68 replies to this topic

[SIO99]

After all the problems I've had with my newly purchased Atari 65XE, I've just bought this untested PSU, as well as a new multimeter, both from eBay. I decided to do this after finding out there was a massive charge for shipping, increasing the price of a PSU I'd planned to get by about 65-70%.

http://rover.ebay.co...9#ht_500wt_1182

BTW, I haven't used a multimeter or soldering iron for more years than I can remember.

I hope you can advise me what the most likely faults are that ths PSU is likely to have and how to fix them.

[mimo]

The most likely problem is its Knackered. you may be lucky, but in my eBay experience untested means they tested it and it does not work. it may have a blown fuse, but that requires cutting the bottom off the psu with a dremmel of hacksaw. it may have a broken wire, you would have to cut n shut the cable to repair that.
better option would have been buying something like this http://rover.ebay.co...#ht_1747wt_1141
and cutting the connector off your Atari psu and splicing it onto this one.

[SIO99]

At least I'll have a spare Atari connector, even if the PSU doesn't work. The PSU you linked to has a 3.2A output, but sloopy said it should be 1.5-2A. I don't know which one of you is right.

[SIO99]

I've just found two cheaper PSUs which are 5V and 2A. All the others cost about £9.99 or are in China. Can anyone tell me if they're suitable or not? I don't know if the leads contain two wires, so I've contacted the sellers for this information.

http://rover.ebay.co...3#ht_516wt_1165

http://rover.ebay.co...3#ht_500wt_1413

Apart from this it seems to me that there may be a phone charger that has two wires and is 5V 2A, but none of the ones I've got fit those specs.

[mimo]

It could be 2 amps it could be 20 amps, the Atari will draw what it requires.

[BillC]

SIO99, on Tue Jul 24, 2012 6:07 AM, said:

I've just found two cheaper PSUs which are 5V and 2A. All the others cost about £9.99 or are in China. Can anyone tell me if they're suitable or not? I don't know if the leads contain two wires, so I've contacted the sellers for this information.

http://rover.ebay.co...3#ht_516wt_1165

http://rover.ebay.co...3#ht_500wt_1413

Apart from this it seems to me that there may be a phone charger that has two wires and is 5V 2A, but none of the ones I've got fit those specs.

You need to be careful when purchasing items through eBay, sometimes device labels get misread.

The first item doesn't have a picture in which the label is visible, but I found another page that does and it is a 5VDC 2A device
The second item you linked is being sold as 5VDC 2A, however the label states "5VDC0.2A" (only 200mA instead of 2A) I have sent the seller a message informing him of this.

[protek]

There are new Atari XL/XE PSUs for sale at AmiBay:
http://www.amibay.co...ead.php?t=21227


As for the mylar, you could try this semi-temporary quick fix. Connect the broken lines with a pencil. Grphite is conductive. I've fixed a keyboard membrane of a Spectrum with pencil.

Edited by protek, Tue Jul 24, 2012 4:50 PM.

[SIO99]

protek, on Tue Jul 24, 2012 4:46 PM, said:

There are new Atari XL/XE PSUs for sale at AmiBay:
http://www.amibay.co...ead.php?t=21227


As for the mylar, you could try this semi-temporary quick fix. Connect the broken lines with a pencil. Grphite is conductive. I've fixed a keyboard membrane of a Spectrum with pencil.

The dates say it was last year and may not be or isn't available anymore!

Apart from the above, this worries me "MORE POWERFUL THAN EVER:
The Heavy Duty XL/XE Power Supply outperforms every Atari Power Supply ever produced. Consider one fact: the most powerful Atari Adapter is rated for 1,5 Amperes while this one is rated for 3,0 Amperes.

NO MORE ATARIS FRIED BY THE WRONG POWER SUPPLY:
It is a well known fact that you always have to be careful swapping Atari Power Supplies. For example, an Atari 65XE PS plugged to an Atari 800XL caused damage even thought that pinout and voltages matched.

