How do you SPlit the A1200's Floppy Power connnector?

[magnetic]

Hey guys
I just got a buffered IDE interface from Analogic computers. (dont know the name of it doesnt say and I cant get info) it has a Floppy type power connector with cable, but my a1200 obviously is using the floppy power for the floppy? Is there a y splitter cable or something so I can power both? Is it safe?  TIA

[bbond007]

Hey guys
I just got a buffered IDE interface from Analogic computers. (dont know the name of it doesnt say and I cant get info) it has a Floppy type power connector with cable, but my a1200 obviously is using the floppy power for the floppy? Is there a y splitter cable or something so I can power both? Is it safe?  TIA

You just need as floppy drive power splitter cable. I was unable to find one for the smaller plugs, but i know i have seen them...

what i did with mine it to cut the existing cable and i spliced it together part of another connector with wire nuts then i epoxied the wirenuts closed so they would never come off.

I do this so i can run my IDE->SATA converter and there really is no problem with such a low-power item.  

If you were drawing too much power through from the connector you could burn a trace on your motherboard, but most likely the damage would be repairable by someone with soldering skills.

[smerf]

Hi,

@magnetic,

Put a buffered interface in my A1200 last year, but mine is mounted in a old Gateway server tower, so mine i hooked up to a PC power supply that I modded to power my A1200. There are splitters, but I really don't think the A1200 power block will have enough power to supply it, and like bbond007 says you can burn out a trace, they are pretty thin. I would suggest if you have an old PC supply you mod it, it isn't really that hard, you might be able to get an adapter plug from amikit, and it they don't have one, you can always use the plug off your power brick, just make sure you leave enough wire on both ends to splice it back together in case you want to use the brick again. I would suggest plug in crimp type spades on the ends of the wires.

smerf

[ck007]

Hi magnetic,

I bought one of these floppy drive Y-splitter cables from AmiKit the other week.  It works well.

Just be sure not to overload the +5V circuit like I did and fry your motherboard...

EDIT - Just realised smerf answered this already


Cheers,
ck

[magnetic]

thanks for the reply guys. I have a "Bigfoot" 300 watt 1200 psu! I looked on Amigakit, ebay, and other places couldnt find a splitter. I was worried about too much current off the a1200 floppy power header, but would it be ok just for 1 floppy and the ide buffered interface which must be low powered? (and does anyone know specs on the Analogic Buffered ATA 1200 interface I cant find any info)

[ck007]

@magnetic

Here's the AmiKit URL for a Floppy Y Splitter Power Cable:
http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=1030


Cheers,
ck

[magnetic]

Awesome! Thanks man I couldnt find it. You think it will be safe to power the ide buffer device and floppy?

[ck007]

@magnetic

Personally, I'll say no.  I tried to power a fan from the floppy header and I burnt out a track on my mobo.  Now I'm tracking someone down who can repair it for me.

That being said, other people have successfully powered fans from the floppy power header.

Does your PSU have extra power cables (molex/floppy connectors) which you can use the power the buffered IDE card?

[psxphill]

Does your PSU have extra power cables (molex/floppy connectors) which you can use the power the buffered IDE card?

The buffered IDE card should take it's power from the 44pin IDE.
It's the hard drive that needs power from the floppy connector.

[Zac67]

The hard drive I wouldn't power from the floppy connector (3.5" that is, 2.5" should be fine) but directly from the PSU.

[magnetic]

Ok interesting. I'm using a compact flash card. Is that good since it  has low power requirements?

[bbond007]

Ok interesting. I'm using a compact flash card. Is that good since it  has low power requirements?

You will be fine... Just don't do something like power a 3.5" HD off it or something.

Its nice that you found the pre-made cable!

If you are really worried you can remove motherboard and solder a power connector underneath where the main molex connector brings the power in. I did that on a A500.

[bbond007]

Hey guys
I just got a buffered IDE interface from Analogic computers. (dont know the name of it doesnt say and I cant get info) it has a Floppy type power connector with cable, but my a1200 obviously is using the floppy power for the floppy? Is there a y splitter cable or something so I can power both? Is it safe?  TIA

actually. now that i think about it, you really lucky because you actually an order placed with Analogic computers and received the item without going completely insane. With that kind of luck you don't need to worry about burning out a trace, you'll be fine!

[paul1981]

The hard drive I wouldn't power from the floppy connector (3.5" that is, 2.5" should be fine) but directly from the PSU.

I used to power my 1200's 3.5" hard drive from the floppy connector with a Y-Splitter cable for about 6 years (3 hours per day on average, so it was well used and tested method) and I didn't see any problems at all.  So I wouldn't be too afraid of using this method.  If you are still scared though, you could always hook a power feed directly from the power socket connector on the 1200's motherboard, but that would involve taking the motherboard out and soldering your hard drive wire to it (12v, 5v and GND) to the actual underside of the socket.  That would be a good idea though because you could then attach other things to it in the future should the need arise (like a fan for example).

[Zac67]

One case of 'no problems' doesn't necessarily prove it's fine. You may have been lucky.
3.5" drives differ widely in power consumption. Without making sure the model at hand is (very) low power, it's not a good idea to hook it up to the floppy power - which reportedly doesn't tolerate somewhat higher power HDDs. So, general advice is "don't do it unless you know what you're doing". Enforcing the feeble line is a very good idea though.