Hey gang,
1. I'm currently powering 4 Behringer stompbox pedals with THIS pedalboard: http://www.johnsongtr.com/Powered-Pedalboard.295.0.html .
2. I read something in a magazine about AC or DC, and how if you power a pedal the wrong way, it could blow up (???)
3. My Behringers are fine now. BUT, I am considering buying new pedals (MXR Carbon Copy, some phaser, etc.)
My question is, how do I know if I am powering a certain pedal the proper way? Will the pedals I am considering to purchase be wrecked if I power them through the pedal board I have now?
Thanks so much.
AC (Alternating current) is what comes out of the wall at 110V, 120V, 220V or 240V (I think that covers most of the world). It is not what your footpedals like to eat, they get very bad indigestion and severe heartburn.
DC (Direct Current) is much more to the liking of your footpedals and, generally, comes in 3V, 4.5V, 9V, 12V and 18V varieties. Most footpedals use 9V but some use 18V. They also like the current to move in a specific direction. Most DC-driven devices, that have a transformer input, also have a small icon, near to the input, to tell you which polarity to use. 
This is telling you that the outer sheath of the connector is positive and the core is negative. You need to make sure that (as well as the voltage) the polarity of your transformer and that of the pedal are the same.
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absolutely those cable sheath diagrams are important. there is no standardization with stomp boxes and mylti effects pedals.
there should be. so look closely.
Very good answer from Greybeard, check that symbol. If there is no symbol to tell you the polarity, then use a battery. If you get it wrong (happened to me once), you will ruin the pedal.
Probably 90% of the pedals today are negative center, but not all. My ProCo Rat is positive center. I had to buy a little adapter that changes the center post from positive to negative.
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