New PSU for my A1200

mariovieira · 03 April 2019, 11:54

Hi,

I’m on the market for a new PSU since mine is old and I don’t trust it. I also want a PSU that can handle everything I throw at my machine in terms of hardware expansions (future proof).

I did a search in the forum and tried to search all over the place but still have some doubts about this subject. I’m not a handy guy so I’m looking to buy something ready to use.

So I read that many people do a Meanwell conversion or make/buy Meanwell based PSU’s. The problem is some people say it works perfect, others say that causes horizontal lines, others mention ripple, Jens from Individual Computers says to be careful with those power supply’s but doesn’t recommend any.

From what I’ve been reading there isn’t a ready to use PSU on the market that is recommended by most people.

I’ve been looking at Lotharek PSU but didn’t pull the trigger since I can’t find much feedback regarding it.

I’m counting on your opinions/experience to point me in the right direction.

Thanks!

jbilander · 03 April 2019, 12:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by mariovieira

I did a search in the forum and tried to search all over the place but still have some doubts about this subject. I’m not a handy guy so I’m looking to buy something ready to use.

In that case, it's probably easiest to just buy one new, and you get two years of warranty too.

https://amigastore.eu/en/683-a-power...006001200.html

Otherwise that Amiga PSU/Mean Well RT-50B modd seems to do the job well:
[ Show youtube player ]

Daedalus · 03 April 2019, 13:05

I'm quite sure those PSUs (both the AmigaStore one and Lotharek one) are based on Mean Well units anyway, as is likely for this similar one. I've used several Mean Well modules for various projects and never had any issues with any of them. If they're working properly, appropriately chosen and set up, there shouldn't be any issues with noise. There are many different variants of Mean Well module (and many other industrial PSU manufacturers offering similar products), so it's important to select one that is right for what you want. Any Amiga should be able to handle the ripple they produce for example, but you can always select a model with a lower ripple rating if you're worried. And some have minimum load requirements which should be met for proper operation.

I have come across issues with PicoPSUs and audio and video interference, but this has been down to the low quality power brick used and not the PicoPSU itself.

rcman · 03 April 2019, 13:42

I purchased 3 ATX adapters one for each of my A1200's and one for my A500.

https://twitter.com/LMRFUD/status/1112877318937051137

RC

lesta_smsc · 03 April 2019, 14:33

Interesting. What are you connecting these to? A standard PC PSU?

mariovieira · 03 April 2019, 19:00

Thanks for all your help.

In fact there are some conflicting opinions with some saying that an ATX PSU is fine while others don’t recommend it. Also some say the Meanwell PSU’s have changed and the newer models have higher ripple so they should be avoided while others say that it’s fine. There’s also those who say that the length of the cable to the computer matters and the PSU has to be regulated to compensate for that power loss.

Since when I’m looking at a PSU to buy I’m not very well aware of what innards they’re using, the subtle differences between some models, or if the length of the cable was properly compensated for, I find it quite overwhelming for someone who’s not electronics savvy, to make an informed choice.

Daedalus · 03 April 2019, 20:27

Well, most of those things are generally true, however if you're buying a ready-made Amiga unit you shouldn't have to worry about any of it as the end user. If it doesn't work with your setup, you should send it back for a refund.

Yes, ATX can have issues, especially cheap, modern units or units with a high power capacity. Different Meanwells have always had different ripples, so I don't think it's anything different with newer models as such. The ripple I've measured on any that I've bought recently has been within the ATX specs. The length of a cable will have an effect too - some models of Meanwell have a 5V adjustment that can compensate for transmission losses, but others don't and will read slightly below 5V when the Amiga's running. Usually this won't be an issue however, as the Amiga can typically tolerate drops to around 4.8V.

mariovieira · 03 April 2019, 21:30

Thank you for your input Daedalus.

Indeed you have a point when you state that someone who is buying a ready to use PSU shouldn’t have to worry about these details and if doesn’t work correctly, return it.

That’s why my intention with this topic was, besides seeking advice to myself, to see if, from what’s more widely available in the market (Lotharek, Centuriontech, C64PSU.com, amigastore, amigakit, and others), there are more and less recommended products.

I think this would be important for others that wish to replace their aging PSU and may have an expanded system, to be better informed when making a purchase.

emuola · 03 April 2019, 22:13

Ray Carlsen to the rescue?

http://carlsenelectronics.net

blade002 · 06 April 2019, 15:47

It's a shame that the Amigastore.eu PSU doesn't have the option for a plug that is AU based

Higgy · 06 April 2019, 16:54

I like to learn about electronics, so with my limited understanding I have this observation.

The Mean well PSU has a higher overall power output than AMIGA desktop PSU's. But when you look at the 5V output it is 4 amps vs 4.5 amps of the heavyweight PSU.

