jimb@faatcrl.UUCP (Jim Burwell) (09/13/89)
wmark@cory.Berkeley.EDU (Mark Williams) writes: >I have a strong suspicion that the software driver that came with my GVP >Impact A500 is flaky... has anyone else had the same problem? I've heard >that free updates are available for downloading somewhere... does anyone know >where? >Mark Williams >wmark@cory@ucbvax@... I've also had problems with my Impact/500 Quantum 40S setup.. Once in a while it would kind of lock up, and put up a "read/write error" requester. I would then try I/O on another partion, and the same would happen. When I tried to reboot, the drive would make funny noises, the LED would flicker for a second or two, then it would give up. If I reset the Amiga several (!) times, it would eventually reboot, and I wouldn't have any problems for a while (weeks...months)... It is either scsidev, or a problem with the power supply. My power supply called it quits two days ago when I powered up my system. I hit my power strip, and everything went on and the drive started spinning up like normal. Then, the Impact/500 just shut down... BANG. I disconnected, and opened up the PS to see if I could spot something. There I saw a 5 amp, 250 volt fuse blown to kingdome come. I noted with EXTREME INTEREST and a bit of nausea that the printing on the circuit board called for a 1 (ONE) amp, 250 volt fuse. I decided to try and replace the fuse, and went out and got another one... I plugged to PS into a power strip w/o connecting it to the HD just to see if the fuse would blow with no load connected. It did, like a flash bulb. GRRR. I'm no electrical engineer, but it seems like GVP was pulling about 4-5 amps out of a power supply designed to put out 1 amp. (Well, maybe not that many during operation, but I'm sure it pulls quite a lot of power during power up/spin up) A definite no no, right? No wonder the thing failed. I remember reading in the GVP manuals that if you power up the Amiga or the the Impact/500 individually, you will damage either the Amiga or the Host Adapter/HD. I HOPE they were exaggerating. My Amiga seems to be working ok. Don't know about the HD/host adapter. I wonder if they took into account the fact that their cheezy power supply could die on them? I hope I'm still under warranty! Anyone else have anything like this happen with a Impact/500 ? ---- +------------------------------------------------+--------------------------+ | James S. Burwell | | | | "UseNet...A text network | | UUCP: | in a binary world" - Me | | ...!{ames!netsys|rutgers}!faatcrl | | | !jimb | "How do you say | | . | 'multitasking' in | | Internet: . | MS-DOSish? Network | | // jimb@faatcrl.UUCP . ** | File Server!" - Me | | // . **** | | | \\ // GEnie: Airwarior: . .** | <reserved for future> | | \X/ JIMBURWELL Techrat . | <expansion.... > | +------------------------------------------------+--------------------------+
easton@aucis.UUCP (Jeff Easton) (09/13/89)
[ discussion of GVP 500 and quantum 40S. Power supply dies... ]
From a Quantum Prodrive 40S/80S manual I have laying around ;-)
POWER REQUIREMENTS
+5VDC .5 Amps typical (idle)
.6 Amps typical (seeking)
.65 Amps max. (power up)
+12VDC .5 Amps Typical (idle)
.8 Amps typical (seeking)
1.6 Amps max. (power up) <---- !!!
This would explain why your power supply died on power up. The drive
requires 22.45 watts on power up. This doesnt count the controller
cards current draw (it will be less).
The 1amp vs 5 amp fuse is proably in the primary side of the circuit
and doesnt give a clear indication of the supply's capability. Look
for a sticker somewhere that states the current ratings for +5 and +12.
I would guess you need a 12V, 2A and 5V, 2A supply. This is just
a guess.
