PowerBook 180 no power (x2)

[JRL]

So 2 of the PB 180s I picked up lately don't power up. One seems to make a small "blip" noise about every 5 seconds or so, the other has the screen turn on for about <1 sec. This is with both main batteries removed.

Are there any fuses I should be on the lookout for on this MB? Thanks!

-Jeff

 

[Byrd]

First I'd check the PSU, and recap/recalibrate it under load.

There is a fuse near the DC jack on the motherboard that often dies, and can be replaced with some thick gauge wire; I did have a link but am not on my usual computer right now to find.

 

[MikeatOSX]

Are these PB 180 or 180c?

If PB 180c they need a good 3 ampere (24W) power supply and will only start for 1 sec with less than 3 ampere. 

So did mine. 

 

[JRL]

Verified that the psu isn't the problem - correct output. I'll keep a lookout for the fuse, thanks!

@MikeatOSX It's a 180 (not 180c)

 

[register]

I found the female power connector soldered to the 180's mainboard to easily cause a slack joint. It can be damaged by bending the contacts, the solder pads in the mainboard can become loose, and also the contacts may corrode from the 3 A uptake of the PowerBook. My first PowerBook was pulled from my knees by the cable and fell just onto the plug. Both the cable and the jack broke. I fixed the power adapter with a new cable and a new plug (a flexible rubber stage quality microphone cable is appropriate for this purpose, and you can choose from many colours), and also soldered a new jack onto the mainboard. That solved any power problems in this machine for quite a long time, until all of the batteries died.

 

[techknight]

Verified that the psu isn't the problem - correct output. I'll keep a lookout for the fuse, thanks!

@MikeatOSX It's a 180 (not 180c)

Is that voltage taken under load? Thats where it really counts.