As I understand it is the 5V supply we need power on. + & - 12V power requirements are not an issue.
I like the Mean Well PSU as it fits in the AMIGA PSU case, but is it actually better...

Daedalus · 06 April 2019, 17:27

Yep, some old PSUs are rated for 4.3 or 4.5 amps. Over time however, the old PSUs deteriorate, which means the maximum current they can supply while maintaining stability reduces. This is why some people experience problems when expanding their Amigas - not because they've exceeded the rating of their original PSU, but because the original PSU can no longer provide anywhere near its rating. The Mean Well units fix this issue by actually providing power up to their rated capacity.

In reality, you need a serious setup to require 4A on the 5V rail. Think PPC sort of expanded. The typical setup with any 68K CPU and a hard drive won't get anywhere near 3A, let alone 4.

Higgy · 06 April 2019, 18:35

I did change the caps on the couple of heavyweight PSU I have.
I also noticed that there are some resistors which look like they get hot (same ones across PSU's) so I replaced those with ones featuring a higher power rating (1/2 or 1 Watt from memory).

jbilander · 07 April 2019, 22:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by blade002

It's a shame that the Amigastore.eu PSU doesn't have the option for a plug that is AU based

Maybe use one of those travel adapters? Grounded and no need for DIY cutting/replacing the plug and void warranty...

Vypr · 08 April 2019, 09:47

I chickend out and bought one of these:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Commodore...frcectupt=true

And plugged it into an old Jeantech 750W modular PSU, everything has been stable so far.

mariovieira · 08 April 2019, 10:50

Pulled the trigger on this one:

https://www.c64psu.com/c64psu/56-174...ug_standard-eu

Let’s hope it’s good...

Gordon · 08 April 2019, 11:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by mariovieira

Pulled the trigger on this one:

https://www.c64psu.com/c64psu/56-174...ug_standard-eu

Let’s hope it’s good...

I got one last week. Handles everything I tried so far. I think you will be happy too.

Hewitson · 08 April 2019, 17:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daedalus

The Mean Well units fix this issue by actually providing power up to their rated capacity.

Has this been tested? As I'm sure you're aware, it's quite common for Chinese power supply manufacturers to exaggerate their capabilities.

Danger Man · 08 April 2019, 18:13

I have been very happy with my power supplies from Ray. I have one for my C64 and Amiga 1200. Highly recommended!

Quote:

Originally Posted by emuola

Ray Carlsen to the rescue?

http://carlsenelectronics.net

Pollock · 08 April 2019, 21:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vypr

I chickend out and bought one of these:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Commodore...frcectupt=true

And plugged it into an old Jeantech 750W modular PSU, everything has been stable so far.

i wouldn't use a PSU with that high a rating TBH, the important part of this is the minimum load that the PSU can do, not the maximum, indeed, i use a Dell SFF 150W PSU, and that does it fine, and i know that even with an A500, it's not gonna cause grief with the "minimum load".

I would be looking at using something in the 150-220W range.

03 April 2019, 11:54	#1
mariovieira Registered User Join Date: Mar 2019 Location: Portugal Posts: 19	New PSU for my A1200 Hi, I’m on the market for a new PSU since mine is old and I don’t trust it. I also want a PSU that can handle everything I throw at my machine in terms of hardware expansions (future proof). I did a search in the forum and tried to search all over the place but still have some doubts about this subject. I’m not a handy guy so I’m looking to buy something ready to use. So I read that many people do a Meanwell conversion or make/buy Meanwell based PSU’s. The problem is some people say it works perfect, others say that causes horizontal lines, others mention ripple, Jens from Individual Computers says to be careful with those power supply’s but doesn’t recommend any. From what I’ve been reading there isn’t a ready to use PSU on the market that is recommended by most people. I’ve been looking at Lotharek PSU but didn’t pull the trigger since I can’t find much feedback regarding it. I’m counting on your opinions/experience to point me in the right direction. Thanks!

03 April 2019, 21:30	#8
mariovieira Registered User Join Date: Mar 2019 Location: Portugal Posts: 19	Thank you for your input Daedalus. Indeed you have a point when you state that someone who is buying a ready to use PSU shouldn’t have to worry about these details and if doesn’t work correctly, return it. That’s why my intention with this topic was, besides seeking advice to myself, to see if, from what’s more widely available in the market (Lotharek, Centuriontech, C64PSU.com, amigastore, amigakit, and others), there are more and less recommended products. I think this would be important for others that wish to replace their aging PSU and may have an expanded system, to be better informed when making a purchase. Last edited by mariovieira; 03 April 2019 at 21:39.

