1$!!!
16mb RAM
Noisy SCSI HD
MS Office
Mac OS 7.5.2
And No Battery
16mb RAM
Noisy SCSI HD
MS Office
Mac OS 7.5.2
And No Battery
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Powerbook 520
- Thread starter macintoshman
- Start date
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Given that they were the highest-spec'd, and priced 68k PowerBooks made.. this would be rather obvious, but as for best.. I'd disagree ... BUT... t really depends on your target use.Oh now that's a very nice price for a very nice machine
The 500 series are just the best when it comes to 680X0 laptops
500's weigh a ton and lacked the better control that trackballs offer.
Surely they weighed the same ton that all other 100 series and 500 series weighed? It was a given with the then technology. If I am honest—and I try to be, especially just before Christmas—I prefer a trackball with sl-o-ow mousetracking to a touchpad for fine control if it has a 2-in. ball as some aftermarket suppliers produced, but it defeats the purpose of a portable if you have to add AC adapter, second battery (if you have a PCMCIA module in use) and 5.5x4.5x2-in USB trackball assembly to your mobile workstation.
Like many others, then, I have learnt to use the ball rather than the tip of a finger on a trackpad, and it is capable of relatively fine control.
de
Well this is just off the top of my head you see, but it's a hack idea I've considered for some time. There's all that empty space, and the "Intelligent" (hah) batteries in the 5x0 series are almost always beyond recovery. AA rechargeable batteries are the cheapest per mAh, because that's a standard size. So one idea would be to bypass the internal battery connections altogether and wire straight to the DC input socket on the back, and have enough cells in series to match the voltage of the DC adapter. You'd have to figure out some way of charging them.
Beyond that, if you need it explained, it's probably not a good idea to try it
nah.. seems to be not that hard. why not using the internal power connector but running wires to the normal DC jack? do you need more than one voltage on the internal connector? (never had a battery for my 520 and never was interested in knowing how the batt. works ) so that´s how i´d explain to myself...
why not using the internal power connector but running wires to the normal DC jack? do you need more than one voltage on the internal connector? (never had a battery for my 520 and never was interested in knowing how the batt. works ) so that´s how i´d explain to myself...
I got it for 1$ at a yard sale.
But the trim below the screen fell off! and the hinges are going bad too! A problem with the screen is if you move it, it dims or goes too bright! So it is now a small desktop.
But the trim below the screen fell off! and the hinges are going bad too! A problem with the screen is if you move it, it dims or goes too bright! So it is now a small desktop.
That trim is a pain in the you-know-what because its retaining tangs fall off as you look at them. It protects the connections to the display, however, so it is worthwhile to invent a couple of circular clamp bands to keep it in place.
While it is busy falling off, however, is a good time for you to check the connections to the display, which, from the symptoms that you mention, need attention. A thorough examination will involve an almost complete demolition of the PB, which you may as well get over and done this early in your mutual acquaintance.
The demolition will enable you to replace the backup battery inside, if that is needed. (Backup batteries—in PBs they do more than just keep PRAM settings—don't begin to recharge before the main battery is near full terminal voltage, not capacity.) This means that even with a main battery that has very little capacity you can get the backup charged just by leaving the AC adapter attached for a few days. If the main battery tries to imitate a toaster during this process, stop the charging, because the battery has too many internal shorts to be of any use.
de
While it is busy falling off, however, is a good time for you to check the connections to the display, which, from the symptoms that you mention, need attention. A thorough examination will involve an almost complete demolition of the PB, which you may as well get over and done this early in your mutual acquaintance.
The demolition will enable you to replace the backup battery inside, if that is needed. (Backup batteries—in PBs they do more than just keep PRAM settings—don't begin to recharge before the main battery is near full terminal voltage, not capacity.) This means that even with a main battery that has very little capacity you can get the backup charged just by leaving the AC adapter attached for a few days. If the main battery tries to imitate a toaster during this process, stop the charging, because the battery has too many internal shorts to be of any use.
de
Why not just re-cell the battery pack?
I am thinking either battery refill dot com or doit your self. I couple if older nicad's from remote control cars or something, solder and time.
Shouldn't be too hard. Heck I'd even draw up a schematic, calculate resistance, charge times etc. Then do a nice PCB and move the controller board. Etc. You get the idea.
If I really cared I test it out in one of my breadboard sim programs.
It can be done though.
I am thinking either battery refill dot com or doit your self. I couple if older nicad's from remote control cars or something, solder and time.
Shouldn't be too hard. Heck I'd even draw up a schematic, calculate resistance, charge times etc. Then do a nice PCB and move the controller board. Etc. You get the idea.
If I really cared I test it out in one of my breadboard sim programs.
It can be done though.
You can recell an intelligent pack. Just retain the electronics during the recelling. As long as there is no problem with the electronics on the board, you should be fine.
As far as the hinges go, LEM just ran an article on how to stabilize them. It's not a perfect fix because you end up with four visible screwheads, but this is what I've always done because the alternatives are too time consuming. If you don't mind a slight aesthetic ding, I recommend doing it.
And that piece of trim, as noted, is indeed a royal pain in the fazoo. "Some assembly required."
As far as the hinges go, LEM just ran an article on how to stabilize them. It's not a perfect fix because you end up with four visible screwheads, but this is what I've always done because the alternatives are too time consuming. If you don't mind a slight aesthetic ding, I recommend doing it.
And that piece of trim, as noted, is indeed a royal pain in the fazoo. "Some assembly required."
Id does not have the battery's!
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