Question 1

does this drive enclosure require AC adapter if I install a SSD drive?

Accepted Answer

No it does not require extra power with an SSD installed. Keep in mind this one uses an ASMedia chip, and won't see over 200 Megabytes per second when usb 3.0 is capable of ~500. I own one. it is kinda cheap but gets the job done the cable is thick and if you're not careful you can bust the connector of the traces. the USB 3.0 thin connectors need to be reworked when mounting to only one side as it seems to be a matter of time for an externals' to break.

Question 2

What maximum height of HDD the device can accommodate?

Accepted Answer

It's about 3/8 of an inch. I have a 1 Tb Samsung Momentus drive in mine and it fits very comfortably. I have no complaints with the case other than the power cord which has both USB 2.0 and 3.0 connectors on it for some reason.

Question 3

Why does this have a separate 5V input? I thought that USB 3.0 is able to power directly this small 2.5" drives. Seagate, WD and the other big guys don't require a separate 5V input to power their external slim drives.

Accepted Answer

The drive has a separate 5V input to supply power to the drive, when or if necessary.

While USB may provide 5V it may not provide the necessary amperage to spin up and power the drive. The drive kit ships with a USB cable that has two "A" connectors to provide power. You computer may or may not provide enough power to power the device and drive you enclose so it may need supplemental power, for example if your computer doesn't provide enough or you have a large chain of USB devices on the bus.

As an example, not all computers USB ports provide enough current to charge an iPad. Same principle here. So to supply the necessary power an external power supply (not included) may be required.

Question 4

What are the dimenssions of the 5v DC plug (outer+inner diameter)? 5.5mm x 2.5mm?

Accepted Answer

Usually, the barrel connector is a 2.5mm/0.7mm. Sometimes, the cables are hard to find unless you know exactly what you're looking for and can do a focused search for it.  Usually, this kind of cable will be $3-5/ea.

Question 5

What is the  power input used for?

Accepted Answer

This power input can either be from an external p/s or from a specialized USB cable. As USB 3 is still powered, this isn't a big issue, but if connected to a non-standard USB, or using eSATA (which is not powered), then this secondary input would provide the unit with the power it needed for the drive to spin up and function.

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