Building a DIY C64 Power Supply (The Lazy Way)
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- Опубликовано: 2 авг 2017
- I made a simple replacement power supply for my Commodore 64 and my VIC 20 by using a 9V transformer and a pre-made 5V power brick and putting it into a nice case basically.
I kept the "preliminary fuse" of 315mA for the primary but settled on a larger 1.5A fuse for the 5V because 1A is underpowered (and causes problems, especially on the VIC20 which is a bit more power hungry).
ONLY ATTEMPT TO BUILD SOMETHING LIKE THIS IF YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE DOING. MAINS VOLTAGE CAN KILL YOU!
Ray Carlsen's C64 power supplies: personalpages.tds.net/~rcarlsen/
Greisi's PSU is in this video (everything's available for download from the video description, also the pinout of the C64 power connector): • GWB#1 - Commodore 64 /...
Here's the DIN 45329 plug you need: www.c64-wiki.com/wiki/Power_S...
Here's the case I used: www.reichelt.de/Kunststoffgeh...
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Thanks! 
Наука
Great choice of case. It evokes the Amiga, yet is smaller than the original 64 PSU. I've ordered one for delivery to California and am going to do a similar (but different) process using a plug in transformer and a plug in switching power supply, both just dropped in the case and plugged into one mains extension lead. Watch this (well that, my) space! Good job Jan!
Thanks! Hope it works as well for you as it did for me. :)
Jan Beta A follow up question if you'd be so kind: The Ray Carlson plug in transformer that he sells, just plugs into the wall socket, and the other end into the C64. No fuse. And of course the C64 has a fuse. How necessary are the two fuses you've installed?
I decided to fuse the mains side on my power supply to prevent damage in case the transformer itself fails and shorts. The internal fuse on the C64 is there for quite the same reason. It's only on the 9V AC line and it just prevents the C64 from catching fire (yeah, probably a bit exaggerated...) in case the transformer fails. I fused the 5V line because it's the most important for the ICs. Also it's a good measure to have a fuse on there when using the TVP diode because it would instantly pop if the diode starts conducting.
So in my model the mains side is fused (which is always a good idea), the 9VAC are fused in the C64 and the 5V are fused. I wanted this to be as fool-proof as possible. And I have to admit I already popped one or two of the 5V fuses while tinkering with boards and accidentally shorting things. ;)
Jan Beta Hello again sir! I'm doing a video on how to create an even LAZIER power supply. Would you mind if I used 3 or 4 screenshots from your video to talk about some of the other power supply projects in the video introduction? (I'll also link to this video of course!) Thank you in advance.
Sorry for not answering the first time... busy and confused lately. Of course you may use screenshots from my video. :)
I definitely want to build one of these. Seems like a good idea considering that the 5V line would actually be safer.
Thats a fancy project box. Great video as usual. I need to get motivated to make my PSU :)
Thanks, I built it into a computer power supply box and it works great. added a bridge rectifier to another set of taps on my surplus xfmr and a step down buck converter for the already installed 12V internal fan although I don't think it was necessary
I'm glad I have waited and read through all the comments thus far. My generic supportive comments notwithstanding -- yet another great video -- you continue to spark conversation and debate. Seriously people, what's the worst that could happen? My hat's off to you, sir. You are doing more for the Commodore community than most of us are, so bravo and keep up the great effort.
And yes, you should plop a C= logo on that gorgeous PSU enclosure. It's a great looking case.
Thanks very much, Sir. Always happy to spark some conversation and try things out myself. Would be nice to have an etched C= logo on the PSU some time. :)
Nicely done. Thanks for the info about gaps on the user port, didn't know that.
Thanks. :) I was very happy to find out about the gaps so I wanted to share it. The easiest way to check voltages on the C64 I've seen so far.
Really nice work! That case is beautiful too. A C= logo should look really good on that case. :)
I have a C64 PSU that's kinda serviceable, it's the model that's both square and wedge shaped if you know what I mean. It has screws in the bottom so that it's easily opened and the 5V section is not that much filled up with epoxy resin, so I isolated the original linear regulation in the C64 PSU and bought a PCB mount switch mode PSU called "IRM 20-5" (5V 4A) and placed inside the C64 PSU, this way it all looks 100% stock and it also 100% reversible.
Thanks! Yes, I know about that one variant of the C64 PSU that is servicable (at least to some extend). Never had one of those, though. I want to try the same with one of my classic "elephant's feet" shaped PSUs some time, too. Would be nice to keep the original looks.
