Monthly Archives : June 2015

First Light

I’d reversed enough of the PSU’s linear board to generally understand what was going on with it, so figured it was time to start trying to power things up bit by bit. Starting out with everything except the transformer disconnected and the system connected through a current limiting bulb and variac, I brought the voltage… Continue Reading →

Current Limiting/Measuring Box

I’m still working on reversing the PSU linear board into a schematic (making good progress and learning a lot), but the next physical step will be to start bringing up the linear part of the power supply. To do this, I want to be able to limit the amount of current it can draw at… Continue Reading →

PSU Reversing Part 1

I’m waiting on a variac I’m borrowing from another lab member before I can start bringing up the PSU, so I started reverse engineering the linear board of the power supply into a schematic this evening. This is partly to help with any required troubleshooting, and partly (mostly) since I want to understand how it… Continue Reading →

Beeping Out the PSU

Got more or less all the pins on all the connectors traced on the linear board of the power supply this evening! There are convenient test points on the front of the unit for all the voltage rails, which made tracing which pin on which connector much easier than it might have otherwise been. A… Continue Reading →

First Power Supply Investigation

Started looking over the power supply tonight, since that’s the logical first part to power up. Ever since I’d first opened the system’s case I’d wondered why there was both a power supply box as well as a giant transformer in the unit. It turns out that the transformer is part of the power supply,… Continue Reading →