baktra Posted September 29, 2019 Share Posted September 29, 2019 In general, all these power supplies are long out of their expected lifetime. So we cannot blame them in case of failure that happens now. It is a tribute to their designers and manufacturers they lasted that long. The same applies to the computers. The ingot just seems to be the worst one, because of the overheating problem and its consequences. Personally, I think the PSUs are expendabe accessories and can be replaced by decent modern switching PSUs. Not by cheap phone chargers, of course. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
256 colors Posted September 29, 2019 Share Posted September 29, 2019 (edited) I'm still looking the for XL styled cream or black power supply units not the ingot or bricks they don't have to be working I will just strip out the insides and replace so everything matches up in the XL style Edited September 29, 2019 by 256 colors 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+sixersfan105 Posted September 29, 2019 Author Share Posted September 29, 2019 I'm up to two ingots now. Who wants 'em? Just pay shipping! It pains me to see people spend a decent amount of money on ingots on eBay, not knowing the truth! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillC Posted October 1, 2019 Share Posted October 1, 2019 On 9/29/2019 at 4:42 AM, 256 colors said: I'm still looking the for XL styled cream or black power supply units not the ingot or bricks they don't have to be working I will just strip out the insides and replace so everything matches up in the XL style The brick power supplies are repairable, there is a transformer and a PCB with accessible components. The image below is the internals of a 520ST power supply, which uses the black brick case. The only significant difference is the 520ST supply also has +12V /-12V supplies and a different plug/pinout. Sorry it's a little blurry, but it still shows the basic layout. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CommodoreDecker Posted November 2, 2019 Share Posted November 2, 2019 (edited) On 7/25/2019 at 6:41 AM, DrVenkman said: The upper left and lower left are identical except color. They’re my favorites although I only have a black one. They’re big and bulky but they’re NOT filled with epoxy and thus run nice and cool. I understand they’re serviceable too should that become necessary but none of my XL supplies have ever been bad except Ingots. I’ve gotten two over the years that have tested low on voltage when they arrived, a good sign they internal regulator failed sometime in the past (probably spiking high in the process and possibly damaging a machine). Comparatively? Mine do get fairly warm after half an hour or more. Eventually they'll just get hotter and hotter and not in a good way. I think it makes more sense to just replace any PSU nowadays with a custom 1.5A brick or get the DIN to USB adapter and USB-to-outlet 1.5 or 2A adapter that come with tablets. Swap those every few years... cleaner power is always going to be best no matter what. (And unplugging after use, regardless. I've had those smaller USB AC units get nice and warm after running for a while and they're generally not loaded with heatsinks large enough to keep the unit as cool as possible, they're mostly glossy style over substance...) (1.5 or 2A, if the computer needs 1.0 or 1.5A then 1.5A or 2A is just fine. The rating on the power supply just denotes maximum draw output, anything less by the computer's needs won't be any issue (and less stress on the new power supply too so I'd just go 2A and not bother with decimals.) Go above that and you can roast marshmallow peeps on it while it roasts the microchips... Edited November 2, 2019 by CommodoreDecker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Nezgar Posted November 2, 2019 Share Posted November 2, 2019 The higher the amperage rating of a small switching power supply the better. High load on a lower rated supply will exhibit more high frequency ripple, as it will drain the capacitors that filter the switched output faster. The older supplies with a big ol linear transformer, full bridge rectifier, and linear regulators will produce the smoothest output, with their age and size being the downside. YMMV - I've converted a number of 5V USB/phone charger supplies to have an Atari 5-pin DIN connector, and some are better than others. The XL/XE's have little internal power noise filtering and noise will easily affect the picture with rolling lines and such.. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+kheller2 Posted March 8, 2020 Share Posted March 8, 2020 Has anyone ever obtained schematics for the Ingot or at least boiled off the epoxy? Looking over the reviews that Ben Poehland did, it was the Peanut supply that he worried would fry computers, and could only make assumptions about the Ingot. However, there are a lot of people who have failed Ingots -- I wonder if that has to do with the components or the epoxy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivop Posted March 8, 2020 Share Posted March 8, 2020 Do you think you can boil it off? If it went gooey at a mere 100°C, it might be possible to let it all drip out. But I guess it needs a higher temperature, like a paintstripper or hot air solderstation. I wouldn't want to smell the toxic fumes, but perhaps somebody with a decent fume cupboard could manage it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Stephen Posted March 8, 2020 Share Posted March 8, 2020 3 hours ago, kheller2 said: Has anyone ever obtained schematics for the Ingot or at least boiled off the epoxy? Looking over the reviews that Ben Poehland did, it was the Peanut supply that he worried would fry computers, and could only make assumptions about the Ingot. However, there are a lot of people who have failed Ingots -- I wonder if that has to do with the components or the epoxy. Bummer - I never thought about disassembling mine when I got rid of it. It started going bad, I got hum bars on the computer but fortunately it did not damage the machine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faicuai Posted March 9, 2020 Share Posted March 9, 2020 (edited) 9 hours ago, kheller2 said: Has anyone ever obtained schematics for the Ingot or at least boiled off the epoxy? Looking over the reviews that Ben Poehland did, it was the Peanut supply that he worried would fry computers, and could only make assumptions about the Ingot. However, there are a lot of people who have failed Ingots -- I wonder if that has to do with the components or the epoxy. That piece-of-shit power supply is among the crappiest products to be ever commercially produced and distributed by Atari. One of my 800XLs miraculously escaped (untouched) from the Ingot's murderous wake of death and destruction. Incinerate it, on the spot. Edited March 9, 2020 by Faicuai Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baktra Posted March 9, 2020 Share Posted March 9, 2020 19 hours ago, kheller2 said: Has anyone ever obtained schematics for the Ingot or at least boiled off the epoxy? Looking over the reviews that Ben Poehland did, it was the Peanut supply that he worried would fry computers, and could only make assumptions about the Ingot. However, there are a lot of people who have failed Ingots -- I wonder if that has to do with the components or the epoxy. I believe Ben actually drew a schematic http://blog.3b2.sk/igi/image.axd?picture=2017%2f9%2fAtari+PS+typeII_circuit.jpg If it were placed in different casing (with vents), it would have been a decent PSU. