Custom Gamecube Regulator!! Wiikey Fusion/WODE compatible!!!

LOCtronicz

Formerly known as zenloc
The individual voltage lines on the GC draw as follows:

1,9v (GPU) - 3.4 Amps
1.9v (CPU) - 3.1 Amps
3,3v - 0.8 Amps
5.0v - 0.3 Amps (note that the 5v line is ONLY used for the disc drive motor,5v memorycard line and 5v rumble line for controllers nothing else!!!)
12.0v - 0.05 Amps (without fan, sound only!)

First off let's start with the original regulator. 10.2v is the lowest the board can handle and still work correctly didn't test how high it can go but it can reach above 20v no problem. I have done many tests with a switchable lab power supply and have come to the following conclusions:

10.2v - 1.7 Amps (min) 1.8 Amps (max)
11.1v - 1.5 Amps (min) 1.6 Amps (max)
12.0v - 1.4 Amps (min) 1.5 Amps (max)
14.8v - 1.2 Amps (min) 1.3 Amps (max)

This is with the 12v line of the regulator board connected to sound. If you don't connect 12v and use the 5v line as SS has found out if will slightly up the draw but it has very little effect in actual playing time. So I would just leave it connected to the 12v line.

Now for my custom regulator. It can go as low as 5v and still function properly. Also the V input is connected to sound. Making it get the highest possible voltage. It can take 5v but it doesn't always sound that good. Not every GC likes it at low voltages so it is recommended to give it the highest voltage possible. So we have the following:

5.0v - 3.4 Amps (min) 3.5 Amps (max)
7.4v - 2.3 Amps (min) 2.4 Amps (max)
10.2v - 1.7 Amps (min) 1.8 Amps (max)
11.1v - 1.5 Amps (min) 1.6 Amps (max)
12.0v - 1.4 Amps (min) 1.5 Amps (max)
14.8v - 1.2 Amps (min) 1.3 Amps (max)

14cd455.jpg

Check out this video of it in action! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbGlRTaqVb4

As you can see my regulator is as efficient as the original one with the given voltages and it can take lower ones. You can get all the regulators as sample so it doesn't even cost you that much. Just a few little components.

Parts used are :

1.9v - PTR08100W + 903 Ohm resisitor and 2x 100uF caps
3.4v - PTH08080W + 1.87 kOhm resisitor and 2x 100uF caps (1 cap on the output line is optional and not needed)
5v - PTH08080W + 348 Ohm resistor and 2x 100uF caps (1 cap on the output line is optional and not needed)

d6zco.jpg


Note you can use TI regulators for the 3.4v and 5v line. I just use these switching regulators cause they produce less heat.


------------------WiiKey Fusion/WODE REGULATOR---------------


Ok I have some great news! With my newest regulator for a WiiKey Fusion or WODE. The gamecube will draw a total of 1.7A (a bit lower in game) on 7.4v. This is the lowest I can get it with everything working 100%.

Let me explain:

The GPU takes 1.8v originally. I was able to power it of 1.7v while still working correctly. Drawing 3A at 1.7v
The CPU takes 1.55v originally. I was able to power it of 1.5v while still working correctly. Drawing 2.2A at 1.5v
The 3.3v line will stay the same as putting a lower voltage in won't make any difference in amp draw. Drawing 0.8A at 3.3v

By using a PTR08060 or PTR08100 for the 1.7v line
a PTH08080 or PTH08000 for the 1.5v line
and another PTH08080 or PTH08000 for the 3.3v line
we now have the possibility to bring down the total amp draw!!!

PTR08060 and PTR08100 need 100uF caps on output and input. PTH08080 and PTH08000 only need 100uf caps on input.

Following my diagram below you will be able to see which resistors you need to get the appropriate voltage.
diagramresistors.png

The other regulators on this diagram are for powering the cube of a single 3.7v battery. Amp draw is not as effecient as 7.4v so not really worth your time.

The total draw of running the cube of these 3 regulators is 1.7A (a bit lower in game). If you don't want to bother with 2 separate regulators for the CPU and GPU. You can use the PTR08060 or PTR08100 on 1.7v to power both chips. The difference in total draw is 0.2A. As running it of those 2 regulators will give you a total of 1.9A on 7.4v

It's your choice. Note that the draw of the WODE and WiiKey chips have to be added. I still need to measure those.
 
Re: New Custom Gamecube Regulator! Updated!!! GC Power Draw!!!

So, your new one uses switching regulators and uses less power than the old one?
EDIT
If it's the same, what is the use of this regulator?
 
Re: New Custom Gamecube Regulator! Updated!!! GC Power Draw!!!

It can take lower voltages so you can use a 7.2V battery :D
 
Re: New Custom Gamecube Regulator! Updated!!! GC Power Draw!!!

It's beautiful. I like the compact design; does it seem to generate any heat?
 
