Wow, the memories! I had one of the these power supplies. It came with my original silver label C64. I can remember transplanting the transformer and PCB into a slightly larger metal enclosure and fitting a keyswitch in the 5V line so I could disable the power supply. I think my original idea was to stop my sister using my C64 when I wasn't around! 🙂
At 13:00 ... Right, first pre-tin the solder pad. Then heat / liquefy the solder with the soldering iron and carefully push the component into the liquid solder. Finished! Greetings, Doc64!
All good, I missed out on a bunch of things as well. Still haven't really caught up, I'm starting to feel bad for not getting another video out yet. Anyway, thanks for designing the board
Those tweezers made the DIN testing a LOT easier. I always relied on using some spare shrinkwrap (unshrunk, obviously) over each pin so I could isolate them from the others. Fiddly, but better than shorting things :-D
You could probably stick the label on with just a little loctite control gel. If you do it in small areas from left to right (or right to left), it should be possible to get it to stick while piecing together the torn bits as you go.
I would start by putting a strip of masking tape on the bottom of where you want the label so that it's level. I mean so that you can make sure the masking tape is level first and use it as a guide.
OMG. Watched this a week ago and just realized I forgot to comment. ...... There. Done. But seriously, a super interesting PSU. I don't think it is an actual Commodore product (part number is not the usual nomenclature and no fuse) but pretty nice, nonetheless. And... awesome to see that you acquired a C64 Saver from Mr. Lurch -- nice job building it -- the 1/4W resistors look perfect. This is a great and unique addition to your retro collection. 👍
Thanks Mark, yeah the saver worked out well, glad I could finally make use of one (even though I cheated a little). One of the other commenters pointed out that it may be a Commodore product, just made in low quantities for the Aus market. The transformer has an early date stamp of early 1983, so it's unlikely anyone would be cloning them so early on. And the PCB layout is very similar to what Commodore were doing at the time. Anyway, I'm still yet to find anyone who actually recognises it.
I picked it from a bloke in Sydney who was selling a couple commodore monitors. He also gave me a bag of random bits and pieces, which seemed unusually heavy but didn't give it much thought. This was in the bottom and it seemed worthy of a video seeing as there's no info on it anywhere that I could find
At 8:30 ... The metal clamp is used for strain relief. The clamp should enclose the cable sheath! So you stripped the cable a little too far. So you have no proper strain relief, you will have the same problem as it was before.
It's still grabbing the cables but yes you're right, it won't be as good as clamping the sheath. I struggle to solder DIN connectors with only minimal wire to play with, so next time I'll be sure to strip the minimal amount. Just need more practice 😁
@@TheRetroChannel Yes, I know, soldering DIN plugs is very fiddly. Do you know the potato trick from bwack / MindFlareRetro? It's very helpful! th-cam.com/video/cU3_QdBvOsA/w-d-xo.html @ 30:00 Greetings, Doc64!
There is a lot of passion on the DC 5V voltage. :) For my part, if I have to use a power supply on any type of C64 (Longboard and Shortboard), I prefer to put my power supply at 5.1v to have an average of 4.8v in the commodore 64 when turn on. From experience, I have never had a power supply problem with this voltage even with complex cartridges. I think it's better to be below 5v when the machine is on. Why this reasoning? Because you have to see the machine in a global way. From memory, MOS chips can theoretically withstand 5.5v but that's only theory. Depending on the life of the machine and its storage (wet place or not), an ic can die more quickly. Same for logic ICs and memory, we know that commodore had several component suppliers (good and bad) and that some have certainly cut back on quality specifications to reduce manufacturing costs. The engineers at commodore gave a lifespan of a few years to their machines (After 40 years, they made a wrong estimate.). Now a C64c will use the 5VDC line more than breadbins, so the voltage will inevitably drop faster on a shortboard, and it will fail less quickly than a breadbin longboard. Now by analogy, voltage is pressure. When a human is always under pressure, he will continue to live but may be shorter depending on his design and his biological weakness. I also recommend using a good switching power supply for the 5VDC line (Meanwell). Because the performance is much higher than a linear power supply which are real radiators (If your feet are cold, you can place it under your desk) and you will save money on your electricity bill.
@@blackterminalThe unmodified psu takes 23W/h when the C64 (Breadbin) is on and 3W/h idle. A new PSU with meanwell module, take 15W/h when the commodore is on and 1W when idle. Now, everyone wastes their electricity as they want. We still make a saving of an average of 35% compared to an old PSU.
