| Posted By
MIK
on 2014-08-18
08:05:58
 |  Failing C16 Power Supply, what to look out for...
Just so there is a record and for anyone else that may encounter this problem.
I was playing a game on my C16 when this shadowy black bar appeared across the screen and started to scroll up the screen slowly on a loop. I'd never seen that before so reset the computer. I then pressed rewind on the 1531 to rewind the tape and as soon as I did the Basic screen started freaking out displaying random chars all over the place, the screen even went blank at one point for then the machine to totally lock up. After switching it off and back on thinking the CPU might of died the C16 came back on like nothing had happened. Then the black bar started scrolling up on a loop again... I repeated the rewind test on the 1531 and freaked out again.
I then changed the 1531, it still did it. Maybe some cap or something had gone in the C16 I thought. Tried another machine, obviously using the same cables and devices and that C16 also had the black shadow bar...
By now I noticed the shadow bar was temperamental, some times it was there on a loop, other times it was not and when there was no shadow bar the 1531 worked perfectly! I started wondering if the TV was shorting out the C16, it's old as well lol... The shadow bar on a loop was still there on a different TV. Was not the TV.
By this time I tried another C16, this was the 3rd and it was still doing it... Before I realized it was the official C16 Power Supply doing it I had tested all 5 of my working C16's and they all had the problem but being temperamental it was hard to pin point what it was. There was me thinking the 1531 has messed all my C16's up and like a virus had spread to all machines!!! Was head doing.
Obviously by now I was running out of idea's and was not about to try the 1531 on the Plus4. Last thing I did was try a different Power Supply and low and behold everything was working perfectly, shadow bar was no more!!!
It was crazy the PSU was still working, but some where being faulty the 1531 was draining the power out of it causing the whole machine to mess up!! Really glad no damage was done from this and all C16's are working perfectly normally as with the 1531's I tried.
So if you ever see a shadowy black bar scrolling slowly up the screen on a loop or your 1531 freaks the C16 out when you press rewind then chances are it's the power supply on it's way out!
Yeah I had a bit of a mare, but now I know I won't be caught out again!
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Posted By
George
on 2014-08-18
08:43:58
 | Re: Failing C16 Power Supply, what to look out for...
The official C16-powersuplies are not well designed, if you use them with datasets. Extensive use with Datasets let them burn through.
I recomment to use a third part power-supply with more amps!
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Posted By
MIK
on 2014-08-18
12:34:31
| Re: Failing C16 Power Supply, what to look out for...
That C16 PSU was the only one that didn't buzz! 
As luck might have it I had to look for something else as my other C16 PSU buzzes loader than a load of fans in a PC Tower or say a MK1 XBOX 360 with the disc spinning!
I've dug out a ZX Spectrum 48K PSU, 9volts DC.
The C16 is running fine with it at the moment. Hopefully I'll be able to get a couple of hours in later to see how hot the thing might get. Looks like I might go with it as it's quiet. Never used a ZX Spectrum at a personal level, only ever played on other peoples so this adapter is all new to me. 
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Posted By
MMS
on 2014-08-18
19:36:34
 | Re: Failing C16 Power Supply, what to look out for...
Currently I use my ZX Spectrum 48K with a third party 1.2A selectable voltage and polarity PSU (I bought it without PSU as "bad/for part" for 3€ together with tapes and free Kempston Interface. PSU cost me at an action further 4€. Check the 48K Speccy price...).
Works everything fine, except the famous ZX Printer, maybe due to power, or it is all dead, but I cannot test it further.
As far as I know, C16 may work with any unregulated power supply with th 9V, higher amp is the better. I think my adapter may also work, but has no C16 to test. May send some details, if you need. No noise at all 
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Posted By
MIK
on 2014-08-18
20:29:06
| Re: Failing C16 Power Supply, what to look out for...
The official ZX Spectrum 48K PSU I'm using is doing well on my C16. I used it tonight for a couple of hours messing about with Galaxions bashing the hell out of the SHIFT key to shoot and also played some Timeslip. The PSU was only lukewarm. Solid as a rock and does not make a sound!
It's 9Volts DC, 1.4A, a little bigger than the C16 PSU in size.
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Posted By
MMS
on 2014-08-19
17:19:42
| Re: Failing C16 Power Supply, what to look out for...
well, as per mr.Traimler, the c16 and 116 would have been the direct competitor of Zx Spectrum. So they made the Psu compatible too
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