PicoPSU for the CT60

[Fenix]

I finally got a PicoPSU for my CT60, but I'm wondering.. do I need to do do any mods on it for use with a bare CT60? I do not have any daughter cards yet.

[Knezzen]

Nope, just plug it in and use it

[Fenix]

Thanks. What's the recommended effect on the pico? Will 80W suffice?

[Knezzen]

I use the 80W version with my CT63+SuperVidel+Svethlana without any problems.
Have had the PicoPSU for 5 years or so and it has worked very well. No problems to report

[TheNameOfTheGame]

I use the 80W version with my CT63+SuperVidel+Svethlana without any problems.
Have had the PicoPSU for 5 years or so and it has worked very well. No problems to report

Have you measured the wattage used when in operation? I was reading another thread where they used a 120W with a CT60.

I'm wondering how close you are getting to the limit using the 80W.

[shoggoth]

I used to have a picopsu in my machine but I had startup (cold boot) issues.

[Knezzen]

I use the 80W version with my CT63+SuperVidel+Svethlana without any problems.
Have had the PicoPSU for 5 years or so and it has worked very well. No problems to report

Have you measured the wattage used when in operation? I was reading another thread where they used a 120W with a CT60.

I'm wondering how close you are getting to the limit using the 80W.

Never measured it, and never had any stability problems either. Can measure it if it's for everyones interest.

[mdivancic]

Never measured it, and never had any stability problems either. Can measure it if it's for everyones interest.

Just for reference, I'm running the same setup with no problem: 80W version with CT63+SuperVidel+Svethlana

[TheNameOfTheGame]

I use the 80W version with my CT63+SuperVidel+Svethlana without any problems.
Have had the PicoPSU for 5 years or so and it has worked very well. No problems to report

Have you measured the wattage used when in operation? I was reading another thread where they used a 120W with a CT60.

I'm wondering how close you are getting to the limit using the 80W.

Never measured it, and never had any stability problems either. Can measure it if it's for everyones interest.

Sure if you are able, I would be curious to see how many watts that combination of parts is using!

[TheNameOfTheGame]

I have my pico 120w finally.

I have some questions before I start:

Pin 14 of the atx connector is power-on for the picopsu. Normally it has to be grounded with a switch or jumper for the pico to provide power out.
Is the switch on the CT60 connector between pins 1&2 tied to this atx ps-on line?


Also for the image below. The CT63 fitting instructions say to move the floppy power from the mainboard to the CT63. Then take power for the floppy from the atx ps.


So with the pico, I assume power for the floppy come from the header marked below and just leave the old power header empty on the mainboard?


Anything else I am missing that I need to know before the install?

[TheNameOfTheGame]

Here is what I am thinking about this:

1) Jumper pins 1&2 on the CT63 connector. then break the hot wire going to the pico from the power brick with a switch. This would allow me to turn on the machine with the stock switch and totally isolate the power.

2) Forget connecting the falcon floppy drive connector to the CT63. This connector uses 24awg wires and only one 5V wire and 2 GND wires. How many amps can that handle before problems...probably 2 or 3 amps max.

The falcon power connector on the other hand uses 18awg wires and has three 5V wires and 4 GND wires. I think 18awg is rated even higher than what the picopsu can output so it should be safe.

Compare the 2 connectors here.



Now the falcon power connector is a strange molex.


Looking it up on mouser.com and comparing dimensions with my caliper, it is a Spox type
http://www.mouser.com/ds/2/276/00095010 ... 156365.pdf


and uses these crimp terminals
http://www.mouser.com/ds/2/276/00087010 ... 156161.pdf


So I want to make a connector that goes from the picopsu output to the falcon mainboard connector. The pico uses 20awg wires with only one 5V wire, two GND wires and a +12V wire:



But 20awg is rated for around 10A+-, so that is the max of my power supply anyway, so I think it would be ok to connect this output to the mainboard connector. Then I would jut keep the floppy drive powered with its old cable as usual.

Does that sound ok? See any obvious problems with this approach?

[TheNameOfTheGame]

Here are two pictures I found on the internet. These aren't my falcons:

Is this floppy connector a power *input* for the ct60 or a power *output* from the ct60 to the falcon mainboord?

[TheNameOfTheGame]

Here is what I am thinking about this:
Now the falcon power connector is a strange molex.


Looking it up on mouser.com and comparing dimensions with my caliper, it is a Spox type
http://www.mouser.com/ds/2/276/00095010 ... 156365.pdf


and uses these crimp terminals
http://www.mouser.com/ds/2/276/00087010 ... 156161.pdf


So I want to make a connector that goes from the picopsu output to the falcon mainboard connector. The pico uses 20awg wires with only one 5V wire, two GND wires and a +12V wire:

Finally got in the SPOX parts.



I used a standard molex power splitter something like this example:


So I made up an adapter using this splitter and the SPOX parts to connect between the PicoPSU and the Falcon mainboard. The good thing about the power splitter is it already had 12V, four GND and two 5V lines.
I just had to add a small jumper for the third 5V line as you can see:



Test fitting into the Falcon is a perfect match.