Jan, if you want to a proper load test of the power supply, you need to connect a datasette to a breadbin. In my own power testing, the worst case for the 9V AC part of the C64 power supply is a when the datasette is doing rewind at the beginning of a tape (i.e. the casette cannot spin). You should measure the AC voltage at the user port under that condition.
From my own testing, the minimum acceptable AC voltage under that condition is about 8.1V. If your transformer stays within close margin from that, say, 8.5V, I would say the transformer is fit for purpose.
I would not worry too much about heat generated by the transformer: As a transformer consists of wires and a core, they can withstand very high temperatures, probaby hundreds of degrees. Therefore as long as you can still touch the transformer, there is no need to worry.
If you want to generate less heat from the transfomer, you need a ringkerntransformator, I don't know the English word, the German word is the same as the Dutch one. A normal transformer is about 80% efficient, bigger transformers are only slightly more efficient than small ones. However, a ringkerntransformator can achieve well above 95% efficiency and therefore generates a very low amount of heat.
+Daniël Mantione Oh, using a toroidal transformer (I think that's the term) is a nice idea. Maybe for a future project.
I'm going to test the PSU with my datasette some time. Good idea for load testing the transformer. :) It only gets lukewarm so it's nothing to worry about I guess but it's still a good idea to test it properly of course.
Nice timing, I got my din connectors in yesterday and was about to tackle the same job.
Haha, nice! Hope your new PSU works as smoothly as mine does. :)
Hi, Just wondering what the Sony 5 vdc supply measured, no load? I have a Sony 5.2 vdc e-Book supply that measures 5.32 vdc, no load. I'm just wondering if that would be OK to use, as is, or if I should add a ~1 meg resistor in series, to drop it down? Thanks in advance!!!!
Thanks for the suggestion!
Now I know what to do with the one 5v power supply with a weird connector...
Solder on another weird connector! :D
hi, the diagram may be wrong; if u need 5 V take it from the 2ndary of transformer, then rectify and filter and regulate (if talking about linear psu); in fact u need to take more than 5V taking into account all the voltage drops of rectifier + filtering + regulation up to the real load, but it's relatively easy to have a 2ndary transformer with a couple of exit points for various voltages (AC)
Very nice video, I made myself a power supply with other components, but same logic! Thanks Jan!
You can see the result here: plus.google.com/+PabloSanchezEsteban/posts/hWZmqDSvKFW
Awesome video! You should paint a C= logo on the top.
I thought about that, too. I decided to leave it as neutral as it is for now until I find a suitable decal sticker or something like that. :)
This looks good and will do the job great, can't see any big problems here, certainly two steps up from an ancient resin filled Commodore brick! A small refinement would be a "naked" 5V part w. some passive cooling, I like this solution though.
Yes, a dedicated 5V supply would be a step up indeed. I definitely want to tinker with C64 power supplies some more in the future. This one is meant as being a very convenient and easy way to do it so (hopefully) many people can build their own based on the idea.
Regarding the pinout. Even if you get it wrong in the horizontal direction (not knowing if the numbering is mirrored or not), it will still work. I wonder if commodore made the pinout this way to prevent production fails. Btw, i've seen power supplies with 5V on the oposite side (pin 4 or 5) of what is normal. Both works, but it made a problem with my C64 Saver. Thats why my saver has connected pin 4 and 5 together on the female connector. A bit of a nuisance to connect two pins together and then into a wire. It makes it harder to for example pull a heat shrink over those pins, but on the other hand it reduces the amount of returns from customers :) (I noticed that on the third saver i ever sent out, a guy who had one of the earliest C64s had a 5V on the other pin (4 or 5). Another "secret" about the DIN standard is that the pin position is the same for all number of poles.
That's an interesting point. I knew that some old C64s had an extra 5V somewhere but didn't look into it further because I thought it would be compatible anyway. Thanks for the info. :)
I just built something similar. My "design" was more ghetto than yours 😊 I started with a broken C64 PSU, took the potted block out of it, then grabbed an old 9VAC wall-wart, and a 2A phone charger with an EU plug on it (I'm in the UK so this was useless to me, and unused). The input fuse is in the UK mains plug so not needed in the PSU. I cracked the two power supplies open and araldited the linear transformer in the case, and hot glued the switching supply (as I figured this would break sooner than the linear one). Then used choc-block connectors to wire it all up - other than patching the 5V lines no soldering required, and all the cabling already present as I re-used the broken supply's wires.
