Here in the United Kingdom voltage is far higher than in the United States or Japan @ 230 volts so for an ntsc n64 over say a step-down converter I'd recommend a uk psu as a replacement!
Soldering the R2 resister back (27.5Ohm/5W/.5% tolerance) will fix any long term problems and convert a Japanese supply to work with 120V as that resister is to avoid burning out the rectifier over time at 120v. The reverse is true, removing R2 will convert a U.S. Supply to properly accept 100V. However leaving R2 in place will work and the cause no issues as it will simply run with a bit less than expected input voltage and still output the voltages the N64 needs. The rectifier won’t burn out having less power than rated for.
I cant seem to find a 27.5Ohm .5% tolerance resistor anywhere also have opened 2 different US power supplies that have different resistors and completely different boards. Do you have a link to where I can buy the 27.5 .5% resistor ?
@@HyperHawkCamaro I have the same question.. I can find 27.5Ohm/5W/ but the tolerance is 5% instead of .5.. This should work in theory.. but I am not sure
@@codysegleski492 So ive been using the JPN power adapter for testing now for about 6months sometimes for 5-8 hour shifts.. no overheating no issues so it seems to handle the extra voltage variance just fine. I also tried to find someone anyone who may have hurt a console or had any issues and couldn't find anything.
Great topic on a video! You're correct, you can use any region of the N64 console with your own power supply in the country you live in. Very convenient.
Been using Japanese power supplies on my Japanese AV famicom and N64 for quite awhile with no issues here in the US. I have a feeling Japanese "100v" and American "120v" are effectively the same thing with the average difference being more like 10v than 20v. I also feel that even if the difference was the full 20v; applications like this have plenty of tolerance. If anything, I might be more wary of plugging a 120v american supply into the 100v Japanese socket and potentially undervolting things a bit.
"No issues" doesn't mean no long term damage. If you plug in a Famicom AC power supply into a US outlet, the console will run 20% hotter from 20% higher voltage and not last as long. You shouldn't be upvoted. It will seem to work fine but you aren't measuring the temperature difference. For N64, the R2 isn't there for no reason. Unless you reverse engineer out the difference and know the transformer is rated for 120V, you shouldn't do it. There may also be revisions where one model is fine on a US outlet and another is not.
@@BoxingDayAC may i ask what your professional background is? Because you don't seem to understand that things are engineered with these kind of tolerances in mind. Also seems like you don't quite understand how voltage regulation works in something like this. Explain how it's running both hotter and at a higher voltage? It's good you know that 120 is 20% more than 100 but, that information doesn't amount to much when you are ignoring basic electrical theory. Admittedly, I have not been to japan and plugged a multimeter into a wall outlet but I'm pretty confident about the difference being negligible. I bet it would easily be mistaken for 120v outlet if i were to send a picture of the reading without context. I see anywhere from 105 to 130v on "120v" circuits in the US and electronics are made to handle that difference. Especially things like transformers/power supplies. That's their whole lot in life. Providing smooth, consistent DC current to the more sensitive components that don't tolerate the swings seen in AC current. Of course, there is always an "optimal" or "ideal" standard when something gets engineered. But, products worth buying (ie anything nintendo from this era and older) are designed to operate reliably a fair bit out of that range. If there was a power supply revision that fails at 120v but not at 100v; there's more than one reason it wasn't the revision they stuck with.
I think sometimes the biggest difference is in the connector where some JP region plugs have the ground connector different and you have to attach Ground to the outlet by itself with a little clip.
Very interesting, thanks for covering this topic so thoroughly. I live in the US and have a US console. I unknowingly purchased a JPN power adapter, and was concerned that it might cause damage over time. My takeaway is it sounds like it could be an issue over time, but i personally won't worry too much about it. If it eventually fries, i'll just toss it and get a new one
There are several variations of these powersupplys both in US and JPN I have come across 3 different board types that have different components etc.. I cant seem to find a way to tell from the outside.
