Technical Retro Question

Steve X2

Seeing as we no longer have a retro techy or repair sticky thread I'm posting this here in it's own thread rather than the general thread.

So that RGB modded Jap 3DO I got is still running with it's Jap PSU and I've got it running off a this stepdown from Amazon.


So far it's running fine but the 3DO is getting quite hot and I'm wondering if its the RGB mod or this stepdown? The stepdown seems to be of decent quality and wasn't the usual cheapy stuff you get on amazon.
The bottom of the 3DO case is hitting around 50 degrees C after running for about 1 hour which seems way too hot in my opinion. The stepdown itself is around the same temp after the same amount of time.

So anyone have any thoughts on this? I know the stepdown is for the US voltage, but surely its within the limits of the Jap system as well?

o1s1n

Here's something I've recently discovered about step downs - it all depends on the output of your house.

I bought a stepdown to bring UK voltage down to Jap 100V, but what the step down is actually outputting is about 89v. As a result, my machines are underpowered and the marquees don't light and sometimes the monitors blink off. This is all because my house is outputting quite less than 220v.

Maybe your house is outputting slightly over the UK average (someone on AO told me that the 'acceptable' variable on our isle actually goes up to 260v :eek:) which means that your step down is outputting even higher than what's stated. (which is already too high for a Jap system)

Time to break out that multimeter again! Take a reading from the step down.

CiDeRmAn

I've told the story of my stepdown turning to slag while plugged in, it wasn't rated high enough, so pulling too much power through it, for my launch 'cube, made it heat up and then some.

Steve X2

Cheers guys, what I might do is plug the 3DO into the stepdown inside my Egret 3 as thats a very high quality one and see how it goes.

o1s1n

I remember the step down you got and it also outputs 120V. So if your house is outputting a high voltage, it will still be too much voltage for the 3D0.

Only way to be 100% sure is to take a reading from the step down.

I only use 120V step downs with my cabs as I now know the house is under voltage (so the step downs are putting out far closer to Japanese voltage, under 110v)

Steve X2

Ok, got a reading direct from the stepdown.



Seems to vary between 113 and 116v.

So, an extra 13-16 volts. Is that a bit much for the Jap 100V PSU?

o1s1n

Exellent! That should be within tolerance levels for most Japanese PSUs. I was afraid, going by what you were saying, that it might be outputting way over 120v :eek:

It does depend entirely on the PSU though, some of them are more finicky than others.

Be interesting to take a reading from your other step down. If that's in the same range then your house is outputting a bit under 220v.

Steve X2

o1s1n wrote: »

Exellent! That should be within tolerance levels for most Japanese PSUs. I was afraid, going by what you were saying, that it might be outputting way over 120v :eek:

It does depend entirely on the PSU though, some of them are more finicky than others.

Be interesting to take a reading from your other step down. If that's in the same range then your house is outputting a bit under 220v.

Ask and ye shall receive

o1s1n

Bang on 120v, did it only fluctuate to .02 over?

Probably best you keep the 3DO away from that if it's heating up at 115v!

Steve X2

o1s1n wrote: »

Bang on 120v, did it only fluctuate to .02 over?

Probably best you keep the 3DO away from that if it's heating up at 115v!

Yeah, it sits on 120v and only fluctuates to 120.2v the odd time.

I might just grab a 100v stepdown anyway so I have it. I'm going to swap in a UK PSU at some stage into the 3DO anyway.

The Last Bandit

Be very careful of plugging those cheap meters into mains voltage !! They're really not up to thejob

Where is the 3DO getting hot, rear left is the transformer which should not be hot, front left is the voltage regulator which does get hot particularly if the input voltage is a little bit higher then expected.
Shouldn't really be getting hot anywhere anywhere else that I can think of.

Time for a EU power supply swap

Steve X2

The Last Bandit wrote: »

Be very careful of plugging those cheap meters into mains voltage !! They're really not up to thejob

Where is the 3DO getting hot, rear left is the transformer which should not be hot, front left is the voltage regulator which does get hot particularly if the input voltage is a little bit higher then expected.
Shouldn't really be getting hot anywhere anywhere else that I can think of.

Time for a EU power supply swap

Here's a quick and dirty vid to show where most of the heat is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2MEUC9YVFg

The Last Bandit

That would be the internal transformer then and it should not be getting very hot at all.. Score Ebay for a broken EU unit and swap thr PSU is the best option

I've a transformer out a JP one here, must plug it in and see it if overheats at all.

o1s1n

Steve SI wrote: »

I might just grab a 100v stepdown anyway so I have it. I'm going to swap in a UK PSU at some stage into the 3DO anyway.

Well 3D0 aside, it's probably best you get a 100V step down for your E3 just to keep it safe. I'm sure you've heard of Airlink transformers, they're really really well built.

Were fairly crazy expensive before Parcel Motel came along, but now they're much more affordable.

You can get a 500w one with two outputs which has enough juice to run two cabs. If you only plan on running one cab, a 300w one will do.

Actually I ordered a single socket 500w one but they sent a double socket 500w model (which were a bit more expensive) - but it's fairly possible they just don't make the single slot 500w models anymore.

80s Synth Pop

try to avoid step down converters completely. Is the 3DO PSU internal or external?

If it's external, don't hesitate in picking up a PAL 3DO PSU. It's a straight swap, plug and play.

If it's internal, I'd still purchase a PAL internal PSU open the console and swap the PSU out.

Steve X2

80s Synth Pop wrote: »

try to avoid step down converters completely. Is the 3DO PSU internal or external?

If it's external, don't hesitate in picking up a PAL 3DO PSU. It's a straight swap, plug and play.

If it's internal, I'd still purchase a PAL internal PSU open the console and swap the PSU out.

Yeah, I've done that a few times but have run out of doner 3DO's and its hard to find one online. It's a 2 min swap to change the PSU on an FZ1.

CiDeRmAn

Steve SI wrote: »

Yeah, I've done that a few times but have run out of doner 3DO's and its hard to find one online. It's a 2 min swap to change the PSU on an FZ1.

Doesn't Retr0 have a bunched 3DO?
The video doesn't work or something

The Last Bandit

CiDeRmAn wrote: »

Doesn't Retr0 have a bunched 3DO?
The video doesn't work or something

No, he gave it to me. It was a Goldstar one so not compatible anyways.