All worked well so I hot-glued a C64 saver into the case, so the computer should be completely safe, and the whole thing looks like an original power supply!
Haha, nice! Great that you made that work. The C64 is not very picky with its power supplies so as long as you have the correct voltages, basically everything should work without any issues. Good thing you put the saver in there as well, although most modern switching supplies should just burn out instead of putting out overvoltage in case of a fault. :)
@@JanBeta Yeah, I'm always a bit paranoid with switching power supplies though, the cheap ones have a nasty ability to short the mains through to the 5v side. Yes I know this is rare but I couldn't leave it like that. The charger came with a Sharp smartphone - should be good, it seems OK with polymer caps on the cold side and Sharp are still reputable, but you can never tell.
Keep em coming mate :)
Nice work!
Thanks! :)
Nice build! What are the specs on the fuses?
built my c64 psu from this video works great, i used my old psu cables for the power and connection lead.
You test voltage with multimeter?
How much on 5v line?
Would this transformer be a good alternative? Block VCM 25/2/9 1x230 Vac 2x 9Vac 25VA it is the only 230v transformer from Block i can find on Conrad.
It actually is quite interesting what all the 9 volt line does.
9VAC comes in across pins 6 and 7 of CN7, the power connector
1) it is regulated down to produce the +12v supply (9VAC RMS >12VDC
2) it is regulated down to produce a second, low current +5v supply
3) it is noise-filtered and passed to CN2 (the user port)
4) it is very sloppily rectified and used to power the cassette motor
5) it is used to derive the 60 Hz TOD clock for the 6526 CIA chips
I think I would really recommend some level or voltage regulation in the 9 volt line although this is done in any case no need to further stress 30 years old components 🤔
You're probably right. I will look into that. I found that the voltage my self-made PSU produces is nearly exactly the same like the one the original PSU puts out so I don't really think it's dangerous. But maybe it really makes sense to not stress the components unnecessarily. Thanks for pointing that out.
You have a link of the FI Adapter Personal Protector ?
I think If I was going to do this I'd use my qualcom usb quick charger. It's a lot smaller that that PSP charger you got. I think you have to short the data pins for the higher amps though. I'm not sure.
so the c64 and the vic 20 have the same power input?
Would a 9v 5VA block work? Also, you're using a four core cable with no ground?
I'm about to wire this together, but I'm confused by the markings on the BLOCK psu. Jan initially says he'll solder the neutral wire to the primary pin farthest from the fuse at 16:34. This would make sense with my reading of the symbols on the rear of the psu. That connection has a 0 on the rear side.
However, he ends up soldering the neutral wires to the other pin, the one nearest the fuse, seen at 17:50. This would line up with the 230V symbol (which I'd presume was live?) on the rear of the psu.
AFAIK, I have exactly the same model of Block psu that Jan's using. Could someone advise me on which pin to solder what to? Perhaps I'm reading the symbols on the Block psu incorrectly?
Nice. the power supply is stabilized at 5 volts or needs a power saver ?
This is great! Thank you very much!
Hi! Very interesting video! Been thinking about replacing my powersupply for my C64 before the old one decides to fry the chips inside my computer. But now I may make one myself since it looks really easy!
I wonder if it is possible to use a USB powerbrick for the 5V DC (assuming it's powerful enough), or would that be a bad idea? I just thought it would work well since they are very small and would easier fit into a case.
As long as it's a decent one that has enough Amperage (min 2A, the more the better) and not too much high frequency ripple on the output it will work just fine. The C64 is not very picky as long as the voltage is not too far off. If it has too much ripple, you'll get hum and video artifacts and you may damage the ICs but that's fairly unlikely with a decent USB brick.
Okay, thanks for your reply! I will keep that in mind.
I feel your pain with soldering directly to the DIN connector. Last time I tried that, the wire just snapped as I finished the project.
Uh, that's painful. I usually forget to slide the plastic part of the connector over the cable and then have to redo the whole soldering. ;D
I ordered a DIN cable instead of a DIN plug. No DIN soldering required. Just some splicing. I'm a little concerned about the 9V AC (says 9VAC 1amp on the adapter) though. My multi-meter reads it as 12V. I know it's normal for them to be a bit high without a load, but is that ok or is that too high?
