Alphacom 32 PSU?

Discussions about Sinclair ZX80 and ZX81 Hardware
Lardo Boffin
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Alphacom 32 PSU?

Post by Lardo Boffin »

As well as a slightly bashed ZX81 (viewtopic.php?p=43002#p43002) I also got an Alphacom 32 printer:
0F636BAB-30D7-453C-8A3E-C1F9E2DA6A22.jpeg

Does that look like the correct ratings on the PSU?

If I am reading the label correctly the output is AC and therefore it doesn’t matter which way round the wires are connected to the ‘chocolate block’?

Many thanks.
ZX80
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McKlaud
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Re: Alphacom 32 PSU?

Post by McKlaud »

Yes, the PSU should be just a transformer. I've got Alphacom 32 with a 24Vac rated brick.
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1024MAK
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Re: Alphacom 32 PSU?

Post by 1024MAK »

Err, have a look at this topic...

And yes, for the output of a low voltage transformer (which is all the PSU is), it does not normally matter which way round you connect the wires. Although connecting both wires together from the PSU will not end well... :lol:

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Lardo Boffin
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Re: Alphacom 32 PSU?

Post by Lardo Boffin »

Thanks all! Will try not to connect them together. :lol:
ZX80
ZX81 iss 1 (bugged ROM, kludge fix, normal, rebuilt)
TS 1000 iss 3, ZXPand AY and +, ZX8-CCB, ZX-KDLX & ChromaSCART
Tatung 81 + Wespi
TS 1500 & 2000
Spectrum 16k (iss 1 s/n 862)
Spectrum 48ks plus a DIVMMC future and SPECTRA
Lardo Boffin
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Re: Alphacom 32 PSU?

Post by Lardo Boffin »

The self test is fine!

6B2093F0-BA96-4225-832A-29668B5D2861.jpeg
ZX80
ZX81 iss 1 (bugged ROM, kludge fix, normal, rebuilt)
TS 1000 iss 3, ZXPand AY and +, ZX8-CCB, ZX-KDLX & ChromaSCART
Tatung 81 + Wespi
TS 1500 & 2000
Spectrum 16k (iss 1 s/n 862)
Spectrum 48ks plus a DIVMMC future and SPECTRA
Lardo Boffin
Posts: 2160
Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2016 2:42 am

Re: Alphacom 32 PSU?

Post by Lardo Boffin »

And so is printing!

BA6F36C2-BA3C-4140-85ED-5BE22DE92D3C.jpeg
ZX80
ZX81 iss 1 (bugged ROM, kludge fix, normal, rebuilt)
TS 1000 iss 3, ZXPand AY and +, ZX8-CCB, ZX-KDLX & ChromaSCART
Tatung 81 + Wespi
TS 1500 & 2000
Spectrum 16k (iss 1 s/n 862)
Spectrum 48ks plus a DIVMMC future and SPECTRA
Moggy
Posts: 3231
Joined: Wed Jun 18, 2008 2:00 pm

Re: Alphacom 32 PSU?

Post by Moggy »

Cracking little printers that you can still bulk buy paper for. I have two of them still going strong after thirty odd years unlike Sinclairs mechanical abortion of which I have half a dozen demics in a box that couldn't list a program in anger without falling to bits and thirty rolls of paper( it was forty but I swapped Paul from the German forum 10 rolls for some German beer when I last met up with him )bought in the optimistic hope the printers might last long enough to do something useful.. :lol:
Lardo Boffin
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Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2016 2:42 am

Re: Alphacom 32 PSU?

Post by Lardo Boffin »

Moggy wrote: Fri May 28, 2021 11:40 pm Cracking little printers that you can still bulk buy paper for. I have two of them still going strong after thirty odd years unlike Sinclairs mechanical abortion of which I have half a dozen demics in a box that couldn't list a program in anger without falling to bits and thirty rolls of paper( it was forty but I swapped Paul from the German forum 10 rolls for some German beer when I last met up with him )bought in the optimistic hope the printers might last long enough to do something useful.. :lol:
:D

The only thing I don’t like about them is all the metal bits underneath the connector that bunch up and go out of shape when you plug them into the zeddy.
ZX80
ZX81 iss 1 (bugged ROM, kludge fix, normal, rebuilt)
TS 1000 iss 3, ZXPand AY and +, ZX8-CCB, ZX-KDLX & ChromaSCART
Tatung 81 + Wespi
TS 1500 & 2000
Spectrum 16k (iss 1 s/n 862)
Spectrum 48ks plus a DIVMMC future and SPECTRA
Moggy
Posts: 3231
Joined: Wed Jun 18, 2008 2:00 pm

Re: Alphacom 32 PSU?

Post by Moggy »

All courtesy of our Colonial cousins and creators of the printer who's FCC governing body insistied on some form of grounding strips between the zeddy and the printer to get rid of radio interference, which I hacked off on my two as they were a bloody pain in the rear(sorry purists).

If you ever take apart the bit that plugs into the zeddy you will find it silvered like the American zeddy cases.
Lardo Boffin
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Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2016 2:42 am

Re: Alphacom 32 PSU?

Post by Lardo Boffin »

Think I will be hacking those off as well!

Does the Alphacom PSU have a plug / socket between the transformer and printer? Or is it a direct link like the Timex?

I would like to replace this:
E3A7E2EF-A78E-49B3-9989-AA1414FA2C3D.jpeg

but ideally use the same size as the standard if there is one (in case I come across a PSU that is not held together by tape…)

Thanks!
ZX80
ZX81 iss 1 (bugged ROM, kludge fix, normal, rebuilt)
TS 1000 iss 3, ZXPand AY and +, ZX8-CCB, ZX-KDLX & ChromaSCART
Tatung 81 + Wespi
TS 1500 & 2000
Spectrum 16k (iss 1 s/n 862)
Spectrum 48ks plus a DIVMMC future and SPECTRA
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