Dual Atari 8-Bit Power Supply Build

[@tv.leno.1014]

One little recomendation. Since our german "Schuko“ plugs can be plugged in in reverse polarity at any time, it is always a good idea to use switches, that cut both (the assumed) life and neutral wire. That is the only way to asure your circuitry is realy disconnected from the mains voltage, when your device is turned off.

[@peteasmr2952]

Good point, and I think double pole switches should be standard. And something Id actually suggest regardless of system as in the US while polarisation does exist you are not guaranteed things to be wired correctly as mistakes do happen and as its very common for people to do DIY stuff like adding outlets etc. there have been many cases of improperly wired outlets even in professional installs it does happen unfortunately. And Poland and France use opposite standards for their polarisation method.

[@peteasmr2952]

I prefer the schuko system as it doesn't pretend to offer this feature that is coveted by so many as a magical safety feature. In this world of chaos there will always be errors. Its reversible and with the new shutter design I think its the best standard.

[@jaycee1980]

Never trust a switch for isolation unless they are explicitly designed for it

[@godmonkeyjr]

Besides most DPDT switches usually have a much more satisfying chunk noise. Safer and a more satisfying sound. What's not to love?

[@TheJonBrawn]

What I love about Jan's builds is that they are REAL - it's not rehearsed and overplanned. The tape, the cable ties, the DC power supply not mounted square, the switch at a jaunty angle - it's real, it's how many of us would build it.

[@akkudakkupl]

Properly made ground connections are a rare sight on KZbin.

[@SimonEllwood]

Should have shown the paint being stripped. I am sure it was done, but it was not shown!

[@akkudakkupl]

@@SimonEllwood the star washer would have gone through paint either way 😉

[@lindoran]

When bonding to a chassis it is also good (and required under IEC ) to sand the paint as well as using a non dissimilar metal for your bond points good use of lock washer's but sanding is a guaranteed better bond. Love watching your projects 😸

[@epremeaux]

was going to say the same. In fact, without sanding, there is very little "safety" in that ground lug. Related, the Meanwell ALREADY has a plastic insulation sheet between the PCB and it's case. Placing tape between the Meanwell case and the main case only adds insulation to the grounding safety feature. If anything, that area should also be sanded on the main case to improve grounding contact. As for the transformer.. I guess its irrelevant. I like epoxying it to the tape though, as it is still removable for maintenance if need be. Just peel up the tape.

[@david4368]

Jan, you don't give yourself enough credit. You have a lot of talent in the DIY area.

[@bobweiram6321]

I would expect you to use OKW enclosures. They are German made and look cool. I would add an ammeter/voltmeter. I would also play kraftwerk music too.

[@Xaltar_]

For the cable tied transformer, I would just cut the heads off some long(ish) bolts then bend them into an L shape, insert one end into the holes on the transformer then push the other through the bottom of the case, secure with nuts then cut off the excess. Much easier than brackets and infinitely safer/more secure than zip ties. I have had numerous zip ties break on me over the years, particularly ones that are exposed to temp fluctuations.

[@chainq68k]

Nice work. What I'd have done is mounting a DIN socket (or something similar) also on the PSU backside for output, then you can just make a Y-cable to power an Atari + 1050, or a single cable for a C64, or other CBM 8 bits even (C128, Plus/4, etc), and you could swap them around as needed. But anyway, cool stuff, I really like the end result.

[@Breakfast_of_Champions]

The fully modular retro power supply!

[@RetroHackShack]

Perfect timing! I have a similar project coming up on this topic for my channel too. Thanks for being the guinea pig! Happy holidays, Jan!

[@arkadiuszweiss]

You have a beautiful laboratory, professional, not amateur. A shared power supply is a very convenient thing, especially when our old computer has a permanent place and does not need to be moved. It also takes up one less plug in the power distributor. It probably doesn't heat up much because it is of the impulse type You just need to read about the durability of such switching power supplies so that they do not destroy the computer that is no longer available. Unfortunately, I don't know anything about their reliability. Good health.

[@zantimann]

Great work and content as always. Well edited too. Really pleasant watching your videos every time! Greetings from Norway

[@victorsidorov2335]

Glueing the transformer to the tape is a great idea! Wondering what will fall off first?

[@ctrlaltrees]

Just catching up on some videos. Nice build as always Jan, I love how you show your process and your mistakes, it always makes your projects very relatable. I might build a version of this for myself!

