Power Adapter Splitter?

[Shane#]

Hi, ive just moved into a new big place, and am attempting to get all my consoles setup with av switchers and have them plugged into a power strip..  The old consoles are always a problem wth the big brick adapters! so i was wondering if anyone has thought of making a power splitter?  Like the T Adapter for the FDS, but to allow for even more outputs..  My idea was to get a project box and inside, do the proper wiring.  Between my Japanese Snes and Doctor V6, Genesis, 32X, Sega CD, and Famicom/FDS alone, is like 7 systems using the same power adapter! so if i could run them all from the same one (obviously not at the same time) that would be alot more efficient, and tidy! Im not sure wheather i should just use one and split it, or if it will be straining on it to run multiple systems, and or be possible to do so.. then again i know it will work using 2, especially if i use a switch, which i probly should anyways..  So ya, anyone tried or thought of this idea?  Any suggestions would be great!  Thanks!

-Shane

[Xious]

This is not advisable for a variety of reasons; I can see why you want to simplify your cable situation, but honestly, you'd be better just sticking to one power supply per system.

If you really wish to go ahead with this, you can buy the power connectors and wire up series of them, connected to a central hub, with a power-in line on a rotary switch. That's the most-reliable and safest way to do this. 

[satoshi_matrix]

You can't do that, but you can replace the adapters with modern ones which are much smaller physically. Today's power supply units provide regulated voltage, which those old power supplies didn't. For example, most (all?) of the systems you mentioned there work off 5v DC, but their original power supplies are rated for 9v DC. The voltage would be regulated and converted down to 5v via the voltage regulator in the system. Just check ebay, or perhaps a parts supplier and order up all the replacement PSUs you need and the biggest one you'll find is going to be half the size of what you've got now.

Just make sure you pay close attention to polarity!

[Shane#]

Ok, i know what power regulators are, and some basic electronics, but how exactly would it be a problem? it seems to me that it would be no different then using an extention cord, which was my backup plan, to make better use of the plugins on my strips..  It would still be ONE adapter for unit, but with a couple extra inches of wire, and a switch between it and the system..  I have an old VGA selector, and the internals are simply just a rotary switch, and point to point wiring, no circuites, regulators or resistors! I figured my chains of signals would be something like this:

(2) Sega M1 9vDC adapters, plugged into a HUB through a proper input jack, isolated from eachother (not one adapter split)
from those inputs, wired and isolated to a rotary switch, with say, 4 output options.
both isolated outputs to proper individual jacks
2.1mm double ended barrel wires hooked up to each (2) systems at a time..

so this would bring my cramping and tangling down to just 2 adapters..  So how is this a problem feeding power to the systems? It sounds to me like you both thought i wanted to use 1 to power all of them, 2 or 3 at a time.  I understand thats easily a problem, and it doesnt sound like your referring to a fire hazzard, but how it would either not function, or damage the systems..  So if you can help me gain some new knowledge in this area, that would be great! i figured this would be doable, i asked this question more to see if anyone had some efficient ideas to offer, but if im completely wrong here, assure me of

[Xious]

Adapting that rotary switchbox should be fine, as it prevents the spillage that may occur if you were to just daisy-chained barrel-couplets together on one PSU.

You could even get fancy and add a set of LEDs on the switchbox with labels (for each system) so that you know which one is powered by an illuminated indicator.