As it stands I’ve got a Plus 1 with AP6 fitted, which soon will have a pair of AS6C62256s and 3x27128s.
Plus an AP5, again with AS6C62256 and 27C512. Also User Port MMC card.
I’d also like to hang a pair of Pi Zeroes off the 1MHz bus and Tube on the AP5, ideally powered over the adaptors.
Is this going to place too much of a burden on the poor little Elk (with standard PSU)?
There may also occasionally be a Pegasus 400 or MGC fitted as well…
How much can an Electron power?
- daveejhitchins
- Posts: 7886
- Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2012 6:23 pm
- Location: Newton Aycliffe, County Durham
- Contact:
Re: How much can an Electron power?
See here.Boydie wrote: ↑Mon Apr 22, 2024 11:48 am As it stands I’ve got a Plus 1 with AP6 fitted, which soon will have a pair of AS6C62256s and 3x27128s.
Plus an AP5, again with AS6C62256 and 27C512. Also User Port MMC card.
I’d also like to hang a pair of Pi Zeroes off the 1MHz bus and Tube on the AP5, ideally powered over the adaptors.
Is this going to place too much of a burden on the poor little Elk (with standard PSU)?
There may also occasionally be a Pegasus 400 or MGC fitted as well…
So 1.8A is the maximum current draw at switch-on
Dave H.
Available: ARA II : ARA III-JR/PR : ABR : AP5 : AP6 : ABE : ATI : MGC : Plus 1 Support ROM : Plus 3 2nd DA : Prime's Plus 3 ROM/RAM : Pegasus 400 : Prime's MRB : ARCIN32 : Cross-32
Re: How much can an Electron power?
Thanks for assuming I’m sufficiently non-clueless to understand a word of that, or its implications! Your faith was not well-founded.daveejhitchins wrote: ↑Mon Apr 22, 2024 6:19 pm
See here.
So 1.8A is the maximum current draw at switch-on
Dave H.
My worry wasn’t just whether the PSU could take such a load, but also whether the expansion connector etc are robust enough, especially since the bulk of the extra load will be going through the AP5 via a single cartridge slot…
- daveejhitchins
- Posts: 7886
- Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2012 6:23 pm
- Location: Newton Aycliffe, County Durham
- Contact:
Re: How much can an Electron power?
Ah! The User Guide, for the AP5, does recommend a maximum of 100mA. This is based on the horrendous path from the Electron PSU: a minimum of three connectors - Back of the Electron to the Plus 1 - The Cartridge slot of the Plus 1 to the AP5 - and the AP5 connector to the outside world. Worse if the Acorn Plus 3 is involved!Boydie wrote: ↑Mon Apr 22, 2024 7:33 pmThanks for assuming I’m sufficiently non-clueless to understand a word of that, or its implications! Your faith was not well-founded.daveejhitchins wrote: ↑Mon Apr 22, 2024 6:19 pm
See here.
So 1.8A is the maximum current draw at switch-on
Dave H.
My worry wasn’t just whether the PSU could take such a load, but also whether the expansion connector etc are robust enough, especially since the bulk of the extra load will be going through the AP5 via a single cartridge slot…
So I'm recommending you use an external supply!
I'm considering this issue for future expansion e.g. Providing connectors for supplying 5V for external circuits . . .
Dave H.
Available: ARA II : ARA III-JR/PR : ABR : AP5 : AP6 : ABE : ATI : MGC : Plus 1 Support ROM : Plus 3 2nd DA : Prime's Plus 3 ROM/RAM : Pegasus 400 : Prime's MRB : ARCIN32 : Cross-32
Re: How much can an Electron power?
Thank you. I had a feeling there’d be issues.
I was uncertain re the total power handling of an AP5 - whether the 100mA max was just for the external power connector (in which case a Pi Zero was just about okay) and in addition to any power supplied over the Tube and User Port connectors, or whether it was for the entire AP5.
if you’re thinking external power connectors, have you considered an AP5 Plus? Deeper case with provision for a couple of Ken’s level shifters and Pi Zeroes and a User Port MMC, with external power?
Out of interest, is it known what the baseline power consumption of an unexpanded Electron is, or that of any of the common expansions?
