Hi all. I've been a subscriber on Dave's YouTube channel and finally figured I would contribute to the forum. I've currently got a Retron 3 Gaming Console to bits and need some advice on what I believe is a really bad design choice.
This is a multi system emulator that uses original game cartridges. This one doesn't work. No power. I watched a youtube video where someone fixed his retron by replacing the KA7805 (Fairchild Semiconductor) voltage regulator. I felt near that area and huge amounts of heat, enough that the swab of glue they left was melting. So I desoldered the component and have located a replacement, but if you look in my photo that long aluminium channel that is only 1mm thin, is what they used to cool the chip. That doesn't seem anywhere near what I would consider decent cooling for a 5V 1A chip. Plus, the chip stands slightly bent over with the solder the only thing which supports itself and the aluminium "heatsink"
Don't mind the cables I have soldered there, was using those to do some tests, easier to probe wires than the solder pads.
I was wondering if I should get proper gauge wire to handle the current and move the chip to an area of the case where there is room to put a decent heatsink on it. Or wire a 5V fan to keep air moving in that area. Is there other options you would consider?
I'm wanting to restore this and fix some of the common issues. It seems lots of these Retron consoles were...cheaply made. Not that I don't mind, cause I know how to solder, look up replacements parts etc. Although I have a hard time with resistor codes. They scare me. Someone should invent an app where you take a photo of a resistor color band and it decodes it for you. ;-)
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