Wish I saw this before I plugged in my new Japanese n64 into a converter in Australia (240 volts) hope it only fried the power supply so I don’t have to buy an entire new system especially after paying 233AUD for it
I am really tempted to try adding in this resistor to my Japanese N64 power supplies and essentially make it a US power supply, has anyone else tried it?
Late response but It will work. It will act 100% like a U.S. power supply once R2 is added. R2 is 27.5Ohm/5W/.5% tolerance I would not recommend lower than 5W or a higher tolerance.
Hmm I use a step down converter and it spits out 110v right in the middle 😂 but since I don't use my Japanese N64 to often the psu might brick because of old age before it feels something from 10v to much. I would not worry to much. I am pretty sure in the 90s a lot japanese N64 ended up in the US and Europe with the slightly wrong v used and nothing came of it. We are in 2023 and here the first time anything about it.
its all nominal voltage. likely just a difference in nomenclature. wall sockets in the US vary from 105-130v under "normal" circumstances. I'm sure Japan is similar
You are a service to the retro gaming community man! Been searching all morning for more details about using this particular Japanese power supplie in the US Because I bought a lot of them and they neglected to show/tell me they were jpn model. Came across your super famicom vid and was so happy to see you juat posted this. Would love to see what others with more knowledge will say about this but can very easily pop an extra resistor in. ^_^
So do I missunderstand something? Isn't the Current running between the Power Brick and the Console equal as long as you using the correct Powerbrick of your region.... Or would they just don't fit into a different region console edit: end of video 😂
Kind of a useless video since there is only speculation and no real testing done. Also, most of North America doesn't actually have 120v anyway, it's usually 110v or 115v.
Here in the United Kingdom voltage is far higher than in the United States or Japan @ 230 volts so for an ntsc n64 over say a step-down converter I'd recommend a uk psu as a replacement!
I always use a step down converter or make a proper power supply
Soldering the R2 resister back (27.5Ohm/5W/.5% tolerance) will fix any long term problems and convert a Japanese supply to work with 120V as that resister is to avoid burning out the rectifier over time at 120v.
The reverse is true, removing R2 will convert a U.S. Supply to properly accept 100V.
However leaving R2 in place will work and the cause no issues as it will simply run with a bit less than expected input voltage and still output the voltages the N64 needs. The rectifier won’t burn out having less power than rated for.
I cant seem to find a 27.5Ohm .5% tolerance resistor anywhere also have opened 2 different US power supplies that have different resistors and completely different boards. Do you have a link to where I can buy the 27.5 .5% resistor ?
@@HyperHawkCamaro I have the same question.. I can find 27.5Ohm/5W/ but the tolerance is 5% instead of .5.. This should work in theory.. but I am not sure
@@codysegleski492 So ive been using the JPN power adapter for testing now for about 6months sometimes for 5-8 hour shifts.. no overheating no issues so it seems to handle the extra voltage variance just fine. I also tried to find someone anyone who may have hurt a console or had any issues and couldn't find anything.
@@HyperHawkCamaro thank that is good to know, I guess I'll grab the resistors with a 5% and give it a stress test.
Great topic on a video! You're correct, you can use any region of the N64 console with your own power supply in the country you live in. Very convenient.
Been using Japanese power supplies on my Japanese AV famicom and N64 for quite awhile with no issues here in the US. I have a feeling Japanese "100v" and American "120v" are effectively the same thing with the average difference being more like 10v than 20v. I also feel that even if the difference was the full 20v; applications like this have plenty of tolerance. If anything, I might be more wary of plugging a 120v american supply into the 100v Japanese socket and potentially undervolting things a bit.
"No issues" doesn't mean no long term damage. If you plug in a Famicom AC power supply into a US outlet, the console will run 20% hotter from 20% higher voltage and not last as long. You shouldn't be upvoted. It will seem to work fine but you aren't measuring the temperature difference. For N64, the R2 isn't there for no reason. Unless you reverse engineer out the difference and know the transformer is rated for 120V, you shouldn't do it. There may also be revisions where one model is fine on a US outlet and another is not.
