13 replies to this topic

[Tupin]

My 7800 has worked fine ever since I got it three years ago, and it just stopped working. The light does not turn on when the power button is pressed. What should I look at?

[Itchy Koala]

My educated guess would be to crack it open and check the solder points around the power jack, its possible the jack has lost connection.

[Tr3vor]

maybe the power cable broke...

[Mitch]

Bad power supply or bad voltage regulator would be my two first guess's. If you have a volt-meter it should be easy to test.

Mitch

[Underball]

Oxidation on the power switch.

[Rex Dart]

I'm guessing the switch... they're not exactly crap, but they seem to be the first to go.

[Underball]

Rex Dart, on Wed Mar 30, 2011 7:42 AM, said:

I'm guessing the switch... they're not exactly crap, but they seem to be the first to go.

yep.

Try opening it up, and touch the contacts for the switch together with the end of a metal screwdriver, and see if that jolts it on. That will tell you if it's the switch or not.

If not, it's probably the voltage regulator. that's attached to the little metal heatsink behind the cart slot. Unfortunately, the VR is too close to the Cart guid outer cup, and the prongs from the Voltage Regulator can get broken as they constantly get bent back and forth from carts being wiggled around in the cart slot.

[Tupin]

Nothing with the switch. The voltage regulator has no legs broken.

[oldjd]

You may want to check the plastic"rod"that depresses the power switch.I have seen them so worn down,they wont engage the power.

[eddhead]

Hey, don't know if you ever figured it out Tupin, but if not all my money's on a faulty AC adapter. Every 7800 owner I've ever known (including myself) has had it happen to them at least once.

A guy on eBay makes new 7800 AC adapters. They're reasonably priced (though they were quite a bit cheaper last time I checked) and I've had mine for over a year with no problems!

eBay Auction -- Item Number: 370232403538

Good luck!!

[toiletunes]

...Or you can buy the same thing direct

http://www.atariguid...re/products.htm

edit: it looks like the same guy (atariguide) but whoa-

ebay price $18.99 + 6.00 shipping

direct price $11.99 w/free shipping

holy markup, batman

Edited by toiletunes, Tue May 24, 2011 8:19 AM.

[ATARI7800fan]

sorry to hear that happened.

[ApolloBoy]

Tupin, on Thu Mar 31, 2011 9:40 PM, said:

Nothing with the switch. The voltage regulator has no legs broken.

Voltage regulators often die because they burn out, not because they're physically broken. Do you have a multimeter? Check the output leg of the 7805 with a multimeter and see if it's putting out 5V.

[Koopa64]

You can get new 7805s off Mouser Electronics. I got 5 of them in case I ever need some regulated 5 volts.