Powerbook 65W AC Adapter Repair
Apple engineers are some of the most imaginative and pioneering in the technology industry. But they missed the boat on the design of my 65W Powerbook G4 adapter.
About one year after I bought my $3900 Powerbook, the power supply started to short out. Of course this event occurred after the warranty had expired. The smaller white cable coming out of the supply takes on a ton of stress through daily use. Eventually this thin cable weakened and shorted out completely. It shorted out to the point of actually sparking and melting the plastic. I’m lucky I didn’t have to sue Apple for my house burning to the ground.
When my first power supply shorted out I looked at it for a bit to see if I could fix it. But the white casing was pretty much permanent and I didn’t want to destroy it. So I ponied up the big bucks and bought a new one.
This week my 2nd adapter shorted out completely. And since my battery only lasts about 7 minutes I was dead in the water. I really didn’t want to fork out more bucks on another new supply so I decided to crack it open. I was able to fix the problem and put it back together, just like new….sort of.
First I had to crack open the casing. The supply was obviously designed to be disposable and the casing had no latches or screws holding it together. I had to hammer a thin screwdriver around the edges and eventually cracked the egg open.
The short in the cable was at the weak point where the cable goes into the casing. So I cut off about 2 inches of the cable, twisted it back together, soldered it and covered it with electrical tape. I tested it out before I put the case back together and it was good to go.
I then put the casing back together and used some gaffer’s tape to attach the casing’s shells back together. As you can see in the final pic, the case looks just like new….sort of. I didn’t want to use glue or epoxy, as I figured I’ll have to do this repair again. So I used Gaffer’s tape because it can easily come off to do the repair again.
I saved myself at least $80 this time. I only wish I would have done it the first time.
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#1 Dan Lurie says:There is some talk about this on the apple discussion boards. Also, you should really look into getting applecare, its really worth it.
#2 M.A.Pryor says:AppleCare wouldn’t help in this situation-at least mine didn’t. They just want to sell a new power cord. However, I did the same thing on my old one and glued it back together.
#3 Eric says:You could always look into third-party AC adapters that are half the cost and more of a traditional design, but usually use heavier wiring.
It is good to fix things though…
#4 Dalle says:Are u shure apple dont cover thhis as i know they gets really scared when things melt and stuff like that try and see what happens if you call them about it. I would like to know the result if u call.
#5 Michael says:I recently had my second power supply short out on me. The first time, a local Apple authorized repairer replaced it free of charge under the original warranty. The second time I called Apple and they sent out a new power supply two days later under AppleCare.
First though, they took a credit card and told me that if I didn’t return the broken adapter, I’d get charged for the new power supply. Returning was pretty easy, take new adapter out of box, put broken in, tape box box up, tear off top label, hand back to delivery person or drop in Airborne/DHL box.
Since I mentioned shorting, burn smell, and smoke, Apple did send me through an extended questioning to determine how much of a hazard the power supply was. They do indeed seem to worry about this.
I agree with others, this shouldn’t happen in the first place. I now have on power supply left at home and another that travels with me. Hopefully, I’ll not have another shorting issue for a while.
#6 Mark Wubben says:These things aren’t supposed to happen, so AppleCare or not, I’d expect a replacement.
And how come they are certified if they break down this easily?
#7 M.A.Pryor says:Well, mine had lasted about two years before it did it, but when I went to Apple store all they were willing to do was sell me a new one.
#8 Mark says:I had the same thing happen to me… does anyone know why, my 17″ power doesn’t go to sleep when my power is low… it just shut’s off…
#9 Nick says:Anyone know how to fix the other end? The power supply -> laptop connector has been trying to pull off on me for 6 months or so. Thus far, repeated tapings have held it together, but I know the day is inevitable.
#10 Matt says:Nice one, my power supply looks exactly the same, with a bit more gaffer tape holding it together after the hot glue failed to keep it together.
#11 Adam Meltzer says:Apple has a 1 year warranty on the power bricks. I had a friend who had one catch fire (out of warranty, natch) and had to buy a new one. The new one died after a month. Apple sent him a replacement no questions asked after verifying the information on his receipt.
#12 gopi says:When I had one die, I bought a replacement at CompUSA, and got their replacement plan thing. It, of course, died in less than a year due to cable fraying. I walked in to CompUSA with the dead one and walked back out in less than 5 minutes with a brand new one in the box.
The newer Apple ones have more reinforcing in some places than the original ones, at least on the adaptor side. Of course, mine died at the PowerBook plug side, so the reinforcement wouldn’t have helped.
#13 Mark says:Nick:
If you’re talking about the the connecter going into the laptop, I had the same problem a few months back. It’s probably worth it just to buy a third party adapter but if you’re in the mood for an electrical hack, here’s what I did. Find an airplane to Powerbook adapter somewhere online. They can be had for less than 15 dollars with a little looking because they often do not include a voltage regulator. (Sorry, I can’t locate the shop where I purchased mine). Cut off the failing connector off your Apple supply, cut the airplane connecter of the new adapter and splice the wires. if I recall, the outside shield is ground and the inner conductor is V+. VERIFY THIS WITH A VOLTMETER. Double and tripple check the polarity and you should be good to go! Good luck.
#14 j says:why not use the warranty and receipt for the first power supply you bought to get warranty on the second one that died. i have done this twice now with no hassles and would certainly not be chiseling open and repairing anything that could burn down my house ( as one nearly did!)
jas
#15 Rich says:Wait for one of these: http://www.madsonline.com/index.html?acadapter.html~mainFrame
Or get the iJuice Go whatever it’s called from Radio Shack (or Maplin in the UK).