Jeff Easton UUCP: !mailrus!sharkey!aucis!easton
Zenith Data Systemsjimb@faatcrl.UUCP (Jim Burwell) (09/15/89)
easton@aucis.UUCP (Jeff Easton) writes: >[ discussion of GVP 500 and quantum 40S. Power supply dies... ] > From a Quantum Prodrive 40S/80S manual I have laying around ;-) >POWER REQUIREMENTS > +5VDC .5 Amps typical (idle) > .6 Amps typical (seeking) > .65 Amps max. (power up) > +12VDC .5 Amps Typical (idle) > .8 Amps typical (seeking) > 1.6 Amps max. (power up) <---- !!! > This would explain why your power supply died on power up. The drive >requires 22.45 watts on power up. This doesnt count the controller >cards current draw (it will be less). It's a 50w power supply... > The 1amp vs 5 amp fuse is proably in the primary side of the circuit >and doesnt give a clear indication of the supply's capability. Look >for a sticker somewhere that states the current ratings for +5 and +12. hmm.. Even so, don't you think it's a bad idea to put a 5A fuse in place of a 1A ? If it says so on the circuit board of the PS, there must be a good reason that they don't want more than 1A flowing through that circuit.. Of course, the printing on the CB could be wrong... > I would guess you need a 12V, 2A and 5V, 2A supply. This is just >a guess. The PS shipped with the Impact/500 puts out: 5V 2A 10W -12V .2A 2.4W 12V 1.5A 18W Close, but no cigar... I computed the watts myself, by using the power law, P = I*E (boy, I'm a big time hardware hacker now :-).. But something is definitely wrong, since it doesn't add up to 50W. :-) Does the -12V have something to do with it? I assumed it is computed the same way. Hmmm.. I just noticed that the "50W" I've been looking at is under "INPUT:" on the plate on the PS.. Maybe it only puts out 30.4 W... Sorry for making all you hardware types out there gag at my most likely imperfect understanding of electronics :-). Anyway, it looks like GVP ships a power supply that is too small with its A500 subsystem, since on boot, the HD alone needs 19.2W for 12V. Close, but apparently not close enough for the power supply to live a very long time with chronic use.. I've had the system under a year now. So people with GVP Impact/500s and those little black CEPTRE power supplies had better watch closely when it is nearly a year old. I now have my HD up and running again. I got a 150W IBM power supply, and hooked it to the 5 pin DIN power cord that came out of the dead power supply. (naturally, I screwed this up, but thanks to Jack Radigan, who tore my "nightmare" [sic :-] apart, and put it back together the right way, it is now working better than ever. Thank god Jack is as proficient at hardware as he is at software ;-) -- +------------------------------------------------+--------------------------+ | James S. Burwell | | | | "UseNet...A text network | | UUCP: | in a binary world" - Me | | ...!{ames!netsys|rutgers}!faatcrl | | | !jimb | "How do you say | | . | 'multitasking' in | | Internet: . | MS-DOSish? Network | | // jimb@faatcrl.UUCP . ** | File Server!" - Me | | // . **** | | | \\ // GEnie: Airwarior: . .** | <reserved for future> | | \X/ JIMBURWELL Techrat . | <expansion.... > | +------------------------------------------------+--------------------------+
erk@americ.UUCP (Erick Parsons) (09/16/89)
>>easton@aucis.UUCP (Jeff Easton) writes: >>[ discussion of GVP 500 and quantum 40S. Power supply dies... ] -- >>POWER REQUIREMENTS >> +5VDC .5 Amps typical (idle) >> .6 Amps typical (seeking) >> .65 Amps max. (power up) -- >> +12VDC .5 Amps Typical (idle) >> .8 Amps typical (seeking) >> 1.6 Amps max. (power up) <---- !!! > This would explain why your power supply died on power up. The drive >requires 22.45 watts on power up. This doesnt count the controller >cards current draw (it will be less). Wanna REALLY gack ? I had spinup problems with my GVP hardcard (hacked to fit into a subsystem (UGH!)).I bought a Lambda power supply at HSC rated 2A at 12 VDC. It worked fine for a while then started having spinup problems again.. This is a LAMBDA power supply, these people specialize in power supplies! I ended up going through the rubbish in my garage looking for ANY 12 VDC PS and found an OLD Radio shack 12 V unit just sitting there minding its own business. I took the radio shack power supply and paralleled it with the Lambda supply and have lived happily ever after. The voltage when paralleled ends up being the average of the two supplies but the current is doubled. BTW the Lambda is a multi-voltage supply and supplies all of my system (A-500, A-2052, GVP40q,2 drives etc...). This solution was much much cheaper than going out and buying a new power supply and throwing the lambda ps next to the RS power supply in the garage. ;-) -- -- ------------------- // ---------------------------------------------------- Erick Parsons // .Knowledge is little more than knowing the questions ------------- // .erk@americ.UUCP or ..ames!pacbell!sactoh0!americ!erk Sacramento Ca \\ // .GEnie: E.PARSONS %-) Hamatuer Radio N6RZB -------------- \X/ --------------------------------------------------------