How much current does the NES need?

MaximRecoil

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My original NES-002 AC adapter gave up the ghost for no apparent reason, and while it was just sitting in a box, so I looked around the house to see if I could find something that would work. I found this:

neswallwart.jpg


It is from a cheap pair of powered PC speakers. It outputs 9 VAC the same as the NES-002 does, and it has the same style connector, and it powered the NES fine (I played through a game of Super Mario Bros. without issue). However, it can only provide a little less than 1/3 of the current of the NES-002 (400mA vs. 1.3A).

Is this a problem; i.e., is there a danger of the small AC adapter overheating? I didn't get any glitches or anything while playing the NES, so I assume it wasn't starved for current.
 
I've ran mine on a 9VDC 600mA adapter, for years without a problem. You can use a DC adapter also, no polarity because the NES has a rectifier. I would guess 400mA is OK.

NES shares the unregulated (but rectified) power supply with the expansion port (that nothing ever used). I think they over-spec'ed it so they could connect something like the Famicom Disk Drive without adding another power supply.
 
I've ran mine on a 9VDC 600mA adapter, for years without a problem. You can use a DC adapter also, no polarity because the NES has a rectifier. I would guess 400mA is OK.

That's good to know.

NES shares the unregulated (but rectified) power supply with the expansion port (that nothing ever used). I think they over-spec'ed it so they could connect something like the Famicom Disk Drive without adding another power supply.

I was thinking last night that that might be the case.

I should try it with a bigger game though, like SMB 3. Correct me if I'm wrong, but with its additional memory and MMC chip, I would think it would need more power than an early game like SMB.

Edit: While looking for my SMB 3 cartridge, I came across two more NES-002 AC adapters that I forgot I had, and they both work; so I'm all set.
 
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Run it for an hour. If the transformer is really warm, its too small. If its just warm or about 100 F then it should be fine.

Check the place where the wire goes into your old transformer and into the plug at the end of the cord. You probably have a broken wire in the cord. Pretty common on older transformers.
 
Just a note, You can use a DC adapter on a Nes.

But never use a NES AC adapter on something else.

I once fried a Sega master system (first run). But it didn't fry the second run (still original model) pcb version.
 
Yeah I know how I am I wouldn't want to use anything but Nintendo. The Creative was probably fine but I wouldn't use it if you found two working ones.
 
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