Building a retro "Docking-Station" — #6

Post #6 by Bunsen

Source Forum	68kMLA
Category	Networking
Post Date	Fri, 21 Mar 2008 - 12:07
Original URL	https://68kmla.org/bb/threads/building-a-retro-quot-docking-station-quot.12465/

Post

Internal SCSI Zip: 5VDC 800mAFarallon Etherwave: 12VDC 250mA

3Com Hub: *8VAC* 1A

Linksys Router: 5VDC 2.5A

Well, there's no way around running a separate line for the AC device. However you should be able to run the others from an LC supply if memory serves, or a single external 12V supply with a 12V to 5V step down DC-DC converter.

You don't really need a separate ground (negative or 0 volts) line for each DC device. * NB Guitar shops carry these handy little DC multi cables for running pedals from one supply. You could hack up one of those for your internal connections.

Code:

                             _____
+12V ------------,----------[DC-DC]-+5V------,------------,
-    ----------,-|----------[_____]--------,-|----------, |
              | |                         | |          | |
              | |                         | |          | |
              - +                         - +          - +
              12V                          5V           5V

That make sense?

The converter I linked above is only 1 watt ie 200mA @ 5V. You'd need to source or run a few in parallel. Another source might be a power supply from inside an old external drive case (in which case you'd be running mains power to it) or one of the MiniITX.com DC-DC boards and their external power supplies.

Here's another alternative. That you could run off a +24V Powerbook supply for example. Wiring would be a little different from above but I'm sure you could work it out.

* NB this only applies to the DC devices. You definitely need to run two separate wires for the AC device.