Return of the Mutant N64p Swamp Creatures of Terror!

Post by **benheck** » Sat Feb 26, 2005 6:38 pm

Well I got my replacement stereo amp IC today (Man, ordered it Thursday got it today! Digi-key Rocks! (and is close to me)) I think it's neat that Digikey has a little part like that on a PSone screen and you can replace it.

Anyway sound's back so I just gotta deal with the resetting problem. Yes it resets (back to N64 logo/etc) rather than turns off. I think there may be a flaky connection someplace. If some people are running an N64 off a 7.2 volt battery I don't see why my 12 volt 4000mAH power supply wouldn't do it!

Post by **gannon** » Sat Feb 26, 2005 6:45 pm

yeah, maybe a bad connection on the cart. port.

Post by **benheck** » Sat Feb 26, 2005 8:20 pm

I now think it's with the 3.3 volt regulator and its internal shutdown switch. Here's why:

I turn on the unit, it runs for about 1 minute, then resets. Then runs for about 10 seconds, then turns off and doesn't come back on. I touch the screw holding in the 3.3 reg and it was hot enough to make me jerk my hand away. Also the portion of the board it's sunk to (and the metal bracket behind that) get rather warm.

It's the 2 amp version. Maybe it should be more? I'll check Digikey... though I remember someone saying once 2.6 amps.

At least I'm getting it narrowed down... But any ideas still help

ADDED: The N64 power brick says "3.3 volts at 2.7 amps" I know those things tend to "overdo it" and actually require less, but 2.7 is a good deal more than the 2 amp limit of my reg... HM...

G-force · Post by **G-force** » Sat Feb 26, 2005 8:28 pm

I run my N64P off a 3V, 1 amp, DC-DC car converter and it works fine, so I don't think it's the amperage thats the problem.

Post by **benheck** » Sat Feb 26, 2005 8:36 pm

Something is causing the reg to heat up, and I think its internal heat shutoff kicks it, causing the unit to reset then turn off.

I was thinking about getting a 3.5 amp model JUST TO BE SURE... I think it's sunk well enough, the only answer I can see is the amps not being enough causing overheating.

Post by **Gamelver** » Sat Feb 26, 2005 8:37 pm

it could just be a faulty regulator

......try just replacing the regulator with a new one, and if the problem persists, then you'll know if there's something wrong with all of those regulators rather than just that one..........

MasterChieff44 · Post by **MasterChieff44** » Sat Feb 26, 2005 9:02 pm

Gamelver wrote:it could just be a faulty regulator ......try just replacing the regulator with a new one, and if the problem persists, then you'll know if there's something wrong with all of those regulators rather than just that one..........

good idea

sam · Post by **sam** » Sat Feb 26, 2005 10:20 pm

Gamelver wrote:it could just be a faulty regulator ......try just replacing the regulator with a new one, and if the problem persists, then you'll know if there's something wrong with all of those regulators rather than just that one..........

Yeah, or if it get hot that quickly, what are you using to vent the air out?

Post by **Triton** » Sat Feb 26, 2005 11:28 pm

btw, how do adjustable voltage regulators work? and would i need 1 or 2 for the 3.3v line (mak output is 1.5A so i would probably need 2 huh)

G-force · Post by **G-force** » Sat Feb 26, 2005 11:41 pm

I think you get the voltage down to what you need with resistors and all the regulator does is keep it from fluctuating, or something to do with wavelength

(I didn't pay a lot of attention to this in electronics class)

Post by **benheck** » Sun Feb 27, 2005 10:16 am

Well, maybe it needs a better heatsink... It's sinking to the board and a metal bracket, but maybe it needs a REAL heatsink and some air flow.

I think this because it ran fine when the batteries were at 8 volts, but now that they're charged up to 12 that's all the more heat being sunk.

How have you folks sunk your 3.3 volt N64 regs?

HK-47 · Post by **HK-47** » Sun Feb 27, 2005 10:20 am

I had this same problem getting a vcs to run on 3Ah batteries, I got a reg rated for more mah and it did the trick.

Post by **Gamelver** » Sun Feb 27, 2005 11:35 am

benheckc wrote:How have you folks sunk your 3.3 volt N64 regs?

well, at first I simply used a 3v car adapter, which had a small heatsink on it's regulator......3v wasn't good enough, though (caused some problems in the picture and in the sounds...), so I switched to using two heatsinked 7805s with resistors and it worked fine...........

Post by **benheck** » Sun Feb 27, 2005 12:33 pm

I just tried a BIG heatsink (really 2 heatsinks put together) and the system stayed on much longer. It didn't turn off, but even the heatsinks were getting to hot to touch so I turned it off.

I'm gonna order a switching regulator which works a different way and doesn't require a heatsink. That'll be more efficient too...

Almost there!

HK-47 · Post by **HK-47** » Sun Feb 27, 2005 12:38 pm

benheckc wrote:I just tried a BIG heatsink (really 2 heatsinks put together) and the system stayed on much longer. It didn't turn off, but even the heatsinks were getting to hot to touch so I turned it off.

I'm gonna order a switching regulator which works a different way and doesn't require a heatsink. That'll be more efficient too...

Almost there!

Talking about switching regs, someone here was asking what reg you used in the your portables, (I think it was AJ) and in the book it gives a digikey part #. Just thought Id mention it since someone asked the question a while ago.
EDIT: It was mindstein...
http://benheck.com/ipw-web/bulletin/bb/ ... .php?t=555