[@Synasonic]

Recently found your channel, and now I’m hooked

[@MichaelEhling]

10:43 Who cares whether your project is perfectly planned? I don't see anyone raising their hands, Jan. Carry on.

[@JendaLinda]

Good project. One improvement would be adding a fuse on the output of the transformer.

[@JanEringa8k]

You have room on that front panel for a couple of V/A meters. :) Might be handy to keep an eye on the draw of the machine you hook up to it!

[@gertsy2000]

Well done Jan. A long threaded thin bolt could have it's head cut off and inserted in the 9v AC transformer's holes, the ends of the bolt/rod could then be bent down at a right angle to pass through holes. That way you could secure the transformer tightly with some washers and nuts underneath. Ive done something similar before. You can use tape on the thread while you bend it to stop the thread being damaged. Another way to make simple metal L brackets is using old PC Slot blanking plates. They are very handy, plentiful and easy to cut.

[@josefjelinek]

For simple quick semi-permanent mounting, I would recommend a double-sided VHB tape. The transformer may be too heavy (even for the epoxy) though, so some internal bracing would be good (the ziptie seems to be a good idea actually). A good thing about the tape with transformer compared to a rigid mounting is that it helps to dampen 50Hz buzz, which sometimes develops in these types of transformers.

[@PanElokwentny]

Thank you Jan for another fantastic video. I always watch your retro DIY with pleasure. Keep the good work going! ❤️

[@JanBeta]

Thank you! :)

[@Markchill2]

Happy to see you have more safety know. Great video

[@Dkentflyer]

Lovely PSU build Jan, a great idea to build a computer and disk drive psu with one unit. I really like how it matches, look forward to seeing the disk drive video :)

[@CanadianRetroThings]

Wow, 146 years without a lost time accident...Impressive! Also, great project :)

[@Jimbaloidatron]

Replacement power supplies intended for effects pedals give 9Vac at 2A, they are a good way to get a reasonable priced PSU for a 1050. I believe the 1020 printer also uses the same power supply rating.

[@franciscomeza8905]

Well built Jan Beta now I'm tempted to make my own power supply kidos.

[@mcg6762]

If the 9V AC is fed directly to a bridge rectifier in the drive you could probably power the drive with a 12V DC supply instead to get rid of the heavy transformer. As a curiosity I can mention that the C64 also takes an AC voltage as one of the power inputs, but that one is actually used to clock the Time Of Day clock in one of the CIAs so while a DC supply works you lose the TOD function!

[@tharkthax3960]

That is a superb project. Not finished watching yet, but a couple of voltage displays would be epic. Great work 👏 👍

[@FireballXL55]

Nice build Jan Just one observation, mains fuses should always be an HRC type.

[@Mrshoujo]

The Brewing Academy sells some nicely made 5 volt DC 1.5 - 2 amp switching power supplies for the Atari 8-bit. Nice and small!

[@christoffermedc]

Thank you so much for the song! "Neon superhero" absolutely eargasm for me, not usually into 8bit music, but that was a lovely exception, if you know anything else by same artist or other with similar charm; I'll be delighted to listen to it!

[@JanBeta]

focus10music.bandcamp.com ;)

[@panopolis8051]

excellent video! only thing I would suggest is to something other than gaffers tape as an insulating layer. It may be fine for a while but will likely dry out and degrade from the heat

[@samuel_towle]

I would suggest installing jacks on the power supply instead of the pigtail cables. You can swap external cables when running the Atari and the Commodore

[@samuel_towle]

I would also have fabricated some angle brackets to mount the AC transformer.

[@Colin_Ames]

Nice work Jan. Very tidy.

[@MrLurchsThings]

A very neat PSU build. Nice.

[@JanBeta]

Thanks. Very much improvised it with the components I had at hand. Does the job, I guess. :)

[@om0tm]

I like your "build" videos, again nice work and super comments during building :-) Frohe Weihnachten und ich freue mich schon jetzt an etwas neues hier...

[@YogSothoth1969]

Coole Sache (like) Und ich hab mir eben direkt nach Deinem Beitrag eine Ladung Gummitüllen sowie Gabelkabelschuhe bestellt :-D Gruss, Michael

[@giuseppelavecchia775]

Hai fatto un buon alimentatore,bravo

[@KieronWray]

yet another fascinating and entertaining vid. thanks :D

[@MrFixiit]

Nice job jan looks very neat and tidy.

[@PaulinesPastimes]

Very neat. It looks good! 🙂

[@grakkal]

Oof! Be careful about powering on a 1050 with a disk actually seated inside it. Not all the time, but every once in a while it'll corrupt a disk. Turn it on, then click the disk into place, then turn on the 800XL.

