Gamecube Power Questions

Bigmac · Post by **Bigmac** » Tue Dec 25, 2007 9:07 pm

Hello everyone. I am considering starting on a gamecube laptop, but I have a few questions:

1) How many amps does the gamecube draw? I have seen tons of different numbers, ranging from 1.5A to 3.25A.

2)Has anyone powered the gamecube's 5v and below lines using just 5 volts and then power the 12v line with a step-up regulator?

Electric Rain · Post by **Electric Rain** » Sat Dec 29, 2007 5:21 am

Search man, search.

You're in luck; a few months ago, I did detailed testing about the current draws on each voltage line, and posted the results here. I don't think anyone has used a step-up for the 12V line yet, but as you can see from my thread, it wouldn't be very hard at all since the 12V line draws very little current. All it does is power the audio amp circuit, and all that does is bump the audio from whatever the Flipper puts out to line-level, which isn't very loud.

Bigmac · Post by **Bigmac** » Sat Dec 29, 2007 10:50 am

Thanks for the reply. I have read that thread before, but I got confused. When you add up all of the line's amperage, you get about 3.25-3.6 amps. However, on page 2, another guy wrote that the gamecube only draws 1.5 amps when powered with a 7.2v battery and a step-up. Which one is right?

Also, how many amps does an led modded ps1 screen draw?

Electric Rain · Post by **Electric Rain** » Sat Dec 29, 2007 5:11 pm

Remember what Marshal said:

marshallh wrote:2000mA @ 1.9v does NOT equal say 2000mA @ 7.2v.

You are dealing with 4 different voltages. After the regulators, yes, the current draws are as I posted. But you'll be powering this thing off of probably 7.4V (two Li-Ions). So, you need to figure out how many amps it will draw from the battery; BEFORE the regulators. Since the regulators are taking in a higher voltage and converting it to a lower voltage, the current draw also lessens.

Important rule of electronics: Watts = Volts x Amps
With that in mind...

marshallh wrote: 1.9 x 2100mA = 4 W
3.3 x 800mA = 2.6 W
5 x 350mA = 1.7 W
12 x 5mA = 0.5 W

That's great... we have the total wattage draw now, regardless of voltage. (8.8W) But we want this in amps, assuming your source voltage is 7.4, right?

Another Important rule of electronics: Amps = Watts / Volts

marshallh wrote: Using a DVD player battery with Li-poly cells, 8.8W / 7.4v = 1.19 amps. (or 1190 mA)

There you have it. These mathematical formulas are necessary because of the differing voltages. This is of course under the principle that the step-down regulators are 100% efficient, which they won't be. Going on 80% efficiency like Marshall said...

1.19 amps / .80% = 1.4875 amps.

So yeah, the 'cube draws about 1.5 amps @ 7.4 volts.

Bigmac · Post by **Bigmac** » Sat Dec 29, 2007 6:25 pm

THANK YOU! That was so helpful. This has been bugging me for a while.

Could you tell me how many amps an led modded ps1 screen draws?

Electric Rain · Post by **Electric Rain** » Sun Dec 30, 2007 2:32 pm

Results may vary from screen to screen, from LED mod to LED mod, and from tester to tester, but

Skyone wrote: 700mA on average w/o LED mod.
450mA on average w/ LED mod.

and

marshallh wrote:generally it is 350mA for a 3-led modded screen, and 750mA with the original backlight.

But seriously, please search next time.

Bigmac · Post by **Bigmac** » Sun Dec 30, 2007 2:48 pm

OK, sorry for not searching.

I just have one more question. If did use a 12v battery, does that mean that the Gamecube will only draw 740mA? If so, that would be INSANE!!!! But knowing me, I probably messed up somewhere

.

Post by **Skyone** » Sun Dec 30, 2007 5:43 pm

Bigmac wrote:2)Has anyone powered the gamecube's 5v and below lines using just 5 volts and then power the 12v line with a step-up regulator?

I powered the whole cube off of a 7.2v NiMH using 4 regulators (1 step-up).

Larger view

Bigmac · Post by **Bigmac** » Sun Dec 30, 2007 7:16 pm

Wow, nice work. Did you feed that into the power regulator board or directly into the mother board? Also, would you mind posting the wiring diagram for that previous picture you posted? I'm sure many people will find it helpful (including me)!

Electric Rain · Post by **Electric Rain** » Mon Dec 31, 2007 4:11 am

Skyone wrote:
Bigmac wrote:2)Has anyone powered the gamecube's 5v and below lines using just 5 volts and then power the 12v line with a step-up regulator?
I powered the whole cube off of a 7.2v NiMH using 4 regulators (1 step-up).

Larger view

*stare* You never posted that on here before... did you?

Post by **Skyone** » Mon Dec 31, 2007 8:29 am

@Electric Rain: http://forums.benheck.com/viewtopic.php?p=248089#248089

I'll post the schematic tomorrow, gotta get some amount of sleep tonight. Happy New Year!

Bigmac · Post by **Bigmac** » Mon Dec 31, 2007 10:21 am

I noticed that you used the Maxim MAX632 step-up. That was the exact same step-up I was going to use! I just couldn't figure out how to put it in the right circuit.

Post by **Triton** » Mon Dec 31, 2007 10:30 am

ill post pics of my power setup when i find a working 7805 lol

Electric Rain · Post by **Electric Rain** » Mon Dec 31, 2007 6:05 pm

Skyone wrote:@Electric Rain: http://forums.benheck.com/viewtopic.php?p=248089#248089

I'll post the schematic tomorrow, gotta get some amount of sleep tonight. Happy New Year!

Oh yeah... that was my thread... and I commented on your PSU.

I wonder if I'm on a drug and don't know it... -_-

You never showed it to us once you finished it, though. Did you find my mA measurement thread useful in designing your PSU?

Bigmac · Post by **Bigmac** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 1:56 pm

Skyone wrote:@Electric Rain: http://forums.benheck.com/viewtopic.php?p=248089#248089

I'll post the schematic tomorrow, gotta get some amount of sleep tonight. Happy New Year!

Do you think you could post that sometime soon? I'm really interested in this.

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