External Power Supply

The Coleco ADAM External Power Supply by ADAM TECH (often associated with independent retro-hardware builder Rey Lopez) is a well-regarded, community-engineered hardware replacement designed to eliminate the Coleco ADAM’s dependency on its factory printer.

The Problem It Solved

In one of retro-computing's most infamous engineering choices, Coleco designed the ADAM console without an internal power brick. Instead, the massive SmartWriter Daisy Wheel Printer housed the power transformer for the entire system. To use the computer—even just to play a standard ColecoVision cartridge—the bulky, loud printer had to be plugged in and turned on. If the printer failed, the computer became a brick.

The ADAM TECH / Rey Lopez Design:

Introduced to the community as a modernized solution to this problem, the ADAM TECH power supply offered a much safer, more compact alternative to the dangerous "DIY arcade supply wire-ups" or bulky "transformer boxes" pulled straight from gutted printers.

• The Hardware: The ADAM TECH external supply utilized a high-efficiency switching mechanism (similar to modernized PC or industrial power supplies) to clean up power delivery.
• Multi-Rail Power: It safely delivers the three distinct, mandatory voltages required by the ADAM console's logic boards and internal data pack drives: +5VDC, +12VDC, and -5VDC.
• The Enclosure: Unlike loose hobbyist components, the unit was built into a professional, desktop-friendly enclosure featuring an integrated heavy-duty power toggle switch and a front-facing power indicator LED.
• Console Interface: It interfaces directly with the ADAM’s side-mounted DB-9 power input port, safely replicating the exact pinout configurations of the original printer cable