Running CD32 on ATX PSU

SquallStrife

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Nov 25, 2008
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Brisbane Queensland
I've received a CD32, and I'm running it off an ATX PSU mostly successfully.

The trouble I'm having is that if I try to power cycle the CD32 using the switch on the back, the PSU's overload protection trips. If I leave the console switched on, and power cycle the PSU itself, everything is fine.

I have replaced the power caps inside the console, which were both bulging+leaking and incorrectly oriented, but this does not appear to have made a difference.

Is this a common problem? I've heard of people having trouble with the CD32's power switch, but not the specific kind of problems I'm seeing here.

Any help is appreciated!
 
If I am not mistaken there is a revision of CD32 where the Capacitors are installed incorrectly in the circuit.

I would humbly recommend a good Google to ensure that your CD32 motherboard isn't this revision, and if it is, you may need to replace the capacitors again but in the opposite direction
 
Yep, I had read about that, hence the "incorrectly oriented" part. :)

Sorry about that... I was reading and typing before my first coffee of the day...


I would suggest trying another ATX PSU and see if that changes... if the PSU us shorting out from an over voltage protection circuit when you turn off the CD32 at its isolation switch then its most likely a PSU problem not a CD32 problem.

Conversly some PSU's have a load protection, such that if there is too much or not enough then their protection circuit cuts out the PSU and it needs to be completely discharged before it will power back on.

Interestingly this can happen on a regular PC that do not shut down correctly
 
Hi

What you describe is quite normal. When you close the switch on the CD32 after the ATX power is on you cause a surge current of 50Amps on the +5V supply, assuming 0.1 ohm wiring and 1000uF input capacitance. The current surge will last long enough to trip the power supply overcurrent limits.

The solution is to always power on/off using the ATX psu.
 
I would suggest trying another ATX PSU and see if that changes... if the PSU us shorting out from an over voltage protection circuit when you turn off the CD32 at its isolation switch then its most likely a PSU problem not a CD32 problem.

Turning it off is OK, it's when you try to turn it back on that the problem occurs, but from what Stedy says, this appears to be normal.

Hi

What you describe is quite normal. When you close the switch on the CD32 after the ATX power is on you cause a surge current of 50Amps on the +5V supply, assuming 0.1 ohm wiring and 1000uF input capacitance. The current surge will last long enough to trip the power supply overcurrent limits.

The solution is to always power on/off using the ATX psu.

That's interesting to know, thanks!


Cheers for the help guys! :)
 
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