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Upgrading SE with SE/30 Logic Board... Doesn't Fit

rjkucia

rjkucia

6502
I bought an SE/30 logic board to upgrade my SE, thinking it would fit, and it... *almost* does! But, the PSU connector is just a little bit further down on the SE/30 board, and whatever revision of the SE I have has a chassis does not seem to like it. You can see in these pictures that the PSU cable is in the way of the logic board getting flush with the case. Here's what I'm thinking my options are:
  • Get an SE/30 case (obviously)
  • Cut out the SE case to fit (feels like a shame since it's in great condition)
  • Cut out the power connector to fit (this seems like a bad idea...)
  • Put on the case cover and shove it all together (this seems even worse)
What sounds the least-bad? Or, hopefully, someone thinks of a trick that I haven't thought of :) Thanks!
 

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I really would reconsider whatever you are trying to do ... I would A., Find an SE/30 chassis, or B., Find a broken SE/30 and swap logic boards. Don't get into hacking stuff together, you will end up hurting value in the long run. I'd probably go with option B.

Someone on here will most likely have a battery bombed parts SE/30. All you really need is the case and chassis.
 
A short ATX motherboard extension cable is wider, but keyed to fit the SE/30 power cable (which is pretty amazing) - you can chop off one side of the ATX connector to be the same width
 
Compare the tabs on the logicboard to the ones on the SE board that fits.
Looks like they are bent on the SE/30 board and that’s why they won’t hook into the chassis.
 
Johnnya101 said:
I really would reconsider whatever you are trying to do ... I would A., Find an SE/30 chassis, or B., Find a broken SE/30 and swap logic boards. Don't get into hacking stuff together, you will end up hurting value in the long run. I'd probably go with option B.

Someone on here will most likely have a battery bombed parts SE/30. All you really need is the case and chassis.
Click to expand...
Fair enough! My thought was that this would be easy since Apple offered an official logic board upgrade, but it looks like that included a new chassis as well, which I didn't realize before (I thought it was just the front panel to make it say "SE/30").

Byrd said:
A short ATX motherboard extension cable is wider, but keyed to fit the SE/30 power cable (which is pretty amazing) - you can chop off one side of the ATX connector to be the same width
Click to expand...
That might actually be a good idea - I have one on hand that I've been using for testing outside the case, and I wouldn't feel bad mutilating one of those.

Bolle said:
Compare the tabs on the logicboard to the ones on the SE board that fits.
Looks like they are bent on the SE/30 board and that’s why they won’t hook into the chassis.
Click to expand...
The tabs are a little bent, however when I remove the power connector it slides in perfectly and the tabs bend back to the correct position. The power connector is what's blocking it.

As an aside, one of the retention clips on the ROM socket is broken as well. It works fine with just the one clip, but I worry about how that'll hold up long term. I think I've seen clips used to hold in ROM chips, particularly the Rominator (although I'm using the stock ROM currently) - anyone know where I could pick up those or something similar?
 

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That is odd, because, officially, every part should be interchangeable on those...short of the PDS cards made for each.
 
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Click to expand...
Thanks! I actually found PotatoFi's clips earlier today and ordered them. Glad that one was an easy fix :D

LaPorta said:
That is odd, because, officially, every part should be interchangeable on those...short of the PDS cards made for each.
Click to expand...
That's what I thought too! However the SE/30's case does seem to be slightly different (picture found from here:
https://www.reddit.com/r/VintageApple/comments/f4e7ap
"

Namely, the SE doesn't have an opening for the PDS card, and the slot for the PSU cable is much smaller.
1648579866131.png
 
I ended up mutilating an ATX extension cable, and things fit good enough! Long term I'll want to get an actual SE/30 chassis (which I will need for things like PDS cards anyway) but this will do for now.
 
rjkucia said:
Long term I'll want to get an actual SE/30 chassis
Click to expand...
I might have one... would need to check. It's in the UK, so postage won't be too bad?? For the record, I hate what Brexit has done to international "hobby" commerce... :mad: Oh, and I should have a spare logic <> PSU 'board cable... PM if you're interested.
 
Oops... nm... for some reason I was thinking you're in Poland!! Doh! Shipping to USA will probably be prohibitive... sorry!
 
mg.man said:
I might have one... would need to check. It's in the UK, so postage won't be too bad?? For the record, I hate what Brexit has done to international "hobby" commerce... :mad: Oh, and I should have a spare logic <> PSU 'board cable... PM if you're interested.
Click to expand...
Thanks, but before I get just the chassis, does anyone know if it fits on the SE front panel? I might need the SE/30 front panel as well. I also don't need a PSU cable, I just extended the existing one and did not actually mutilate that one :)


mg.man said:
Oops... nm... for some reason I was thinking you're in Poland!! Doh! Shipping to USA will probably be prohibitive... sorry!
Click to expand...
lol, my last name is Polish, isn't that close enough?
 
rjkucia said:
does anyone know if it fits on the SE front panel?
Click to expand...
Yes, the "SE/30" chassis will fit a SE front panel just fine. Also... there is a later "SE" chassis that has a PDS slot opening. That one should also work fine with a SE/30 'board - BUT, if you're planning on connecting something (vertical) to the SE/30 PDS, you NEED a SE/30 chassis - the PDS 'slot' in the SE chassis is smaller. :rolleyes:

rjkucia said:
my last name is Polish, isn't that close enough?
Click to expand...
maybe that's what threw me!! I work with quite a few Polish ppl...
 
So are the differences between a basic SE & SE/30:
  • Logic board
  • Front panel
  • cage/chassis
  • 1.4M floppy
Anything else major?
 
PotoMac said:
So are the differences between a basic SE & SE/30:
  • Logic board
  • Front panel
  • cage/chassis
  • 1.4M floppy
Anything else major?
Click to expand...
Those seem to be the major points. There are probably some more subtle revisions to things that don't matter as much. I'd even struggle to call the chassis changes I discovered "major" since it's *so close to fitting correctly* and seems to only be an issue with the earliest models.

From what I've discovered the cage/chassis varied between SE models as well, they should all be interchangeable outside the issue I discovered (and whether there's a hole for a vertical PDS card). And of course, there are later-model SEs with 1.4M floppy.

Additionally, the front panel differences are cosmetic only as far as I'm aware, other than support for 2 floppy drives.
 
I just bought spares in the form of a complete SE/30 _without_ the main board for 25 Euro – because many of the mainboards are dead beyond repair, so you can easily get the rest. I do not think it makes sense to modify an SE to become an SE/30.
 
sarnau said:
I just bought spares in the form of a complete SE/30 _without_ the main board for 25 Euro – because many of the mainboards are dead beyond repair, so you can easily get the rest. I do not think it makes sense to modify an SE to become an SE/30.
Click to expand...
That’s an incredible deal! That said I’ve already done the “mod” (just to the modern power extension cable) and with an SE/30 chassis it should all work exactly like a real 30. If I saw a deal like that I’d totally pick it up, but for now it’s just kinda fun to have a sleeper SE.
 
I have a boat load of SE spare parts and many metal chases frames. I also have spare SE/30 cases with frames. And I am in Green Bay....
 
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