Re: New Custom Gamecube Regulator! Updated!!! GC Power Draw!!!

When powered of 7.4v it doesn't get that hot. Slighty warm I would say. Ofcourse by putting in a higher voltage it would generate more heat. In this case the lower the voltage the less the heat.

The whole use of this is indeed to power it off a 7.4v battery. Making your portable smaller.
 
Re: New Custom Gamecube Regulator! Updated!!! GC Power Draw!!!

Oh, I get it now!
That's awesome! If I ever make a gcp, I'll use that. (does this mean you're making another gcp?)
 
Re: New Custom Gamecube Regulator! Updated!!! GC Power Draw!!!

I'm busy with a GC commission. Similair to the first GC I made (most left one in my sig). It's almost done. I'll be posting it once it's completed. I'm also busy with my GCMini but due to work I had to postpone it. Hopefully in July i'll have more time so I can finish it. I'm going for the smallest and the way it looks now it is definitly going to be the smallest. Still allot of work to do but when the time comes I'll let the world know :p
 
Re: New Custom Gamecube Regulator! Updated!!! GC Power Draw!!!

zenloc said:
Note you can use TI regulators for the 3.4v and 5v line. I just use these switching regulators cause they produce less heat. I'm not going to bother with diagrams as it is very straight forward and all the info you need is in this thread and in the datasheets. If someone feel like making some by all means knock yourself out :p . Just make sure you give credit ;)

I don't quite understand this line. Which regulators can you use from Ti that aren't the switching regulators for the 3.3v and 5v lines? Are you just taking about a 7805?
 
Re: New Custom Gamecube Regulator! Updated!!! GC Power Draw!!!

You can make that so much smaller than you have it. Why not SMD the whole thing on a pcb?
 
Re: New Custom Gamecube Regulator! Updated!!! GC Power Draw!!!

@ hailrazer :
I mean TI card linear regulators. The 3.4v line draws about 0.8A and the 5v line about 0.35A. You could use a non switching regulator for those but they get hot quickly and are not very effecient. But those are more commen to get your hands on than the switching ones I used.

@ enterthehatrix:
Also getting it "much" smaller is only possible for the external components I used. Don't think it really matter's as it won't be much smaller than it is already. Could get it a bit flatter though but hey it's small enough for me. ;) But definitly true that it is not the smallest it can be though :mrgreen:
 
Re: New Custom Gamecube Regulator! Updated!!! GC Power Draw!!!

Very cool, but if you power it at 7.2V, it makes the playtime less (sucks more Amps) Am I Rite?
 
Re: New Custom Gamecube Regulator! Updated!!! GC Power Draw!!!

Right. The more voltage you have, the less mAh it draws. The less voltage, the more mAh there needs to be.
 
Re: New Custom Gamecube Regulator! Updated!!! GC Power Draw!!!

Do not forget it does not matter how much amps it draws but how much watts it consumes that will determine the battery life. Using this formula V x A = W we get:

5.0v x 3.4 Amps = 17 Watts
7.4v x 2.3 Amps = 17.02 Watts
10.2v x 1.7 Amps = 17.34 Watts
11.1v x 1.5 Amps = 16.65 Watts
12.0v x 1.4 Amps = 16.80 Watts
14.8v x 1.2 Amps = 17.76 Watts

As you can see the difference is very little and once the battery is used and amps are draws the voltage also lowers. So in the end it doesn't really matter which voltage you use it all end up around the same playing time.

An example:

4 x 3.7v li-polymer cells of 5A each. Will give you a 14.8v 5A battery. It will also give you a 7.4v 10A battery:

7.4v x 10A = 74 watts
14.8v x 5A = 74 watts

Both the same wattage so how many cells you use won't really make any difference. And seeing that the wattage used per different voltage isn't really that big of diference it will only give minutes of difference in actual playing time.
 
Re: New Custom Gamecube Regulator! Updated!!! GC Power Draw!!!

Thanks, BTW, I cant stop staring at your Newest Portable, its so Polished, how did you get it like that? Im really liking the polished white.
 
Re: New Custom Gamecube Regulator! Updated!!! GC Power Draw!!!

I painted it with multiple layers of matt white paint and then with a varnish coating a couple of times making it shine :-D
 
Re: New Custom Gamecube Regulator! Updated!!! GC Power Draw!!!

but then how do you power a fan? are there fans that run on 7.4V?
 
Re: New Custom Gamecube Regulator! Updated!!! GC Power Draw!!!

lyberty5 said:
but then how do you power a fan? are there fans that run on 7.4V?

Lots. In fact, the stock fan will probably run on 7.4V, it will just be slower, which may or may not be okay depending on your application.
 
Re: New Custom Gamecube Regulator! Updated!!! GC Power Draw!!!

will this still work if the caps are all 100µF, instead of 4x100µF and twice 110µF ?
 
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