Don’t bother splicing cords from 3rd party to the original - the Apple power brick is Broken As Designed. The internals are abysmal and run too hot. It only gained a strain relief sleeve after I suggested it to them a couple of years ago. Just shows how incapable their engineers are and how strong Ives’s Pretty Looks department is. It’s a PSU! It doesn’t need to look like a sexy piece of yoghurty soap!
#16 Whit says:The Madson bricks look really nice, but unless you really care about the appearance of your power adapters you’d be crazy to pay $70-80 for that when you can buy this for just $25:
http://macally.com/spec/specialties/accessories/psac4.html
I have one and it works fairly well. The only problem is that if your battery dies you have to let it charge for a couple of minutes after plugging it in before the machine will power back on. I assume this is because the wattage is a bit lower than the factory adapter.
#17 George says:Nice work! But next time use the white tape for better looking results: http://doityourself.com/store/6894935.htm (I have a couple of rolls hanging around just in case)
#18 Tony Korologos says:George…. I could have used white tape but I thought the black looked much better
I think it enhances the “effect” of being an apple do it yourself repair.
#19 WiLi says:The problem on the original Power Supplies is with the insulation.
The copper strands are actually reinforced with kevlar fibres, so these will hardly break. (you can probably tow a tank with it) But the insulation between the inner and outer conductors is too thin and too weak.
Also, the copper strands are quite thick and therefore they break when bent sharply
So, if you own a new supply, this is what helps:
Do NOT bend the cable sharply, therefore do NOT wind it around the supplied hooks that flip out. Always just easily turn the cable around your hand and just let that loose coil sit beside the case during transport.
If you can provide shrink-wrap tube, then put some of it around the ends of the cable to stiffen them at the points where they are bent the most.
If you have to repair a cable:
Microphone cable is sometimes available in the same dimensions and its copper fibres are much finer stranded than the original. Although these are not reinforces with kevlar.
On the plug side of the cord, the wires go through a HF-arrestor, thats a ferrite beed where the wires are slung through by 1,5 turns each. It is a good idea to reuse this ferrite block, although it is quite a fiddle work to do it.
The casing of the plug will slip off with a little force and bending: put a breakfast knife between the litten up ring and the sleeve and apply force, trying to turn it against its innards. Once the outer shell is off, you are able to do the soldering and reinstalling the ferrite block.
When everything is apart, this is the moment to put on the stiffening shrink wrap tube onto the cable.
Do NOT try to undertake this if you are not really experienced with fine solder work. You will need a lens to do it properly. And do not forget to prove the proper polarity!
happy repairing!
WiLi
#20 Jess says:do you know where to get the male plug for this power supply that connects to the G4 power book??
The plug on my power cable needs to be replaced. I have found the name called “S-cpin” connector but no source to buy a placement.
Thanks
Jess
#21 agentazure says:Hey is anyone around? I spilled some water on my 65W AC G4 power adpter about 2 hours ago. It won’t work. Is it dead for good or do I just need to let it dry?
#22 Nick says:You may have shot yourself in the foot by plugging it back in. At this point, I’d recommend letting it dry for a good 24 hours or so and trying again. Odds are, by plugging it in wet you’ve hurt some of the circuitry inside, but one can always hope! What part of the adapter did you spill on?
#23 Christopher says:I managed to crack open the the small piece that plugs into the laptop. I very carefully sliced the hard plastic open with a small utility knife, cut and retinned the wires, soldered them back on, and sealed it with shrink tubing. It works!
#24 agentazure says:Hi Nick, Thanks for your response.
I didn’t even think about it when I plugged it back in while it was wet. I let it dry for 24 hours and it still doesn’t work. I guess I’m gonna have to buy another one. Damn me.
Agent
#25 S-Cpin says:Sounds familiar. First power supply broke within a year, wire broke right next to S-Cpin. Apple store would not replace it, said it was excessive user abuse, and not covered. I told them it was poor design. I bought a new one, brought it home and noticed the new one had a slightly thicked cord. (maybe it’s the design) Second one broke same place in about another year (ok I travel with it and use it everyday, but I was much more careful with the second one). I took the S-Cpin off old power supply cut it open and shortened the cord. It worked fine, until this morning when the end of the S-Cpin broke off. Maybe it’s the design. Maybe it’s me, but I’ve had other laptops and never had this problem.
Anyone knows where to just get the S-Cpin, please post it! Thanks.
#26 EA says:Acually this adaptor was originally dseigned as a 50W back in 2001, I know I was the PS development engineer on it. Yes the case is ultra sonic welded for safety reasons, not throw away. I really don’t know how Apple can pass safety requirements at 65W other than specify its’ use and conditions, and lower the life expectancy. In addition, the cable, well it’s thin yes for egonomics and the internal gromet was extensively tested as in October of 2001 this was the very last hurdel. It used to not break but was expensive so perhaps a cost savings was put in place.
The orginal 50W chargere was a fine product! Too bad!
#27 Ferdia says:Oh yes! Mine broke at the psu end inside the 1 year warranty. I had to crack it open to fix it as I couldn’t wait upto 2 weeks for a replacement to be sent. When I pushed for a warranty replacement I was asked to send the faulty one in - some how I managed to convince the nice lady that it was really broken and they would save money by just sending one out to me and not having a return courier fee! Since then I’ve used the old power cable to double the length of the new cable after it’s plug got damaged! Now I’ve just popped the cover off the plug to do another solder repair at the plug end. My 3rd party incar 12v psu isn’t giving these problems. Maybe another $1 in the manufacturing cost would be worth it?
#28 Rob says:Hi Tony,
Had the same problem. Thanks for you directions. The ‘repair’ worked great!!
– rob –
#29 Tony Korologos says:Glad to help. If I replaced every one of these that went bad I’d be out over $200 now.
