Power Expansion sidecar positioning

[FortMax]

I got an unopened Power Expansion (among other stuff) yesterday, and want to check on something. The installation instructions say it needs to be installed as the first sidecar, but is that actually true? Would there be any issue with having a few sidecars, then the Power Expansion, and then the Cluster Attachment?

[James]

From what I remember the sidecar only powers the sidecars to the right of it so the practical use of it would be to power all the additional sidecars. OTOH, a sidecar or two before it, which the PCjr is cable of powering, would be fine. There would be no point to add the power sidecar at the end of the line.

[Brutman]

I would put it first, as per the instructions. While the Cluster Adapter is power hungry, the power sidecar can probably handle it and another sidecar.

What are you going to use the Cluster Adapter for? I've experimented with them in the past and I'd like to get TCP/IP running on them because the IBM software is terrible, but that's a long term project. (Alan rescued a few for me; I have enough to equip a small, socially distanced classroom now.)


Mike

[FortMax]

I don't have anything specific in mind. It's more that I was able to get one, and want to have the option to use it without having to mess around with how I have the hardware set up.

[Brutman]

Just a recommendation (which makes it advisory), but I wouldn't attach anything to a vintage computer that wasn't being used on a regular basis. Having a Cluster Adapter on a machine without it being in use at best just generates heat. It's a known power sucker, and unless you have an XT or an AT setup with the server side software it is basically useless.

I would put it in a box until I could find some modern networking software for it. (Which is something I'll get to eventually. I've had a good read of the technical reference for it and it is just weird.)