Can a PAL SNES PSU work with a Super Famicom

Akrasia

Hi Guys
My wife bought me a Super Famicom which came yesterday (yeah she's awesome) but it didn't come with a power supply

We have a PAL SNES that doesn't work anymore but the PSU should be fine, however I keep getting conflicting information on the net about whether the SNES PSU will work on the SFC. The PAL SNES says it needs 9v AC but the Super Famicom says it needs 10v DC

I initially thought that plugging in an AC power supply into a DC input would cause it to go boom, but then I barely know anything about electronic engineering so most of the online chatter goes way over my head, but it might be possible that the AC power supply can work with the DC Famicom (an example of the chatter below)
http://www.nintendoage.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=22&threadid=92933

Has anyone on here got any ideas on this before I risk plugging it in and ruining it forever?

The Last Bandit

Do not plug an AC power supply into the DC appliance as you will most likely damage it.

Pick up a universal adapter that can output a regulated 9V and comes with a selection of tips sizes and you good to go.

o1s1n

PAL Megadrive 1 PSU also works grand with these.

CiDeRmAn

o1s1n wrote: »

PAL Megadrive 1 PSU also works grand with these.

That seems to be the PSU of retrogaming Champions!

Atavan-Halen

CiDeRmAn wrote: »

That seems to be the PSU of retrogaming Champions!

It really is! Tends to work with a lot of different things.

As mentioned, the PAL PSU won't work. Get a Megadrive model 1 (not model 2) adaptor and you should be good to go.

Alter Egotist

Hi all, the megadrive psu definitely works BUT be very careful with it, they can overheat the famicoms and cause damage over time. It wont be instant but eventually it will flat out ruin your console. You can pick up a famicom/super famicom alternative on ebay also but you cant beat the real thing when it comes down to it.

Id strongly recommend not using the psu for longer than 30 minutes at a time if you are going to use the megadrive one.

Al.

Akrasia

Thanks Guys

Here's a Power supply on Ebay
http://www.ebay.ie/itm/UK-Psu-power-supply-Ac-Adaptor-4-Super-Famicom-or-Nintendo-Nes-SNES-3rd-party-/190838387550?pt=UK_VideoGames_VideoGameAccessories_VideoGameAccessories_JN&hash=item2c6edab35e
This one should work right?

o1s1n

Alter Egotist wrote: »

Hi all, the megadrive psu definitely works BUT be very careful with it, they can overheat the famicoms and cause damage over time. It wont be instant but eventually it will flat out ruin your console. You can pick up a famicom/super famicom alternative on ebay also but you cant beat the real thing when it comes down to it.

Id strongly recommend not using the psu for longer than 30 minutes at a time if you are going to use the megadrive one.

Al.

Are you sure about that? I've been using a Megadrive 1 PSU with a Super Famicom for years without any issues. I don't see any reason why it would cause the above.

There are a few different versions of Megadrive 1 PSUs, in a range between 9v-10.5v DC. They have a negative tipped polarity.

Here's the Super Famicom's PSU requirements;

SFC:
output: DC10V 850mA
Negative polarity

So I don't see any reason not to use one?

Also, if you were to use a real Super Famicom PSU you'd need to run it from a step down (which has it's own issues)

shleedance

The Megadrive PSU should be fine. Is issue is how many amps the super famicom draws from it.

o1s1n

shleedance wrote: »

The Megadrive PSU should be fine. Is issue is how many amps the super famicom draws from it.

The Megadrive PSU has a higher amp rating than what the Super Famicom will draw.

SFC 850mA
Megadrive 1 PSU - 1.2 amps

safetyboy

Will my PCengine PSU work with the JP famicom?

o1s1n

Funny you ask, the PAL Megadrive psu I use with my Super Famicom I also use with my PC Engine

CiDeRmAn

Should have named the Megadrive PSU after a certain party animal here, it goes with anything!

Alter Egotist

o1s1n wrote: »

Are you sure about that? I've been using a Megadrive 1 PSU with a Super Famicom for years without any issues. I don't see any reason why it would cause the above.