You could replace the caps and the regulator and it will be good for another 30 years. Or you could use a 2a regulator or do like Ive done twice..bypass the regulator and fit a chinese dc to dc converter. I tuned the output down to just enough. It makes it a hybrid supply then.
It certainly appears to be Australian, the label says 240v input. But I did a lot of searching and couldn't find any mention or images of it online, and I've never seen it before, even back in the 80s when everyone had a C64. So I figured why not make a video on it myself
@@TheRetroChannel I'd say it's definitely [totally safety ignorant] 3rd party manufactured and I'd be amazed if Commodore officially allowed their name and logo on that scary POS.
@@TheRetroChannel Well either way it looks like a nice serviceable brick so good find! Is there any way to reduce the vibration without potting the whole thing that you're aware of?
I could introduce some rubber washers between where transformer mounts to the case, or just replace the transformer itself. Both would be easy enough to do I guess
Good eye, and yes it is! There were plans to splice an inline fuse on the active and even recorded some stuff about it, but then had to edit it out as I didn't have everything needed to do it on hand. If you look closely around 10:35 you can see I place part of it off to one side but never mention anything about it 😅. It will still happen but just off camera instead
Wow, the memories! I had one of the these power supplies. It came with my original silver label C64. I can remember transplanting the transformer and PCB into a slightly larger metal enclosure and fitting a keyswitch in the 5V line so I could disable the power supply. I think my original idea was to stop my sister using my C64 when I wasn't around! 🙂
At 13:00 ... Right, first pre-tin the solder pad. Then heat / liquefy the solder with the soldering iron and carefully push the component into the liquid solder. Finished!
Greetings, Doc64!
Thanks for the shoutout and links! I missed a lot of TH-cam the months before Christmas, and was surprised to find this video! 🙂
All good, I missed out on a bunch of things as well. Still haven't really caught up, I'm starting to feel bad for not getting another video out yet. Anyway, thanks for designing the board
Those tweezers made the DIN testing a LOT easier. I always relied on using some spare shrinkwrap (unshrunk, obviously) over each pin so I could isolate them from the others. Fiddly, but better than shorting things :-D
“Brick of death if you throw it at someone.” LMAO 😂
I have never seen one of these before. Well done!
This was the same power supply i had on my first c64 purchased in Australia very early in the c64 life.
Nice, they seem to be incredibly hard to find. Maybe this is yours
Could have been, it was a silver label when the vic20 was still very popular, wish id have kept that now.
Damn, yeah real silver labels seem to be just as uncommon these days
Bwack for the win!
You could probably stick the label on with just a little loctite control gel. If you do it in small areas from left to right (or right to left), it should be possible to get it to stick while piecing together the torn bits as you go.
I would start by putting a strip of masking tape on the bottom of where you want the label so that it's level. I mean so that you can make sure the masking tape is level first and use it as a guide.
OMG. Watched this a week ago and just realized I forgot to comment. ...... There. Done.
But seriously, a super interesting PSU. I don't think it is an actual Commodore product (part number is not the usual nomenclature and no fuse) but pretty nice, nonetheless. And... awesome to see that you acquired a C64 Saver from Mr. Lurch -- nice job building it -- the 1/4W resistors look perfect. This is a great and unique addition to your retro collection. 👍
Thanks Mark, yeah the saver worked out well, glad I could finally make use of one (even though I cheated a little). One of the other commenters pointed out that it may be a Commodore product, just made in low quantities for the Aus market. The transformer has an early date stamp of early 1983, so it's unlikely anyone would be cloning them so early on. And the PCB layout is very similar to what Commodore were doing at the time. Anyway, I'm still yet to find anyone who actually recognises it.
@@TheRetroChannel Oh, that makes sense. Very interesting. Did you mention how you came across this PSU?
I picked it from a bloke in Sydney who was selling a couple commodore monitors. He also gave me a bag of random bits and pieces, which seemed unusually heavy but didn't give it much thought. This was in the bottom and it seemed worthy of a video seeing as there's no info on it anywhere that I could find
6:15 no fume extractor?
At 8:30 ... The metal clamp is used for strain relief. The clamp should enclose the cable sheath! So you stripped the cable a little too far. So you have no proper strain relief, you will have the same problem as it was before.
It's still grabbing the cables but yes you're right, it won't be as good as clamping the sheath. I struggle to solder DIN connectors with only minimal wire to play with, so next time I'll be sure to strip the minimal amount. Just need more practice 😁
@@TheRetroChannel Yes, I know, soldering DIN plugs is very fiddly. Do you know the potato trick from bwack / MindFlareRetro? It's very helpful!
th-cam.com/video/cU3_QdBvOsA/w-d-xo.html @ 30:00
Greetings, Doc64!