#30 VXO says:Heh… congratulations. I’m sure you had just as much fun getting the power adapter open as I did, when I repaired one for a friend.
I think my version’s a bit more colorful, though.
(This was on one of the old adapters where the cord goes into the funnel-shaped area, not the new ones with the external rubber strain relief that fails to inspire confidence.)
#31 Matt says:I also have a faulty adaptor, less than 3 weeks after the Powerbook arrived! I am going to send it back to Apple and demand a new one. I’m really pissed at how shoddy Apple’s power adaptors are.
#32 Matt says:Does anyone know if one can use a third power 65W AC adaptor with the Powerbook ?
#33 Jess says:If you are looking for an after market power adaptor for a G4 laptop go to:
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Newer%20Technology/APLN2M/
The company is called “Other World Computing” it is a great place for getting apple parts
They sell a unit made by Newer technologies. It works ok but the plug tends not to stay pluged into the power book as good as the origional apple C-spin mail plug. It is rated at 65 watts.
#34 Dan-O says:Would be nice if Apple provided a contact name, e-mail, phone number, one can wish.
#35 Mary says:Madsonline also has replacement cords- used in their new lucille adapter (got one for backup, plus like the usb port for charging Ipods). I’ll be use using 12$ cord with right angle plug to replace the white apple cord as the new kitten (now at 15 months) has nearly severed it. Silver may not match but I think it will be better than all the electrical tape now holding the cord together.
#36 cezar says:My powerbookG4 Titanium adapter failed during the warranty(luckily)apple retailer exchanged it by a new one.But the problem came back soon,the light indicator kept bending and falling apart,they siliconed it and the light indicator became short.(I needed to move it by hand to see if it’s green or orange!!)I removed the silicon …so I ended with two bare wires and a rounded chip . Can anybody tell me if I can still repair it at home.Because in my country a new adapter costs $130
#37 EA says:Cezar:
I had a similar issue. Actually the best thing to use is a glue like, “super glue”. It’s most similar to the actual glue Apple uses. The round housing is plastic with a coated metalized film. It’s not supposed to short and probably isn’t. When you see the light coming on and off when you move it, probably the contact on the prong not making good contact. (Apple went to cheap vendor with loose tolerances).
What you should verify is that when the charge light does appear off, that the charge icon in the upper right 1/3 menu bar appears as a, “plug symbol”.
If your icon isn’t enabled go to, System Preferences -> Show Battery Status In Menu Bar at the bottom of the dialog box. Make sure the box is checked for display.
If then you only see a battery symbol with a level indication (running off battery operation), well then you have a bad connection either the laptop or the charger plug (probably the plug).
In any event a fully discharged battery will charge in 1 hour or so if you aren’t using the computer. So you really don’t need the green-amber indication, though it’s a nice , Apple” touch that Steve liked.
FYI:
This adaptor was my EE project at Apple in 2001, so I know some of the issues way more than I want.
#38 cezar says:EA:
Now I have a bare wire and I couldn’t rejoin it with the ending that enters th laptop (it contains a green rounded chip).My powerbook is dead since a month,and I’m using my brother’s windows pc instead,because repairing the adapter and the ill battery(30min!!)at the apple retailer costs the price of a new pc in Lebanon!!
Thanks in advance.
#39 EA says:ess Says:
September 13th, 2005 at 10:15 am
If you are looking for an after market power adaptor for a G4 laptop go to:
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Newer%20Technology/APLN2M/
The company is called “Other World Computing” it is a great place for getting apple parts
They sell a unit made by Newer technologies. It works ok but the plug tends not to stay pluged into the power book as good as the origional apple C-spin mail plug. It is rated at 65 watts.
#40 esm says:The problem with all of these suggestions for adapters is… are they grounded? I know that the MacAlly one is not and I don’t believe the Newer one is either. We had troublel with our titanium laptops before they had grounded adapters and I’ll only buy and use grounded adapters since.
#41 Roger Shufflebottom says:Thanks Tony - you gave me the courage to go ahead and crack open my power supply. Good news - my PB is charging . . . Bad news - I ripped my hand opening the case (drip, drip).
#42 simon says:i just pluged my power book adapter in and it imediatly flashed inside (shorted) and wont work.
is it dead? since i probably have to buy a new one anyway i might as well do a post mortom on this one-is this flashing inside a symtom of the problem listed above?
#43 Roger Shufflebottom says:Well, mine flashed badly just before it ceased to work - probably the cable shorting. Follow instructions above as you have nothing to lose. Be careful though, the case is glued together and hard to crack
#44 Morgan says:Hi
I heard a pop and smelled capacitor toast when I plugged my Mac 65W AC adapter into the wall. I realized I was holding a 512MB SanDisk in my left hand, and it touch the tip and ring of the plug that goes into the computer. The SanDisk is fine, but the power adapter is hosed. I am taking it apart.
Here are a few pics.
http://homepage.mac.com/morganreid/Menu2.html
#45 Rob says:Hi Guys,
I just finished an operation on the plug going into the computer. I took the plug completely apart and much to my surprise was able to put it back together in working order. Having to buuy a new adapter is really offside. Let me know if anyone is interested in a description of the full operation.
#46 Nickolas says:Rob-
Yeah, hook us up. That is exactly where mine is coming apart. I’d love to know what you did and how difficult it was.
#47 Rob says:Hi Nickolas,
My first adapter was replaced by apple when it gave up the goast. Unfortunately the replacement adapter soon started to show signs of impending death. Not being an expert fixer upper, but being aggressively cheap, I timed my moment perfectly. I waited until I really had to work the cord to get power, called the local apple shop and made sure they had a power adapter in stock…. then got out the knife!
