6 Feb
2015
6 Feb
'15
12:23 p.m.
I picked up a "large" machine* (for certain definitions of large) that's
It's not that large. Or at least mine isn't, Deskside, really.
I don't know if this machine works, and I'd
rather not invest in 220V
wiring quite yet unless it does. And, let's face it, I'm spoiled and I
demand instant gratification and I'd like to know as soon as possible if
this machine is a basket case or not.
FWIW, mine currently has PSU problems (which is why I was given it). The
choppers are dead short all ways round. But it is a fairly conventional SMPSU
in there, albeit a large one (750W? 1kW?). You may be able to reconfigure it
for 115V mains, but watch out for the fans
So: since all this stuff is in the basement, I'm
just about 15 feet
away from the dryer, which at first glance runs off an outlet that meets
my needs. I even have a NEMA 10-30p plug here that I could wire up to
the existing power cable for the computer. But looking into it I have
doubts that it's actually that simple; in particular since this house
was built well before 1996 and so the outlet is not grounded; there's a
neutral lug and two hot lugs (I assume two 120V A/C lines out of phase?)
and I'm guessing that might not sit well with the power supply in this
computer.
This will not meet any kind of electrical code, but it should be OK for testing...
The DAP doesb't care that the 230V is centre-tapped to ground (in fact that is
expected in the States). The ground to the case is a safety ground only.
So I would first check you get 230V (or so) between the 2 'hot' pins of the dryer
socket. If so, then wire up a kludge cable that connects those to the power pins
of the DAP and the ground pin to a good local ground (if necessary the ground
pin of a normal 115V socket outlet). This would allow you to power up the machine.
* An AMT DAP 610, if you must ask. It's an array
processor from the
late 80s, with 64x64 1-bit processors. If the machine doesn't run I'm
Is it as many as that? I thought mine was 32*32, but maybe you have a bigger
machine. Mine says DAP610 on it.
I only have user manuals, but I have thought about trying to figure out the hardware
at some point. Maybe I will manage it.
pretty much SOL for spare parts, schematics, service
manuals, or
anything beyond customer-level documentation (which I've recently
scanned, btw, if anyone's curious...)
-tony