Is having more than two floppy drives conected bad for power supply?

ramonsmits · 21 December 2015, 15:14

So the last couple of months I tried to collect a number of disk drives. This because I wanted to max out my Amiga with 4 floppy drives as that was what I wished for 20 years ago :-)

The ultimate test was to run a 4 floppy game like Mortal Kombat and how awesome not to swap any floppies!

Last weekend I bought a SENATOR drive in that is as new in its box and it came with a manual which states:

"Warning: Having more than 2 drivers active requires an additional power supply. Not using an additional power supply will overload your Amiga power supply."

So that sort of worried me as I do not want my power brick to fail or to damage any circuitry because of the higher current to power all drives.

It this really an issue?

If so, then how to fix this as these drives do not have an additional power connector. Does this mean I have to open them and externalize the 4 pin connector and connect it to for example a regular PC power supply?

Arnie · 21 December 2015, 15:59

Memory could also be a problem as each drive consumes a small part.

I guess it might depend on the power supply you already have. As I remember, some A500's had a beefy 60w supply, others the smaller one.

I don't think many people used more than 2 drives to be honest.

If you don't want to swap floppys then invest in a HardDrive and use WHDLoad or maybe even a Gotek/HXC floppy that just requires a push of a button to change disks.

idrougge · 21 December 2015, 16:18

It's perfectly doable on a bigbox Amiga.

ramonsmits · 22 December 2015, 09:14

Well, I had one additional drive to my 500 but because X-Copy showed all I wanted to have them.

And having a couple of spares isn't that bad :-)

I know using a HD is possible. I have a 1200 and bought a CF HD but still have to prep it. Quite some work... How easy would it be to just have a 4GB already prepped HD images somewhere instead of doing all those things.

Still, seeing all those disks lights dancing and hearing all those drive clicks is pretty cool :-)

Arnie · 22 December 2015, 12:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by ramonsmits

I know using a HD is possible. I have a 1200 and bought a CF HD but still have to prep it. Quite some work... How easy would it be to just have a 4GB already prepped HD images somewhere instead of doing all those things.

You can buy them with WB3.1 already Installed from Amigakit.

demolition · 22 December 2015, 12:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by ramonsmits

How easy would it be to just have a 4GB already prepped HD images somewhere instead of doing all those things.

I made an image for my 4GB CF cards so it would be easy to set up a new one. I put it in The Zone. Use dd, WinImage or similar tool to write it to your card and it should be ready to use with two PFS3 partitions, one for booting, one for other stuff.

If your card is smaller than mine, then perhaps the second partition will not be mounted but it is very fast to try it out and you don't have to go through the HDToolBox hassle.

The image is very small since it only contains the partition table so will only take < 1s to write.

Edit: The image is empty so you have to install WB yourself.

rfancella · 22 December 2015, 15:56

I have a Gotek (DF0), an A-1010 (DF1) and another Gotek (DF2). No power issues so far. But I am also using a home made ATX power supply adapter on a 350w ATX power supply. That might make a difference.

BarryB · 22 December 2015, 17:17

I have all 4 enabled in WinUAE, no issues with my 1200w PSU!

rfancella · 22 December 2015, 20:36

Hi,
I would also be interested in the image file.
I have a 2gb CF that I would like to use, but I cannot find your image file in tha' Zone anywhere.
Where is it and what is it called?

Thanks,
Ron

Quote:

Originally Posted by demolition

I made an image for my 4GB CF cards so it would be easy to set up a new one. I put it in The Zone. Use dd, WinImage or similar tool to write it to your card and it should be ready to use with two PFS3 partitions, one for booting, one for other stuff.

If your card is smaller than mine, then perhaps the second partition will not be mounted but it is very fast to try it out and you don't have to go through the HDToolBox hassle.

The image is very small since it only contains the partition table so will only take < 1s to write.

Edit: The image is empty so you have to install WB yourself.

Arnie · 22 December 2015, 20:42

It's named '4GBCF_PFS3.zip'. It might not work for 2gb card.

I personally wouldn't write to the whole card at once (if that's what this image does) as I've heard that it marks all the cells as used (not recommended for CF cards).

rfancella · 22 December 2015, 20:58

Yep, thar it is.

Thank you much.

Thanks,
Ron

xArtx · 27 December 2015, 11:26

Is the power supply an issue at all when the drives are never active at once?
Unless copying from one disk to three others or something like that,
I can’t see four drives using much more current than a single one.
There could of course be something I’m not seeing.

Jope · 27 December 2015, 15:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by rfancella

I have a Gotek (DF0), an A-1010 (DF1) and another Gotek (DF2). No power issues so far. But I am also using a home made ATX power supply adapter on a 350w ATX power supply. That might make a difference.

The A1010 draws more current than a 3rd party extra drive, the goteks draw barely any current. Your setup would be fine even with the stock PSU.

Codetsu · 27 December 2015, 16:05

if you have type 2 PSU no problem at all

http://www.ianstedman.co.uk/Amiga/am..._supplies.html

ramonsmits · 02 January 2016, 00:52

That is great info. I have a couple of large brick PSU's which differ in weight. Didn't expect a different output!

2.5A vs 4.5A is huge!

I have a watt meter but I guess that is not going to be able to tell differences between PSU's as it will also measure conversion loss?