Using a utility knife and a small screw driver, you can seperate the plug jacket from the meat of the plug. I then cut open the plastic packing around the cord, and unsoldered the wires connected to the plug. I made two little marks where the old wires were soldered (two colours) and made a diagram to ensure I put the wires back on the right terminals (i also took photos). I cut back the wires to before the short, rethread the wires through a plastic anchor that was lodged in the packing, put that back in the cut packing and resoldered the wires to the plug. One of the wires was actually a sheathing that was wrapped around the second wire.
After putting it back together, I put some white heat shrink wrap over the plug and melted it on for support. Knowing where these supplies tend to break, I am quite confident that the shrink wrap will really protect the plug from future breaks. Being white, it does not look like a fix!
I had a bit of a problem getting the power charging light to work again as it had a tendency to sat li after I put the plug back together but eventually by playing with it I got it to work.
In hind sight I would have tried to use heat wrap over the sheathing wire prior to rethreading it trhough the anchor. but as i did not have any that would cover a wire that small, i charged ahead without it (perhaps that was responsible for the light issue.
The soldering was dicy, (I am not expert) but if you are careful, I am proof that it can be done. It is not readily evident but there are small groves on the side of the plug where the wires are soldered. I just tinned the wires, pressed them against the respective grooves, and as the old solder melted and the grooves opened, I put on a touch more solder and that was all it took. I used a file to get rid of the excess solder and wire on the side of the plug after the soldering was done.
The key to ensuing this does not happen again is to use the swrink wrap. I used two sizes. 1/4 inch that i placed on the cord prior to putting the plug back together, and 1/2 in that i slipped over the plug after I had shrunk the smaller wrap over the cord and excess packing that comes out of the end of the plug. The wrap gives the cord much more support where it comes out of the plug. If anyone is reading this and you power adaptor is not broken…. I would still melt 1/2 in swrink wrap vover the plug and wire because if it is not broken now….it will be soon.
Finally ignorance is bliss. I probably could have blown up the computer had I got things wrong but luck was with me!
Presto… no flickering… or need to purchase an expensive power supply.
Hope that helps!
#48 David Jackson says:Thanks for the repair info on the Apple charger. This article came up as about the third hit on a yahoo search for ‘apple adapter repair 65w’.
I chiselled mine apart and suspected an open circuit on a wire appearing fatigued as it came off the circuit board power pin. I bipassed the ‘broken’ wire and . . . no luck! I thought I had just wasted a couple of hrs and would still have to spend $80 for a new charger. I noticed that there was a spark when I attached the charger wire to the supply. I thought it was just the expected drain from the computer, but . . . was due to a short between conductors in the low voltage power cord. This occurred at the strain relief at the adapter where the wire is wrapped around the strain relief.
Unfortunately, they made a poor choice of wire and the insulation is very thin internally and appears to fatigue and result in shorts between the conductors.
Another poor choice is the plug that goes into the computer itself. I frequently have to twist it to get it to enter the socket on the computer. This problem occurs on other charges I have as well.
So, I plugged mine in and . . . works great. Have photos if you need.
Thanks again,
David Jackson
Dallas
dejswa@yahoo.com
#49 allyn says:thanx for the heads up. i just had to do this to my wife’s powerbook
#50 Eirik says:Does anyone have experience re-splicing the wires in the thin cord that goes from the white power cube to the computer? Our puppy chewed through my cord and I would love to take a stab at fixing it. Thanks!
Eirik
eirikanders@yahoo.com
#51 david jackson says:Re. chewed wire - It could be spliced. Depends on how good you are with a soldering iron and those skills. Problem is that Apple uses really crummy wire. The cable is a two conductor, shielded cable. The outer conductor is a braided shield and the inner is a very fine (like 25 ga) wire with a flimsy teflon-like insulator.
I was about to tell you to just replace the wire all the way back to the power supply, but you’d still have to splice the wires in order to use the proprietary connector / plug.
So, I’d say - just carefully dissect the conductors and then solder them together and use heat shrink tubing to protect the solder joints and perhaps a third piece of heatshrink to provide strain relief to the new splice.
dj
#52 Ian says:Yo thanks man just fix’d my charger and now it works saved me $79 you ROCK!
ian buzzzzzzzzzz
#53 Tony Korologos says:Glad it worked out for you! I only wish I’d have done it the first time.
#54 Olof says:Thanks for the info. It’s my second one and I will try fixing it instead of buying a new one.
#55 Frank Gonzalez says:Thanks for this great post. You’ve got some really good info in your blog. If you get a chance, you can check out my blog on power supplies at http://www.powersuppliescenter.com.
Frank Gonzalez
http://www.powersuppliescenter.com
#56 Yan says:Hi everyone,
My power supply just get down. I don’t think it’s a cord matter… I am living in Viet Nam and power voltage “variation” are quite usefull. Two days ago, I get my VCR, my DVD and my washing machine “broken” just after a guy from the power company made some maintenance. On the two first, it’s just a fuse. On the power machine I didn’t fix it yet…
Can anyone tell me if there is a kind of fuse inside the power supply box ?
I will try to open it, but some experience could be great…
Thanks by advance,
Yannick (Can Tho, Viet Nam).
#57 Derek says:I work with chainsaws all day and never have I cut myself as bad nor as many times as I have trying to crack this power adapter open
Still haven’t managed to get it apart completely - it’s making a ticking sound when plugged in, hoping it’s just a short.
#58 dejswa says:Re. the above comment about the ‘ticking’ of the power supply. This indicates a short circuit of the output of the supply (mine did that and was shorted) as it shorts, then resets over and over again.
