Power to the …. Model I

(People can get their own power)

Model I power supply

The next piece to get running would be a TRS-80 Model I Power Supply. Its not really a difficult piece to look at. There are 3 real pieces to it. The 2 prong power plug, the “wall wart” part, and a 5-PIN Din connector. Yea, just like the screen. UGH, really? Why the same as a the screen? Maybe they just got a great deal. For its pin-outs (Looking straight at it), it’s –

         2               1 - 14 VAC @ 1A transformer
     5   o   4           2 - 19.8 VDC @ 350 ma
      o     o            3 - 14 VAC @ 1A transformer
   3 o       o 1         4 - Ground
                         5 - unused

If I tested across 1 and 3, it should be between 15 and 17 Volts AC (Yea, other places said it was ok to be a bit varied) . Then check 2 and 4 for its voltage, 19-21 Volts DC. Yes, DC. Go figure.

I put my multi-meter on it, and got some weird results. Well, there goes my streak! I knew it couldn’t last. Oh, wait, the picture I was going by was from the solder side, and not looking at the pins. Whoops. Let me try aga(ZAP). WHOA. UGH, trying to take a picture and test at the same time ended up having me cross some pins and heard a big crackle.

I KILLED IT!!!!

I was absolutely sure I killed it. Totally positive. I resigned myself that I would have to break out the one I had ordered from Ian Mavric with the expectation that they’d be shot anyway. I wanted to see if my AC was now “Back in black” or if was the DC. Hrm, AC was on point. So it was the DC. Wait, no, the DC was on spec too. It was good to know I hadn’t sent the power supply on the highway to he!_!_.

Yet again I lucked out, so time to to get down to the tofu and potatoes! (I didn’t mention, but I’m a vegetarian – ovo-lacto)