[Coco] Color Computer (1) Power Switch

[Joel Ewy]

On 08/04/2015 12:03 AM, George Ramsower wrote:
> On 8/3/2015 8:47 PM, Joel Ewy wrote:
>> Hey,
>>
>> Does anybody know of a source for a pin-compatible power switch for 
>> the original silver CoCo?  I have a pretty nice looking 4K CoCo that 
>> has a broken power switch -- the plastic post that runs through the 
>> center of it, on which the external power button goes, is broken off 
>> like a quarter of the way into the housing, and missing.  Of course 
>> it's broken in the 'off' position.  I'd like to get this running 
>> again without doing something ugly to it. Somewhere I have the power 
>> switch from a CoCo 3 that I un-soldered back when repacking them in a 
>> mini tower case was all the rage, but I haven't been able to turn it 
>> up and I'm not confident that it's a drop-in replacement for the one 
>> in the CoCo 1.  Anybody else had (and solved) this problem? If I can 
>> get it working it may go in an exhibit of classic computers at a 
>> local maker space for a few weeks.  I wouldn't dream of doing such a 
>> display without a CoCo, but we want these machines running, not just 
>> static displays.
>>
>> JCE
>>
>>
>  The on/off switch on the coco was always turning off/on the SECONDARY 
> of the transformer. So, even if turned off, the AC power was always 
> applied to the transformer. You can poke it with an insulated "Poker" 
> to turn it on and just leave it that way.
>  As was said, use a power strip that has an on/off switch to turn it 
> on and off. Then you can use that power strip for other things the 
> coco has connected to it except, of course, an X10 timer/controller or 
> anything else that might have a need for power all the time.
>
>  Piece of cake!!
>

Yeah, I figured that out about switching the secondary while poking 
around with a DMM.  Now that I see it's stuck on instead of stuck off, I 
can switch it externally, though I'll probably try one of those DigiKey 
switches.  I guess it's too late for the 4K contest, but maybe I can try 
out the entries.

JCE

> George R.
>
>