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamm Posted March 9, 2020 Share Posted March 9, 2020 I have an ingot that was going in the trash. I don't know about melting it, but I could try taking a Dremel to it. Will that work, or is it solid all the way through? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+kheller2 Posted March 9, 2020 Share Posted March 9, 2020 9 hours ago, jamm said: I have an ingot that was going in the trash. I don't know about melting it, but I could try taking a Dremel to it. Will that work, or is it solid all the way through? I think it is solid all the way through. I think I tossed my last Ingot a few weeks back maybe I have another. I've watched a few videos of how people remove the epoxy for smaller devices but nothing as large as these bricks. It is a completely pointless endeavor, but it would be nice to have the darn diagram of the thing just for an education point of view. There is zero chance of fixing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Nezgar Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 This was probably already mentioned earlier in the topic... Cut off and keep the cord end with the DIN connector. Nice cable for attaching to a new power supply, rather than the infuriating job of soldering wires to a new DIN connector! my favourite line from the video.. "it was actually pretty fun, although I never want to do it again" 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daedalus2097 Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 Reading this thread has piqued my interest... I had always assumed the PSU I had with my two 800XLs were "ingot" types, because I heard the name and my PSUs were solid and tapered in at the top. But from my memory, they don't look like the ones in the photos above. Maybe they're different again because they're UK spec (240V input) and made by a totally different contractor? I'll dig them out when I have a chance and check them. Since resurrecting my machines, I haven't used either of the PSUs purely because of the poor reputation of ingot PSUs (and other PSUs of the era - e.g. C64 PSUs), instead opting for Raspberry Pi supplies onto which I put a new DIN plug. To be honest, I didn't really have any issues soldering those plugs ? I plugged them into a spare socket which I clamped, and which held the pins securely in place while heat was applied. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+kheller2 Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 On 3/9/2020 at 8:31 AM, baktra said: I believe Ben actually drew a schematic http://blog.3b2.sk/igi/image.axd?picture=2017%2f9%2fAtari+PS+typeII_circuit.jpg If it were placed in different casing (with vents), it would have been a decent PSU. Yes the wording is a bit misleading. The diagram is to build a replacement power supply, whereas all the other captions state the diagram IS the power supply mentioned. In the text body it also states "[because of the heat] .. probably means that its circuitry is simliar to Types I and III circuits". Wouldn't you state that as being true if you had opened it? The diagram IS very similar to the type III. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+MrFish Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 (edited) Here's another happy ingot video. Edited March 10, 2020 by MrFish 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+kheller2 Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 2 hours ago, MrFish said: Here's another happy ingot video. ROFL. That's classic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pusakat Posted March 12, 2020 Share Posted March 12, 2020 If I make a DIN-7 to USB cable to power my Atari, will a USB battery/power-bank work adequately? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SenorRossie Posted March 12, 2020 Share Posted March 12, 2020 53 minutes ago, pusakat said: If I make a DIN-7 to USB cable to power my Atari, will a USB battery/power-bank work adequately? It works rather well. Haven't used it extensively, as I didn't have a screen I could feed from a battery 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoestring Posted March 12, 2020 Share Posted March 12, 2020 On 3/9/2020 at 7:59 AM, Stephen said: Bummer - I never thought about disassembling mine when I got rid of it. It started going bad, I got hum bars on the computer but fortunately it did not damage the machine. A shame, most likely just a failing cap. I’ve seen new cheap supplies perform liken this too due to inadequate filtering. I refuse to use them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+kheller2 Posted March 12, 2020 Share Posted March 12, 2020 8 hours ago, shoestring said: A shame, most likely just a failing cap. I’ve seen new cheap supplies perform liken this too due to inadequate filtering. I refuse to use them. Ingots are not repairable. They are a solid block of epoxy. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daedalus2097 Posted March 19, 2020 Share Posted March 19, 2020 Just bringing this back up, since another PSU thread reminded me of it. I keep seeing an image that contains a lot of Atari PSUs and showing which ones are good and bad, but it doesn't contain my PSUs. I had assumed mine were "ingot" PSUs but I'm not sure now. Here are a couple of photos of mine - perhaps they're not very common in the US because they're 240V, and were made in the UK? I have two of them - I don't use them any more, but both of them appear to still work fine other than one needing a new DIN plug. Does anyone have any more info on these? I can't see any way of opening them, and the feel of them makes me think they're resin-filled, but I'm interested to know more about them now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoestring Posted March 19, 2020 Share Posted March 19, 2020 (edited) That is similar to two ( 240v versions with Atari embossed logo ) I've seen that came with my 65xe and were both non repairable. Edited March 19, 2020 by shoestring Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashjazzcat Posted March 19, 2020 Share Posted March 19, 2020 On 3/10/2020 at 3:20 AM, Nezgar said: my favourite line from the video.. "it was actually pretty fun, although I never want to do it again" My God... watching that video was nearly as bad as watching jayztwocents trying to solder a current sensing resistor back onto a graphics card. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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