There is a lot of passion on the DC 5V voltage. :)
For my part, if I have to use a power supply on any type of C64 (Longboard and Shortboard), I prefer to put my power supply at 5.1v to have an average of 4.8v in the commodore 64 when turn on. From experience, I have never had a power supply problem with this voltage even with complex cartridges. I think it's better to be below 5v when the machine is on. Why this reasoning? Because you have to see the machine in a global way. From memory, MOS chips can theoretically withstand 5.5v but that's only theory. Depending on the life of the machine and its storage (wet place or not), an ic can die more quickly. Same for logic ICs and memory, we know that commodore had several component suppliers (good and bad) and that some have certainly cut back on quality specifications to reduce manufacturing costs. The engineers at commodore gave a lifespan of a few years to their machines (After 40 years, they made a wrong estimate.). Now a C64c will use the 5VDC line more than breadbins, so the voltage will inevitably drop faster on a shortboard, and it will fail less quickly than a breadbin longboard. Now by analogy, voltage is pressure. When a human is always under pressure, he will continue to live but may be shorter depending on his design and his biological weakness. I also recommend using a good switching power supply for the 5VDC line (Meanwell). Because the performance is much higher than a linear power supply which are real radiators (If your feet are cold, you can place it under your desk) and you will save money on your electricity bill.
You'd have to have it on 24 7 to notice on your power bill.
@@blackterminalThe unmodified psu takes 23W/h when the C64 (Breadbin) is on and 3W/h idle. A new PSU with meanwell module, take 15W/h when the commodore is on and 1W when idle. Now, everyone wastes their electricity as they want. We still make a saving of an average of 35% compared to an old PSU.
Why not put an (always on) digital meter on the outside of the box to monitor the output volts for both 9 and 5 volts?
I do have one of those, not sure what I was planning on using it for so maybe it will get added to this PSU
9v never varies. It's raw from the transformer and basically immortal. 5v yes that would be interesting.
You could replace the caps and the regulator and it will be good for another 30 years. Or you could use a 2a regulator or do like Ive done twice..bypass the regulator and fit a chinese dc to dc converter. I tuned the output down to just enough. It makes it a hybrid supply then.
I replaced the caps and regulator. Works just fine and with the over voltage protection, it's now my daily driver
Totally new meaning of „brick of death“ in the end...
😉
Is it even an official Commodore product I wonder?
Seems to be the million dollar question 🤔
Maybe somebody will chime in with some more info
Is this an Australian version? The German „Bricks of death“ look very different.
It certainly appears to be Australian, the label says 240v input. But I did a lot of searching and couldn't find any mention or images of it online, and I've never seen it before, even back in the 80s when everyone had a C64. So I figured why not make a video on it myself
@@TheRetroChannel That brick looks like a (very good) home jobby or at least 3rd party knock-off to me!
Could be third party, maybe by the same folks in South Australia that released this case stiggyblog.wordpress.com/tag/south-australian-c64-case/
@@TheRetroChannel I'd say it's definitely [totally safety ignorant] 3rd party manufactured and I'd be amazed if Commodore officially allowed their name and logo on that scary POS.
You've seen their official power supplies right? This is on par in terms of safety with the rest 😆
Nice work dude. That's an odd PSU and I don't recall seeing one before. I wonder if it was a knock-off that used the Commodore name? 🤔
Possibly, it has a number on the label that reads "App. No V/77099/PS616" but no amount of online searching yielded a result 🤔
@@TheRetroChannel Well either way it looks like a nice serviceable brick so good find! Is there any way to reduce the vibration without potting the whole thing that you're aware of?
I could introduce some rubber washers between where transformer mounts to the case, or just replace the transformer itself. Both would be easy enough to do I guess
Its not a brick. Its not potted.
Is that thing unfused? Illegal in many countries!
Good eye, and yes it is! There were plans to splice an inline fuse on the active and even recorded some stuff about it, but then had to edit it out as I didn't have everything needed to do it on hand. If you look closely around 10:35 you can see I place part of it off to one side but never mention anything about it 😅. It will still happen but just off camera instead
Have a chill pill. You like to point out what's legal? You need a new hobby.
Whoopty ^%$^%$ doo, exactly :-D Steel box? Whoopy #^%#!!#&^% doo :-P Pour in some epoxy!