My SNES AC Adapter is very very finicky. It needs to be almost on a certain angle to work correctly. Is it possible to desolder the power connector and replace it with a connector from an NES and thus use my tiny Yobo Famiclone AC adapter instead? I'm not sure if such a thing has been done before, but I'll bet it has.
I don't see why not. Power connectors are suppose to be universal. Did the plastic center of your SNES one break off? Mine did and it's pretty difficult to get it to power on these days.
You can, however the DC in jack is molded to the plastic surrounding it, so you will have to hack it...
It would probably be easier to take the end off your snes adapter and solder it directy to your snes. Just don't mix up your + or - leads.
I've never tried this, but I've heard of local repair shops replacing the SNES power connector with a standard barrel-type one when it broke off (during the SNES heydays of course). Apparently the solder points are in the same place so it should be a straightforward replacement.
(http://pages.sbcglobal.net/clockworkorange/pics/jack.jpg)
That pretty much proves it true. Thanks for the picture! :D
No prob, It wouldn't be too bad to remove it with a Dremel, but not everyine has all that stuff laying around, if he did I doubt he'd be asking if it's possible. :P
Okay, so my SNES AC Adapter now has completely stopped working. I'll need to do a mod of the system.
I've got my SNES apart and desoldered the terminals like in the picture above.
Which point is positive and which is negative? They're completely unlabeled.
You could just check the SNES adapter specs and see if it's center neg or pos (I'm not sure offhand) and then use the continuity setting on your multimeter to determine which connector is which. Pretty straightforward, I would think. Otherwise, have a look at the PCB you desoldered it from and trace the board to see which is positive & which is negative. You should be able to tell by what it's connected to, for example, a filtering cap (usually have a black negative stripe on the side--this would be your ground) or look for the PCB ground. ;)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/30701966@N04/4666598309/sizes/l/
here's a picture of the SNES motherboard, the desoldered SNES AC connector and the removed NES AC connector.
Nothing is labeled and the SNES AC is isolated from everything else. My guess is that the points 1 and 2 are same for the NES as well, meaning I could just solder that in place, but I again have no idea. I notice that the NES AC adapter has a third leg as well which is comletely missing on the SNES.
help please!
Use your multimeter to check the continuity between the NES & SNES plugs. If the center & outer ring points match up with the same legs, you can just solder it in place. You can also check what point 3 is connected to. My guess is the outer ring, but test it and you'll know for sure.
If the points don't match up, then you have to rework how you solder it on, or just reverse the wires on your ac adapter.
Do you have a multimeter? If so, it should be a 45 second job to check it. If not, you can make a tester with some wires, a light bulb, and a small battery. You can even make one out of an old flashlight.
Yes, I do have a multimeter. Here's a shot of the one I've got
http://www.flickr.com/photos/30701966@N04/4667357580/sizes/l/
I'm not sure which setting is used for checking connections. I know this one doesn't make any beep, so I'm not sure how to even read if I have a connection or not between two points. Am I looking for a readout of 1 or as close to 0 as possible?
Also to make sure I know what you're talking about, you mean to test to see if I get a connection if I put one lead onto the SNES pin 1 and the other on NES pin 2 and see if I get a connection?
It's the selection to the right of 6 o'clock on your multimeter. It looks like an arrow with a line through it. It should show zeroes when you don't have continuity. It will show numbers when you have continuity. Continuity means when you have a connection between points. Check the center pin on the SNES port and see which leg (on the SNES port) gives you continuity (numbers) on your multimeter. Repeat for the outer ring and leg and then the NES port to see which leg corresponds to which point (center pin or outer ring).
Continuity Setting Symbol
(http://www.firehow.com/images/stories/users/166/digital%20multimeter%20continuity%20test.jpg)
I don't understand what you mean. The SNES has no middle pin, just what I labeled pins 1 and 2.
it's too hard to show in a photo, so here's a crappy paint diagram instead.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/30701966@N04/4667513630/sizes/l/
There are only two pins in this. Pin 1 is "U" shaped and folds inside the connector and is visible normally. The corded AC adapter plugs in and makes contact with this first and then hits pin 2 in the back.
Given this, how can I test this? If I connect pins 1 and 2 I get a a readout of 1.
On the side where you plug the ac adapter into, there is a center pin and a ring part. The parts you have labeled as 1 & 2, I have called "legs" for lack of a better term. You want to find out which "leg" corresponds to which point (center pin or ring) on the side of the plug you connect the adapter to. Compare between the NES & SNES ports and see if they match. I can't state it any simpler, but maybe someone else can.
EDIT: So, does the NES plug match the SNES plug layout? If so, solder it in as-is.
I'm pretty sure you can't use a NES AC Adapter on your SNES. But, you can use a Famicom or Genesis (Model 1) adapter, I believe (10VDC @ 850mA, C-).
Thanks for your help ericj. For the record yes, it's a direct conversion. I did it last night and my SNES now has an NES/Genesis/TG-16 style AC port.
You're right about the NES AC adapter as well. That thing outputs 9v AC which wwould fry an SNES. I used a Mark 1 Genesis AC adapter instead which gives the needed 9v DC.
I like how the adapter says "Only for use with the Sega Genesis console"
NOT ANYMORE!
Well, reading this. I have been using a regular Sfamicom system, with a genesis plug. Apparently when Nintendo moved the Sfamicom to the US, they propertorize the power block.
I forget, could a NES adapter be used in a genesis or vice versa. I remember the NES could take just about any adapter lying around at the time.
As far as I understand it, the NES AC Adapter outputs 9v AC, not DC. Using it with anything else is a sure fire way to short it out.