Why? Because the 65XE was not powerful enough in terms of Amperes and Wattage and failed in a matter of minutes, damaging the connected Home Computes. People had to own a different Power Supply for each of their Ataris, yet connecting the wrong AC Adapter and frying the machine was a common mistake"

According to this, my new Atari XL PSU could fry my 65XE in a few minutes, even if checking it with the multimeter gives the correct result! What should I do now?!

As for fixing my Select key using a pencil, unfortunately you don't give details of how to do this.

Edited by SIO99, Tue Jul 24, 2012 6:30 PM.

[protek]

SIO99, on Tue Jul 24, 2012 6:10 PM, said:

The dates say it was last year and may not be or isn't available anymore!

Apart from the above, this worries me "MORE POWERFUL THAN EVER:
The Heavy Duty XL/XE Power Supply outperforms every Atari Power Supply ever produced. Consider one fact: the most powerful Atari Adapter is rated for 1,5 Amperes while this one is rated for 3,0 Amperes.

NO MORE ATARIS FRIED BY THE WRONG POWER SUPPLY:
It is a well known fact that you always have to be careful swapping Atari Power Supplies. For example, an Atari 65XE PS plugged to an Atari 800XL caused damage even thought that pinout and voltages matched.

Why? Because the 65XE was not powerful enough in terms of Amperes and Wattage and failed in a matter of minutes, damaging the connected Home Computes. People had to own a different Power Supply for each of their Ataris, yet connecting the wrong AC Adapter and frying the machine was a common mistake"

According to this, my new Atari XL PSU could fry my 65XE in a few minutes, even if checking it with the multimeter gives the correct result! What should I do now?!

As for fixing my Select key using a pencil, unfortunately you don't give details of how to do this.

The seller has made a recent posting that the quantity has been updated to three. As for the power ratings, what the seller is actually saying is that if, for example a 65 XE PSU was rated for 1,0 Amps and you stick it to an 800 XL, which requires 1,5 Amps, you'd be overloading the PSU because it draws more current than the PSU can supply and therefore fails and also damages the connected computer.

Now, if you attach a PSU that is rated for higher amperage and wattage than what the computer requires, you're safe as the computer won't draw any more than it needs. The surplus is kind of a safety buffer.

As for the keyboard, you need to remove the membrane, which may not be exactly like this Atari 400 keyboard behind the link but similar: http://www.the-liber...36-Keyboard.JPG. As you can see from the picture, there are traces running between the matrix of keys. If you see a broken or worn trace, smear some graphite with a pencil over it so that the trace is consistant. Make sure that you don't connect points that shouldn't be connected.

Hope this helps.

[rdea6]

and only use a #2 pencil...
or you might scrub off the existing mylar trace..

[SIO99]

protek, on Tue Jul 24, 2012 10:11 PM, said:

SIO99, on Tue Jul 24, 2012 6:10 PM, said:

The dates say it was last year and may not be or isn't available anymore!

Apart from the above, this worries me "MORE POWERFUL THAN EVER:
The Heavy Duty XL/XE Power Supply outperforms every Atari Power Supply ever produced. Consider one fact: the most powerful Atari Adapter is rated for 1,5 Amperes while this one is rated for 3,0 Amperes.

NO MORE ATARIS FRIED BY THE WRONG POWER SUPPLY:
It is a well known fact that you always have to be careful swapping Atari Power Supplies. For example, an Atari 65XE PS plugged to an Atari 800XL caused damage even thought that pinout and voltages matched.

Why? Because the 65XE was not powerful enough in terms of Amperes and Wattage and failed in a matter of minutes, damaging the connected Home Computes. People had to own a different Power Supply for each of their Ataris, yet connecting the wrong AC Adapter and frying the machine was a common mistake"

According to this, my new Atari XL PSU could fry my 65XE in a few minutes, even if checking it with the multimeter gives the correct result! What should I do now?!

As for fixing my Select key using a pencil, unfortunately you don't give details of how to do this.

The seller has made a recent posting that the quantity has been updated to three. As for the power ratings, what the seller is actually saying is that if, for example a 65 XE PSU was rated for 1,0 Amps and you stick it to an 800 XL, which requires 1,5 Amps, you'd be overloading the PSU because it draws more current than the PSU can supply and therefore fails and also damages the connected computer.

