• Registered: 2020-05-25
  • Posts: 6

Topic: C1 power supply question

I came across the below in the "Chumby Classic vs. Chumby One" thread and am posting it here in the hopes of clarifying something:


The original power supplies for the 'One' were made during one of the global 'bad capacitor' times, and frequently end up failing.  If you're moderately good with soldering, you can crack them open, and replace the bad caps... or take an easy to find 2+amp 5 volt USB power supply and put the plug from the chumby on it.


Is the phrase "original power supplies" synonymous with early model power supplies?

The reason I ask is because I am wondering if:

The problem of bad caps might be avoided altogether by purchasing a C1 produced late in the manufacturing cycle.

or

The problem is present in all of the C1s, and purchasing one necessitates the replacement of the caps.

  • From: Dallas, Tx
  • Registered: 2011-01-08
  • Posts: 1,262

Re: C1 power supply question

The latter.  I've fixed several.

Cleaning up any loose bits and bytes.
  • Duane
  • Duane
  • Blue Octy
  • Offline
  • From: San Diego, CA
  • Registered: 2006-08-24
  • Posts: 8,211

Re: C1 power supply question

Yes, this appears to have been a problem with *all* shipped C1 power supplies.

The manufacturer was "Shenzen Frecom Electronics Co Ltd", model "FM050020-C" (since discontinued).  I don't recall there actually being a problem with them while Chumby was in business - they apparently took a few years before they failed.

We refer to them at Blue Octy as "Type A" supplies.  Towards the end, I believe Chumby was evaluating an alternative power supply made by CUI (since discontinued), but I don't think they shipped any of them.

Nobody appears to currently make power supplies with that particular barrel connector on them, so we buy power supplies and barrel connectors and make them ourselves, we sell them as "Type D".

Duane's Website