given the very, very complete description you've given, i suspect the problem is either with a voltage regulator on the zip drive, or even more likely with capacitors that fail because they can't handle the filtering they have to do without overheating. i suspect the capacitors, because an unfiltered adapter would put a much larger strain on them than one that was filtered, and because capacitors are the least reliable electronic component (at least the electrolytic variety commonly used to filter power supplies) and many new engineers do not realize that in addition to the "value", i.e. the u.f. rating of the cap there is also a ripple current rating that is usually far more critical in a power supply design and often leads to a larger capacitor being needed not for it's capacitance but so that it can handle the ripple currents involved. i suspect tantalum caps have a similar limitation, and those are the next most common and used all over some circuit boards to absorb sudden current demands. both of these types of caps (and really any electronic component) can fail without any outward sign, greatly frustrating techs since they can't be tested in circuit or with out expensive test gear in some cases (some meters can do a limited test, but it can be misleading). thanks for the info.
Franz wrote: > > Hi all, > > I would like to contribute some new information about the "click of > death" > of a Zip drive. > > Eighteen months ago I bought an external 100 MB Zip from eBay. Clever > me, > I connected it to the normal Thai 220 Volt power outlet, thus killing > the Zip > and the original 110V adapter. I went to the local distributor of Zip in > Thailand, D Computer. They said that they could not repair it in > Thailand, > would have to send the drive to the US and I would have to pay $90 for that. ------------ -- Philip Stortz -- To be nobody but yourself when the whole world is trying its best night and day to make you everybody else is to fight the hardest battle any human being will ever fight. -- E.E. Cummings -- G-List is sponsored by <http://lowendmac.com/> and... Small Dog Electronics http://www.smalldog.com | Refurbished Drives | -- We have Apple Refurbished Monitors in stock! | & CDRWs on Sale! | Support Low End Mac <http://lowendmac.com/lists/support.html> G-List list info: <http://lowendmac.com/lists/g-list.shtml> --> AOL users, remove "mailto:"; Send list messages to: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To unsubscribe, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> For digest mode, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subscription questions: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Archive: <http://www.mail-archive.com/g-list%40mail.maclaunch.com/> Using a Mac? Free email & more at Applelinks! http://www.applelinks.com
