PC Engine Duo stepdown transformer

[crunky]

Hey everyone,
I did a quick search here and noticed plenty of recommendations for using stepdown converters, but I'm not quite sure what I need. I looks like all the ones I'm looking at do 110V not 100V. Is this going to be fine for me anyway or do I need to find one that specifies 100V?

It is on its way from Japan right now with the original 100V power supply.

http://www.amazon.com/TriGear-100W-Voltage-Transformer-Converter/dp/B00B90W6MA/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1386314385&sr=8-8 was cheap and got good ratings so I was hoping it would work for me.

Thanks in advance. I would really like to spend as little as possible

[Ji-L87]

I've been using this one for about 3 years now without any problems with PCE, Saturn & other import consoles that would otherwise blow up if connected directly to our wall sockets here.

It's 110V as well so I think the one you linked should be fine 



Hopefully

[crunky]

Thanks... I should mention I'm in the USA so I need it to convert to USA 120V!

[Nazi NecroPhile]

You don't need anything in the US.  My PC-FX, Duo RX, CG, and briefcase setup all work fine with their Japanese original power supplies sans converter.

[turboswimbz]

You don't need anything in the US.  My PC-FX, Duo RX, CG, and briefcase setup all work fine with their Japanese original power supplies sans converter.

Same here.  Never had a problem, stays cooler than my laptoppy supply too.

[crunky]

Thanks. Even though it's a doujindance recapped system I wanted to be extra careful with it since the audio hardware can act up if the voltage regulator is getting too hot.

So I can just use the 100V PSU? Would it be better for me to find a 120V PSU with the same specs? I just want to keep the voltage regulator from running hotter than it needs to.

[esteban]

Not to be a broken record, but I have used nearly all of the PCE hardware, for years, with original power supplies with absolutely no problems here in the motherf*ckin' U.S. Of A.

SuperCD
PCE (white)
PCE (core)
DUO
GT (AC adapter)

 

[pixeljunkie]

Same here. No converters. Been that way for years with heavy play.

I think the power supplies even say they are capable of handling the US juice iirc?

[PunkCryborg]

just plug it in and play dude stop worrying so much. Even if something does break you got lots of repair dudes here. Is this one a RGB modded unit? I got mine from Doujindance in 2010 I think, the RGB looks awesome!

[thesteve]

The supply is the same, just marked different
That's why the us one has a higher output spec 2

[csgx1]

Like everyone suggests, a step down converter is not necessary in the US for 100v adapter. 

I do use a converter since I got one with a group of used gaming stuff that I bought.  I also found one cheap at a thrift store.

/2ib0p74.jpg

[crunky]

Hmm, I'm rethinking if I need one

I was playing my Duo for a good 45 minutes to an hour before I went to change discs, when I did I noticed the Duo was getting pretty warm around the Duo logo area. After trying to swap discs, everything I put in would get read by the audio CD player.

I am currently letting it cool down but it seriously is getting too warm for me to think it's safe to use with the 100V adapter in a 120V outlet.

EDIT: I let it cool down for about an hour and it worked perfectly fine again So I'm thinking I need to do something about the power supply situation? I know PC Engines, finicky as they are, are usually just fine with 120v power, but the non-R/RX Duos are very very picky!

[Keith Courage]

I was always under the assumption that if it would hurt anything it would be the AC adapter itself not the system. So nothing to worry about. PC engine DUOS all get hot around the logo area. That is where the heat-sinks are for the voltage regulators. This is normal.

[crunky]

Normally I wouldnt not mind too much that the console itself was getting hot, but it seems to impact CD drive performance. As in, if it's getting hot after about an hour of play, I need to let it be turned off and cool down before it'll read a game properly again.

[Opethian]

that's a problem will all DUOs

[crunky]

oh okay, i wasn't sure if it was, between doujindance warnings against 120v and the overheating i decided it was probably that, i assumed doujindance repair would have fixed that or something.

[Nazi NecroPhile]

that's a problem will all DUOs

I've yet to need a cool down period for either of my Duos for them to read properly.

[Opethian]

I meant the heat to the left of the cdrom that happens on all duos

the cd not reading after a while that's new to me...

[Bernie]

Yeah, take our word for it man.  These guys wouldnt lead ya in the wrong way.  Just use the stock adapters with no converters.  Hell, even when you buy a replacement from retrogamecave, the Japanese and USA units are the same.

[crunky]

I definitely believe/appreciate all the help so far. It's just the weird CD reading thing that threw me off really.

[Keith Courage]

If the CD drive is having issues after warming up then the motherboard either needs some new capacitors or possibly just a minor potentiometer adjustment for the CD drive.