There are a few different versions of Megadrive 1 PSUs, in a range between 9v-10.5v DC. They have a negative tipped polarity.

Here's the Super Famicom's PSU requirements;

SFC:
output: DC10V 850mA
Negative polarity

So I don't see any reason not to use one?

Also, if you were to use a real Super Famicom PSU you'd need to run it from a step down (which has it's own issues)

Ya it's the variation of 9v to 10.5v that's the problem and with that the changing mA values. With a megadrive PSU the console itself will heat up but with a step down transformer the transformer not the PSU and console will heat up as designed.

SFC has an protection diode on the power input. While in theory you wont actually damage the system by connecting a PAL PSU to it it will cause system to overheat. After that it will run but won't run right because it will be powered with half-wave rectified current, which is not satisfactory even after smoothing (there's a 1000uf capacitor inside the SFC for that purpose). You will get humm on the audio, wavy video and possibly the wrong colors. Sometimes it wont even play(Raises hands). Had a Super Famicom for 10 years and it happened to me.

DO NOT TRY THAT on a FAMICOM as it has NO DIODES on it's input. You will have a fried 7805 voltage regulator in that case.

As I said it will work with megadrive PSU though.

safetyboy

Is this an original megadrive PSU?

o1s1n

Alter Egotist wrote: »

Ya it's the variation of 9v to 10.5v that's the problem and with that the changing mA values. With a megadrive PSU the console itself will heat up but with a step down transformer the transformer not the PSU and console will heat up as designed.

As I said it will work with megadrive though.

The variation I mentioned is between the power supplies themselves, rather than a specific power supply varying the voltage if you get me.

So you can get three different variations of Megadrive 1 PSU.

One which outputs 9V
One which outputs 10V
One which outputs 10.5V

As long as the voltage is coming in under the SFC required 10V then I can't see it causing any heating issues?

I think Megadrive 1s even say they need 10V DC on them (so identical to what a SFC's voltage requirements)

Unless there's some other factor going on here which I'm not aware of (I'm a novice when it comes to electricity to be honest! )

The Megadrive and SFCs also have voltage regulators. Bit of info about them;

Concerning voltage: The Super Famicom has a 7805 voltage regulator inside. The voltage regulator has an operating range of 7V to 35V with more heat being produced at higher voltages. Its output is 5V across that input range. Your Super Famicom will just as happily run with 9V as it would 10V.

The Last Bandit

Talk about over-complicating things...

The only things that matters are:

PSU Output Voltage
This ideally should match the expected input voltage of the console. For the older 8/16bit stuff the PSU voltage can be 1 Volt higher or lower and it will work. The majority of those console operate at 5V internally and the standard 5V regulator 7805 used will work between 7V and 12V (at 12V the heat dissipation will be higher).
Only ever use a regulated power supply.

PSU Current Output
The PSU needs to be able to supply the maximum current required by the console. Its the console that determines how much power it needs. A console rate for 1A will only ever use 1A regardless of the amount of current the PSU is capable of.

PSU Current Type
AC or DC. The vast majority of consoles use an DC supply - plugging in an AC supply will damage them. But you can safely use a DC supply on an AC NES for example. Safest thing is no never use an AC supply unless it was supplied with the console.

PSU Output Polarity
Is the center pole of the power supply the +VE or -VE ? Some consoles have protection for incorrect polarity so worse that'll happen is it won't turn on. Others may not and damage can occur.

PSU Physical connection
Does it fit ? If it doesn't don't force it.

Retr0gamer

It's the amps not the volts that will kill ya!

o1s1n

The Last Bandit wrote: »

Talk about over-complicating things...

To sum up my previous, long winded post.

1. The Megadrive 1 PSU works with the SFC
2. There are no reasons this PSU will break your SFC.

:pac:

The Last Bandit

o1s1n wrote: »

To sum up my previous, long winded post.

1. The Megadrive 1 PSU works with the SFC
2. There are no reasons this PSU will break your SFC.

:pac:

Exactly, but don't sue me if it blows up, set your house on fire, gets your cat pregnant etc etc etc

o1s1n

The Last Bandit wrote: »

Exactly, but don't sue me if it blows up, set your house on fire, gets your cat pregnant etc etc etc

Indeed, it's the person's call in the end whether they want to listen to strangers on the internet or not.

