Commodore 64 Power Supply

[Jules Richardson]

Tony Duell wrote:
>> OK, I stand corrected.  I finally got home tonight, and was smug enough 
>> to go out and pull the units.
>>
>> First, the lightweight PSU I have with a C128 is not a C128 PSU at all, 
>> but a A500 PSU.  I am sure we tested the PSU with a C128 last week (we 
>> were going through the units prior to the C4 CBM EXPO this past 
>> weekend), but I'll have to check.  The reason's it is so light is it 
>> only provides DC on the outputs.  5 and +-12.  It simply chops mains to 
>> get what it needs, I would guess.
> 
> The A500 PSU is, indeed, a conventional switcher. 

JOOI, what changed between iterations of the A500 PSU? I had one A500 with a 
beige PSU that felt like it must have dark matter inside - my other one had a 
white/cream PSU which felt more like it was little more than an empty shell...

Were the beige ones non-switchmode designs, with a heavy transformer, caps and 
big regulators or something? Or did they just have some serious heatsinks / 
screening?

I never did take a look inside, but always meant to...