Mayday! PDP-11/44 Power supply

From: Bruce Lane <kyrrin_at_jps.net>
Date: Sat Jun 27 14:38:16 1998

Hi, folks,

        My PDP-11/44 has a power supply problem. Symptom: A rapid flashing of the
'DC ON' light, indicating (according to the users' guide) that one or more
DC voltages is not up to spec. The kicker is that I have nothing in the way
of service manual or maintenance print set.

        I'm kind of puzzled about why the thing died. It's been functioning
perfectly well at St. Martins College for years, 24/7, without so much as a
burp. The only thing I can think of is that this continuous running had one
or more components stretched to their limit, and when I powered it on after
over a month of power off, it pushed it over the edge.

        Anyway... I have no way of knowing even where to probe to see which
voltage died. Even if I did manage to find it, that fscking power supply's
about as complex as the CPU! If anyone's got service docs for the '44, and
can help me out with some copies, that would be just grand. I'd also be
open to troubleshooting via phone or E-mail.

        If you've got spare parts, of course, that would be ideal. I could swap
modules until the bad one's isolated. ;-)

        This is one I really want to get working. Please give me a hand if you
can. Thanks in advance.


-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Bruce Lane, Sysop, The Dragon's Cave BBS (Fidonet 1:343/272)
(Hamateur: WD6EOS) (E-mail: kyrrin_at_jps.net)
"Our science can only describe an object, event, or living thing in our own
human terms. It cannot, in any way, define any of them..."
Received on Sat Jun 27 1998 - 14:38:16 BST