7800 power adapter strong enough for the 5200?

[shadow460]

Forget the funky switchbox. I have a 4 port 5200 with no asterisk in the serial number, and I'd like to know if the 7800's power supply can run it. I am heading out in a few minutes to get the required parts to mod the 5200 so that it does not need the proprietary switchbox. It will run from a standard brick.

 

I have considered changing the tip on the 7800's power supply to match that of a 2600 since they both run from roughly 9VDC. If the brick is strong enough, I could add a 1/8 inch mono jack to the 7800 and the 5200 so that each of the three systems could share the same power and AV inputs.

 

The risk is that I'd blow the fuse in my 7800's power supply, which could be difficult to repair. The power supply I have is sealed together and it puts out 1 amp.

[+Mitch]

Forget the funky switchbox. I have a 4 port 5200 with no asterisk in the serial number, and I'd like to know if the 7800's power supply can run it. I am heading out in a few minutes to get the required parts to mod the 5200 so that it does not need the proprietary switchbox. It will run from a standard brick.

 

I have considered changing the tip on the 7800's power supply to match that of a 2600 since they both run from roughly 9VDC. If the brick is strong enough, I could add a 1/8 inch mono jack to the 7800 and the 5200 so that each of the three systems could share the same power and AV inputs.

 

The risk is that I'd blow the fuse in my 7800's power supply, which could be difficult to repair. The power supply I have is sealed together and it puts out 1 amp.

 

First, I wouldn't recomend using a 1/8 mono jack. They tend to short out when you plug and unplug them.

If you want to mod them to all use the same power jack I would use one from the Genesis model 1. Just make sure to reverse the polarity on either the plug on the power supply or on your 5200. I have a third party Genesis model 1 power supply (9V 1.2A) that I use to run my 2600, 7800, Lynx and Jaguar from, all via small adapter cables, so that I can still use the original power supply if I want. I never bothered building one for my 5200.

Also, as far as I know the 7800 power supply does not have a fuse, when you kill it it's gone.

 

Mitch

[JB]

Yah... if you're gonna change connectors, change the 2600's connector.

 

 

 

I doubt the 5200 will overtax the 7800 supply, but I don't know what sort of amperage the 7800 supply is rated for. I know the 5200 supply is massively over-amped, though. They expected add-ons that never happened to be powered from it.

Edited November 17, 2006 by JB

[shadow460]

Good point, Mitch. I missed that. That's why we were told to never unplug the 2600's power line from the console unless it was unplugged from the wall. Since I want to "hot swap" consoles, that will cause a problem.

 

I used your instructions to mod the 5200, Mitch, but I did use a different diode. The one you used has is a 50 volt, 1.5 amp part, but Radio Crap didn't have them, so I got a 50 volt, 3 amp part. It works great. Oops, forgot the filter cap! *puts on the filter cap*

 

Anyway, I'll eventually mod both consoles to use the same power supply--most likely the Genny/Game Gear one that I use religiously to charge up said Game Gear. If the Genny plug fits those and my NES, they could all share the same power and A/V connections.

Edited November 17, 2006 by shadow460