ACA500+ and read/write error

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Don't Panic. Please wash hands.

    Hello!


    I am looking for help with my newly acquired ACA500+ card. Just to clarify, I’m not the first owner of the card, I bought it used, but I have the February 2023 invoice.

    I use it on an my A500 rev 6A, with an internal gotek, floppy in df1: and memory extension 512k


    The problem is that as soon as I plug in the ACA500+, everything becomes unstable (guru,software failure.etc..) and especially my gotek like floppy in df1 make me read/write perpetual error (or checksum error, error 9728,etc...)
    This is very similar to the user problem of this post (https://forum.icomp.de/index.php?thread/2836-aca500plus-instability-issues/)

    I tried everything in the menus, updated the menu, remove the memory extension, remove gotek, df1, try on a second A500 (rev6a too). In short, I have tried everything for a week but nothing works. I have the original Amiga PSU, and I also tested with a second PSU but the problem remains the same. I specify that if I disconnect the ACA500+, everything is perfectly functional (and no more read/write error on df1 or gotek)


    Maybe my card is defective? Do you have any idea?


    Thank you all…

    Quote from Tolkien

    I’m not the first owner of the card, I bought it used, but I have the February 2023 invoice.

    We should double-check the Warranty ID - this will tell us if the invoice really applies to the card you've bought. People sometimes pull off weird stunts to make things look more valuable on auction sites.


    Quote from Tolkien

    I have the original Amiga PSU,

    What type? There are several different ones with different power outputs. Also, after all these years, you might want to re-cap the unit, no matter what type.

    Quote from Tolkien

    and I also tested with a second PSU

    Please read our PSU FAQ for more details. There are way too many actually unsuitable units out there that are sold with false advertising. AKA: Just adding a connector that fits an Amiga will not make it a suitable Amiga power supply.


    What you're describing may be just an overclocking issue. Please make sure to reset everything to factory settings, set the max. frequency to 14MHz and see if the problem remains.


    Jens

    Hello Jens !


    Thank you for your answer. Regarding your questions, I attach two photos in answer: One of my card with its sticker of guarantee, and another with the characteristics of the PSU of my amiga 500 (the second one I tested is also this model, with the same characteristics). these two power supplies were never opened, nor therefore recaped.


    for info, I ordered a new PSU (from another trader than you...sorry I had planned to buy this before the purchase of ACA500+ ) whose features are :

    • Power: 55W

    • Input: 110/230V (universal: from 90V to 264V AC).

    • Output (nominal): 5V/4.0A, 12V/2.0A, -12V/0.50A.

    • Output (max peak, 10 seconds): 5V/4.4A, 12V/2.2A, -12V/0.55A.

    • AC power cable length: 1,5m.

    • Amiga power cable length: 0,6m.

    • Protections: short circuit / overload / over voltage

    • Cooling: by free air convection

    • Internal PSU standards: CE, RoHs, UL60950-1/EC60950-1/EN60950-1 ITE safety approved, ANSI/AAMI ES60601-1 and IEC/EN60601-1.

    • Enclosure standards: RoHs, IP30, UL 94 Classification HB

    • Operating altitude: 3000 meters

    • Working temperature: -20 ~ +65°C

    • Working humidity: 20 ~ 90% RH non-condensing

    • Ultra low leakage current: <150µA

    I haven’t received it yet.


    And concerning the overclocking of the card, I tested all possible speeds, and I set all the menus in 7mhz to be sure that this does not come from there.

    Thank you for asking about my problem!

    Quote from Tolkien

    I haven’t received it yet.

    You should cancel that order and refuse to accept the parcel. It is obviously based on a MenWell chassis, and that's exactly the type of PSU I've been preaching to avoid at all cost.


    MeanWell chassis are OK for local loads, but they aren't for distant loads. With the long cable and connector in between, the load becomes distant, but the PSU chassis will regulate for a local load. This means that an expanded Amiga will always be unstable - more unstable than with the original PSU.


    As a result, you have to judge this type of PSU as "not suitable for an Amiga". If it is advertised as that, it's false advertising. Last time I checked, this was illegal.


    Warranty ID 5TC5D has indeed been delivered this February. If you've bought it, I recommend to also get a document from the seller that he'll sign over the warranty to you, otherwise only the original customer can make a warranty claim.


    Jens

    Thank you Jens for your help and response.


    on your advice, and as I have not received it, I will now cancel my order for this PSU and wait until yours is in stock


    and for the warranty, I have the original invoice for the purchase of the ACA500+ card by the original owner.


    What do you suggest I do about it?

    Hello everyone,


    I'm back with news. I finally received my new psu yesterday. It was too late to cancel my order... suddenly I told myself that for the sake of conscience i was going to test it before sending it back.


    And what a surprise! with this new psu, no problem with my Aca500+ ! No more read errors on the gotek/df1, no more system instability, and everything works (even overclocking!)


    So it's a mystery.., My Aca500+ does not work with 2 old original Amiga psu, but works with a freshly new psu. I think people who have problems with this card should try with another power supply just in case. Anyway, problem solved on my side, and thank you all for your feedback!

    Quote from Tolkien

    I think people who have problems with this card should try with another power supply just in case.

    That's a recurring theme in this support forum. Mainly with bad PSUs that use a MeanWell chassis and no cable drop compensation.


    Jens

    Quote from Tolkien

    So it's a mystery.., My Aca500+ does not work with 2 old original Amiga psu, but works with a freshly new psu. I think people who have problems with this card should try with another power supply just in case. Anyway, problem solved on my side, and thank you all for your feedback!

    Many of these original PSUs now has leaky caps. Especially the small caps. I always recap my original commodore PSUs. One of them caused noise in the picture and had this fish smell to it as it got hot. I recapped it and everything was okay again. Seen several with leaky caps. These are now over 30 years old.

    Confirmed - I do like the old PSUs, but after all these years, the electrolytic caps need to be replaced for new ones. Please make sure that the voltage/capacity rating is *identical*, but the temperature rating should be as high as possible (ideally 105 degrees Celsius), as that will ensure long life.


    Jens