That is a good thing as the solution is to REPLACE the shorted wire. Apple used such cheap wire in those supplies and you will find it shorted where it wraps around the internal strain relief. Best to REMOVE the wire completely from its solder site on the PC board and replace it with another (better) wire. I just used 20 ga twin conductor speaker wire to get the power out of the case, then I spliced and heat shrinked the speaker wire to the original white wire that has the computer connector on it.
Then I just wrapped the whole thing in electrical tape to keep it back together and included the wire in the wrapping for add’l strain relief.
I also got rid of the cheap plug that never works on those power supplies. Just get a regular plug that will plug into the supply (is a standard sort).
Good luck.
(agreed - hard to open supply - best to take a dremel cut-off tool and cut around the entire thing in the seam the pry off - then just tape back)
dj
#59 Paul says:Great Site! My power supply died the other day and with the help of this site, i had it working again in an hour. Thanks for the help.
#60 Brad says:Excellent information about the repair of your 65W Powerbook G4 power supply adapter. I wish it would be that easy for me. The problem is that the stress on mine occurs to the computer end of the adapter, specifically at the neck of the connector. Although I was previously able to prolong its life by cutting away the worn insulation and cleaning up and resoldering the wires, now the break has occured inside the connector itself. This situation has left me with no wire to work with. My questions are: can i get that particular connector somewhere? Is it for sale? If not, can I use something else, perhaps a stereo jack? Does there exist a wiring diagram for this connector? Is it a 3 contact or 4? What’s the outer metal sleeve for? Should I attempt to hack through the center of the white plastic on the connetor to get what little wire I can find? Any suggestions? Thanks.
#61 DJ says:I have a little insight into the connector, although I cannot recall the exact details since it has been a while since I have tested it.
A while back, I had a bad wire within the power supply as noted in earlier comments. In checking things on a good power supply, I noted that of the three conductors on the plug that goes into the computer, one is ( )supply, one is (-) supply and the other is a passive input from the computer to light the LED the appropriate color.
Two conductors are (as I recall) sort of a mini phono plug-type and the other conductor is the outer shell. Dont’ recall which is which, but I recall that it is not what I expected. Something like the outer shell being the passive terminal.
This would lead me to believe that one could find the size of the inner ‘plug’ which will be some sort of standard (maybe a mini-phono plug). You could identify the polarity and perhaps just substitute a new plug and the thing might work, of course without the fancy light - you’ll just have to look at the battery status on the computer screen.
DJ
#62 orteov says:Hy …my 65W Powerbook G4 adapter has explode(inside only) …like a bomb…i open it …and it looks like hel …black everywere….i took some photos…
who can help me to repair …?
thanks…
#63 orteov says:…i alsoo wana by bad 65W Powerbook G4 adapter…you can contact me at oto_electronics@yahoo.com if you are near to Romania-Europe
#64 tcupples says:I have at least 3 old power supplies for the powerbook G4 that have had cord failures at the base of the plug that goes into the Mac. There isnt enough cord left for a conventional repair. Does anyone have a part number or source for a replacement cord/plug that could just be attached to the power supply once the case is cracked? Thanks.
#65 Nate says:There may be a third issue with the power supplies. My daughter’s powerbook started requiring her to spin the male connector in the edge receptacle before it would light up. Eventually even this technique failed. I checked the end for frayed wiring by cutting the plug open and carefully examining under a magnifying glass. No luck. Looked good but assumed that some of the tiny electronics embedded in the male connector had failed.
Then purchased a 3rd party power supply. This worked for awhile but also required spinning the male connector.
Finally figured out that the female receptacle in the powerbook was “pushed in” a millimeter or so. This was causing the connector to just barely make or not make contact.
The fix was pretty easy. Removed screws holding the keyboard in place, lefted up the left-hand corner of keyboard cover (not removing it) just enough to get a flatblade screwdriver in there. Using the hinge mount for leverage, twisted the screwdriver just a bit against the back of the male connector. Problem solved without paying $300 or so to send off for repair. Lucked out.
#66 Sugen says:Hi Guys, I have a Powerbook G4, problem is that my power supply unit has been misplaced. I have an alternate power supply with the same ratings.
My Question : Can i use an RCA or Mono-jack plug as the connection into the laptop ?
How many voltages are at the pin prior to entering the laptop ?
Thanx
#67 orteov says:I sugest you to buy a new one …you risk to destroy your computer if you try to use jack rca …if you do not respect the polarity and they have diffrent diameter then the original
…aboute this you can find information at :
http://developer.apple.com/qa/qa2001/qa1266.html
#68 orteov says:…and with an alternarive power supply you can destsroy your powerbook battery …because the original is specialy made to recharge only apple powerbook battery …believe me that i try and I know …buy an new one …pls.
#69 bob says:fuck oll you neards
#70 seefilms says:do you know what you call a guy with no arm and no legs in a swimming pool?
#71 Dario says:Thanks for the informative post.
My adapter started to fry during a job, the images and info supplied help me get through it a OK.
Good Darts !
D
#72 J Decker says:My iBook G4 adapter stopped working recently. After 1.5 years. I have Power adapters that I still use from the 80’s for other electronics, but oh well. That’s quality.
I found that the problem was in the connection to the computer. Using a multimeter, I found that the resistances across male plug were screwwy, so there was a short. The solder had become disconnected from the bronze pin, although it was apparently barely soldered on to begin with. I managed to reapply (or not as sloppily apply) the solder by a few strokes of soldering iron. Might want to look into this before trying to cut open the power supply box.
However, LEDs no longer work. Will be replacing the power adapter. Just looking for a good third party adapter with a ground. Suggestions would be appreciated.
I refuse to give Apple any more money. I like the Apple, but if I had to buy again, I’d probably just get another Dell. Treated me better as a customer, and I never had any problems with parts like this.
