PowerBook G4 Charger Question

[kb3wmh]

I have a question about charging my PowerBook.

My the connector for the charger for my Titanium PowerBook G4 is very flakey. To charge my PowerBook, I have to twist it into the right orientation and apply slight pressure to one side (very slight, not enough to damage the computer). I don't believe that the laptop is the issue, since I have the same issue with my other G4, and the charger is a random knockoff brand.

My question is: can I use the charger for a PowerBook Duo 230 on this laptop? I've compared it to my yoyo-style charger (dead), and the voltages are the same, and the connectors appear to be the same, with the only difference being the G4 adapter supplies 1.875 amps, whereas the Duo charger supplies only about 1.04 amps (I'd have to dig it out for the exact number...). Will I damage anything, or will the only issue be that the laptop charges more slowly?

Would this work for a 17" Aluminum PowerBook, too? I'd expect they require a significantly greater amount of power. This working is less important; as I care mostly about the TiBook.

Thanks

 

[TheWhiteFalcon]

Charger connector is different. The Duo plug is larger.

17" AlBooks need a 65W charger, the TiBooks and the older units used 45W.

 

[Bunsen]

If you can make the connection work, you may find that the lower power output of the Duo charger won't let you charge the G4's battery and run the machine at the same time.  So, try running it without the battery, or charge the battery while it's off.

 

[butterburger]

Whichever direction you need to tilt the plug, try to dent/bend inward the shell. Goal being, to re-shape the shell so slightly (fraction of millimetre), that it pulls centre TRS toward that side in laptop's socket inlet, achieving same effect as your manual pressure.

 

[Elfen]

If you are brave enough to do some surgery, you can try to fix it. It's about the same size as a headphone stereo plug...

I have the opposite problem - the larger plugs on the Duo/Wallstreet/PowerBook jacks are breaking and there is no "common size" for that like the mini jacks.

Oh, almost forgot - your medical school surgery "How To" Guide:

http://repair4laptop.org/wiki/Mac_iBook_G4_Power_Adapter_DC_Plug_Repair_Howto_Guide

 

[Bunsen]

The inner connector is the exact same size and shape as a 6.5mm / 1/4" stereo headphone jack /edit/ see below/.  You can use one as a power plug, but the internal contacts in the socket don't line up exactly with the spacing of the tip/ring/sleeve divisions of the plug.  Easily fixed though - you add a rubber grommet to the base of the plug to move it a few mm out of the socket when plugged all the way in, and then everything lines up.

The outer ring doesn't do anything, so if you can manage to do it cleanly, you could remove that.

 

[butterburger]

G4 'Book power connector has a central 2.5 mm TRS plug. Its outer shell (I saw it called also "screen" and "shield") is not necessary for normal Mac operation. It is important that shell be present, no matter what it is made of: it prevents sleeve from contacting anything. Without shell, sleeve is exposed to environment, can short and spark on contact. (TRS sleeve is power supply contact. TRS ring is power return/ground contact.) Besides "just being there", shell does two other things: shell causes green LED in plug to illuminate; between shell and ring is sense resistor. (Without shell, TRS alone is sensed as 45W supply.)

 

[Bunsen]

2.5 mm TRS plug

My bad, thankyou for clearing that up.  And thankyou for the further information about the function of the outer shell.