@@albertogenta7677 yeah apparently even 15 is fine. The AC side doesn't need to be exact. I figured it out 3 years ago. Unfortunately the DIN cable I ordered did cause problems. It didn't allow enough current leading to a voltage drop when I had my U2+ cartridge installed. It dropped from 4.5v to 3.5v. The computer mostly worked, but I got color glitches. I replaced several chips before I discovered it was the cable. I replaced it and now I get proper voltage on the motherboard and it works perfectly.
Any idea how to get a fuse out of a C64 Mk 2 power supply? (Damn thing is stuck in there... not sure if i can even open it up, no screws on it).
Also, is the mk2 safer than the original PSU that you are showing in this video?
EDIT: you could add a small fan to decrease the temperature inside the box.
Mh, I'd probably try banging it against a table to get it out. Or use a really small set of tweezers. You'd have to unplug it first, of course! ;)
The MK2 is nearly exactly the same as the first C64 PSUs so the only way it's safer is probably that the components are not quite as old. Still highly recommended to get a replacement or a protection device.
The heat buildup is not that bad in every day use actually. Works like a charm and gets lukewarm after some use. The only thing I changed after the video was to add higher rated fuses (see video description).
Does the VIC 20 and all variants of the C-64 use the same power supply?
The C64 variants all use the same power supply (at least the output is the same), the old VIC-20s use a 2 prong 9V AC connector. Later models use the same connector and the same PSU as the C64.
Thanks for this very 'German' upload : technical, well explained : no surprise you are 1st in Europe (and it is a frog eater telling you).
Haha, thanks! You're probably right. Can't really fight the Germanness in me in those respects although I'm not a huge fan of this country at all... ;)
Tres bien!
Very nice. Where is 220V ON/OFF swich and 220V present signal LED? :D
I wanted to keep it as simple as possible this time. There's going to be more C64 power supply mod videos soon(ish). ;)
So how does c64 5V actually work if the original power brick makes 5V DC and inside C64 is 7805 linear regulator? Linear regulator needs at least 1V more input than its output voltage to be able to regulate the output voltage. With 1A current the voltage drop in 7805 is usually 2V.
The 5V regulator is provided with the rectified and filtered 9VAC from the PSU. It is used to provide "cleaner" supply voltages for the VIC-II video chip and the SID so there is less noise.
It has a thermal fuse ? thats great. I'd feel a lot safer with it. The secondary fuse is low. The C64 current pull is about 1A, and rated at 1.5A. New board? Might be a bit less current pull, especially on the 9VAC. The DINs, tell me about it haha, it is a pain. It's no that bad for my C64 Saver cable. Because the cable is only 13cm I can use thinner wire to solder than if the wire had to be a meter or two. Regarding the SMPS, it has tiny current from the primary to secondary, and a charge built up between ground to live and ground to neutral holding half the mains voltage. From what I've heard from Greisis, it is because of some caps that reduce EMI to pass FCC regulations. The current is harmless to humans, but can harm the C64 if the connectors on the back are touched. Anyway I don't have any experience with this myself.
I also thought the secondary would be a bit low. It didn't blow yet but I'm going to replace it for a higher rated one. I learned about the high voltage issue in Greisi's video. I think it's a minor issue for practical use but it should have been included in the video in retrospect... Mmmh. I'll add it to the video description at least I think.
I also reacted to the low fuse rating on the 5V, original supplies are 1.5A or 1.7A and your Playstation PSU seems to be marked with 2000 mA - so you could probably use a 2A fuse. You might pop the fuse just by turning the computer on as it initially draws a bit more current than when it's idle.
I made Greisi's PSU's (both 1541 II and C64), they work great. Excellent engineering. I have some pcb's left. What would be the right place to sell them? It is such a waiste to keep them accumulating dust.
Oh, I would definitely be interested in one or two of those. :) You could try asking in C64 forums like Lemon64 if there is interest (I guess there is). I could also ask my Twitter followers if you want me to. Send me an email at thejanbeta at gmail dot com if you like.
God life
I'd take 2, maybe 3 of these, if you have them left over! PM me if you like
huh, i did not post this??? Probaby my children :-)
Amibay forum has a C64 section. Then there's fleaBay too of course.
I like this combo, and wanted to build something like it myself. As NL resident I still need to find the casing (ref?).