#73 J TERRY says:Oh My Gosh,
I thought it was just happening to me. Guess when mine broke?… No go on guess…
Well the first one broke a week after the warrenty (what a suprise), then a year later after falking out £80 (about 110 USD or more), I am on business in Spain (I live in the UK), half way through a seminar my battery runs out. I ran to the back of the room, plugged the adapter in the wall and BAMM a blue flash.
I could not believe this happened again. All I could think was [my boss will kill me], he said pen and paper. I was missing the seminar, sitting on the floor in despair.
Its not all that bad though, the seminar lasts for two days, I will find another shop and buy another one, work can pay. NO a 250 mile drive to the nearest mac retailer.
I got back today 1/8/06, called mac, was transfered through 8 departments before I was handed to tech support, and what did they say…. “your warrenty finished yesterday”. Oh what a suprise, am I the only one who believes this is unreal, and that they should believe in their products as much as we do and put the warrenty to 18 months… Is it too much to ask.
Well I have got that off my chest…. AAAAAAAAAAAAAhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
#74 matt says:Just got my first powerbook from a friend and bought a new power adapter from a apple retail store and with in 3 days the adapter stoped working. This is not a good way to start off with macs. I guess I can’t be to upset with PC’s where lucky if the power cord is the only thing that breaks. Other than this I am an apple fan.
#75 Sara says:ive been having a problem with my powerbook adapter but mines with the little flip out prongs. after hanging on the wall for about 5 months theyve gotten loose and now when i plug it in the connection isnt good and it has to be taped to the wall to keep it from falling out or wiggling around. any suggestions on how to fix this without paying for a new adapter?
#76 J Decker says:Sara. My flip out prongs broke in the first couple months. I switched to the long cord. Too hard to fix the little thing.
#77 Robert says:I have had problems with my powersupply two times in six months, the first powersupply blew up within three days, it was litterally burned and I did not got a new powersupply from the local apple boys in Thailand. So I bought a new one, and one of my dogs did not saw the powercord and ruined the jack. I was going to get a new powecord again, till I saw this website: http://www.macopinion.com/columns/roadwarrior/06/06/13/index.html
I replaced the jack for just 10 dollar cents and a few dollars for the chap attaching it. It might help you. There is also a description of numerous third party blocks.
#78 james says:my adaptor plugs in but doesn’t turn green and doesn’t charge the laptop anymore. it turns orange but no green. these things are expensive
#79 jenae says:I’m having nearly the same problem as James. I was running low on battery and went to plug the adaptor into my laptop, and NOTHING! No green, no orange, and the battery died before I could burn my project to disc. EEEk!! I’ve tested the outlets and connections and everything, and still no luck…and my adaptor is (or so I thought) in good, almost new condition! My laptop’s not even a year old!
#80 imb says:hey all,
my second i-book power supply is fraying at the end where the cord plugs into the computer. again! stupid apple.
so, the rubber outer bits (where the cord meets the pluggy part) are pretty much severed, but the wires appear to be intact — I’m sure they won’t stay that way. what can i do to re-inforce the weak spot, without endagering myself? i’m no wiring expert, so I’m wondering if i can use hot glue to sort of cover up the break? or some kind of silicone caulking? what’s this shrink wrap that some folks mentioned?
I’m about to buy a new apple macbook (i know — a masochist), and hopefully their new magnetic design for attaching the power cord to the computer will lessen the occurance of my particular problem. of course, I’m probably dreaming.
thanks in advance for your advice!
#81 Ric Vieira says:I need my 15′ Titanium repaired, any one ?
The screen works very well but I opened it too much and the hinges snapped.
I need to replace the hinges.
Does anyone know where in UK I can do this ?
Cheers,
Ric
#82 Jim Buesing says:I have a couple Titanium 15″ that I bought used. One is 400MHz the other 550MHz. I bought the second one when the pixels in the screen of the first started to die. The 550 came with OS X. It took me over 100 hours to figure out how to get classic to work. But that’s another story. The 550MHx has stopped recognizing the battery, so every time the power connector losses contact in the back of the computer the whole system shuts off… and I have to reset the date when I turn it back on.
Also, does anyone know what parts might be interchangeable between the two models… maybe I could cobble one together that works.
I enjoyed all the info on power supplies. I have a G3 and the two G4s and they all have power connection problems, but to me it seemed like it might be in the female plug on the powerbook.
I’d appreciate any thoughts or suggestion….. and if anyone wants to know how to get Classic installed on a computer with just OS X… let me know. No one at Apple or local stores seemed to have a clue…. how can that be?
#83 roslyn says:any suggestions for fixing the power cord’s male connection prong that inserts into the receptacle on the pwoerbok g4 housing. the tip of mine broke off (and we no longer have it)–is there a way to solder on another type of conductive metal to make the connection work?
thanks for any advice.
#84 teresa says:I have a 12″ powerbook G4 laptop. I have basically always had a minor problem in which the indicator light the adaptor doesnt work (it took apple three repair attempts and the replacement of a lot of parts to eventually determine that the initial problem was teh socket the AC adaptor plugs in to)
Now however, my battery has gone to 0% and isnt charging at all. There is an X on the battery icon and it says no battery available. I have a new battery and new adaptor en route to me now, but I am concerned the problem could be something else (inconvenient as I am leaving the country in a 10 days). Has anyone seen this problem before?
Also, a couple days ago I briefly plugged my laptop into the adaptor of a 15″, thinking the adaptors were the same. Could this have cause any problem?
#85 dj says:Plugging into the other notebook computer would not harm the power supply. They can be short circuited indefinitely without damage.
