I recently acquired an Atari 520ST that came with no accessories or power supply. Power supplies seem to be the number one thing that is missing from most of the Atari ST auctions in the United States. While the computer was being shipped, I set out to find out a decent and affordable solution for the missing power supply. That’s when I stumbled across the “Power of Vintage” and his excellent video on building your own power supply. Link below. I really liked his project because it used minimal off-the-shelf parts, removable cables, and a 3d printed case.
I hit Amazon.com and for $55US I was able to buy all of the parts that I needed for the build. Once the parts arrived I set out to modify the 3d printed case that was featured in the video. His case was great, but I didn’t like the fact that you had to glue the top on. There were also a few other little tweaks that I made to streamline and improve the case.
If you want to build your own, here’s what you need.
- Mean Well RT-50B Power Supply with +5v, +12v, and -12v.
- Modular Power Socket with Fuse and Switch
- 7-pin DIN Female Socket Panel Mount
- 7-pin DIN Male to Female Cable
- Hook-up Wire (18 gauge is ideal)
- 3d Printer – Here is file
The heart of the whole build is the Mean Well RT-50B power supply that provides all of the needed voltages, especially the -12v. It has screw terminals and a potentiometer to adjust the 5v rail. Mean Well is well known for making excellent power supplies and this one is no exception.
One of the features that drew me to this project was the removable cords for easy storage. I have a tight space to store my retro gear so I really appreciate the ability easily store the unit without bulky cables sticking out of it. To achieve this, the project uses a removable 7-pin DIN cable and IEC power cable. Both easily purchased online.
I’m a huge 3d printing nerd and really liked the case shown in the video. Its clean lines and ease of printing really spoke to me. I added a removable lid, cradle and screw mounts for the Mean Well supply, modified the airflow grill to make it safer, and added an optional logo. It’s a great case.
If you think this project interests you, here is a step by step guide on the Tinker different forum to help you during the build.
Here are some links to get you started.
Mean Well RT-50B / 7 pin DIN Cable / 7 pin DIN socket / 3d printed Case/ AC Power and switch / Power of Vintage / Step by Step Guide
Happy Tinkering.
Rick