need help cannibalizing a power supply

[Gatorbait]

okay so i have these led strips in my van I'm trying to run straight off the batteries. So I want to run power from the house batteries to a couple toggle switches. I know the positive is in the middle of the connector end and the negative is the outlying piece so I can cut it open and ohm it out to find which is which. But my question is, is it just that simple? What about the diode? Do I splice it with it or cut that out? I tried google but all I'm finding is people changing the ends, not actually getting rid of the AC/DC converter.

[hogasm]

is it an ac to dc converter or a 120v ac to 12v ac converter

if 120v ac to 12v dc then just cut wire, get rid of converter and attach a new end to wire

[ert01]

Agreed. Just cut the end off and splice away, but you do have to ensure that those lights are 12VDC and not 12VAC... some of those chinese LED companies do some odd things sometimes.

[pinz712]

Check the output on the converter if it 12v cut away or you can buy new barrel connectors

FYI some of the LED strips are different voltages out there

[boywonder]

Yes, it should be that simple.....keep in mind that when you are driving the voltage is more like 14VDC.

Can you post a picture of the power pack's label?

So...to be clear.....presently the power pack is supplying the juice for your LED strips and you want to determine if you can ditch the power pack and connect to your house batteries?..

What diode are you referring to? The lump in the cable is a ferrite (magnet) to pass EMC emission requirements for UL, CE marking.....you don't need it, things will be fine without it.

BTW pretty much all 12VDC barrel connectors have the positive in the inside and the -ve (common) on the outside of the barrel....so you don't smoke the power supply by having the connector touch a metal table top, etc.

Those std barrel connectors typically have 2 or 3 internal hole sizes 2.1mm, 2.5mm etc. If you have a caliper, very easy to measure.

Digi-key, mouser (and highly likely ebay) sell the connectors. I have a small pile of them, so if you know what hole size you need PM me....I can send you one.