We all remember this...

Alter Egotist

o1s1n wrote: »

The variation I mentioned is between the power supplies themselves, rather than a specific power supply varying the voltage if you get me.

So you can get three different variations of Megadrive 1 PSU.

One which outputs 9V
One which outputs 10V
One which outputs 10.5V

As long as the voltage is coming in under the SFC required 10V then I can't see it causing any heating issues?

I think Megadrive 1s even say they need 10V DC on them (so identical to what a SFC's voltage requirements)

Unless there's some other factor going on here which I'm not aware of (I'm a novice when it comes to electricity to be honest! )

The Megadrive and SFCs also have voltage regulators. Bit of info about them;

Concerning voltage: The Super Famicom has a 7805 voltage regulator inside. The voltage regulator has an operating range of 7V to 35V with more heat being produced at higher voltages. Its output is 5V across that input range. Your Super Famicom will just as happily run with 9V as it would 10V.

Can't stop my self from replying sorry.

Running a 60hz 100v 8.5w at max load console drawing a variable current on a 240v A.C. 50hz supply will damage the system over time especially if using an after market power supply or psu from another console even if you are using a surge protector. Using a AC adapter does not change the voltage or current in your electical line/power supply. Ireland have 220-240VAC (~230VAC) @ 50hz standard compared to Japan's 100VAC @ 50-60Hz.

You can use an AC-Adapter designed for local current, or get a step-down transformer but you always risk trashing your hardware, or other problems that I listed in previous post.

In short megadrive 1 PSU will work.

o1s1n

Alter Egotist wrote: »

Can't stop my self from replying sorry.

No worries, as I said, I'm fairly novice at this stuff so nothing I say is in any way fact, just what I've read/experienced myself over the years.

Alter Egotist wrote: »

your electical line/power supply. Ireland have 220-240VAC (~230VAC) @ 50hz standard compared to Japan's 100VAC @ 50-60Hz.

.

My understand was that;

In Ireland;

• wall socket outputs 220-240V @ 50Hz to PSU.
  
• PSU then converts this to DC (AC consoles aside) and sends the output written on the PSU to the console.
  
• Therefore it doesn't matter what AC you're using from the wall, as long as the PSU accepts this and outputs the correct DC voltage (with enough amps) to the console you're fine.

Are you saying there is something regionally intrinsic to electricity which carries through the AC -> DC and can still potentially damage the console 'over time'?

I completely eliminated step downs from my console setup, instead using Europe rated PSUs which output the correct voltage. So if I'm somehow slowly damaging them it would be nice to know!

Alter Egotist

Are you saying there is something regionally intrinsic to electricity which carries through the AC -> DC and can still potentially damage the console 'over time'?

I completely eliminated step downs from my console setup, instead using Europe rated PSUs which output the correct voltage. So if I'm somehow slowly damaging them it would be nice to know!

Ya basically your wearing down the console over time. The reason EU standard is between 220 and 240 is because it varies by that amount. The U.K.s "grid" for example is different to ours even though we "share/buy/supply(very very very rarely)" it all has to be put through power stations. The many power stations in Ireland are "missing" each other and need to be altered to be put on our internal national grid. Aghada in cork for example consist of an old and new plant and the new plan is way different. Each sub plant around the country and each different local station receives electricity at different levels and needs to be stepped up and down according to be sent out to us the consumers. The megadrive PSU plugged in my house will probably get a different feed than if I plugged it in in your house. Because of this the rectifier on the sf will work differently at different times of the day or night etc. the grid provides through damand and so if more people have lights on in winter etc. it'll "pump" it out at a higher rate.

