I have a dead PSU in my IBM 5160 XT, and am also wondering about repair vs replace. I haven't tried to diagnose the PSU failure yet, it's a bit beyond my abilities still.

In favour of (attempting to) repair: keep the 5160 as close to original as possible!

kdr wrote on 2020-10-13, 01:59:

I have a dead PSU in my IBM 5160 XT, and am also wondering about repair vs replace. I haven't tried to diagnose the PSU failure yet, it's a bit beyond my abilities still.

In favour of (attempting to) repair: keep the 5160 as close to original as possible!

Thanks ! The reason for thinking of replacing the board is that I have to desolder a bunch of stuff just to get the old board out, then do the repair work (after waiting for replacements caps) then resolder it all back in. I have a easy to remove 200watt AT board that could quickly be soldered in and then have the machine up and working, all with in about an hour total. I do plan on fixing the old board but hate having a computer down with it parts laying around waiting to get repaired. I pulled the old PSU last night and the 200watt one powers it just fine except it is a LPX AT style (like an ATX) and does not fit proper in the case.....

I'm contemplating something similar for a 286 build though I haven't opened up the original PSU yet. It is an Everex Step 286 case. Was hoping to find an original board but have pretty much given up on that.

Already have a different board to go in there but not really sure I trust the super old PSU. Thinking about swapping the internals from a Seasonic ATX PSU.

cyclone3d wrote on 2020-10-13, 22:45:

I'm contemplating something similar for a 286 build though I haven't opened up the original PSU yet. It is an Everex Step 286 case. Was hoping to find an original board but have pretty much given up on that.

Already have a different board to go in there but not really sure I trust the super old PSU. Thinking about swapping the internals from a Seasonic ATX PSU.

If your does not have the standard XT/AT red paddle switch but uses a front panel push button go the ATX route. Mine has that right side red paddle switch and it could be done with an ATX but would require a bit of extra work compared to using a standard AT board and I would have wires routed back into the PSU off the ATX-AT adapter to get back to the internal switch. Thanks for the reply !
If you can think of an easy way to put a ATX board with adapter in an old true XT PSU case and keep it clean looking please tell me your idea.

Mine is the old side paddle switch type. The easiest/cleanest way would be to just run the switch wires to the board where the two wires are that the atx/AT adapter jumps to turn it on.

If you wanted it really clean, you could just replace the ATX motherboard connector harness with the AT motherboard connector harness.

Would be really funny to see an "AT" power supply with SATA and PCI-E plugs on it.

cyclone3d wrote on 2020-10-13, 23:15:

Mine is the old side paddle switch type. The easiest/cleanest way would be to just run the switch wires to the board where the two wires are that the atx/AT adapter jumps to turn it on.

If you wanted it really clean, you could just replace the ATX motherboard connector harness with the AT motherboard connector harness.

OK that sounds ok, well... replacing the harness does not, was trying avoid that much soldering...

Would be really funny to see an "AT" power supply with SATA and PCI-E plugs on it.

Hahaaa yes it would ! Thanks for the idea's 😀

I have one of those ~19V DC-DC ATX power supplies (rated for ~150W) and the board itself is quite small. So I might gut the PSU (saving the board for future repairs!) and install a 19V power brick [maybe salvaged from a beefy gaming style laptop?] inside, along with the DC-DC supply and an ATX->AT converter. The lovely big red switch could still switch the 220VAC supply to the power brick, and unless you opened up the PSU case it would look as authentic as ever.

Also would need to install a nice quiet 12VDC case fan in the PSU. Then I could actually enjoy the gentle whirr and hum of the full-height 10MB HDD instead of the roar of a 220VAC PSU fan!

kdr wrote on 2020-10-14, 00:33:

I have one of those ~19V DC-DC ATX power supplies (rated for ~150W) and the board itself is quite small. So I might gut the PSU (saving the board for future repairs!) and install a 19V power brick [maybe salvaged from a beefy gaming style laptop?] inside, along with the DC-DC supply and an ATX->AT converter. The lovely big red switch could still switch the 220VAC supply to the power brick, and unless you opened up the PSU case it would look as authentic as ever.

Also would need to install a nice quiet 12VDC case fan in the PSU. Then I could actually enjoy the gentle whirr and hum of the full-height 10MB HDD instead of the roar of a 220VAC PSU fan!

Thanks ! That is another option I had not considered. There is a lot of space inside the old XT PSU case to hide things.

I did this with an AT power supply. Replaced de board with a new atx PSU board with the desired voltages (-12V and -5V included) an desoldered de atx cables and soldered the ones from the AT PSU including the mains swith and then jumpered the ps_on directly on the board so it works just like an AT PSU.

XT and quiet ?
My Harddisks are already louder then any Fan 😁