[Coco] Caring for a CoCo

[Frank Swygert]

Sounds like the CoCo PS may have been upgraded, probably a bigger transformer and some heavier duty components, but may have just been replaced as you suspect. Without a standard one beside it there's no way to be sure... or a nice photo of the PS area on yours...

D/L "Tandy's Little Wonder" from the list archive site -- it's in the Farna directory. It has the instructions to remove the CoCo PS and install an external PS. If you just removed the transformer and used a wall-wart instead that would remove a substantial amount of heat. A small fan over the vents or on the side would work, as well as the suggestion of just a small desktop fan blowing over it. I've seen little 2" or so fans bolted to the left side with a hole cut into the case. I don't know if the PS would power it, but the fan does allow the PS to do a little more work without overheating. Most use an external power source for the fan -- a wall-wart or wire running over to the drive PS. If you have one of the last Tandy drive setups you'd be taxing that PS by adding a fan too though! The early ones with a big wall-wart type transformer hanging on the back (not a real wall-wart!) were made for the old power hungry full height drives -- they have power to spare assuming the drive has been replaced. Even two half height drives don't take as much power as one of the old full heights! 

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Date: Thu, 19 Nov 2009 03:55:46 -0500
From: Aaron Wolfe <aawolfe at gmail.com>

I think I will explore the option of a small fan like those found on
some CPU heatsinks.  Probably have one around somewhere and it sounds
like the general consensus is that reducing the heat would be a good
thing.

My main/dev CoCo is one I bought on ebay, premodified in a number of
ways, 6309 and some other handmade improvements.  It runs very well
but some strange things have happened inside.  The power button has
been replaced with a wire nut somehow (works fine) and the power cord
replaced with a heavier and 3 pronged cord.  From these changes and
the newish appearance of the components in the power supply, I think
it may have been replaced or serviced in recent years.  Sounds like
that's a good thing, if true.

-- 
Frank Swygert
Publisher, "American Motors Cars" 
Magazine (AMC)
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