DJ
#86 Brian says:I have one of these that has almost certainly condcutor broken just where it enters the plug that goes into the Powerbook. I tried pulling the plug apart and the middle prong pulled out so I have broke that. Does anyone know anywhere where I might get another lead or plug (UK)?
regards
Brian
#87 Kristi says:Hey, everyone, I know no one has spoken on this for a while, but I just found out that my local AppleStore doesn’t sell the 65 W adapters anymore. I drove a half an hour out of my way to be greeted by some nerdy, smelly guy with an attitude problem telling me in his, “I’m holier than thou,” tone that I’d have to buy it online
So, save your time, call ahead. Does anyone have suggestions for a different computer? This is my fourth chord, and I’ve had so many problems with this damn computer.
#88 Beej says:Thanks for this info. A couple of days ago my power supply failed at the weak point, and smoke kept pouring out as the cable slowly melted.
I bit the bullet, and with the info here I cracked open my power supply, cut the cable and resoldered it (I’m not exactly a solder king!) and it’s up and running again! (Phew!)
Thanks all!
#89 J-man says:Does anybody know of a good way to reshape the metal connector sleeve that surrounds the male tip on the powerbook end of these adapters? The connector is loose in the powerbooks input, but my adapter otherwise is fine. Another adapter fits in the PB tightly, so I just want to reshape this one, but just using pliers does not seem to be the way to go. I was hoping someone make something like the paramount pc tip conditioner we use for photographic strobe cable tips…
thanks,
J-man
#90 Allan says:Hi guys,
this is all so cool.
my problem is the that phono male plug jack on the adaptor of the G4. the tip broke.. and wondered if anyone knows where I can get just that head. or if you have a broken charger with that head and cable end intact. to put it up for offer. London.UK.
any advice will be apraciated coz my powerbook is my life-line. and now have a flat batery…
#91 Laura says:What I just cannot believe is that this sort of conversation is going on about Apple product and they are not responding in a positive way. I have been a loyal, and rather smug Apple customer for 20 years, and cannot believe what crap for customer service I have gotten regarding this failed power adapter. 1st when it failed (frayed and smoking at the computer end) the Apple store didn’t have any in stock to replace it, and yes, I too would have to order online pay $80 and wait 3-4 weeks. It is not like this is a serplufluos peice of equipment - it is the power supply - “for crying out loud!” The Apple salesperson recommended that I should buy a Kensington power adpater for $90 in order to have power. I did. Within a week it was already showing signs of wear - the metal piece that goes into the computer was bending. And at three weeks the tip broke off in the computer. Now I couldn’t get any power with out a repair. I do have Apple Care protection but that does not cover the external damage (I doubled checked with Apple on that.) The “genius” insisted it was caused by jarring, dropping or tripping over the cord. I am positive that did not happen as I was alone with my computer all day. In any case I had to pay $150 to have the tip removed and then somehow - miraculously - a replacement adpater was there for me within 3 hours for $65. I have contacted Kensington am sending a damage claim to them, it sounds like they may pay the repair fee, or part of it anyhow, fingers crossed.
But if Apple would have given me the flippin’ $65 part in the beginning I wouldn’t be so completely disappointed and disillusioned about the company they once were.
#92 Kevin says:Tony, Many thanks for putting your instructions and pics on the web - I found you right away, followed the same steps and got my adaptor fixed in about half and hour. THANKS - and we will know each other when we see the sign of the black tape on our bricks!
#93 Cathy says:After my g4 adapter died (the thin white wire broke at the point where it connects with the brick) I couldn’t fathom paying Apple huge bucks for their punishing design. I ended up buying a 3rd party adapter (”hipower” AO218-456), in fact 2 since they were about $25 each + s/h was mostly on the first item. As soon as I saw them I was relieved to see they looked much sturdier than apple’s and after a year, the one I use regularly is showing no wear.
The other one, I recently discovered - and have no idea when it started having this problem or even if it came this way, seems to gradually stop charging. The green power-indicator light starts to fade minutes after it’s plugged in.
Tho tonight, after reading an online comment, I’m testing how it does plugged directly into the wall as opposed to into a power strip (the same power strip, btw, the other adapter works fine with). So far an hour later, the green light is still on.
The web address for the store in case you want to check it out is http://stores.ebay.com/Laptops-Power. Warranty is 6 mo’s.
#94 Sean MC says:In case you thought this might be over with the advent of the Macbook Pros.. You’re wrong. I still have a Powerbook 12 lying around despite having a MBP 15 and an intel iMac. I never sold the PB because the DVD drive went. Worth more than the money it would fetch. Today it was acting funny. I turned it on for the first time since… August. My wife has been using it a little all along though. It didn’t power up this morning so I jigged the mains plug because I thought it wasn’t in right. It worked then. It was fine again this evening so I wasn’t aware of the issue. Tonight it needed a recharge-I’m testing software, so I’m on a few machines. No power and that wonderful electrical burning smell. Instant unplug. I spy the worn DC cable immediately. Being already online and not seeing signs of clips internally, I searched and found the site. Out with hammer and screwdriver. (It’s 6am now). Outside for a few taps. Inside and solder. All good.
#95 isam says:is the conecting stik which have 3 parts in the g4 power book have the same voltage each one as 24v
i mean the conecting part of the adapter to mac laptop
#96 Caitlin says:I’m having the same problem as #89 J-man, of reshaping the tip. Or also fixing the male part of the connector. (S-tip?) that attaches to the laptop itself. Possibly another similar piece that could be soldered on?
Failing that, if anyone can recommend some good 3rd party alternatives? (here it costs $155 US to get a new charger!) Thanks so much!
