[SOLVED] Can I replace DC wall bricks with AC->DC adapter?

[penname]

I have -- for reasons out of my control/budget right now -- three external HDDs, all of which use an oversized DC brick that plugs into the surge protector and covers other outlets. I'm curious about trying to replace at least two of them with something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B...5&pd_rd_w=xpRW0&pd_rd_wg=FNcJp&ref_=pd_gw_unk

Obviously, I'd have to make sure that polarity, voltage and amperage are all correct; I'm just wondering if anyone else has done something like this, and how it worked out for them.

Before any well-meaning souls suggest a multi-bay DAS enclosure or an NAS solution as an alternative: That would be my ideal, but...money, and other reasons. (A six-point list of reasons. I'm not kidding.)

 

[Lutfij]

Welcome to the forums, newcomer!

Mind sharing the make and model of your external HDD's? How much can you expend on your endeavor, realistically? You sure you don't want the storage devices connected internally to your motherboard(if you have SATA ports available)? It would certainly be cheaper than having to work with another adapter.

Just be clear, I do work with external HDD's but I don't use them everyday and they're not plugged in 24/7. To add, I have an extended power strip that is not completely populated to avoid the power strip from failing and to make sure that the other sockets are available for other devices when in a pinch(like charging the phone).

Last point, if the HDD's are essential to your life, meaning that the data on them is irreplaceable, you might want to bite into that 6 points list of reasons and make sure your data is secure.

 

[penname]

Thanks, Lutfi! I probably should clarify that I do have a working setup right now -- I'm asking more from idle curiosity than real necessity, at least for now. I have a thin-client-sized computer, or I would make all of these drives internal. If I absolutely had to, I could probably get one of these drives out of the picture.

The whole idea is probably silly, I'll admit. I was just curious, because it seems like so many of the devices and accessories I've been adding in my computer and my TV area lately use these DC bricks, some of which are more power-strip friendly than others. (MoCA adapters, Ethernet switches, power bricks for charging phones, etc.)

I don't mean to seem evasive re: the questions you've asked above -- it's just that my setup is a little bit Rube Goldberg, trying to work with some oddball logistics, so the backstory probably doesn't matter if the original "solution" is goofy to begin with...

 

[TerryLaze]

I'm curious about trying to replace at least two of them with something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B...5&pd_rd_w=xpRW0&pd_rd_wg=FNcJp&ref_=pd_gw_unk

Obviously, I'd have to make sure that polarity, voltage and amperage are all correct; I'm just wondering if anyone else has done something like this, and how it worked out for them.

You can do this, no problem, obviously you can only power one of your drives at a time with this and you will have to make sure that it has the right plug.
All external hdd cases run on 5V or on 5V + 12V, if yours are all 5V only or 12V only they will work without issue.

If you don't need access to all 3 drives at the same time you should look into which of the cases is easiest to open up and only use that one case opened up so you can change the disks whenever you need.