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03 April 2019, 13:05	#3
Daedalus Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Dublin, then Glasgow Posts: 6,348	I'm quite sure those PSUs (both the AmigaStore one and Lotharek one) are based on Mean Well units anyway, as is likely for this similar one. I've used several Mean Well modules for various projects and never had any issues with any of them. If they're working properly, appropriately chosen and set up, there shouldn't be any issues with noise. There are many different variants of Mean Well module (and many other industrial PSU manufacturers offering similar products), so it's important to select one that is right for what you want. Any Amiga should be able to handle the ripple they produce for example, but you can always select a model with a lower ripple rating if you're worried. And some have minimum load requirements which should be met for proper operation. I have come across issues with PicoPSUs and audio and video interference, but this has been down to the low quality power brick used and not the PicoPSU itself.

03 April 2019, 13:42	#4
rcman Long time Amiga Owner Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Uxbridge Canada Age: 56 Posts: 182	I purchased 3 ATX adapters one for each of my A1200's and one for my A500. https://twitter.com/LMRFUD/status/1112877318937051137 RC

03 April 2019, 14:33	#5
lesta_smsc Registered User Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 3,175	Interesting. What are you connecting these to? A standard PC PSU?

03 April 2019, 19:00	#6
mariovieira Registered User Join Date: Mar 2019 Location: Portugal Posts: 19	Thanks for all your help. In fact there are some conflicting opinions with some saying that an ATX PSU is fine while others don’t recommend it. Also some say the Meanwell PSU’s have changed and the newer models have higher ripple so they should be avoided while others say that it’s fine. There’s also those who say that the length of the cable to the computer matters and the PSU has to be regulated to compensate for that power loss. Since when I’m looking at a PSU to buy I’m not very well aware of what innards they’re using, the subtle differences between some models, or if the length of the cable was properly compensated for, I find it quite overwhelming for someone who’s not electronics savvy, to make an informed choice.

03 April 2019, 20:27	#7
Daedalus Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Dublin, then Glasgow Posts: 6,348	Well, most of those things are generally true, however if you're buying a ready-made Amiga unit you shouldn't have to worry about any of it as the end user. If it doesn't work with your setup, you should send it back for a refund. Yes, ATX can have issues, especially cheap, modern units or units with a high power capacity. Different Meanwells have always had different ripples, so I don't think it's anything different with newer models as such. The ripple I've measured on any that I've bought recently has been within the ATX specs. The length of a cable will have an effect too - some models of Meanwell have a 5V adjustment that can compensate for transmission losses, but others don't and will read slightly below 5V when the Amiga's running. Usually this won't be an issue however, as the Amiga can typically tolerate drops to around 4.8V.

03 April 2019, 22:13	#9
emuola Registered Whdload user Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Finland Age: 48 Posts: 532	Ray Carlsen to the rescue? http://carlsenelectronics.net

06 April 2019, 15:47	#10
blade002 Zone Friend Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Australia Age: 50 Posts: 2,616	It's a shame that the Amigastore.eu PSU doesn't have the option for a plug that is AU based

06 April 2019, 16:54	#11
Higgy Registered User Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Somerset, UK Posts: 547	I like to learn about electronics, so with my limited understanding I have this observation. The Mean well PSU has a higher overall power output than AMIGA desktop PSU's. But when you look at the 5V output it is 4 amps vs 4.5 amps of the heavyweight PSU. As I understand it is the 5V supply we need power on. + & - 12V power requirements are not an issue. I like the Mean Well PSU as it fits in the AMIGA PSU case, but is it actually better...

06 April 2019, 17:27	#12
Daedalus Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Dublin, then Glasgow Posts: 6,348	Yep, some old PSUs are rated for 4.3 or 4.5 amps. Over time however, the old PSUs deteriorate, which means the maximum current they can supply while maintaining stability reduces. This is why some people experience problems when expanding their Amigas - not because they've exceeded the rating of their original PSU, but because the original PSU can no longer provide anywhere near its rating. The Mean Well units fix this issue by actually providing power up to their rated capacity. In reality, you need a serious setup to require 4A on the 5V rail. Think PPC sort of expanded. The typical setup with any 68K CPU and a hard drive won't get anywhere near 3A, let alone 4.

06 April 2019, 18:35	#13
Higgy Registered User Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Somerset, UK Posts: 547	I did change the caps on the couple of heavyweight PSU I have. I also noticed that there are some resistors which look like they get hot (same ones across PSU's) so I replaced those with ones featuring a higher power rating (1/2 or 1 Watt from memory).

08 April 2019, 09:47	#15
Vypr Registered User Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: East Kilbride, Scotland Posts: 451	I chickend out and bought one of these: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Commodore...frcectupt=true And plugged it into an old Jeantech 750W modular PSU, everything has been stable so far.

08 April 2019, 10:50	#16
mariovieira Registered User Join Date: Mar 2019 Location: Portugal Posts: 19	Pulled the trigger on this one: https://www.c64psu.com/c64psu/56-174...ug_standard-eu Let’s hope it’s good...

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