Best 3rd Party AC Adapter for Model 1 Genesis?

[davidg4781]

Thanks. Recently I've read about others repairing old systems and Macs pretty easily and was hoping it would be the same with this. Now I have to figure out which one to order. It would be nice if there was an online retro store that sold solid adapters. I haven't come across one yet as they all seem to be cheap knockoffs.


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[Ziggy]

For safety's sake, I recommend you dispose of the broken power supply and purchase the replacement from that retro game store.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Never dispose of anything! I don't want anyone to burn down their house, but at the very least, pass it along to someone who CAN fix it rather than tossing it in the garbage.

Is it possible to repair an original Genesis Adapter? Mine is cosmetically perfect, but for some reason it will not power the Genesis. I tried a 3rd party one at a retro game store and it seemed to work without any issues.

Possible? Yes, depending on the problem. And actually, a lot of info from my first post in this thread could help. Chances are the adapter is fine and you only have to repair or replace the wire. A really common problem is internal wire breakage, usually near the barrel plug. This is usually simple to diagnose, you only need a basic multi meter. Good alligator clips would help a lot.

Referencing the above FIRE HAZARD and SAFETY statements, it's not a good idea to start fooling around with electricity if you don't really know what you're doing.

There's an easy way to test with virtually no risk, it just isn't a definitive test. Plug the power adapter into the Genesis and wall outlet. Power on the Genesis, and leave the power switch in the on position. Take about 4-6 inches of the wire of the power adapter and bend it into a tight U shape, and move this U shape up and down the wire. You're looking for internal breaks, and sometimes bending the wire into a U shape, where the damage is in the curve of the U, will temporarily fix the break. Pay more attention to the last 6 inches of the wire before the barrel plug, this is usually where this problem occurs. Keep an eye on the power LED on the Genesis the entire time. Basically, you're just messing around with the wire and seeing if you can get the power LED to light, if only for a second.

If you can get the power LED to light, then it's most likely the problem described above. If you can't get it to light, you still haven't ruled anything in or out (like I said, this way of testing isn't perfect). The real way to test the power adapter is to probe it with a multi meter while it's plugged into the wall, but this has obvious dangers. You can completely fry the power adapter, electrocute yourself, etc.

[samsonlonghair]

I didn't mean to get under your skin there, ziggy. I was just trying to keep david safe.

In retrospect, david, mail your power supply to ziggy. He apparently wants it.

Thanks. Recently I've read about others repairing old systems and Macs pretty easily and was hoping it would be the same with this. Now I have to figure out which one to order. It would be nice if there was an online retro store that sold solid adapters. I haven't come across one yet as they all seem to be cheap knockoffs.

I can respect the DIY attitude. There are definitely ways to fix things. I like to fix old Macs myself. In fact, I'm typing this message on an old mac right now.

Maybe it wasn't my place to tell you about safety. Sorry. Assuming you're a grown man, you can make your own safety decisions. Personally I wouldn't leave a faulty power supply plugged in. It's not worth the risk to me. You choose that for yourself.

[Ziggy]

I didn't mean to get under your skin there, ziggy. I was just trying to keep david safe.

Not at all. My Darth Vader "NO" was meant to be more comical then anything else, but I am against throwing things away that can be fixed.

Maybe it wasn't my place to tell you about safety. Sorry. Assuming you're a grown man, you can make your own safety decisions. Personally I wouldn't leave a faulty power supply plugged in. It's not worth the risk to me. You choose that for yourself.

I think this is why you misunderstood the tone of my post, I was actually agreeing with you about the safety warning.

[samsonlonghair]

It's all good, ziggy.

[davidg4781]

Any thoughts on this one from Amazon? It's priced in line with a used Genesis eBay model and is the highest rated on Amazon. To be clear, I haven't dug in deep enough to ensure it meets my needs but I will before placing the order. I'm assuming it should since it's pretty universal.

Velleman PSSMV1USA 3-12Vdc Switching Power Supply https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00068U44I/re ... iwbG23YYZQ


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[samsonlonghair]

I think a switching power supply would work, but it may be an odd choice. I'll tell you why in a moment. First let me show you the power specifications.

The specs for a Sega Genesis model 1 power supply are:

MK-1602: for use with SEGA GENESIS 1, CD 1, CD 2
INPUT: 120V 60Hz 35W
OUTPUT: 9V - 1.2 Amp (1602-1: 10V - 1.2 Amp)

source

The specs for the power supply you found on amazon are:

supply voltage: 100 ~ 230V AC 15%
power: 10W
efficiency: > 80%
output voltages: 3, 4.5, 6, 7.5, 9, 12V DC
output current: 800mA (regulated) / 1.5A max.
plugs: 2.5mm mono, 3.5mm mono, 1.0x3.0mm, 1.35x3.5mm, 1.7x4.0mm, 2.1x5.0mm, 2.5x5.5mm, 1.5x5.5mm
dimensions: 2.6" x 1.1" x 2.9"
weight: 3.0 oz

So... yes, this switching power supply should be able to power a model 1 Sega Genesis. I think it's an odd choice though. Much the same way, you could choose to use a Swiss army knife to open a wine bottle, you can choose to use this switching power supply to power your Model 1 Sega Genesis. All you really need to open your wine bottle is a corkscrew, right? So why not just buy a corkscrew?

You can type "MK-1602" into ebay. I see a used one for ten dollars right now.

You could also type "power supply 9V - 1.2 Amp Sega" into ebay to see brand new power supplies with the right specs for your sega genesis. I see one for seven dollars and sixty-nine cents now.

So why buy a fifteen dollar Swiss Army Knife when you could buy a ten dollar cork screw?

[davidg4781]

I think I try to stay away from eBay because I've always had issues with the few electronics I've bought. New Linksys BT adapter that didn't work. Perfect Mighty Mouse whose roller ball was stuck. Stuff like that.

I also read a few places where cheaper ac adapters caused a hum or buzz from the Genesis.


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[Ziggy]

I also read a few places where cheaper ac adapters caused a hum or buzz from the Genesis.

With the model 1 specifically, yeah. I've experienced it first hand. A poor quality adapter, even with the right specs, can cause horrible audio buzzing.