Famicom Disk System Battery Life

[satoshi_matrix]

You don't need to use a FDS specific ac adapter. Assuming you live in a part of the world that uses 120v AC, just buy a universal ac adapter (the kind with like twelve different plugs) with a polarity switch. I don't remember which polarity it uses, but it should say on the bottom of the unit.

[Trium Shockwave]

It actually doesn't say on the FDS itself that I can find. That'd be annoying if you got one without its original power supply.

The output on the included adapter is 9V, 400mA, center negative

[Bobinsky]

1A = 1000mA, right?

[ericj]

Yes, sir! 

[Bobinsky]

whats the diameter of the famicom ac adapter plug?

do they need to be exactly the same or can you use something similar?

EDIT: Removed double post.  --JC

[133MHz]

FDS plug diameter is a little bigger than the Famicom one, so a Famicom adapter or a universal one would work perfectly on a FDS.

[Bobinsky]

do you know the exact outer and inner diameter of the famicom ac adapter?

[133MHz]

I'd have to get a microcaliper to measure that. I can get you an answer tomorrow or on Jan 1st if my uncle lends me his.

[nurd]

Can you not just use batteries?

[Rogles]

It takes like 6 C batteries...

[nurd]

Yeah?

Why not do that?

[SeanOrange]

Bobinsky!  I'm sorry I wasn't able to answer your question.  I did write it down, though, and I plan to answer it in one of our upcoming Denshimail segments!

I want to experimentally test the assertation about the RAM cartridge.  I suspected when Bobinsky asked me this question that the battery was just for reading/writing the disk and sending the data to the RAM cart, but I also wondered if it was more than a datalink.  It's really as easy as unplugging it while a game is in operation, but I still want to do it to test for sure.

Knowing all this makes the batteries seem much less of an insane option (certainly more sane than taking up an entire plug or three -- since the adapter might cover one up).  Since I want to get batteries for the test, I might as well keep them in there until they run out! :O

[Trium Shockwave]

I actually tried that out. The game will continue to run until you reach a point where it would need to load again, then you get a Disk Set Error. I don't think the RAM cart can tell the difference between there not being a disk in the FDS, and it being disconnected. Also, because of the way things shipped, I actually got my RAM cart a day or two before the FDS itself. For curiosity's sake, I stuck the RAM cart in my Famicom and it did the "Please Set Disk Card" demo screen just as if the FDS was present and waiting for a disk.

[133MHz]

Correct, the RAM cart itself runs off the +5 volts from the Famicom's cart connector.
The batteries are used to move the drive motor and nothing else.

Since the disk drive is used in short bursts, the batteries should last a pretty long time.

[manuel]

Yay, another mystery solved! 

So... would it be plain impossible to move the drive motor with the power from the cart connector?