if I hook up everything but the boards.........

vintagegamer

Well-known member

Donor 2024
Joined
Sep 1, 2007
Messages
21,092
Reaction score
2,602
Location
Bear, Delaware
If I have a Williams game, and I wire up the linear PS board to the power brick, and also hook up the monitor, but don't hook up the game PCBs, and turn it on, that won't hurt anything electronically, right?

I know it's a stupid question, I'm just looking for some reassurance in case there is something I am forgetting..


Thanks!
 
Essentially, on a linear power board system, nope. There may be exceptions but all linear is are simple circuits with AC to DC rectifiers, filter caps and for better ones -- a voltage regulator transistor and optionally feedback circuits. No load, no draw.

However -- with a switch mode transformer -- it could possibly hurt the switcher without a load on the +5V line.

Some older ones seem to chatter a lot (make noise) when no load is present giving you a warning somethings wrong (either purposefully or by accidental design as a component is being stressed)

Many newer ones state a minimum load requirement of 1/2 to 1 amp but that is for long term use and don't seem to do anything bad if not provided a load for short periods of time.

You could always wire up some 6 volt lamps across the +5 line to give it something to power. Most are .2 to .25 amps per lamp, run in parallel to increase amp draw.
 
Essentially, on a linear power board system, nope. There may be exceptions but all linear is are simple circuits with AC to DC rectifiers, filter caps and for better ones -- a voltage regulator transistor and optionally feedback circuits. No load, no draw.

However -- with a switch mode transformer -- it could possibly hurt the switcher without a load on the +5V line.

Some older ones seem to chatter a lot (make noise) when no load is present giving you a warning somethings wrong (either purposefully or by accidental design as a component is being stressed)

Many newer ones state a minimum load requirement of 1/2 to 1 amp but that is for long term use and don't seem to do anything bad if not provided a load for short periods of time.

You could always wire up some 6 volt lamps across the +5 line to give it something to power. Most are .2 to .25 amps per lamp, run in parallel to increase amp draw.

Thanks- I more or less want to bring this baby up SLOWLY, and check the monitor to see what happens. It would also be nice to see the marquee light come on but no biggee if it doesn't yet.

What I DON'T want to do is fry a working boardset while checking other components. I don't have a test rig or any of that stuff..
 
Thanks- I more or less want to bring this baby up SLOWLY, and check the monitor to see what happens. It would also be nice to see the marquee light come on but no biggee if it doesn't yet.

What I DON'T want to do is fry a working boardset while checking other components. I don't have a test rig or any of that stuff..

Honestly, I'd throw some lamps across all of the lines (with proper voltages of course). Then you can measure the voltage accurately and do your tweak before you add in the boards.

Gives you visual indication ,and if something is wrong, only blows a 20-30 cent lamp instead of a $100 board.
 
Back
Top Bottom