[time-nuts] Thunderbolt PSU

David Ackrill dave.g0dja at tiscali.co.uk
Tue Jul 22 09:49:45 UTC 2008


The Thunderbolt arrived today.  Thanks again to all involved.

However, it looks like my PSU is faulty.

I carefully cut the outer on the cable, splayed out the coloured inner 
connectors, so as to avoid short circuits, and noticed that colours of 
the insulation on the cable cores did not match the colour code given at 
http://www.leapsecond.com/pages/tbolt/power.htm

No problem, I have a multi-meter and was trained as an electrical 
engineer so I should be able to sort out what was going on.

On plugging in a lead there was a slight 'buzz' and, on checking the 
outputs, no DC volts.  Checking the lead showed no AC volts.  So, I 
opened the plug and checked the fuse, a 3 Amp type - too big for the 
unit output really, but shouldn't have blown...

Changing the fuse for a 1 amp type, and plugging back in showed no 
output voltage again.  Checked the business end of the lead and there's 
AC volts still there.  I'm guessing, from experience of these PSUs in 
the past, that there's a fuse inside the unit which has also blown.  If 
so, I guess I have a faulty PSU?

Ah well, a trip to the local PC Store for a +12v/-12v, +5 Volt PSU I guess.

Also, I see that the antenna socket on the Thunderbolt is an F-type. 
Someone has thoughtfully provided an F-Type to BNC adapter.  However, 
the plug on the Motorola GPS antenna is an SMA type.  Ah well, I can 
make a lead which should work instead. :-)

Dave




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