[@HanWechgelaer]

This also applies to the 1541 Commodore diskdrive... Don't turn the drive off or on when a disk is inserted.

[@PJBonoVox]

@@HanWechgelaer Source? I owned two 1541 drives for most of my childhood and don't recall ever having this issue.

[@HanWechgelaer]

@@PJBonoVox Source is common sense and logic. It's case of luck when nothing happened to your data.

[@wimwiddershins]

Very slick Sir! Great stuff!

[@MegaManNeo]

I love seeing such mods and DIY solutions. So many earlier computers and even consoles (hello SEGA MegaDrive, MegaCD and 32X) have each their own separate and bulky PSU, it is annoying to manage each one separately.

[@opentheskyy7]

(20:55) Jan, can you recommend good Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupter such yours? Any link I can buy such one?

[@bobingabout]

You mentioned you want all the wires out of the back. This is something that bugged me about the Amiga power supply. Where I have my power supply right now, it works fine, but... A more ideal situation for a static setup would either be to have mains in the back and power out the front (The side with the switch), so the power unit is tucked behind the system. Or even better, the switch on the front, and all wiring out the back, like your design. I'd think this should work for most situations.

[@BrixTalk]

hmmm... instead of the cable ties you can use agled strips and long machine screws throu the holes of the transformer and if you ground the meanwhile and so it's case with the screws going thru there: why do you do an extra ground for the case?

[@nexiagsi16v91]

Ich würde anstelle des Kabels, was die 5V und 9V zum Rechner führt, eine universelle Buchse installieren an der Seitenwand. Dein NT kann so nur den Atari befeuern, weil am Ende des Kabels nur der Stecker für diesen Rechner ist. Wäre da eine Buchsen am NT, könnte man auch andere Rechner dran betreiben die 5V, oder 9V oder beides benötigen. Da braucht es dann halt nur das Kabel mit dem passenden universellen Stecker für die Buchse am NT. Evtl. kann man da auch 2 Buchsen machen, dann könnte man auch noch andere Dinge wie Drucker usw. mit dem einem NT betreiben, wenn die verbauten Komponenten genug Leistung dafür liefern. Den 9v-Block da würde ich mit einem Halter, der nach unten offen ist, mit dem Boden verschrauben. In den Boden Löcher und Schrauben durch stecken und die Munter ziehen dann beim fest drehen das ganze Teil Richtung Boden. Mit meinem 3d-Drucker würde ich fast schon einen Mantel drucken, der den Block auch seitlich etwas umschließt.

[@mrfrog8502]

21:00 There's only one problem with it. Most of them only work with AC fault current not DC so if you get electrocuted by rectified DC it won't trip.

[@WinrichNaujoks]

But the DC is only 5v?

[@buffalodebill1976]

@23:44 Nice, you're looking at a webpage created and maintained by one the most dedicated guys here in Bratislava (capital of planet Slovakia), when talking about Atari as such.. Quite a fine engineer himself, I need to add.

[@cbmeeks]

Great build. You should do what Commodore did....fill the whole thing with epoxy. ;-)

[@brianwild4640]

did you list the parts Jan ?

[@daviddavies3637]

Nice job. Very nice job.

[@MisterCreamyDude]

Great vido Jan. I might try this myself! I do have 2 of the original Atari 9V AC mains adapters (60592-34) but they both put out 12V with no load on them. I'm scared to plug them into my original 800 or my 1050s in case they fry them! I see you got 10.5 or so on yours which I guess is fine but to me 12 is too much. Anyone else had any dealings with these please?

[@JanBeta]

12V should be nothing to worry about if that’s without a load. Probably it will go considerably lower when connected to the disk drive. The internal regulation circuit can take much higher input voltages without any problems, it’s just going to run a bit warmer (but the heatsink should handle that without any issues).

[@MisterCreamyDude]

@@JanBeta Thanks Jan! You're the expert! Does the transformer you used in this build provide enough current as per the original Atari PSU? So if amps = VA/V and your transformer says 30VA, is that not 0.125 amps? Sorry if this is a foolish question but my electronics knowledge is limited!

[@tommyovesen]

Really nice build Jan :)

[@WinrichNaujoks]

I want to build a PSU like that, but finding the 9VAC transformer is difficult. Do they even make new ones? If I use and old one, it might be just as much in danger of failing like one of the of old original PSUs I'm looking to replace.

