Creating a test +5V supply

[Judder]

Hi Arcade Tech gang

A quick question which I think makes some sense.

I want to do a basic +5V testing to a board to ensure that all of the chips are getting the VCC+ on correctly my measuring the voltage of each one between VCC+ and ground.

Can I use an AC multi-adaptor or a (3 x 1.5V) battery unit to provide the +5V needed to the boards main +5 supply pin?

I'm guessing the AC multi-adaptor configured at +5V _should_ work fine, and then I can make a little adapter from a socket to a plug, and plug this into the board.

Anyone tried such weird and wonderful things before??

Many thanks!

 

[Zabanitu]

Hi,
a generic power supply won't do the job!
the current drawn from many arcade boards goes from 5 to tenth of Amperes ! the generic psu (wall brick) usually provides about 0,5 Amps.
So it's better to source a arcade power supply and then connect it to your pcb under test.

 

[forcefulfil]

I had a boardmaster 4000 with no +5,so i simply improvised with a switcher
phil

 

[Judder]

Thanks both - I have a generic PSU for arcade machines that I can use or wondering then maybe a PC power supply with some modifications might work???

 

[Macro]

I find PC power supplies are quite good for test benches since they shut themselves down if there's any shorts- it doesn't (usually) damage the PSU!

plus they are cheap!

 

[grobda]

problem with an atx psu is you cant adjust the 5v.

This caused problems for me - a few boards just wont run on them and the 5v voltage output can drop as low as 4.6

I fitted a jamma switcher in my test rig. its a modern one and has coped with a couple of shorting boards will no adverse effect.