One suggestion: add a well sized on/off switch on the 220v side so you can leave it plugged in at 0A :)
I got the case from reichelt.de a while back. Unfortunately, I don't remember which one it was and they sell a bazillion different flavors of cases so I didn't find it again yet. :/
I also thought about adding a switch but left it out solely because I am using it on a switched outlet anyway. ;)
just checked the reichelt page - BOPLA E-440VL :: Gehäuse, 150x 80x 55mm or BOPLA E-450VL :: Gehäuse, 188x110x 70mm maybe?
Yes! Has to be the 440VL one. The measurements are the same. Just checked. Thanks for finding it. I will put a link in the description, too. :)
Found an online store that had them, and got two (just in case - no pun intended). Thanks !
This is great stuff Jan. However, does anyone know if the 4 core cable used for this should be screened?
No, I don’t think so. Usually regular power cables are not screened. The original C64 PSU cable isn’t screened. There’s some noise filtering going on in the C64 itself, too. Saying that, it wouldn’t hurt to use screened cable I guess. Can’t see any real benefit though.
Thanks for the reply Jan. Righto, I think I'll stick with regular 4 core then. Looking forward to starting this project. :)
Hey Jan,
How did you get the 315mA value for the primary fuse?
problaly electronics supplier or wes at ashfield they selll all ypes electronics components but u must have a order book like businesss account book or hey will not seel a 50c part it happened to me so i got a businesss name from fair trading or just go buy invoice ook from office wrks type name up top and order part number they got a catogue online for free bye
The 5V DC supplies the chips in the C64, and I was wondering what's the purpose of the 9V AC? Is it absolutely necessary?
The older long board revisions use the 9V AC to derive the 12V/5V supply voltages for the SID and the VIC-II chip, the 9V is also used for the cassette port and some user port expansions. You won't even get a picture output from an old school C64 without the 9V supply. The more recent "short board" revisions start up fine with 5V only (they just don't have sound and cassette and user port don't fully work). I did a video a while back where I tried to power a C64 from a USB power bank if you are interested in more details!
@@JanBeta- Thanks Jan, great explanation. I had the hunch that some functions won't work without 9V-AC, but didn't know that old C64 versions won't even power on.
I still have a collection of 4x C64's, one from early 1984, one from 1985, and two C64's brand new never opened from the early 90's. Used to run several BBS's on both the C64 and Amiga, and they've been packed away for 30 years now. One day when I retire I will have some fun. heh
Love your videos Jan, keep up the good work! If I have the funds I will send you heat gun for Christmas! :)
Thanks Buck! I got one (I think for my last birthday) in the meantime. :)
Nice job!
Thanks Todd!
wow you're doing the same as I did with these annoying DIN (sorry German :D) connectors. Use tape in between the pins after soldering because its almost undoable to make the exposed pieces of wire so short that they are still solderable AND don't reach the neighbour pin.
Haha, yeah, I like to keep it safe. There's a lot of wires really close to each other so I use tape for safety. I don't want to take any chances. ;)
in the original PSU do both 9V AC and 5V DC fail or is it mostly the 5V DC that fails as the 9V AC just comes from the transformer? I plan to use the original PSU and replace only the 5V DC or is this not such a good idea?
I would opt for a supply that does all power lines. The C64 is already sensitive to minimal current differences. Imagine there would be a tiny say 0.2 Volt difference on the ground wires if you don't use a single one.
It's correct to say that the typical failure in the C-64 PSU is the +5V supply. Not as if the 9V AC cannot fail, but as it is simple AC straight from a transformer any failure of the 9V AC is generally just an irreparable open-circuit which should never cause any further damage. In principle, there is nothing wrong using a 'junk' C-64 PSU for the functional 9V AC s exactly what I'd do if I didn't have a spare 9VAC xfmr on hand.,
I think its a good idea. If you can get it open and then glue it back shut. Depending on which PSU model you have. You can even use an inexpensive DC-DC converter instead of the 5V regulator. Then your supply will run much cooler.
I would also suggest replacing the original rectification circuitry (diodes and capacitors) with a new one that is a bit beefier. Planning on modding an original C64 PSU in that way too some time soon. ;)
Yes once I get my ordered c64 I will try to do that. For now I am using an c64 (which had a black screen but replacing the PLA with a PLAnkton replacement fixed it!) I found in my garage without any PSU, so I use a 12v ac and 5v dc to test it and that works just fine it seems voltages at SID seems just fine (12v DC and 5v DC on a SID6581), although voltage at userport is 12v ac but I dont use that and I dont think that 9v ac is used anywhere else? I am only using it for like 10mins a try just to be safe :)
This is really good, I built mine even more lazy than yours!!
