"Phil Allison"
I guess any old mains powered device that runs low power DC circuitry inside
would be the equivalent. I dont think plug packs existed before the late
sixties.
Cheers,
Dean.
( well go on Phil....abuse me )
I doubt that there would have been many low power/low voltage consumer
devices around prior to the 60's, so therefore not much of a market
for a plugpack. The few that were would use batteries, and/or have an
internal transformer.
Quite possible too that the transformers then were less efficient and
therefore had to be much heavier, larger and run hotter to supply the
same VA as a modern ironcore unit, which would limit the possible VA
rating that you could fit inside a plugpack without making it too
large or heavy to be of practical use.
Things suddenly got smaller, lighter and more portable and there was
no room left for a transformer inside, and the plugpack soon arrived.
As in Phil's example, it would be hard to fit a transformer inside a
pocket calculator, and even if you could, the calculator would
probably be pulled off the table by the weight of even the lightest
legally allowable mains cord
The first plugpack I ever saw was about 1974, for some reason my
parents bought a "sheen" LED display calculator 9v battery powered but
it also came with a plugpack, I cant remember seeing any before that.
Soon after that, they started appearing everywhere, and most battery
operated devices would at least have a "DC IN" socket to accept a
plugpack.
The oldest I have would be from late 1970's, would be a tandy 9v unit,
though I havent used it in many years. I would be confident that it
still works perfectly though.