The variable rates when not controlled effect all appliances. "Surges", "dirty electricity" etc. effect all appliances but in our cases our consoles being powered by generic "close enough" PSUs will wear them down. If you think of it like a light bulb with a dimmer switch If a bulb shines brighter its length of life will decrease. If it shines duller it will effect the elements projection. A dimmer switch is "interrupting" actual flow. Similarly the PSU because it has the ability to vary internally will wear down and burn out both the diode and eventually the console itself with prolonged use. Consoles come with original PSU for a reason. They are designed exactly for their purpose. Each console varies. Great example is the original xbox. does original anyone remember Xbox recalling power supply's for the original Xbox.

Sorry for the long winded essay I've written but hope this helps. I can go into proper details of watts, amps and voltage etc. if anyone wants proper stats but i tried write it in as plain English as I could.

Al.

cml387

Alter Egotist wrote: »

Ya basically your wearing down the console over time. The reason EU standard is between 220 and 240 is because it varies by that amount. The U.K.s "grid" for example is different to ours even though we "share/buy/supply(very very very rarely)" it all has to be put through power stations. The many power stations in Ireland are "missing" each other and need to be altered to be put on our internal national grid. Aghada in cork for example consist of an old and new plant and the new plan is way different. Each sub plant around the country and each different local station receives electricity at different levels and needs to be stepped up and down according to be sent out to us the consumers. The megadrive PSU plugged in my house will probably get a different feed than if I plugged it in in your house. Because of this the rectifier on the sf will work differently at different times of the day or night etc. the grid provides through damand and so if more people have lights on in winter etc. it'll "pump" it out at a higher rate.

The variable rates when not controlled effect all appliances. "Surges", "dirty electricity" etc. effect all appliances but in our cases our consoles being powered by generic "close enough" PSUs will wear them down. If you think of it like a light bulb with a dimmer switch If a bulb shines brighter its length of life will decrease. If it shines duller it will effect the elements projection. A dimmer switch is "interrupting" actual flow. Similarly the PSU because it has the ability to vary internally will wear down and burn out both the diode and eventually the console itself with prolonged use. Consoles come with original PSU for a reason. They are designed exactly for their purpose. Each console varies. Great example is the original xbox. does original anyone remember Xbox recalling power supply's for the original Xbox.

Sorry for the long winded essay I've written but hope this helps. I can go into proper details of watts, amps and voltage etc. if anyone wants proper stats but i tried write it in as plain English as I could.

Al.

I don't visit here, but this caught my eye. To be honest I don't think you know what you're tallking about.
Assuming a 240/220VAC to 10V dc power supply, providied it has enough power, will work fine. If the PSU can't supply enough current, the PSU will die, but won't cause any damage to the equipment.

Alter Egotist

cml387 wrote: »

I don't visit here, but this caught my eye. To be honest I don't think you know what you're tallking about.
Assuming a 240/220VAC to 10V dc power supply, providied it has enough power, will work fine. If the PSU can't supply enough current, the PSU will die, but won't cause any damage to the equipment.

This is starting to get petty but I'll bite. Ya the megadrive 1 psu it will work. It will however over time wear down whatever console it is being used for other than its original use.

Chargers and PSUs have a range of voltage and amps they they output. Most of them have sensing units built it to detect the correct draw from the Device. (Megadrive one being designed for the megadrive and nintendo for nintendo etc.) Normally this is fine and works. However in some cases, the circuit will actually become burnt out due to this swing in voltage.

Al.

cml387

Very simply.
If a device requires 10Vdc at 1 amp, then any power supply that can deliver 1 amp or greater will work,provided the right polarity and right connector.

No PSU can detect whether the device attached is a Sony, Samsung or Apple.

And all devices,whatever their make, will wear out eventually.
And the OP has got a mega cool girlfriend.:D

Myrddin

cml387 wrote: »

Very simply.
If a device requires 10Vdc at 1 amp, then any power supply that can deliver 1 amp or greater will work.

No PSU can detect whether the device attached is a Sony, Samsung or Apple.

And all devices,whatever their make, will wear out eventually.
And the OP has got a mega cool girlfriend.:D

I think you're missing the point, the debate isn't about the amperage it's the variable voltage that is the talking point. Higher than expected voltage would, over time, cause issues with electronics I think. Higher than expected amperage is fine, as the device only draws what it needs anyway.

cml387

Myrddin wrote: »

I think you're missing the point, the debate isn't about the amperage it's the variable voltage that is the talking point. Higher than expected voltage would, over time, cause issues with electronics I think. Higher than expected amperage is fine, as the device only draws what it needs anyway.

