Immaculate 180 - preventative maintenance / battery ideas

[Powerbook27364]

I’m pretty certain that the 170 is the same 47uf/16v but I can’t fully remember. I saw the value last time I took it apart but never bothered to replace the cap. I will try to confirm tonight if I have the time.

 

[3lectr1cPPC]

Likely they're all 47uf something volts, just have to be sure though. @GRudolf94 - any chance you could grab a top-down photo of the inverter board? I need a reference image to use on my site. Would credit you.

 

[GRudolf94]

Absilootily. Here ya go. Part references are C1 and C4.

 

[3lectr1cPPC]

Thanks so much! That also looks the same to my memory as the PB 145's inverter, likely the same. I'll confirm in a minute, right now I'm cracking my 170 open.

 

[3lectr1cPPC]

47uf 16v on the 170’s inverter, confirmed.

 

[GRudolf94]

Had a sneaking suspicion the trackball hid something. 1x 10μF/16V. Likely harmless but good to know anyway.

 

[3lectr1cPPC]

Aha, yes. I’ll check my 170 right now since I’ve got it open.

 

[Powerbook27364]

Had a sneaking suspicion the trackball hid something. 1x 10μF/16V. Likely harmless but good to know anyway.

Didn’t expect that but definitely good to know

 

[3lectr1cPPC]

My 170’s trackball looks a bit different but it’s the same value. Edit: oh because yours has the mechanical stuff removed, right.

 

[3lectr1cPPC]

The modem card in my 170 has a weird looking SMD on it too. 10uf 35v, but it looks strange. Absolutely no leaks either, which shouldn’t be possible even, it’s from 1991 and it’s an SMD cap!

 

[GRudolf94]

Since this is a preventative maintenance thread, threaded insert bosses for trackball are both threatening to quit.

 

[Powerbook27364]

My 230 had a similar thing. Powerport mercury card with a single cap that had not leaked while every other cap in the system had leaked. Replaced it just to be sure though.

 

[Powerbook27364]

Since this is a preventative maintenance thread, threaded insert bosses for trackball are both threatening to quit.

That happened on all of my 100 series laptops so far. Just put some superglue around them and hopefully that will hold for a while.

I hear baking soda and super glue makes it even stronger but never tried it. I have used some thing cloth which helps a little bit as well.

Pretty much all of the standoffs need to be reinforced at this point or replaced completely.

 

[3lectr1cPPC]

145 inverter, electrolytic cap is a 47uf 16v as well. Looks similar but not the same as the one on the 180. This is all excellent, will get it all up on my site shortly.

 

[GRudolf94]

Just put some superglue around them

I don't like using CA glue. At least not by itself. The stress riser in the material remains there, and cracks can propagate so I'd melt/drill the end of the crack before gluing/attempting to reinforce. To be honest drilling is a bit hard, maybe using a fine tip burr on a dremel. But yeah, junk tip on a soldering iron works too.
Besides that, it tends to be brittle, and makes further repairs almost impossible if needed. I should try acetone welding on a junk case someday.

 

[Powerbook27364]

I have basically given up with the originals so if they break I’m just going to cut them out and use 3D printed new ones instead. So far they are doing good in the hinges and the hdd/fdd mounting bracket screws. I tried melting them but it didn’t work too well in my case but maybe that was just me

 

[3lectr1cPPC]

For me, all my powerbook 100 series laptops except for my 150 had around half the standoffs already broken when I first opened them, and the rest are completely fine. I’ve just left them alone, it’s secure enough for how careful I am with them. If they get worse I’ll go 3D print some. LCD hinge standoffs on my 145 and 170 have been replaced and I tried my 150 but it didn’t cooperate. My 180c’s are still intact.

 

[Powerbook27364]

Anyone have any idea what to do about this? My 170 and 145B are having this and it seems to be getting worse on the 145B which is use quite frequently. I would prefer if I could fix it without messing up the looks of the casing

 

[3lectr1cPPC]

Yikes. Is this the future of these? I sure hope not

I'd reinforce with epoxy or JB Weld on the inside where it won't be visible.

 

[GRudolf94]

That's what I was talking about crack propagation. First you have to stop the crack by drilling the end of it. Then yeah if you don't feel like melting it back together, flooding the inside with epoxy maybe.

One of my PB180s is cracked just like that. And one of my PB100s has a wavy battery bottom of the compartment where it seems to have slightly melted, lol