Using Sony PSP charger / power supply to power external 3.5 inch floppy

[00WReX]

Hi All,

This may not be practical for some but I'm assuming a few people out there must have a sony PSP.

The other day it just occured to me that it is rated at 5volt 2amp (I new it but did not associate it with the floppy power requirements).

So anyway went to local electonics store and purchased a couple of switches and a female power connecter that was compatible with the male end on the PSP charger and fitted it up to an old Sony floppy drive I've had lying around for years (quick rush job, so no vey neat).


Bit neater using this power supply over an old PC supply...for anyone out the with a PSP charger, fairly neat and simply 5v supply mod.

Not really easy to see in pic and not very neat as I tried to cram it all inside the existing floppy case. Does work a treat though.

Cheers,

Shane

[Bryce]

Nice idea, but others should also first check their PSP Charger Specs first. The PSP 1001 and 2001 came with a 5V 2A supply, but the later PSP 3001 came with a 1.5A charger, so be careful you're not overloading it. It's also important that the GND of the CPC and the driver are connected somehow, otherwise the voltages aren't aligned, but in the case of a floppy there are many GND wires in the flat cable to ensure this and the floppy also won't ever use more than 1.5A.

Bryce.

[00WReX]

Actually forgot the 3000 series PSP had the 1.5amp charger.
But anyway 1.5amp is plenty.
Just gave the drive a bit of a workout  using a PSP 3000 (3002 for AU) charger.
Charger does not even get slightly warm. Can get hot charging a PSP.


Cheers,
Shane

[Bryce]

After waking up properly, I realised you were only powering the floppy with the PSP supply. the 2A version would actually power the CPC too if you wanted, but the 1.5A might be a closer call.

Bryce.

[00WReX]

Yes, only powering an external 3.5" floppy drive... Nothing else 

Cheers,
Shane

[Gryzor]

Hey, I got a couple lying around... These are quite small and no fires have been reported, so we should consider it as an alternative to the omnipresent PC PSU...

[00WReX]

Just finished formatting & verifying a heap of 3.5" disks one after the other and the PSP power supply case was cool to touch...
You would not have even known it was on...Charging the PSP definately gives it more of a workout and can get fairly warm to hot and would be more prone to being a fire hazard than powering a 3.5" floppy I think.

So all good so far, and definately nice not having the PC power supply sitting on the desk just to power a floppy drive.
The PSP charger was always sitting plugged in anyway, so kill two birds with one stone...and only use the one power socket.

Cheers,
Shane

[Bryce]

Not all floppies need just 5V though. Some need the 12V supply too, so a PC PSU would still be required in that case (or a speccy plus PSU as I use). A 5V floppy drive would never pull more than about 600mA, so your PSP supply is definitely not going to get warm

Bryce.