Actually I think you got confused as well. The original question was that a device needed 10Vdc (the super Famicon) as opposed to a 9Vac device (SNES)

Obviously a 9Vac can't be used. An off the shelf 10Vdc power supply (with the correct polarity,connector,and sufficient current rating) is perfectly ok.

It was another poster who dragged things off topic with variable voltage and Agahada power station.

Myrddin

cml387 wrote: »

Actually I think you got confused as well. The original question was that a device needed 10Vdc (the super Famicon) as opposed to a 9Vac device (SNES)

That was answered already in the thread.

Obviously a 9Vac can't be used. An off the shelf 10Vdc power supply (with the correct polarity,connector,and sufficient current rating) is perfectly ok.

That too has been answered already.

It was another poster who dragged things off topic with variable voltage and Agahada power station.

It's an interesting evolution of the original discussion, one which can do without smart-arsery too.

Alter Egotist

cml387 wrote: »

Very simply.
If a device requires 10Vdc at 1 amp, then any power supply that can deliver 1 amp or greater will work,provided the right polarity and right connector.

No PSU can detect whether the device attached is a Sony, Samsung or Apple.

And all devices,whatever their make, will wear out eventually.
And the OP has got a mega cool girlfriend.:D

So we all agree the megadrive 1 PSU will work! Ha Ha.

Totally agree that OP has a cool girlfriend and happy playing.

We can agree to disagree on the Original charger debate and never said it could tell If it was an apple etc. if only.

Apologies for dragging off topic. Never meant to become a debate. Enjoy your super famicom. Great machine.

Hank Scorpio

cml387

Absolutely. Have fun,OP.

The Last Bandit

Must resist...

safetyboy

anyways my giant pic on the end of page one is getting plugged in now to my 1000yen famicom.! a new PSU will cost more

o1s1n

Just had a look at that PSU on page one - only outputs 500mA! That's really weird. The Sega Megadrive 1 PSU is rated at 1.2A.

The SFC needs 850mA. Be interested in seeing what happens, might not turn on.

I wonder what that PSU was originally for?

safetyboy

No Idea, the remote for my Akai CRT doesn't work so can't tune anything in, so skuppered again

o1s1n

Someone/something really doesn't want you to play that console

Akrasia

I think I'm gonna go for a universal PSU from amazon
http://www.amazon.co.uk/CostMad-Universal-Universally-Voltage-Replacement/dp/B004YBLD1G/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=26XK761EN48MV&coliid=I383QFJHG76BP9

I need a DC adapter for my Telescope clock drive anyway and it looks like this one has enough juice to power the SFC

Fingers crossed

Now I just have to be patient and wait for payday

shleedance

Alter Egotist wrote: »

Ya it's the variation of 9v to 10.5v that's the problem and with that the changing mA values. With a megadrive PSU the console itself will heat up but with a step down transformer the transformer not the PSU and console will heat up as designed.

SFC has an protection diode on the power input. While in theory you wont actually damage the system by connecting a PAL PSU to it it will cause system to overheat. After that it will run but won't run right because it will be powered with half-wave rectified current, which is not satisfactory even after smoothing (there's a 1000uf capacitor inside the SFC for that purpose). You will get humm on the audio, wavy video and possibly the wrong colors. Sometimes it wont even play(Raises hands). Had a Super Famicom for 10 years and it happened to me.

DO NOT TRY THAT on a FAMICOM as it has NO DIODES on it's input. You will have a fried 7805 voltage regulator in that case.

As I said it will work with megadrive PSU though.

I don't think the regulator is going to complain that much if it's half a volt over, especially if it's tied to a good heatsink.

Understandably, the input mains voltage determines the output voltage, but that can easily be measured by a multimeter if you feel it might be over 10.5v.

shleedance

Retr0gamer wrote: »

It's the amps not the volts that will kill ya!

Nope. Look up ohm's law.