#97 Lukas says:This is an absolute joke – my ibook’s charger meted inside the laptop so I had to replace the dc-in board and today my powerbooks one almost caught on fire after becoming slightly loose. I hate apple for stuff like this, especially when the replacement charger is so ridiculously expensive. It always happens past the warrenty of course. It just isn’t that normal for appliances to be so badly made that they catch on fire, I don’t see how Apple get away with it. Anyway, I think the fact that almost every shop that sells these chargers in central London is sold out demonstrates how bad this situation is.
#98 Werner Heuser says:This guide is listed at the Repair4Laptop laptop and notebook repair and upgrade guides survey (Apple/Macintosh).
#99 Amol K says:I FIXED IT !!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey guys,
I had the same problem for quite a long time. The wire that comes out of the supply was breaking. When finally it started short and give smoke, i decided to buy new one. Something generic and less expensive. At the same time, I decided to give it a try. I didn’t wanted to break the case right away. I thought, may be if i work around the wire and be able to pull out a little more, i can fix it.
First, it cut the wire from where it was giving out smoke. I started to cut the little hard rubber thing that comes out of the case and hold the wire in position, very carefully with one those knife used for surgery with thin tip, called scalpel. After carefully and patiently removing little by little piece of rubber, i was able to take it all, leaving just the white wire coming out of hole. The wire had a knot right inside, giving me a $79 orgasm. That’s all i needed; a little bit of more wire from inside the case. I untied the knot and started pealing, about an inch of, white wire carefully. Inside was a net of thin wires, and another tiny white wire wrapped in those thin wires. I separated those wires and started to peel the inside white wire, making sure not break them. I did the same with the other piece of long wire that goes in into G4. I connected both the wire separately (the outer wire to outer wire and inner wire to inner wire). Wrapped it up nicely with insulating tape, and tied a little piece of wire around the adapter flanges (I don’t’ what is it called; it’s thing you wrap the wire around), so that there is no mobility to the wires inside. And VOILA, it works like new.
#100 frenchie says:My adaptor stopped working today too. It’s about 6mths off the warranty. I asked the apple guys whether this was a common problem - they all said, “never heard of it ever. Here. We can give you a new one though for AUD $129.” That’s more expensive than the iPod Shuffle! If they’re going to make disposable supplies that can’t be fixed and just add to the rest of the junk covering earth that was poorly made, at least they could make its replacement a little more affordable. I bought a new one anyway. Hopefully the $129 goes towards Apple research into making power supplies as good as those from 20 years ago that never wear out.
#101 Alexliz says:Anyone knows if I can fix my Powerbook’s power brick (I had to cut the DC cable after it shorted just at the exit point from the brick) by soldering the two layers of wiring again for a fresh connection? Basically I had to cut the cable, and now I am wondering if I can solder the inner core wire, tape it, then solder the outside wire mesh, then tape the whole bundle together. Or do you think I am going to alter the DC current after the soldered point and perhaps damage my Powerbook?
#102 peter says:I did as you did. I broke it apart and fixed it. Thanks for the encouragement.
#103 Dik Bosch says:Thank you for your inside information. Opening the case wasn’t that easy but trying to open the case from three sides eventually worked. Be sure never drive the screwdriver inwards, but keep it parallel, so you will not touch the delicate components. The only difference I found was that the inside has been filled with that strange white thermal compound. The compound was also on the wire knot and around. So that makes it less easy (almost impossible) to get the wire out without breaking the case (see comment #99). I also used a kind of duck tape to close the case. But I think using a few tie rips around will do the job also.
#104 Jeff says:I had a similar problem, i plugged in the adapter and the LED would come on for a few seconds then off, everytime i plug it in, the same thing. After cracking it open and just moving the wires around it now works good, although it looks like crap since apple made the case to be completely inacessable as possible. Anyway. thanks for the advice, works good so far and from what ive read on the reviews on this product at apple.com i will likely have to open it again.
What a piece of junk from a company that typically does good work.
#105 Francois Carstens says:I had a similar experience, only I knocked the screwdriver a little too hard, whacked a whole in the in one of the transistor thingies and had to toss it. Apple delivered a new one ($79) to my front door. I’m looking after it like a baby. Nobody is allowed to touch it.
#106 Mike says:My problem with these chargers has always been the male connector. I have had 6 (SIX!) connectors break off inside the powerbook. The first time I shelled out $300 for a replaced logic board. After it happened the 2nd time in 3 wks. I used a tiny pair of tweezers to pull the pin out of the powerbook. You have to hold the PB up vertically so the power hole is on the bottom, shake it a little to get the pin towards the front, then grab it with the tweezers. Pain in the ASS!!!! But it will save you $300 each time. BTW Apple refused to do anything about this - said it was excessive force that caused it or some other crap
#107 Jakartaguy says:Hi - today is 29 March 2007 and now my adapter broke too! Here in Indonesia Datascript charge me USD105 for a new adapter IF I give my old one with computer serial number. If I want to keep my old adapter it cost USD150!! So i was thankful I saw this site how to fix the adapter.
UNFORTUNATELY… While I hammer the screwdriver into the casing, in one part I hammer too hard and it break something that look like a battery and the clear liquid came out. So I gave up. That case is bloody hard to open…hahahahaha… so i send this warning to tell people be careful when open the case, take your time…
good luck (now I am USD105 more poor….
#108 euonym says:03/30/07
I just got back from the apple store purchasing a new AC power adapter for my G4 Powerbook. My computer has been giving me problems for 2 years now, shorting out. Last night I noticed the cord (which is always plugged in) was too hot to touch. Unplugged it immediately– it was burning from the inside, and the wire was exposed.
Apple has to know of this problem, because the new cord I just purchased is slightly bigger in diameter.
I’m really disappointed that there isn’t a recall…that was