16 Nov
2004
16 Nov
'04
10:16 a.m.
It takes about 5 minutes to test a PUS on dummy
load. No longer.
...if you have Tony Duell's workshop and tools available.
I, for example, have few suitable dummy loads at hand. I have a load
resistor which came form an old Sun (4 ohms), though I'm not sure
whether it's between 5V and ground or 12V and ground - it I suspect the
latter, since it looks more like 36W than 6=BCW. (It could even be
between 5V and 12V from what I can tell, though that would be Weird.)
I would be _very_ suprised if it was the last of those!
I actually do not even have a reliable voltmeter, much less the
properly working oscilloscope I'd want to check things like ripple.
However, I am not sure I'm happy with that. Most hobbies require you to
have some equipment, and IMHO a basic toolkit, basic test gear (which
would include a good multimeter and probably a 'scope), some
special-purpose units, etc are essential for classic computing.
Rmemebr that most computers run off 5V and maybe 12V. You don't need that
many dummy loads!. An assortment of car bulbs (and holders if you don't
want to solder wires driectly to the bulb caps) is a good start.
-tony