Re: Reviving Spock

["Michael J. Mahon" <mjmahon@aol.com>]

BLuRry wrote:
> While the GSE adapter does look like a rather attractive option
> (namely, because of how you placed the fans), i could still mod my
> vulcan with a DC-DC adapter made for a mini-itx case for much cheaper.
> The only drawback is that my //e will have a AC/DC adapter brick on a
> leash. :-)  But it will also run a lot cooler for sure.

Not necessarily.  Most switch-mode power supplies run directly off the
mains voltage (or 2x mains voltage) after rectification, and this AC-DC
conversion is extremely efficient.  If this is the only part of the
supply that you are moving outside the case, it won't have much impact
on heat.

Most of the heat is produced in the high frequency switching part of
the supply, and in the Schottky diode rectifiers for the DC outputs.
Here, the best way to reduce heat for a given power is to move to a
more modern supply, which will be more efficient and therefore cooler.

The DC-DC converter you describe may be such modern technology, and
the GSE power supply is also modern technology.

There is an irony that the GSE supply, though provided with forced air
cooling, probably dissipates less than half the heat of a "stock"
Apple supply running the same load, and therefore is in much less need
of cooling.

> Seems a lot of flex atx power supplies would work, if not look a little
> silly because they're much smaller.  Some SFX supplies might work
> except their fans point straight up at the top of the case (I'd
> probably have to rout the airflow, if that's even feasible)

They should all work fine, and, with the low load of even a "loaded"
Apple II, should run quite cool.

-michael

Music synthesis for 8-bit Apple II's!
Home page:  http://members.aol.com/MJMahon/

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