[@Bedfford]

Same here. So I decided to mod my 1050 (and XF551) for use a more common 12v DC directly.

[@r2d253]

There are plenty of those. For example HAHN BVEI4811167

[@gokerbg]

Nice job, congrats and thank you.

[@nickolasgaspar9660]

Where did you find those belts for the A1050?

[@tharkthax3960]

Excellent question! I could use some. I have 8 1050 drives, they are all OK but if the belts ever go then it will be nice to know where you can buy them.

[@nickolasgaspar9660]

@@tharkthax3960 If I ever found out I will let you know!

[@ms-ex8em]

do u know much about emulators ? emulation? on Amiga and Dragon 32 ? thanks....

[@holleholl3057]

These are the exact same voltages which your already self made C64 Power Supply delivers. I wonder whether it wouldn´t be smarter to build one power supply delivering 5 V DC and 9V AC once and use standard barrel connectors for the output voltages for the case. Then you simply build several different sets of adaptor cables and you can use your power supply with your C64s, Atari XLs, XEs, C128 and the 1050 floppies...

[@jensschroder8214]

I would connect an LED and resistor to the 5 volt DC. And a LED, resistor and diode to the 10 volt AC. 2 mA each calculated.

[@locnar1701]

Is that "the expoxy screwdriver" or does it get used for other things? I usually use a chopstick from a take out package.

[@Tuxon86]

How many amp does the 9v transfo has to provide for a 1050?

[@JanBeta]

The original PSU provides around 3A as far as I know. I used a 30VA transformer. It doesn’t draw that much in normal operation. You can get away with using a smaller transformer but in case a motor gets stuck the drive can draw lots of current, that’s why oversizing slightly is a good idea.

[@nightdawn333]

Great video! By now, wouldn't it be more convenient for you to create a single Power supply with multiple outlets for the different Computers? As most of them should use a combination of 5V AC/12V AC/9V DC? And I guess you wouldn't use them at the same time anyway

[@nickolasgaspar9660]

great timing! I am expecting a A1050 and I was wondering what to do with its old power supply!

[@Jimbaloidatron]

Since it's just an AC/AC transformer, no rectification, the original power supply should just be fine anyway.

[@nickolasgaspar9660]

@@Jimbaloidatron I appreciate the information! The seller informed me that he will be sending the original power supply so I will be good to go. Do you by any chance know where I can buy a new set of belts for it? (if you are located in Europe of course).

[@Jimbaloidatron]

@@nickolasgaspar9660 Fortunately the belts on mine are yet to go bad, so I've not been down that path yet.

[@nickolasgaspar9660]

@@Jimbaloidatron do you run yours on those big electrolytic capacitors it came with or did you recapped it?

[@Jimbaloidatron]

@@nickolasgaspar9660 They look Ok and it's working fine, so I've left alone for now.

[@VladoT]

You could probably design and 3D print transformer brackets in 15 minutes 🙂

[@Ramdileo_sys]

But, Jan... besides come out with a 9V AC line... you could rectify that same 9V AC inside there... you know with some diodes and beefy capacitor..... And use an Step Down for the 5V DC...... or a good old linear voltage regulator .......... put another transformer inside there.... and a switching one.... when you already have a transformer...... ummm i dont know...

[@christoffermedc]

Is it just me; who would enjoy a simple wire diagram? i'm an electronics noob and do think about dual power supply builds. have read about the problems of joined PSU's might compete between each other and therefore shorten the life expectancies of either, so curious to hear how that is avoided in this case, not entirely clear to me whether the psus in this video is working together or separately, and therefore the diagram would be helpful

[@JanBeta]

It is relatively straightforward if you know some basic electronics. The transformer and the Meanwell PSU are wired in parallel, the fuse and the switch are on the live side of the mains.

[@psteier]

Getting an idea from your project, but asking myself, if there's a better solution for that 9V "brick" inside? Is there no MeanWell PSU with 9V available?

[@JanBeta]

You can use a higher voltage DC power supply for the drive, like an 18-19V DC laptop power supply. Or you could even modify the drive to have an internal dc power supply I guess. I just wanted to stay close to the original (which is just a 9VAC transformer). The rectification and regulation happens in the drive.

