Opening Powerbook adapter

[Papichulo]

I dont know how to get the powersupply open for the 170. I need to replace the capacitors but cant get it open. Does anybody know how? Thanks

 

[aplmak]

Ok so I’ve done a bunch. I use a flathead small screwdriver right near the connector on the bottom and begin cracking and separating it at the bottom. Then I move it around and separate the two halves.. the nice thing is any marks are small and by the bottom of the wire coming out.. I’ll try to take a pic to explain.. sometimes you can crack the sides by pushing in. I’ll warn you if you have a really dried out plastics they just crack and break. I offer no warranty’s or success with this. I’m simply telling you how I perform this. Good Luck 

 

[Byrd]

This method using a vice and two pencils works well:

 

[superjer2000]

My 145b adapter opened pretty easily by heating up the glue with a hot air gun and then squeezing the sides. My PB520c adapter was a nightmare and had to be cut open   

 

[bibilit]

The vice works great 

 

[Papichulo]

I tried that using 2 screwdrivers and a clamp and it didnt do anything except squeeze the capacitors juice out im afraid of the capacitors exploding and a fire hazard . I guess i should keep trying though

 

[bibilit]

Never had any issue with that trick. 

Two screwdriver rods, one on each side and a good vice is all that is required. 

Two minutes job. 

 

[Byrd]

I tried that using 2 screwdrivers and a clamp and it didnt do anything except squeeze the capacitors juice out im afraid of the capacitors exploding and a fire hazard . I guess i should keep trying though

Jesus, how hard did you clamp down?  I honestly think you'd best not repair things yourself

 

[Carboy7]

it didnt do anything except squeeze the capacitors juice out

yikes. I guess the caps were gonna need replacing anyways...??

If it doesn't come apart with the vice strategy, honestly, it's probably going to be a pain and cutting it open might be the best solution to avoid further damage to the internal board. (Although "capacitor juice" is most likely indicative of a goner.) In that case, brittle and dried plastics aren't really going to stop you if you have a nice tool and a steady hand.  good luck!

 

[Papichulo]

  I honestly think you'd best not repair things yourself

Sometimes I think thats true esp with old computers lol. I didnt put alot of pressure at all. It was a smaller vice and the thing wasnt budging at all. All of a suden its got some brown juice oozing out 

 

[PB145B]

That’s just HOW bad those caps are leaking. There’s so much fluid loose in the brick that it’s oozing out now. There’s a few ELNA caps in there that leak really bad.

 

[desertrout]

Vice with two pencils or rods works great. On one I did have to move the rods around as it didn't 'snap' open - squeeze, move, squeeze, move - but eventually it came apart. And by eventually I mean 5 minutes tops, so not long at all.

But no one prepared me for the smell that first time. It's ungodly. I once had an old cat with failing kidneys that would relieve itself in the living room corner, poor thing, but the smell... concentrated-urine-from-a-dying-cat smell. It's like that.

 

[MindWalker]

I re-capped my PB100's charger just a while ago. I used a vice with small blocks of wood and indeed it worked nicely!

 

[desertrout]

Capacitor list and dimensions for reference:

 

[aplmak]

This is how I do it.. I crack the two sides by pressing in hard.. if it’s a real old dried one it will crack and break.. but this one in the pic no. I pry from the bottom with small screwdriver.. most of the time I do it so you can’t see any marks but you can here.. but they are on the bottom which is not usually in view.. this one is done and re super glued all around. It takes patience and a knack.. but can be done!

 

[Papichulo]

Well i just got it open! Used my hands and a screwdriver like suggested above. Wow its leaking so bad it smells horrible and its literally a pool of cap goo! Thanks for the suggestions!