Power Supplies....

[Solomon_Man]

All,

I am in the final stretches of unpacking my Atari 8 bit machines.

 

I plugged in my disk drives and so far all seem to turn on and do the normal noises.....

 

The 800XLs, 8 total, due not seem to be powering on (no red lights). I have tried three separate machines with three different power supplies. The power supplies are the 7 pin Din connector type.

 

They all worked 12 years ago before I packed them away....two did have some color issue but I labeled those with tape to look into.

 

Is power supply failure a common problem?

 

I will try tonight to get out the voltmeter and see if its machine or power supply.

 

I have quite a few 8 bit machines (400, 800, 600XL, 800XL, 1200 XL, 130XE) and many 1050 and 2 Indus drives. Is it possible I have mixed the Power supplies?

 

Most I can read the voltage and amperage on the supplies but many of the supplies were thrown into a box. I did pull out my 800XL that was still boxed in the original box I bought it and still nothing powered up.

 

Please can someone walk me thru the common Power Suppliers Voltage/Amperage and the proper machines they go to just in case I do have these mixed up.

 

Thanks,

Chris

 

 

[Bryan]

All XL/XE machines use a common supply except for the 1200XL series. Some are rated for more current than others but they should all work to power up the machine. There is one version of the supply which is known to fail and frequently causes damage to the computer when it does. This is the "ingot" supply shown here:

 

http://atariage.com/forums/uploads/monthly_11_2016/post-48437-0-87823200-1478801879.jpg

 

If you ever turn on an 8-bit and see dark bars in the picture, turn it off immediately.

 

The fact that you cannot get any response from several machines using several supplies is unusual.

[Solomon_Man]

Bryan,

One of the power supplies....the first one I tried is exactly like the above image. The others are not.....

 

When I quickly looked at the supplies and units I did notice the 1200XL was more like the 1050 drive power supply connector. Do you know if the power requirements for the 1200XL is substantially different? ( I would like to find that supply and separate it off and actually try the 1200XL.)

 

I do know by quickly looking.... that the voltage on the non 7 pin din power supplies... that the voltages can be different on the supplies...Any body know why/what peripheral/machine? Is there a place I can look on the machines to see power requirements? That way I can reduce messing anything up.

 

I will get out the voltmeter tonight and start going thru the supplies.

 

Are the power supplies fixable/or can they be replaced with new supplies (source please if so)? (I do remember my dad tearing one down and replacing a fuse in one but the unit was never the same...but did work)

 

I should clarify... the machines worked...but the supplies may have not all got tested....I bought these units at a swap and ran them thru test procedures and a few hours of work.

 

Thanks

Chris

[Bryan]

The 400/800/1200XL/810/1050 all take a 9VAC supply. The Indus takes a 12VDC supply.

 

There's a bunch of topics on the subject:

 

http://atariage.com/forums/topic/264284-suitable-atari-800-power-supply

http://atariage.com/forums/topic/95416-power-supplies

http://atariage.com/forums/topic/263441-indus-gt-drive-power-supply-specs

http://atariage.com/forums/topic/131012-power-supply-question-800-810

 

And from the Atari FAQ:

http://www.faqs.org/faqs/atari-8-bit/faq/

 

NORTH AMERICA INPUT = 115-120 V AC, 50/60Hz

========================

AC supplies (external transformers)

9 V AC 5.4 VA (600 mA) Atari#CO62195/CO17539

1030

9 V AC 4.5 VA (500 mA) Atari#CO61516

1010

9 V AC 15.3 VA (1.7 A) Atari#CO14319

400,800,822,850,1010,1200XL

9 V AC 18 VA (2.0 A) Atari#CA014748/CA016804

400,800,822,850,1010,1200XL,810

9 V AC 31 VA (3.4 A) Atari#CO17945

400,800,822,850,1010,1200XL,810,1020,1050,XF551

9 V AC 50 VA (5.6 A) Atari#CA017964

400,800,822,850,1010,1200XL,810,1020,1050,XF551

9.5 V AC 40 VA (4.2 A) Atari#CO61636

1027,1090XL

20 V AC 6.6 VA (330 mA) Atari#CO60479/CA060535

835

20 VAC 8 VA (400 mA) Novation#901017

830

24 V AC 3.6 VA (150 mA) Atari#CA016751

830

[spacecadet]

Best Electronics sells the rebuildable power supplies if you want one: http://www.best-electronics-ca.com/power%20guide.htm#XL/XE

 

Just email. He has power supplies for pretty much every Atari product.

[Solomon_Man]

All,

Thanks for the help!

 

I will review/test the ones I have with a voltmeter and confirm they end up with the right units.

 

Again thanks for the help,

Chris

[Bryan]

Good luck! I hope you figure out why some of it won't come on.

[Solomon_Man]

All,

Update of Sorts....

 

Basically pulled one of the Multi-colored power supplies I have out and tested the voltage ...all the proper pins from the FAQ - 5Volts.

 

I tried my first one and nothing - no light no nothing....Is there an internal fuse?

 

The second one came right on and seemed to be fine after the normal tests. I did notice the power adapter feel funny...like its going deeper or in different.

 

The third one came on failed memory test, had keyboard issues, and screen was a purple shade....I know there was one real bad...

 

Pulled out the rest of the Atari 800Xls (5) and ran through memory,keyboard, sound and quick basic test and everything worked like a charm....So 6 out of 8 no problems....Last nights testing had me up till 2:30AM.

 

.I would sooner or later like to fix the bad two...I do have a extra keyboard sitting...

The other issues,not keyboard, I have no clue on fixing but being an IT (Software developer) and in IT for 20 years I think I will give it a shot...Is there any good repair manuals out there or walkthrus on how to troubleshoot?