[@Jimbaloidatron]

It needs to be 9V AC _not DC_

[@mcg6762]

@@Jimbaloidatron 12V DC should work fine

[@VincentGroenewold]

Nice, would like to make something like this as well. Though need to study it a bit more as I could see myself connecting the live wires to the case. ;)

[@jaycee1980]

Well, if it's a metal case, the metalwork should be connected to safety earth... then if that happened, you would blow a fuse/trip a breaker rather than cause any dangerous hazard

[@davidlloyd1526]

Need to be careful about the load on the 9V transformer. It's not good to have no output load (i.e. powering the transformer without switching on the disk drive). Similarly you might want to add a low value resistor or fuse so that if you short the 9V cable with itself it doesn't turn into a W = 1.5A * 220V heating element :)

[@jaycee1980]

it shouldnt cause a problem on an EI transformer at 50/60Hz. It's switch mode power supplies that don't like having no load

[@WinrichNaujoks]

What kind of fuse would that be?

[@stefanbol4078]

Just curious, could you be using a bridgre rectifier and a 7805 voltage regulator instead of the "power module"? The beefy transformer will give enough power. It is just a thought. Or do you really need the switching power supply for the 5V rails? Great video though, thanks!

[@jaycee1980]

You could use a switchmode regulator to drop to 5v.. but.. certain power supply arrangements require the 9V AC to be *floating* from the 5V DC... eg the Commodore 64.

[@danielmantione]

This how the original unreliable power supplies work. Basically you waste a huge amount of power and the heat reduces the life of the power supply. The switching power supply is a much better idea: Not only is it much more efficient, it also can delivery much more power to the computer.

[@jaycee1980]

@@danielmantione on the other hand they also generate a lot more noise on the supply, which can be an issue depending on the design of the machine

[@danielmantione]

@@jaycee1980 Someone always has to mention this. IMO, an engineer knows how to deal with noise, building extremely inefficient and unreliable power supplies because you don't want to handle noise is bad negineering. And... as video's like this one prove over and over again, you can perfectly use a somewhat good switching power supply without additional measures. (By the way, one of the later original Atari power supplies is a switching type as well.)

[@jaycee1980]

@@danielmantione I AM an electronics engineer. The point is, the original machine was designed to run on a linear power supply, and thus may not cope with the extra noise from a switchmode. For example if you run a ZX Spectrum from a switching supply, the switching noise is clearly visible in the video output.

[@chrislong6601]

Where you say you deliberately didn't put heat shrink on the earth wiring you didn't explain why. Can you explain please?

[@brianwild4640]

there is no voltage on the earth it does not need it. if anything touches earth it will blow the fuse or trip the mains

[@chrislong6601]

@@brianwild4640 I figured that - just personally I would probably have heat shrunk it anyway just for consistency. I wondered if I was missing something. Thanks for the response anyway.

[@d0nnyr0n]

Ooo, fancy.

[@Alan2E0KVRKing]

Power LED's for 9V and 5V outputs would be a nice addition!

[@chrisrobson8540]

someone with more skill than I should design Jan a logo that he can put on his builds.....thumbs up and a bag of chips to the winner (supply your own salt and vinegar)

[@ukcroupier]

C64 PSU (new one of course) gives 5v DC & 9v AC, so I guess you could have just made a splitter cable and used c64 psu.

[@JanBeta]

The 9VAC from a C64 power supply is too weak to power a 1050 unfortunately. At least as far as my research goes.

[@tharkthax3960]

@@JanBeta yeah, the 1050 original psu is 9v AC at 3.2 ( or 3.4?) Amps. I've been told a 2amp 9v AC is good enough. Would need that confirming tho.

[@JanBeta]

From what I’ve read, they used the beefy transformer so it doesn’t overheat in case the motor in the drive gets stuck and draws lots of current. Makes sense but I’m not sure what a worst case scenario would look like.

[@tharkthax3960]

Look forward to your 1050 repair video! I fix them occasionally also.

[@ukcroupier]

@@JanBeta thanks for clearing that up. But I assume you could have a cable that combines the two from this PSU into a c64. Or you could just make a 3rd cable come directly from the psu for a c64.

[@awilliams1701]

whoever decided to number that DIN apparently can't count. lol

[@RETRO_RAVEN]

SUPER! 🙂👌👍 BR 🙂

[@An_Onion]

Won't this also in principle work with a C=64? Edit: Bwahaha! You mentioned it later in the video that it will. I really need to find a source for 9VAC 1A transformers.

[@jaycee1980]

pretty much any electronics component supplier will have 9V transformers... probably a 12VA one which will give you 9V @ 1.33A

[@Papierzeit]

LIPS ;)

[@GrahamTinkers]

It’s a Beta Version 🤣

[@tenminutetokyo2643]

Put it into real production, dood.