PowerBook 3400 crazy sound...

[Hotdog Zanzibar]

Last year, my PB3400 quit working. Up until that point, it had been used regularly, at least twice a week, so it hadn't been sitting for a long period of time.

Still, I thought maybe the PMU needed reset. After numerous attempts, I gave up and started looking for a new PMU board. I finally found one from AichEss here on the forums last month and installed it this week. Still no success. No chime, no gray screen, just the familiar "pop" of the speakers.

Here's what's weird. 

Yesterday, the battery still claimed to have a 75% charge (3 of the 4 green LEDs light up). Even before it died, it still held about an hour's charge on it. Unbelievable for a 14 year-old battery. But the battery has been sitting for months without any AC power to charge it. How did it not dissipate?

Anyway, last night I unplugged the laptop after fruitlessly installing the new PMU and went to bed. The green LED on the display was off.  

Tonight, I came downstairs to find the green LED on, even though the AC was still unplugged. The battery now indicates having no charge. Hoping for the best, I plugged the AC back in and hit the reset button... and the sound that came next freaked me out, so I did it again and recorded it on my iPhone:

https://youtu.be/_ruJETKIEdU (sorry, not sure how to embed this here...)

What is going on??

 

[Garrett]

Have you checked for a corroded battery?

Perhaps capacitors? Personally I'd narrow it down those two issues first...

 

[TheWhiteFalcon]

Sounds like a cap issue.

 

[Macdrone]

It's the P ram battery corroding the motherbao

 

[Macdrone]

Board

 

[techknight]

That is a classic sign of a shorted logic board loading down one of your rails. 

And if you didnt take the PRAM battery out years ago, well.... Whoops. Yea they get bad, and it probably screwed it. 

Same deal with the PB1XX and all the other ones, the batteries gotta go!!!

 

[Hotdog Zanzibar]

Well, that's unfortunate. I took the PRAM battery out a couple years ago when it died, but apparently whatever damage it had started just got worse. At least the machine will run just fine without it. Once I get a new logic board, that is. 

Thanks guys.

 

[techknight]

Well if the battery hasnt been in there, then likely something just failed. It happens.

I am working on Two TAM power supplies, one of them has a blown standby regulator IC, and the other one has an open opto-coupler IC.

Things tend to just randomly fail. There never would have been electronics repair shops on every corner back in the day if it didnt happen.

 

[raoulduke]

Take the battery out.  Plug the AC adapter back in.  If it doesn't chime/screen pop up on schedule, press the hard reset button on the back.  If that doesn't work press it once again.  For God's sake don't just go out and replace the logic board lol.

Normally I get that sound [it's not precisely the same but it's very similar] when I experiment with my battery rebuilds.  If what I said above doesn't work immediately, leave it with all power to it disconnected including the battery for an hour or two (probably less in reality) and then try again - again without the battery.  There's almost certainly no harm to plugging the battery in once it's started, though.

If none of that works the first step would be the replace the power board; however, while it is possible it is a logic board problem, that type of repetition suggests repeated attempts and failures to turn on (I think - probably to draw sufficient current).

 

[Hotdog Zanzibar]

Take the battery out.  Plug the AC adapter back in.  If it doesn't chime/screen pop up on schedule, press the hard reset button on the back.  If that doesn't work press it once again.  For God's sake don't just go out and replace the logic board lol.

...

If none of that works the first step would be the replace the power board; however, while it is possible it is a logic board problem, that type of repetition suggests repeated attempts and failures to turn on (I think - probably to draw sufficient current).

Oh, there has been MUCH of the plugging/unplugging, removing battery, putting the battery back, etc. -- in all the different ways possible. I've tried leaving the AC plugged in overnight with the battery, then without, then resetting the PMU with the battery, then without... then with the AC, then without... then with AC and battery, then just battery, then just AC... you get the idea.

I replaced the power board with one that user AichEss sent me. It was tested fully before he sent it. It's GOT to be the logic board, at this point.

 

[raoulduke]

Well wait. I get the idea but you left it with no power into it? That's not in what you described (unless that's the leaving overnight without), I don't think.  And also when doing that remove the power board.  Unplug everything.  Remove power board.  Wait a bit, replace power board.  Replace AC (not battery), try soft boot.

I'm not an electrician but I suspect that one is trying to drain all the capacitors.  (That's just based on observation from my various 3400c exploits)

 

[raoulduke]

I'm guessing that's a no go with the power totally drained and trying both power boards...?

 

[Macdrone]

The 3400 only has like one capacitor can on the motherboard. The damage from a dripping pram battery is usually the killer.

If he used a different power board that has 2 caps on it I'm sure he is correct about the motherboard.

Having 3 dead ones myself and 1 working it's normally the motherboard under the pram battery that is damaged.

 

[raoulduke]

Oh. Okay I was sloppy in my reading of the prior history. So I'll assume it wasn't plugged in the whole time you were waiting for the new PMU - which I assume is the power (connector) board.

Have you done a visual inspection of the logic board? Can you post some pictures? Actually, of both PMUs might also be helpful.

* But I still say what I'm seeing in that video is because of the battery. Otherwise plugging the adapter in would immediately cause that sound without the need for a soft boot. And the charge light is likely PMU or battery (probably latter).

Macdrone, what boards have 2 caps...?

 

[Hotdog Zanzibar]

I've actually put the 3400 away in storage with all its parts while I search for a new logic board and have moved on to a new project -- I'll revisit this thread when I find a logic board replacement.

 

[AichEss]

The 3400 only has like one capacitor can on the motherboard. The damage from a dripping pram battery is usually the killer.

If he used a different power board that has 2 caps on it I'm sure he is correct about the motherboard.

Having 3 dead ones myself and 1 working it's normally the motherboard under the pram battery that is damaged.

I fully agree with points 1 & 3. The PRAM battery placement is a design flaw, yes, but who'd a thunk anyone would be worried about it 18 years later.

Point 2. I'm not understanding this. AFAIKT there's only one version of the PMU. Am I missing something here?

 

[Macdrone]

I mean capacitors on the pmu. If you hear any whining while plugged in that is a sure sign the board needs recapped.

 

[techknight]

In most cases thats true, But.... not always!

There are some cases where the inductors/transformer cores are loose, and they will ring. Also, if there is heavy current draw it will ring as well.

 

[Macdrone]

I agree with you tech knight, just trying to suggest the simple stuff I can figure out to try and help. I know that in the one I have working it whined until I recapped that board. Just a possibility.