 

I still have to go thru all the supplies....

 

Thanks

Chris

[Bryan]

The 800XL has no internal fuses. If you can't get any response from it (no video or light) then something has gone very wrong. It might be internally shorted (which would probably be blowing your supplies) or it might be open if the switch or DIN jack is bad, or if someone has tried to run it off a C64 supply which I've seen blow traces open.

[Justin Payne]

So, dumb question (I'm afforded one a month, you know).

 

9 V AC 31 VA (3.4 A) Atari#CO17945

400,800,822,850,1010,1200XL,810,1020,1050,XF551

9 V AC 50 VA (5.6 A) Atari#CA017964

400,800,822,850,1010,1200XL,810,1020,1050,XF551

How is it that there are two different power supplies for the same devices? I need one for a 1020 I picked up recently.

[1050]

Because the wattage issue expressed as VA is still

so close to right that it doesn't matter which one

is used for the device. One type of device uses 9

VAC and the other 5 VDC which are the two main

differences to keep in mind.

 

And not a dumb question at all, I wish more people

would pony up and ask about issues that just aren't

gelling for them. It's exactly how we all learn, each

with our own confusions that need addressed before we

can move on to the next issue. And you may get a much

better answer from the next guy since he thinks more

like you do and then explains it in a way that is

easier to accept.

[+Nezgar]

Power supplies are rated for the maximum amperage they can supply the rated voltage, With that in mind, it is perfectly fine to run a 1020 with either the 31 VA (3.4 A) or the 50 VA (5.6 A) one, as this implies the max it would ever use is 31VA or less... In fact, the 50VA one would just run a little cooler.

 

The other way, If you use a device that tries to consume more amps than the power supply is rated for, either the voltage will drop causing malfunctions, and/or the power supply may overheat potentially permanently damaging it.

 

Edit: even better example - look at the lowest rated power supply for the 400/800:

9 V AC 15.3 VA (1.7 A) Atari#CO14319

400,800,822,850,1010,1200XL

There are 4 higher VA power supplies in that list above that can all be used with the 400/800 because of the low draw. Just don't try using a 1050 on the 1.7A supply, as it really needs that 3 amps... I've tried - and the drive may initially appear to turn on, but it literally can't turn the motor at full speed, the lights dim, and its generally not healthy

Edited November 1, 2017 by Nezgar

[Justin Payne]

Thanks guys.

 

1050. Both of the power supplies are 9 volt, not a 5 and a 9 like I think you were mentioning. That's sorta why I thought it was strange that they had two different amp draws but just assumed at some point there was a cost cutting decision. I do appriciate the pass for the "dumb question". I, too, appreciate when people ask those questions. I'd rather have them confirm something before doing it, blowing something up, and then have to ask how to fix it.

 

Nezgar. OK, that is what I always thought about amps and the draw that is required. I just wasn't sure if there was some soft of limit on that.

 

Last question. What is the center pins polarity. + --)-- - OR - --)-- +?

 

Lastly, here is the kicker. I have a total of 46 power supplies I've collected over the years. 8 of them supply 9 volts but none of them supply anywhere near 3.4 A. I guess it's off to the local Goodwill I go.

[Osgeld]

A.c. supply so its both

[Justin Payne]

A.c. supply so its both

Ahhhh. So I was thinking it was a step-down and rectified but it's just a step-down. Yes?

[1050]

My bad for confusion, I was addressing the two main supply

types, the 5 v DC DIN jack type and the coaxial AC type.

 

Yes the 9 v AC type are only step down while there is a fuse

locked away inside the case that sometimes need replacing.

When powering two devices from one 9 v AC supply, not keeping

the tips on the same wire could lead to problems with

for example the 1050's voltage doubler circuits even with

the drive's power switch turned off because there the

intent is to create a floating ground and the switch is

not a double line disconnect. So one side is always pumping

the YUGE capacitors and doubling diodes which in turn effects

the SIO communications via a NOT floating ground.

 

You don't need 3.4 A at all, you have set your eyes upon

the wrong prize Don Quixote, the windmill is not a worthy

adversary for you. Part of the reason they use the VA method

is to avoid amps/amps macho/camacho comparisons with similar

results to Tim Allen's 150 horsepower dish washer.

 

1020 would never be considered to be a power hog and this

is why it's listed for use with any ol 9 volt coaxial supply.

So all 8 of your supplies could be used one after the other

and there would never be any issue. Buying a ten pounder

is not required when a half pound transformer is fine.

And you already are fine and good to go.

 

Power transformers can be categorized by weight as to

power capacity and the comparison is quite valid.

 

OTOH there is the 'Tim Allen' type that must have the

ten pounder and it's your sandbox to play in anyway,

please proceed.

 

On reread, I don't see that your 46 collected supplies are

Atari power supplies - I certainly only collect Atari

supplies so my advice to any 9 volt would be aimed at

the typical Atari supply pile and not the generic grab bin

of every kind ever made. You may need to do some shopping

after all.

Edited November 3, 2017 by 1050

[+Nezgar]

You don't need 3.4 A at all, you have set your eyes upon

the wrong prize Don Quixote, the windmill is not a worthy

adversary for you. Part of the reason they use the VA method

is to avoid amps/amps macho/camacho comparisons with similar

results to Tim Allen's 150 horsepower dish washer.

 

I wouldn't risk anything below 9VAC 3A on a 1050. My own measurements of 1050 power draw (on the AC mains side at least) showed 31W consumption during a disk format. see: http://atariage.com/forums/topic/267524-atari-800800xl-power-consumption-review-part-i/?p=3802629