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Mac Portable Hybrid: combine forces?

techknight

Well-known member
No one is talking about running wires all over the board. The original portable power supply was not very well designed from the start, with instabilities that could send VBat straight to the +5V rail (especially with bad capacitors) and weak current handling which makes it impossible to run it without a charged battery.

The photo above just shows how you can power your portable with regulated +5V DC to test if it is working, bypassing the original power supply stages.

Obviously.

I am talking about if you do a redesigned hybrid, how are you going to get 5V out to run the rest of the machine? A patch wire. of course.

Trying to avoid that... You could use the gate control wire to feed it down but that's not a good option ether because thats an awful small connection to hold the entire 5V bus.

Also the AC does not pass directly over into the battery, there is a MOSFET in between. Sure, it is a simple switch but the window comparator directly controls this switch.
 

Trash80toHP_Mini

NIGHT STALKER
My hybrid works just fine, and I would like to keep it that way. If I could replace components when they fail, I'd just replace them if they are able to be sourced. My goal is always to keep my machines as original as possible.
I like the new build replacement parts approach, but it would seem there's a middle ground for this one? The replacement board for a DOA hybrid could be oriented component side down with the dead hybrid tacked to the solder side to retain OEM appearances if at higher level? Given available headroom in that location of course, it's a low ceiling down there?
 

LaPorta

Well-known member
Oh believe me, if the thing was blown and non-repairable, then I would absolutely find some sort of replacement. However, I wouldn’t replace it “just because”.
 

Trash80toHP_Mini

NIGHT STALKER
Neither would I, unless of course the Portable's Poleolithic battery/charging/power subsystem can be upgraded by a swap. Fingers are crossed that my pair of hybrids are in working condition.

Still wondering if there's cubic available above for borken hybrid camo tent? ;)
 
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