Great link!

demolition · 02 January 2016, 01:19

A watt meter will measure the power consumption of the connected Amiga times the efficiency of the PSU, neither of which has anything to do with the maximum output current of the PSU.

It is quite easy to tell the difference - just look at the bottom of the PSU whether it says 5V - 4.5A or something else.

ramonsmits · 02 January 2016, 10:53

@demolition correct, but I want to know how much current it uses without any drives attached and how much with all of them.

Probably an X-Copy to all four disks is the best test?

RizThomas · 06 January 2016, 16:07

Quote:

That is great info. I have a couple of large brick PSU's which differ in weight. Didn't expect a different output!

2.5A vs 4.5A is huge!

You seem to have ( one of each) a A1200 and A500 PSUs. The A500 psu is higher rated one.

21 December 2015, 15:14	#1
ramonsmits Registered User Join Date: May 2014 Location: Rotterdam Posts: 33	Is having more than two floppy drives conected bad for power supply? So the last couple of months I tried to collect a number of disk drives. This because I wanted to max out my Amiga with 4 floppy drives as that was what I wished for 20 years ago :-) The ultimate test was to run a 4 floppy game like Mortal Kombat and how awesome not to swap any floppies! Last weekend I bought a SENATOR drive in that is as new in its box and it came with a manual which states: "Warning: Having more than 2 drivers active requires an additional power supply. Not using an additional power supply will overload your Amiga power supply." So that sort of worried me as I do not want my power brick to fail or to damage any circuitry because of the higher current to power all drives. It this really an issue? If so, then how to fix this as these drives do not have an additional power connector. Does this mean I have to open them and externalize the 4 pin connector and connect it to for example a regular PC power supply?

22 December 2015, 20:42	#10
Arnie R.I.P Smudge 18-08-16 Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Leicester/UK Age: 66 Posts: 3,968	It's named '4GBCF_PFS3.zip'. It might not work for 2gb card. I personally wouldn't write to the whole card at once (if that's what this image does) as I've heard that it marks all the cells as used (not recommended for CF cards). Last edited by Arnie; 22 December 2015 at 21:13. Reason: a to as

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21 December 2015, 15:59	#2
Arnie R.I.P Smudge 18-08-16 Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Leicester/UK Age: 66 Posts: 3,968	Memory could also be a problem as each drive consumes a small part. I guess it might depend on the power supply you already have. As I remember, some A500's had a beefy 60w supply, others the smaller one. I don't think many people used more than 2 drives to be honest. If you don't want to swap floppys then invest in a HardDrive and use WHDLoad or maybe even a Gotek/HXC floppy that just requires a push of a button to change disks.

21 December 2015, 16:18	#3
idrougge Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Stockholm Posts: 4,348	It's perfectly doable on a bigbox Amiga.

22 December 2015, 09:14	#4
ramonsmits Registered User Join Date: May 2014 Location: Rotterdam Posts: 33	Well, I had one additional drive to my 500 but because X-Copy showed all I wanted to have them. And having a couple of spares isn't that bad :-) I know using a HD is possible. I have a 1200 and bought a CF HD but still have to prep it. Quite some work... How easy would it be to just have a 4GB already prepped HD images somewhere instead of doing all those things. Still, seeing all those disks lights dancing and hearing all those drive clicks is pretty cool :-)

22 December 2015, 15:56	#7
rfancella Registered User Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Clay Center, KS USA Age: 60 Posts: 101	I have a Gotek (DF0), an A-1010 (DF1) and another Gotek (DF2). No power issues so far. But I am also using a home made ATX power supply adapter on a 350w ATX power supply. That might make a difference.

22 December 2015, 17:17	#8
BarryB Amigaholic Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: UK Posts: 4,759	I have all 4 enabled in WinUAE, no issues with my 1200w PSU!

22 December 2015, 20:58	#11
rfancella Registered User Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Clay Center, KS USA Age: 60 Posts: 101	Yep, thar it is. Thank you much. Thanks, Ron

27 December 2015, 11:26	#12
xArtx Registered User Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Australia Posts: 685	Is the power supply an issue at all when the drives are never active at once? Unless copying from one disk to three others or something like that, I can’t see four drives using much more current than a single one. There could of course be something I’m not seeing.

27 December 2015, 16:05	#14
Codetsu Registered User Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: next to Mordor Posts: 147	if you have type 2 PSU no problem at all http://www.ianstedman.co.uk/Amiga/am..._supplies.html

02 January 2016, 00:52	#15
ramonsmits Registered User Join Date: May 2014 Location: Rotterdam Posts: 33	That is great info. I have a couple of large brick PSU's which differ in weight. Didn't expect a different output! 2.5A vs 4.5A is huge! I have a watt meter but I guess that is not going to be able to tell differences between PSU's as it will also measure conversion loss? Great link!

02 January 2016, 01:19	#16
demolition Unregistered User Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Copenhagen / DK Age: 44 Posts: 4,190	A watt meter will measure the power consumption of the connected Amiga times the efficiency of the PSU, neither of which has anything to do with the maximum output current of the PSU. It is quite easy to tell the difference - just look at the bottom of the PSU whether it says 5V - 4.5A or something else.

02 January 2016, 10:53	#17
ramonsmits Registered User Join Date: May 2014 Location: Rotterdam Posts: 33	@demolition correct, but I want to know how much current it uses without any drives attached and how much with all of them. Probably an X-Copy to all four disks is the best test?

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