Power Supply Issues

[BearBoy]

Carried over from the This Week I've Mostly Been.... thread.

 

I've got a couple of the Sony 3V power supplies where the cables are perishing. Example below:

 

 

This is probably the worst example where the wires are exposed at both ends and at two points along the length. The cable feels quite brittle. This model is an AC-ES305K.

 

I've seen similar issues on portables for sale on eBay so I doubt this is specific to me and my units.

 

Can anyone (UK based) recommend any decent quality alternatives?

 

[kgallen]

Hmm tricky one. I have some like that too at the PSU end. I’ve tried unsuccessfully to open the PSU end in order to re-terminate that end of the cable but the case seems to be heat welded shut. I could Dremel in but then have to glue it back together again. I can see you have the issue at other points in the cable too so it really is suffering the ravages of time. 
 

Sorry no other words of wisdom on this one. 😞

[BearBoy]

I am assuming it would be a really bad idea to continue to use an adaptor in this condition @kgallen?

[BearBoy]

So I dug out all of my adaptors to check them.

 

In addition to the AC-ES305K pictured above, I also have an AC-ES3010K in a similar state.

 

I then have an AC-ES3010K, AC-ES305S and AC-MZR55 that are all currently okay.

 

I did see this on eBay so might buy one and see what it's like:

 

For Sony 3v Minidisc players USB 1.5m power supply lead

[kgallen]

46 minutes ago, BearBoy said:

I am assuming it would be a really bad idea to continue to use an adaptor in this condition @kgallen?

There isn’t a shock risk, this flex issue is on the 5V / 3V side. It will be isolated from mains and much less than 50V which is the deemed shock touch voltage. 
 

The main issue here is based around the inner insulation splitting and the lack of mechanical strength. The former could cause a short, but I’d expect the output to be short circuit protected (the barrel plug could in theory be shorted by a normal user). In both cases the player won’t work from this supply and the power supply could be damaged. 
 

The life of the supply may be extended by some heat shrink (but you probably can’t get any on due to the right angle barrel plug) or self-amalgamating tape. Either way unless some mechanical strength can be added its days are numbered. 

[kgallen]

27 minutes ago, BearBoy said:

So I dug out all of my adaptors to check them.

 

In addition to the AC-ES305K pictured above, I also have an AC-ES3010K in a similar state.

 

I then have an AC-ES3010K, AC-ES305S and AC-MZR55 that are all currently okay.

 

I did see this on eBay so might buy one and see what it's like:

 

For Sony 3v Minidisc players USB 1.5m power supply lead

Those leads came up on Reddit I think the other day. Are they actually 5V to 3V regulated? There doesn’t look enough ‘body’ to those connectors to house a regulator. 
 

I’m suspicious it’s just a wire I which case the supply regulator in the machine is going to get hotter than it should.

 

If you get one, do you have a volt meter and could you see if the Sony side is at 3V rather than USB 5V?

[BearBoy]

Yeah @kgallen, on further reading he describes that lead as "untransformed". Given that my USB plugs would be outputting 5V, rather than 3V, I'm guessing it's going to be kicking out too much voltage.

 

He's also advertising a "transformed" lead, which he says "consists of transformed 5v to 3v USB plug connected to Sony sized barrel jack plug" (LINK)

 

Kind of a bit wary now though given that he's selling leads as being compatible with MD players that seem to be 5V...

 

 

 

[BearBoy]

37 minutes ago, kgallen said:

If you get one, do you have a volt meter and could you see if the Sony side is at 3V rather than USB 5V?

 

Yeah, I do have a multimeter so could check if I do purchase one.