C64-Power-Saver
About the C64-Power-Saver PCB
C64-Power-Saver is an open source PCB design by tebl, published on GitHub. It is a 2-layer board measuring 64.1 × 39.4 mm, with 16 components from 12 distinct parts.
By type, the board carries 5 resistors, 4 diodes, 2 transistors, 2 connectors, 1 buzzer and 1 fuse.
It belongs with the retro computing designs in this gallery.
From the project
C64 power supplies are ancient, they go bad every day so use protection!
Why you'd need one in the first place, you say? Basically, Commodore intended the computer to live a maximum of 5-6 years and so the components chosen reflected this - no thought went into considering what happens past this point. Now that it's 30 years later we know that the 5v regulator has a tendency to short out input and output voltage, meaning that those sensitive 5v chips will intermittenly, or sometimes even permanently, end up getting something like two or three times that... enough to melt that precious silicon! Your options are either to get a brand new power supply or combine your…
C64-Power-Saver bill of materials (BOM)
16 components, 12 distinct parts.
| Qty | Part | Footprint | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | PN2222A | TO-92_Inline_Wide | Q1, Q2 |
| 1 | OUTPUT | OUTPUT_ZIP | J1 |
| 1 | DIN-7 | C64_PWR | J5 |
| 1 | Buzzer | Buzzer_12x9.5RM7.6 | BZ1 |
| 1 | 1.5A | Fuseholder5x20_horiz_SemiClosed_Casing10x25mm | F1 |
| 1 | SANYOU_SRD_Form_C | Relay_SPDT_SANYOU_SRD_Series_Form_C | K1 |
| 1 | 1N4732A | D_T-1_P10.16mm_Horizontal | D1 |
| 1 | 1N4148 | D_DO-35_SOD27_P10.16mm_Horizontal | D2 |
| 1 | OK | LED_D5.0mm | D3 |
| 1 | BAD | LED_D5.0mm | D4 |
| 4 | 470 | R_Axial_DIN0207_L6.3mm_D2.5mm_P10.16mm_Horizontal | R1, R2, R4, R5 |
| 1 | 2k2 | R_Axial_DIN0207_L6.3mm_D2.5mm_P10.16mm_Horizontal | R3 |
C64-Power-Saver design files
The KiCad project lives in the tebl/C64-Power-Saver repository on GitHub; these links point at the commit this page was built from.
C64-Power-Saver: common questions
How big is the C64-Power-Saver PCB?
The C64-Power-Saver measures 64.1 × 39.4 mm, has 2 copper layers and is 1.6 mm thick.
How many components are on the C64-Power-Saver?
16 components, from 12 distinct parts. The full bill of materials is listed on this page.
Where can I download the C64-Power-Saver design files?
From the tebl/C64-Power-Saver repository on GitHub, which has the KiCad layout; the links under Design files point to each one.
Can I use the C64-Power-Saver design in my own project?
The repository has no license, so all rights stay with tebl. Use it as a reference, and ask the author before reusing the design.
Similar boards
OpenTendo
Redherring32
196.3 × 118.7 mm93 parts2LTAPR-OHL-1.0850
MCL86jr
MicroCoreLabs
56.1 × 57.1 mm66 parts4LNo license532
24pin flex interposer
Wren6991
29 × 32 mm3 parts2LNo license508
Sram dev board
50 × 50 mm12 parts2LNo license508
TRS-80 Color Computer 3
baldengineer
280 × 155.3 mm204 parts2LCC-BY-4.0442
Commodore Plus 4
284.7 × 158.9 mm212 parts2LCC-BY-4.0442