wiring up a switcher in a new cab

you can wire a switcher directly to a power cord, but its not really a good idea

How is it not a good idea? And what other option do you suggest? The little "line filter" device does very little, and while nice to have it's not required. There is nothing wrong with wiring the switcher straight to the wall. You definitely _don't_ want to power the switcher from the isolation transformer.

Now, you would ideally like some kind of power switch to allow you to turn the game on and off, a whole cabinet line fuse, just in case, and perhaps some kind of distribution block to make connecting other things (like the isolation transformer and marquee light) easier, but that's still electrically equivalent to just plugging the switcher in to the wall.

-Ian
 
The only problem I have with running the switcher directly to the wall is that there it no longer turns on and off with the cab's power switch. If you turn the cab's switch off, the switcher is still on and your board is still running. Sure, you can plug both the cab and the switcher into a power strip and do it that way, but that's the lamer way to do it and you might as well glue Punching Gloves to a cab and sell it on Ebay as a Punchout.

Just find a spot inside the cab with 120 that is turned on and off via the power switch (marquee light power, isolation transformer input, etc) and connect your power there...
 
The only problem I have with running the switcher directly to the wall is that there it no longer turns on and off with the cab's power switch.

That's still electrically connected "directly to the wall" - just a power switch between it and the wall. I was under the impression he was talking about somehow needing something between the wall socket and the power supply - like how you need an isolation transformer for a monitor.

-Ian
 
That's still electrically connected "directly to the wall" - just a power switch between it and the wall. I was under the impression he was talking about somehow needing something between the wall socket and the power supply - like how you need an isolation transformer for a monitor.

-Ian

You don't, although I usually like the cab's main line fuse to be between it and the wall, just so a line surge would hopefully take the fuse and not the switcher. While the switcher does have a fuse inside, it is only for the +5 and not for the +12 and -5...
 
Thanks alot guys! This is for a mini 60-in-1 I'm building my 3 year old son for christmas. I will likely have a surge protector inside the cab, with the monitor and PS plugged into it. He is going to absolutely LOVE this gift, as he is a true old-school gamer! He plays the hell out of my machines when I let him, and he has a bunch of classics on his gameboy that get alot more play than Mario or anything else!
 
How is it not a good idea? And what other option do you suggest? The little "line filter" device does very little, and while nice to have it's not required. There is nothing wrong with wiring the switcher straight to the wall. You definitely _don't_ want to power the switcher from the isolation transformer.

Now, you would ideally like some kind of power switch to allow you to turn the game on and off, a whole cabinet line fuse, just in case, and perhaps some kind of distribution block to make connecting other things (like the isolation transformer and marquee light) easier, but that's still electrically equivalent to just plugging the switcher in to the wall.

-Ian


No ac distribution block, no switch, no line filter, no fuse.....
I did post the link to BR's AC wiring page which explains it in detail.

In my mind, being switched does not equal wiring directly into the wall. I'm going to plug two cords into the wall with bare ends. One has a switch installed, one doesn't. Which would you like me to hand you copper first?
 
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