Thanks! The most important thing is it works, I guess. ;)
You note that you would use another transformer. Could you give me a link to the 9vac transformer you would use instead? I live in Denmark and we also have 230vac mains
Oh, I actually changed my mind a bit about the transformer (also after speaking with some more knowledgeable colleagues). The transformer I used is absolutely sufficient for the job and it's normal that they get slightly warm in use. Anything that can provide 9V AC at 1 Ampere minimum will work fine.
Jan Beta Thank you very much for your reply. Do you mind telling me if this transformer would be sufficient?
www.elextra.dk/details/H17199/230v-printtransformator-12va-1-x-9v-133a
I love your videos what I would not give to have your extensive knowledge about commodore computers.
Yup, that one is going to do the job fine. :)
Ich baue mir bald auch eine ähnliche, für die 5V habe ich mir eine günstige Meanwell-Variante geholt, die auch recht kompakt gebaut ist. Ich "hacke" aber noch eine LED auf der 5V Schiene ein, so als "Funktionsanzeige" ;)
Ich habe tatsächlich geplant, das PSP Netzteil zukünftig durch ein MeanWell zu ersetzen. Bin noch nicht dazu gekommen, aber die Teile sind auf jeden Fall empfehlenswert.
Cool, I have built one that's very similar.
Take it from a electronics engineer. Use a full bridge rectifier, 2200uF or higher filter cap and a buck converter for the +5V DC.
Honestly the LM7805 isn't that bad of a regulator. there are also others and varible regulators such as the LM350 and the LM317 that can be set for +5v DC output. The only two ways I can see a LM7805 dieing is constant over current or not enough cooling.
I'm interested in understanding why you would do this instead of using the transformer? Heat?
SimmeringPotpourri you would still use the transformer. From the transformer secondary forward is what I was talking about for the 5volt supply.
The C-64 PSU produces (2) independent outputs - 9VAC (straight from an xfmr) and 5VDC from a rectified / regulated xfmr line. There simply isn't any other practical way to do this, at least not in the mid-80s.
Yeah, I think I would be tempted to get a beafy 9VAC, and feed a rectifier (with large electrolytic) from that and use a buck convertor to derive 5v DC from the 9VAC. That way you've only got one mains input and both voltages coming from that 9VAC effectively. And for good measure, merge one of bwacks 5v savers to stop overvoltage - although probably not required.
Yes, I totally agree. The proper way of doing this would be to use a larger transformer for 9VAC and also feed a rectifier and a buck converter from that for the 5V. I wanted to make it a bit easier for people to build. I'm planning on modding an old breadbin power supply with a proper rectification circuit and a converter soon. C64saver is on order. ;)
Great video! I personally would have probably removed the 5v power brick from it's plastic shell so that it could have a little better ventilation, but it's probably not too hot.
However I do really dig that PSU case and that 9v AC transformer. Even though I have a couple C64 psus now, I might take the time and build one as well.
Thanks! I actually thought about taking off the case, too, but settled to leave it on because it barely gets warm anyway. The transformer gets a little warm so I'd go for a beefier one if I build another one of those.
I am surprised that a sleeve is not made that can be soldered to the individual wires and then slipped tightly over the 7 pin din solder points one at a time to make the job easier and cleaner.
I think there are sleeves like that but I didn't find suitable ones anywhere.
I would have included a switch on the casing, so that you had the option of not having it, 'on', all the time it's plugged in, increasing the life of the unit.
Yes, I did that for all the recent power supplies I built. :)
It is just me or the trafo was delivering almost 12vac instead of 9vac?
Yes, without a load, the transformers put out higher voltages, goes down quite a bit under load. The AC voltage doesn’t need to be exact at all, regulation happens on board in the C64.
Why'd you used the psp psu you could have used a phone charger instead it would be more tinyier
I'm using a c128 PSU
I heard that's the way to go.
I don't know how it is designed, but it surely has enough ooomph to power the C64 without any problems (more ooomph than the original PSU so it's probably a better choice than that). :)
Well, for 80's the C128 PSU is a rather advanced design: Heavy transformer and switched 5V regulator make it generate much less heat than the C64 PSU. However, it's less efficient than a modern switched voltage regulator. Jan Beta's PSU is more advanced than the C128 one.
