US SNES: Broken Power adapter input connector repair techniques.

I am sure many of you have seen this one before:
( sry for blury picture )



I know two ways to fix,

1. Buy a new connector plate ( or scavenge it ). HyperKin makes them nowadays it seems. They can cost 10-20$.
Result is perfect but it is expensive and can be long to install. If you have many of those to do and/or repair for resell, it will eat all your profits. So its useless.

2.Drill in the Back of the plate and install a more standard connector type ( like those used by Sega ).


I have done fix#2 in the past. I actually drilled right into the actual original power adapter hole and glued in a new ( but different type adapter connector ). ( sorry no pictures, did this for someone and no longer have the console.)

I am fine with this method however it annoys me to have to also replace the power birck connector. ( or the whole brick )

I wish there was a way to keep the original connector type without buying a new plate. Ive been trying to find if you can buy this type of connector in the internet. So far no luck.
I found this thread though, where JamTex gives some info, but cannot make use of it or know if it is reliable.
http://www.assemblergames.com/forums/showthread.php?32490-NES-and-SNES-Adaptor-Plug-Sizes

 

Last time I fixed one of these, I used a PCB mount 5.5 x 2.1 mm jack and trimmed the backplate to fit. The jack that I used actually fit into the solder pads exactly and still had tip negative polarity so I could use a model 1 Genesis PSU.

 

I did this and it worked great unless you fancy your rf unit. http://www.mmmonkey.co.uk/console/nintendo/snes-power.htm

 

Hmm yeah, I guess Ill just use a Genesis model 1 type connection. So the SNES can be used with those ubiquitous 3 in 1 cheap PSU.
Im fixing this SNES for a local game shop and they sell those 3 in 1 PSU and actually seem to like them. So they will surely like that plan.

 

That is a nice mod and hell you could even make it so standard non SNES/Genesis plugs work on in that modded addition so in case the original shits the bed like MaxWar''s first post you have a reliable alternative.

 

Installing a more standard jack is a better option to me. It gives more options when it comes to power adapters, too.

I don't get why the US SNES needed to have its own unique power adapter plug. It seems like it would have been much more cost effective to just use a standard one.

 

Also the super comboy uses the same power jack as the snes,why they decided to use it I have no idea.

 

I saw an old repair video that connected the SNES power cable using RCA jacks, of course it was only for the cable since the connector is a pain to find. Maybe you can get a through hole phono jack, put it somewhere safe on the shell and wire it up.

 

Wow, that's a surefire way to accidentally damage your TV. RCA jacks should only be used for audio or video signals, *not* power.

 

^lol agreed. Using RCA jacks on a PSU is troll work.

 

I just finished repairing the SNES trying a different technique than the last time and It turned out very well. I think I have my new Official method to fix this.

I used a female connector compatible with genesis model 1 DC adapter, but the cable version instead of the PCB or Panel mount.


I unsoldered the center pin from the SNES board, completely removed solder with wick then from the rear of the plug with thin pliers removed the broken midle metal part off the Old DC input.


This cleared the way and allowed me the drill through the old DC input, using exactly the same size drill bid as the original hole. I started with a smaller bit then moved to a larger one to make the result cleaner.


I then presoldered wire to the new prong. ( scavenged the wires from a bricked PC PSU )


I inserted the new connector in the hole. It fit in snuggly and I used 2 parts epoxy in the hole to secure it forever.


I used this little space beside the fuse to channel the wires neatly to the underside.


From there soldered wires to respective spots. Put back the console together and now it works great.

 

If you do replace the socket, make sure all products used (i.e. socket and wire) are rated for AT LEAST the current output of your PSU (1.3A, I think?). 7/0.2 (around 24AWG) is just about sufficient, but I'd probably use 16/0.2 (around 20AWG).

 

A good advice. The SNES PSU is 850 ma and the wire I used is 20 awg. But to be honest I did not check the rating of the wire before I did it. I went by intuition and by comparing with the size of the wires used for the Power switch in the console.

 

Oh, not too high a current output then! Yes, I thought yours looked to be around 20AWG. That's what I'd go for, although if it's only 850mA, you'd be fine with 24AWG.

 

Sorry to necrobump this thread but I have to chime in on my first attempt at this mod. I followed mmmmonkey's suggestion, and took out the RF port since nobody's gonna use it. I thought I wired it up correctly but I couldn't figure out why the system was not powering on. I asked another modder and I found out that my wiring was incorrect. On the DC jack, I was supposed to wire the pin directly next to the center pin, not opposite it. I hope I didn't screw over my AC adapter. The pin opposite the center pin is apparently for a battery circuit.

 

Uh? Honestly I do not understand what you did. In truth this fix is extremely straightforward. Just solder two wire with the proper polarity on the same exact spot as the original DC jack.

Talking of this fix. It seems now the availability of replacement SNES power jack plate is better, than can be had for a descent price finaly. Like 7.99 one Console5.
Back when I made this thread I could only find them for the like of 16-18$

 

I don't have another SNES power cable to spare. The one I have at work is broken, and I'm not exactly sure what's wrong it, components or transformer. So I wanted to use a Genesis/Famicom adapter.

The 2.1mm DC jack they sell on eBay has three prongs. One is center, another is the opposite polarity, and the last one (I was told) was for batteries or something. I measured the current from that third prong, and I didn't get the full 9V.

 

The third prong is because the jack socket has a switch built in. To disconnet battery supply when the adapter is connected. It should still work for your purpose, you just need two not use one of the prong. Use a multimeter to figure out which one.