As said above, the power requirements of the ZX Spectrum 16K through to the +2 (grey) are not special.
Any smoothed or regulated DC PSU at a nominal 9V rated at 2A (or more) and with the correct polarity will do.
Of course, as explained above also, a regulated DC supply with an output voltage in the range 7.5V to 9V is preferred, as it allows the 7805 voltage regulator and its heatsink to run cooler.
The original Sinclair ZX PSU can still be used if you wish. You can also replace the 7805 voltage regulator and its heatsink with a modern DC/DC converter (for example, a RECOM, or other similar device).
The ZX Spectrum 16K through to the +2 (grey) will even run off a battery.
The most important things are:
- Buy new PSUs from trusted retailers, trusted sellers or known brands that are sold in your own country. Stay away from cheap rubbish from overseas. This is because there are bucket loads of cheap and nasty PSUs available from overseas where mains voltage safety has been compromised to keep the price low.
- Always double check the polarity before plugging it in. Get this wrong and it will destroy your ZX Spectrum. Better still, get an inexpensive multimeter and test before connecting the PSU to your Spectrum.
Mark
Standby alert
“There are four lights!”
Step up to red alert. Sir, are you absolutely sure? It does mean changing the bulb
Looking forward to summer later in the year.