@@danielmantione hey this is good info, I was watching this video because I was planning to build a new PSU for my C128 that I haven't used in a loooong time. I was expecting it to be half-dead by now like C64 PSU's. Time for some multimetering.
Alter, das ist so übel umgesetzt, das nicht mal ich das so machen würde.....
Gruselig! :-) Und ich bin echt ne faule Sau.....
Zugegeben sehr faul (as advertised), aber es funktioniert tatsächlich sehr gut. ;)
:-) so möge das auch hoffentlich weiter so sein!
Why not to take this 9V AC, after diodes and a capacitor it will increase by √2, so we will have near 13v DC. Then just use switching dc-dc converter IC and take 5v from it. Few more caps and that's it :)
On the other hand, I agree, the way you did it is a perfect balance between quality and ease of work on it
Id have to get a nice commodore badge for the top.
I was thinking of engraving a logo even but kept it simple for now until I find a perfect solution. Already planning the next C64 PSU projects though. ;)
I am copying your design since it seems your design is working great still.
I did not get the ventilated version of the cabinet you use, so I will mount a silent fan for getting the heat out with some holes for the fan.
Ah, sounds good. Hope it works for you!
Nice work :)
You could have been even lazier and saved yourself from the hazzle of soldering the DIN connector by sourcing the output cable from a dead C64 PSU.
Thats exactly what I plan to do - I have a working c64 power supply here but I don't trust it after all the horror stories I have heard about them blowing chips. I just need to get motivated to drill and cut the metal enclosure I chose for my PSU. It looks even smaller than Jans, but my 5V PS is a much smaller size as well (still rated to 2A).
You probably won't believe me--but all the C64 PSUs (4 or 5) I have actually work fine so I didn't want to salvage one of the cables. ;) I actually want to mod one to have a buck converter for the 5V some time though.
i shared your hatred for soldering those stupid din plugs mate :)
I think hot glue on AC transformer is very bad idea. Usually they get quite hot.
wallace and gromit are legit.
The lazy way of doing things is my perfect way
Haha, yeah. This one is far from technically perfect but it's pretty easy to pull off and, hey, it works!
I did exactly that back in 2007 for a guy nicknamed 'Dragos' (Mark Gladson) and for some reason the 9Vac transformer failed (I guess it happens once in awhile). The PSU just shut down, as it should... Then he went all over Lemon64 and said I could have set his house on fire...
Whoops. Sorry to hear that. I guess your PSU was superior to the original PSU in every way, so what was he complaining about really?
@@JanBeta The insides didn't look the way he expected it to... more or less.
Still works without issues?
Yes, I used it nearly every day until I very recently build a more sophisticated one.
@@JanBeta 3years without problem on 5.41v sound's very good to me because my setup gives on cable 5.3v without load and on c64c expansion port 5.12v.
Is safe voltages? Some people say , everything more than 5.05 on psu is bad.
Wire Ferrules. I had to look that up. It's a crimp end that you attach to your wire, then slip the compression fit end onto the DIN connector. Grab your calipers, because this is going to be great. Also, to check the size of the DIN pins, I couldn't find that after quickly googling.
www.ferrulesdirect.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=FD&Category_Code=NYLPINTERM
Edited for clarity, believe it or not.
Oh, interesting approach. I'll have to try that for future DIN escapades.
Best of luck, thanks for the episodes!
Why not usb?
Because USB specifications for current are too low. Standard USB 2.0 is defined as 500mA current per port. There are obviously chargers that would work (2.0A and even higher) but I won’t generally recommend putting a USB plug on it unless you know what you‘re doing AND have a decent USB power source.
could you just bypass the c64 ac to dc converter and feed 9vdc into it
I don't think so, the main supply for most ICs is coming from the 5V DC rail in the PSU. You can power a C64 without the AC voltage though. short board C64Cs fully work (but without sound), older revs need more voltages for the graphics chip.
The AC is required for a voltage doubler as the SID and VIC-II actually require 12Vdc. The charge pump method of increasing the voltage needs AC to work.
@@francoisleveille409 just use 12vdc instead
@@muffenme Since the voltage doubler uses capacitors, the DC will not pass...
See: www.electronics-tutorials.ws/blog/voltage-multiplier-circuit.html
You should put a NE2 (with aporopriate dropping resistor) neon accross the mains, as well as a decently high joule MOV. the ne2 will act as a spark gap, and the mov will absorb the rest.