I was uncertain re the total power handling of an AP5 - whether the 100mA max was just for the external power connector (in which case a Pi Zero was just about okay) and in addition to any power supplied over the Tube and User Port connectors, or whether it was for the entire AP5.
if you’re thinking external power connectors, have you considered an AP5 Plus? Deeper case with provision for a couple of Ken’s level shifters and Pi Zeroes and a User Port MMC, with external power?
Out of interest, is it known what the baseline power consumption of an unexpanded Electron is, or that of any of the common expansions?
- daveejhitchins
- Posts: 7886
- Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2012 6:23 pm
- Location: Newton Aycliffe, County Durham
- Contact:
Re: How much can an Electron power?
Sorry . . . AP5 stays as-is. I am working on a solution for the power issue . . . . Soon . . . .Boydie wrote: ↑Tue Apr 23, 2024 11:26 am Thank you. I had a feeling there’d be issues.
I was uncertain re the total power handling of an AP5 - whether the 100mA max was just for the external power connector (in which case a Pi Zero was just about okay) and in addition to any power supplied over the Tube and User Port connectors, or whether it was for the entire AP5.
if you’re thinking external power connectors, have you considered an AP5 Plus? Deeper case with provision for a couple of Ken’s level shifters and Pi Zeroes and a User Port MMC, with external power?
Out of interest, is it known what the baseline power consumption of an unexpanded Electron is, or that of any of the common expansions?
The Electron takes around 800mA
Dave H.
Available: ARA II : ARA III-JR/PR : ABR : AP5 : AP6 : ABE : ATI : MGC : Plus 1 Support ROM : Plus 3 2nd DA : Prime's Plus 3 ROM/RAM : Pegasus 400 : Prime's MRB : ARCIN32 : Cross-32
- Elk Towers
- Posts: 527
- Joined: Sun Apr 23, 2006 3:10 am
- Location: Kettering, Northants
- Contact:
Re: How much can an Electron power?
I used to have problems with the psu board getting very hot, so I removed the board and modified the power connection so that I could run the elk off an old 300w ATPC power supply.
Nick
elk with mrb, mode 7 adaptor mk1, plus 3, plus 1, AP6, AP5,Econet,WIfi, AP34, E2P, RGB2HDMI
elk with mrb, mode 7 adaptor mk1, plus 3, plus 1, AP6, AP5,Econet,WIfi, AP34, E2P, RGB2HDMI
- daveejhitchins
- Posts: 7886
- Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2012 6:23 pm
- Location: Newton Aycliffe, County Durham
- Contact:
Re: How much can an Electron power?
I've not had a fully loaded Electron get so hot that I couldn't touch the heatsink! And that's with it supplying 1.6A and above! I'd like to know what temperature you were seeing . . .Elk Towers wrote: ↑Sun Apr 28, 2024 10:37 pm I used to have problems with the psu board getting very hot, so I removed the board and modified the power connection so that I could run the elk off an old 300w ATPC power supply.
Dave H.
Available: ARA II : ARA III-JR/PR : ABR : AP5 : AP6 : ABE : ATI : MGC : Plus 1 Support ROM : Plus 3 2nd DA : Prime's Plus 3 ROM/RAM : Pegasus 400 : Prime's MRB : ARCIN32 : Cross-32
- Elk Towers
- Posts: 527
- Joined: Sun Apr 23, 2006 3:10 am
- Location: Kettering, Northants
- Contact:
Re: How much can an Electron power?
It wasn`t getting hot so that you couldn`t touch the heatsink but it was getting hot enough so that it would cause the elk/psu to shut down, well I assumed it was that as since the mod it has not played up at all!
Maybe the psu board had some borderline components on i, can`t do check now as I no longer have it (was modded about 30 yrs ago).
Maybe the psu board had some borderline components on i, can`t do check now as I no longer have it (was modded about 30 yrs ago).
Nick
elk with mrb, mode 7 adaptor mk1, plus 3, plus 1, AP6, AP5,Econet,WIfi, AP34, E2P, RGB2HDMI
elk with mrb, mode 7 adaptor mk1, plus 3, plus 1, AP6, AP5,Econet,WIfi, AP34, E2P, RGB2HDMI