Now, if you attach a PSU that is rated for higher amperage and wattage than what the computer requires, you're safe as the computer won't draw any more than it needs. The surplus is kind of a safety buffer.

As for the keyboard, you need to remove the membrane, which may not be exactly like this Atari 400 keyboard behind the link but similar: http://www.the-liber...36-Keyboard.JPG. As you can see from the picture, there are traces running between the matrix of keys. If you see a broken or worn trace, smear some graphite with a pencil over it so that the trace is consistant. Make sure that you don't connect points that shouldn't be connected.

Hope this helps.

Well, I've bought an XL PSU, so from your post, I assume it's safe with a 65XE. Is that right?

I think I should probably buy this PSU to splice a 7 pin DIN connector from an old Atari PSU onto http://rover.ebay.co...3#ht_516wt_1165 . Can anyone confirm it's OK? It has two wires.

[protek]

SIO99, on Wed Jul 25, 2012 4:42 AM, said:

Well, I've bought an XL PSU, so from your post, I assume it's safe with a 65XE. Is that right?

I think I should probably buy this PSU to splice a 7 pin DIN connector from an old Atari PSU onto http://rover.ebay.co...3#ht_516wt_1165 . Can anyone confirm it's OK? It has two wires.

The figures in my previous post were exemplary but it turns out that the 65 XE PSU is indeed rated 1 A but it has also shipped with PSUs rated for 1.5 A. The 800 XL seems to be always rated for 1.5 A, so you should be ok. Now, there are exceptions but usually newer revisions of the same hardware require less power than the old ones as there usually are fewer chips on the motherboard.

Edited by protek, Wed Jul 25, 2012 7:34 AM.

[SIO99]

I've recently received my Atari XL PSU from UPS, which took me by surprise after 5PM. I haven't yet received my multimeter, so I don't think I'll do anything with this PSU until I can check it. Does anyone know anything else that may be wrong with this PSU?

BTW, I think that thanks to the rotten hot weather we're having in London at the moment, my laptop has started turning itself off, due to overheating. I think this could be due to a blocked pipe in the fan unit, which could be cleared by a can of compressed air. Does anyone agree, or have you got any other suggestions?

Edited by SIO99, Wed Jul 25, 2012 11:10 AM.

[SIO99]

My multimeter is taking longer to arrive than expected. The delivery date has now been revised by eBay to July 30. According to various people on this forum I've been endangering my 65XE each time I use the Ingot PSU that came with it.

Here's the latest news! I decided a few minutes ago to risk plugging in my new "untested" XL PSU http://rover.ebay.co...984.m1439.l2649 . I thought it either wouldn't work at all, or it would work, but not be in any risk of damaging my 65XE. I can now report that it's working!

[sloopy]

SIO99, on Tue Jul 24, 2012 5:19 AM, said:

At least I'll have a spare Atari connector, even if the PSU doesn't work. The PSU you linked to has a 3.2A output, but sloopy said it should be 1.5-2A. I don't know which one of you is right.

Let me revise this, minimum of 1A is needed for a stock machine, any stock machine in the 600XL/800XL/65XE/130XE/XEGS...  1.5A is better, and should be considered 'standard' if you plan on adding any hardware in the future...

Higher can be used, on my desk I have a PC ATX power supply i use for powering any machine that I do any work on and the 5v is rated at 35A...

SIO99, on Tue Jul 24, 2012 6:10 PM, said:

protek, on Tue Jul 24, 2012 4:46 PM, said:

There are new Atari XL/XE PSUs for sale at AmiBay:
http://www.amibay.co...ead.php?t=21227


As for the mylar, you could try this semi-temporary quick fix. Connect the broken lines with a pencil. Grphite is conductive. I've fixed a keyboard membrane of a Spectrum with pencil.

The dates say it was last year and may not be or isn't available anymore!

