

If I need to find one, it is in the box. I'm OK with pulling them out until I find the one I want. The plastic bags makes this easy with no tangled cables and the big kindy-print labels makes reading through plastic easy too.

[bdunham7]

I put them in individual ziploc sandwich bags so they don't tangle.  I can go through a box of 20-30 adapters pretty quick to see if I have what I need if I don't  have to fight the cords.  If you like you can put a small card inside where you write the voltage, current and whether it is SMPS or linear. 

[bitwelder]

For the the criteria I first go 'special usage or not', then 'by voltage', i.e.:
first I collect together (if needed, divided in few classes) those adapters that have a special purpose, e.g. because of custom connector, etc.
then most of generic ones are sorted in different bags by voltage (5V, 9V, 12V, 24V),
last is the box of the odd ones (e.g. unusual voltages)

Then, when one of these boxes or bags gets overpopulated, I made a selection of its content e.g. by keeping only the ones with higher power rating.

[Psi]

First thing to do is remove all the center negative ones and swear at them a few times before putting them in the rubbish *cough*.

Then you remove all the AC ones and hide those away too.

Then you sort by 5V, 12V  and other.  Or maybe 24V as well if you have lots.

[jonovid]

First thing to do is remove all the center negative ones and swear at them a few times before putting them in the rubbish *cough*.

Then you remove all the AC ones and hide those away too.

IMO cut the plug end off the output cord and repurpose them for DIY projects with a new plug.

tie the cords with rubber bands and add adhesive labels if needed. list output voltage & mA - sort by voltage
inefficient iron core transformer types make good use of them for noise-free operation of High fidelity audio, broadcast AM & shortwave radio receivers.
collect put together all the 5 volt USB types.