Please explain this idea?
You may not have thoroughly clear what a fuse is for and when to use one... it's perfectly pointless to fuse protect the output of an electronic circuit: once shorted, a semiconductor device normally tends to get fried ages before the fuse itself can even smell the short, unless built-in electronic (fast) protections are provided. In your case such protections are in all probability already there. By converse, it's absolutely dangerous to leave a transformer secondary winding unfused, which in case of prolonged short on the output would result in overheating with subsequent fire hazard. Maybe you want to swap places to the fuse...
Thanks for the video. I made my own, with a few minor changes. I'm getting 5vDC and 11vAC (from the same transformer you used). I'm hoping that's okay. I tested it on a C64c. I'll try it on my normal C64 once I get the correct fuse and am more confident it's not going to cause damage. It's here if anyone is interested: www.lemon64.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=808610#808610
Oh, cool! I found the transformer delivers quite different voltages depending on the load. On the older breadbins it was close to 10V for me (which is absolutely fine) and on the newer models it was a bit higher indeed. The newer ones seem to draw less current. A bit more AC doesn't hurt them I think. The older models get warmer the more voltage they get because there's the 78xx regulators inside that dissipate the overhead into heat.
Right, thanks for the info. I've just tried it on my normal C64 and it's giving 9.9v and 4.97.
Protect my C64 Breadbin 250425 with a SaV64.
Well I think I know where Retro Recipes got his idea from.
Yes, he even used the same case. ;) But no worries, we actually emailed beforehand about this. Still using this power supply today without any issues, btw. :)
My lazy way was just to have a janky usb cable coming out of the original PSU
Ha! Yes, that's an even lazier method. :D
Don't hurry out to buy a PSP power supply... many outdated routers use a 5v 2A supply and they can be found for almost nothing in garage sales.
Of course you can use any reasonably good PSU that is rated for 2A and above. :)
I used the PSP supply because I had it lying around anyway. It also has quite a clean output and a small form factor.
Wieso nicht auf Deutsch ?
Hauptsächlich, weil ich den internationalen Aspekt mag. Und so natürlich mehr Menschen die Videos verstehen können.
I am an Acorn nutter and I just wonder if Commodore ever produced a fully well designed machine ever ;-)
I don't really think so. The Amigas are quite well made but then again those weren't designed by Commodore in the first place. ;)
Make your own power supply? Nah your ok I will buy one 🤣
good vid jan but you can get power supplies from china ready biult 5v 12v dc regulated just be careful from chinia
Thanks! Yes, you can easily get DC power supplies but the C64 needs both 5V DC and 9V AC. That’s pretty uncommon unfortunately.
made mistake ac output im converting my ac dc input circuit to handle dc input just need better ceramics and bettter electrylitics ill go forrr 1000 micro uf cant remember name 1000 dc uf
that crap will never last for 40 years, that's just stupid hashing.
NOOOOOOOOO!!! Der Grüngelbe ist als der "Schutzleiter" definiert!!! Dieser darf NIEMALS/Never als Spannungs/Strom führende Leitung verwendet werden! Never use the yellow/green!!! Das geht nicht, NEIN, Never, geht gar nicht, KATASTROPHE!!! DON´T do this at Home!!! Auch nicht für 5V!!! NEIN, NEVER grüngelb als Stromführende Leitung verwenden!!! Sorry, aber das geht gar nicht!!! Kauf dir eine Leitung mit einem Kabel mehr und schliesse das Grüngelbe nicht an oder zwicke es ab, aber SO Bitte nicht!!!
Mir als Energieelektroniker wird bei solchen Basteleien schlecht!!!
Sollte da mal was passieren (Kurzschluss/Brand etc.) zahlt KEINE Versicherung!!!
Ich verstehe das Argument sehr gut, und gebe dir völlig Recht. Es ist ganz und gar nicht die feine Art, einen Schutzleiter als stromführende Leitung zu missbrauchen. Das war sehr unüberlegt. Allerdings denke ich auch, dass das für ein ausschließlich von mir privat genutztes Gerät keine besonders gefährliche Sache ist. Und die Versicherung, die einen Schadensfall zahlt, der von so einem hobbymäßig selbstgebauten Netzteil ausgelöst wird (egal welche Farben die Isolierungen haben), gibt es wohl kaum...