Evanlor Posted December 9, 2020 Share Posted December 9, 2020 Hello All, My apologies if this has already been talked about, but I've wondered if it was possible to swap the Atari 2600 power jack for a more modern one that takes more common power supply tips than the 3.5mm headphone jack? Has anyone detailed a) how to do this and b) where to find the new style jacks? Thanks! Side note: My understanding is that the 2600 can easily be fried if the polarity is incorrect on a power cord. Is it possible to add a regulator that would stop this from happening, and if yes, just to be sure, the polarity of the old power cable is thae the tip is positive and the sleeve is ground, right? Thanks again! Evan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+-^CrossBow^- Posted December 9, 2020 Share Posted December 9, 2020 The answer would be a yes on this. You could install a standard barrel jack connector that is much more common for that purpose. Depending on how the traces are on the 2600, it wouldn't like be a drop in replacement, but could be soldered in or at worst, epoxied into place with wire leads from the jack going where needed on the 2600 traces. The second part to your question is to add in a diode on the main input power trace from the power port prior to the next component. In this way, the diode will only allow the power to flow in one direction and if that polarity were reversed, it wouldn't make it to the rest of the system. I did this very thing on a 7800 I did recently replacing out the ferrite bead immediately from the power port before the main filter capacitor with a diode to provide reverse polarity protection. I mainly did this because on that same 7800 I actually did replace the original power port with a barrel jack but had to mount it upside down and epoxy into place since the traces on the 7800 board didn't line up well with the solder tabs on the replacement power port. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evanlor Posted December 10, 2020 Author Share Posted December 10, 2020 Great info, thank you Crossbow! I thought it might be possible, thank you for responding so quickly. I've VERY new to electronics, but am really enjoying repairing the 2600. Its just complex enough to make a novice such as myself interested and capable of making small repairs, and learning how to make bigger ones. Out of curiosity, what kind of a diode would you recommend? Again - novice here! Evan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+-^CrossBow^- Posted December 10, 2020 Share Posted December 10, 2020 1 hour ago, Evanlor said: Out of curiosity, what kind of a diode would you recommend? Again - novice here! Evan Nothing fancy, similar to what was used in the power supplies back in the day. Something like this is what I keep a few on hand for projects. For a 2600 that only requires about 500ma of current, this should work well. https://console5.com/store/1n4005-diode.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Moss Posted December 10, 2020 Share Posted December 10, 2020 A 1N4001 and 1N4002 diode should work just as well as the 1N4005 -^CrossBow^- suggested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Middleway Posted December 12, 2020 Share Posted December 12, 2020 Here's a link to a barrel jack connector that I've used in different projects: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32888655297.html?spm=a2g0s.8937460.0.0.44122e0eR821uc 5.5mm x 2.1mm is a common size for wall warts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evanlor Posted December 13, 2020 Author Share Posted December 13, 2020 This is excellent - thank you Middleway, Crossbow, and Stephen! Evan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evanlor Posted December 13, 2020 Author Share Posted December 13, 2020 On 12/11/2020 at 8:10 PM, Middleway said: Here's a link to a barrel jack connector that I've used in different projects: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32888655297.html?spm=a2g0s.8937460.0.0.44122e0eR821uc 5.5mm x 2.1mm is a common size for wall warts. Middleway, do you have a recommendation for a similar barrel jack that comes without the plate, one that would fit where the original 4-switch 2600 power jack currently is? Obviously I'd have to attach it inside the unit, I'd just like to keep the original look to the system if possible. Thanks again. Evan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Moss Posted December 14, 2020 Share Posted December 14, 2020 A search for a 2.1mm DC power Socket should give you a few results Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+-^CrossBow^- Posted December 14, 2020 Share Posted December 14, 2020 And since I'm not immediately aware of what that would be a drop in option, you would have to secure the jack to the pcb in someway. The one I did on a 7800 about a month back, I just used epoxy to hold the jack in place and wired it to directly to the traces on the board where the original was feeding into. Also, since a DC jack like that will be recessed into the console, you will likely have to drill the original opening for the power plug open wider to allow the plug and part of the plugs insulating jacked around it to fit. So do keep that in mind that in any event, you are looking at some case modification for this most likely. This is similar to the one I used on the 7800 that might be close to what you are needing: https://console5.com/store/sega-genesis-sms-atari-jaguar-famicom-dc-power-jack.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
AtariAge on Instagram
Watch us on YouTube
Chat on Discord
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.