Apart from the above, this worries me "MORE POWERFUL THAN EVER:
The Heavy Duty XL/XE Power Supply outperforms every Atari Power Supply ever produced. Consider one fact: the most powerful Atari Adapter is rated for 1,5 Amperes while this one is rated for 3,0 Amperes.

NO MORE ATARIS FRIED BY THE WRONG POWER SUPPLY:
It is a well known fact that you always have to be careful swapping Atari Power Supplies. For example, an Atari 65XE PS plugged to an Atari 800XL caused damage even thought that pinout and voltages matched.

Why? Because the 65XE was not powerful enough in terms of Amperes and Wattage and failed in a matter of minutes, damaging the connected Home Computes. People had to own a different Power Supply for each of their Ataris, yet connecting the wrong AC Adapter and frying the machine was a common mistake"

According to this, my new Atari XL PSU could fry my 65XE in a few minutes, even if checking it with the multimeter gives the correct result! What should I do now?!

As for fixing my Select key using a pencil, unfortunately you don't give details of how to do this.

This is a load of shit... the only way a 800XL would kill a 1A 65XE PSU is if the 800XL was mod'ed internally with various things... (i.e. 512k ram, stereo pokey, internal MyIDE, etc)...

sloopy.

[Fox-1 / mnx]

SIO99, on Wed Jul 25, 2012 11:08 AM, said:

I've recently received my Atari XL PSU from UPS, which took me by surprise after 5PM.

I'm impressed by the fact you're able to fill multiple threads for weeks with an issue that is about as simple as changing the battery of a wrist watch...

[SIO99]

Fox-1 / mnx, on Sun Jul 29, 2012 7:34 AM, said:

SIO99, on Wed Jul 25, 2012 11:08 AM, said:

I've recently received my Atari XL PSU from UPS, which took me by surprise after 5PM.

I'm impressed by the fact you're able to fill multiple threads for weeks with an issue that is about as simple as changing the battery of a wrist watch...

What does that mean? Are you saying you can change a wrist watch battery yourself? I never have. I didn't think they were supposed to be changed by the wearer, only by a jeweller or watch repairer. Next thing you know, you'll be telling me you can change a watch strap all by yourself, so if you can do it then ANYONE can do it! BTW, I can play guitar, bass, keyboard, and drums. If I can do it, then ANYONE can do it!

[sloopy]

SIO99, on Sun Jul 29, 2012 6:18 PM, said:

Fox-1 / mnx, on Sun Jul 29, 2012 7:34 AM, said:

SIO99, on Wed Jul 25, 2012 11:08 AM, said:

I've recently received my Atari XL PSU from UPS, which took me by surprise after 5PM.

I'm impressed by the fact you're able to fill multiple threads for weeks with an issue that is about as simple as changing the battery of a wrist watch...

What does that mean? Are you saying you can change a wrist watch battery yourself? I never have. I didn't think they were supposed to be changed by the wearer, only by a jeweller or watch repairer. Next thing you know, you'll be telling me you can change a watch strap all by yourself, so if you can do it then ANYONE can do it! BTW, I can play guitar, bass, keyboard, and drums. If I can do it, then ANYONE can do it!

Quite honestly, replacing the battery or strap in a wrist watch is rather easy task if you have a modicum of manual dexterity... Playing musical instruments on the other hand can be impossible if you dont have certain skills, either learned or naturally...

The only thing I do with music these days is tell my kids 'turn that sheet down!' ;')

sloopy.

[Fox-1 / mnx]

SIO99, on Sun Jul 29, 2012 6:18 PM, said:

What does that mean? Are you saying you can change a wrist watch battery yourself?

I have no idea.  Never wear any so no need to change.

SIO99, on Sun Jul 29, 2012 6:18 PM, said:

BTW, I can play guitar, bass, keyboard, and drums. If I can do it, then ANYONE can do it!

I can't play any of those but I can steal the sounds and mix/remix it anyway you want.

You don't seem to have a clue what I'm trying to say.   If you invest some time on getting to the problem in stead of just writing about it your problem would be long solved by now.  People explained several times about what to do and how to do it.  It's far easier then playing guitar but you'll never know if you don't get to it.