@@BoxingDayAC may i ask what your professional background is? Because you don't seem to understand that things are engineered with these kind of tolerances in mind. Also seems like you don't quite understand how voltage regulation works in something like this. Explain how it's running both hotter and at a higher voltage? It's good you know that 120 is 20% more than 100 but, that information doesn't amount to much when you are ignoring basic electrical theory. Admittedly, I have not been to japan and plugged a multimeter into a wall outlet but I'm pretty confident about the difference being negligible. I bet it would easily be mistaken for 120v outlet if i were to send a picture of the reading without context.
I see anywhere from 105 to 130v on "120v" circuits in the US and electronics are made to handle that difference. Especially things like transformers/power supplies. That's their whole lot in life. Providing smooth, consistent DC current to the more sensitive components that don't tolerate the swings seen in AC current. Of course, there is always an "optimal" or "ideal" standard when something gets engineered. But, products worth buying (ie anything nintendo from this era and older) are designed to operate reliably a fair bit out of that range. If there was a power supply revision that fails at 120v but not at 100v; there's more than one reason it wasn't the revision they stuck with.
R30 is empty on a Japan Zebra E4184-4601A power supply. Any idea what resistor is in that spot for the US version of this one?
I think sometimes the biggest difference is in the connector where some JP region plugs have the ground connector different and you have to attach Ground to the outlet by itself with a little clip.
Very interesting, thanks for covering this topic so thoroughly. I live in the US and have a US console. I unknowingly purchased a JPN power adapter, and was concerned that it might cause damage over time. My takeaway is it sounds like it could be an issue over time, but i personally won't worry too much about it. If it eventually fries, i'll just toss it and get a new one
There are several variations of these powersupplys both in US and JPN I have come across 3 different board types that have different components etc.. I cant seem to find a way to tell from the outside.
Wish I saw this before I plugged in my new Japanese n64 into a converter in Australia (240 volts) hope it only fried the power supply so I don’t have to buy an entire new system especially after paying 233AUD for it
I am really tempted to try adding in this resistor to my Japanese N64 power supplies and essentially make it a US power supply, has anyone else tried it?
I could try.
Late response but It will work. It will act 100% like a U.S. power supply once R2 is added.
R2 is 27.5Ohm/5W/.5% tolerance
I would not recommend lower than 5W or a higher tolerance.
@@YTP2go hm so if I put a 20ohm 1/4w 1% (that I measured at like 22ohm) is it dangerous and better to remove that, or is it just less effective?
Just check the voltage with a coltage meter when the power supplies are plugged in. Funny thing is both teat at 110
Hmm I use a step down converter and it spits out 110v right in the middle 😂 but since I don't use my Japanese N64 to often the psu might brick because of old age before it feels something from 10v to much. I would not worry to much. I am pretty sure in the 90s a lot japanese N64 ended up in the US and Europe with the slightly wrong v used and nothing came of it. We are in 2023 and here the first time anything about it.
its all nominal voltage. likely just a difference in nomenclature. wall sockets in the US vary from 105-130v under "normal" circumstances. I'm sure Japan is similar
Ah I do wish you would have compared the other side of the board as well, they could have different surface mount parts or traces
i always used my pal psu for my japanese n64 and i never got a problem in there
You are a service to the retro gaming community man! Been searching all morning for more details about using this particular Japanese power supplie in the US Because I bought a lot of them and they neglected to show/tell me they were jpn model. Came across your super famicom vid and was so happy to see you juat posted this. Would love to see what others with more knowledge will say about this but can very easily pop an extra resistor in. ^_^
So do I missunderstand something?
Isn't the Current running between the Power Brick and the Console equal as long as you using the correct Powerbrick of your region....
Or would they just don't fit into a different region console
edit: end of video 😂
Great video! I really appreciate that you took the time to get down to the knotty gritty and figure this out. Well done!
Someone said that I can just plug my USA power supply into my Japanese N64. Thoughts?
i also want to know that, if it works properly
Yeah this is fine the console is not the variable its the power supply
its fine. any combo of US/JP power supplies and consoles running on 100-130v is fine.
Kind of a useless video since there is only speculation and no real testing done. Also, most of North America doesn't actually have 120v anyway, it's usually 110v or 115v.