Multi-unit power supply.

[moonlight_mile]

Hey guys and gals,

   I have a question that I have been pondering the other day.  
 

is there a modern day solution that can power multi-Atari peripherals in one electrical socket?

 

I just wondering with all the modern day solutions to power the 800s and xe’s these days. 
 

I have. 130,xf,and and 850. With all the other stuff I have on my desk I have run out of electrical sockets. I thought it would be great if I could find a solution that can power the computer, drive and 850 (and maybe another peripheral) Similar the way a modern pc power supply can power a number of components. 

Maybe there is an Atari power hub. I did a search and didn’t find anything. 

[+Nezgar]

All XL's and XE's except the 1200XL run on 5VDC so can be easily powered by common power supplies originally intended for USB power and cell phone chargers, only needing to adapt the connection to a DIN connector.

 

Most peripherals including the 850, 810, XF551, 1050 are all designed for 9V *AC* input and would require internal modification to run from a DC supply. A few here have done it with 1050's for example, adding a pc power supply molex connector for +5V and +12V...

[Tickled_Pink]

1 hour ago, Nezgar said:

All XL's and XE's except the 1200XL run on 5VDC so can be easily powered by common power supplies originally intended for USB power and cell phone chargers, only needing to adapt the connection to a DIN connector.

 

Most peripherals including the 850, 810, XF551, 1050 are all designed for 9V *AC* input and would require internal modification to run from a DC supply. A few here have done it with 1050's for example, adding a pc power supply molex connector for +5V and +12V...

What's the maximum power draw on the XLs and XEs, though? I'd have thought that a typical phone charger might not provide enough current. Aren't the Atari power supplies rated for 1 or 1.5 Amps? And aren't mobile chargers generally 3v chargers?

Edited October 4, 2020 by Tickled_Pink

[TGB1718]

2 minutes ago, Tickled_Pink said:

And aren't they generally 3v chargers?

Most Phone chargers are USB +5VDC at various current ratings depending on the charger between 1 A and 2.5 A

[+Nezgar]

The original XL and XE supplies are rated at 1.5A max. Typical stock machines draw around 800-900ma. A machine decked out with upgrades could take up to 1300, so a supply rated for 2A or more would be sufficient.

 

Not all modern supplies are equal though. Measure the 5V output afterwards via the joystick or SIO port. I've found long lengths of thin USB cable result in drops to as much as 4.5V at the computer. 5V router power supplies with thick power wires are better for that.

 

Also watch for noise in the picture that may be indicative of poor filtering of the high frequency switching in the power supply. The higher the amp rating, the more likely additional capacitors are present for filtering/smoothing of the DC output.

[moonlight_mile]

Thanks for all the info. It all is very informative.

I guess it would probably be more headache than it’s worth for a multi unit power supply.

I rarely use the 850 and hope to get a fujinet next time they are available so I probably won’t need it too much.

Great suggestions!