Ibook Charger....

[sleepyjohn]

Hi

I would like to give my old iBook to someone as a present.

The charger is dead.

Apple charges 4000bt, used to be 5000, which to run an old banger worth not much more is a lot.

I therefore asked a pal to bring one back from SFrancisco, where it cost $36 for a good generic.

He had it sent to the wrong address by one number!

Then I had one sent via eBay. Only $13.99.

Only trouble was it didn't work either.

Does anyone have a charger they don't use? It would brighten up the life of someone when they work nightshift and I'd be wiling to pay a fair amount.

cheers John

[nikster]

Hi

I would like to give my old iBook to someone as a present.

The charger is dead.

Apple charges 4000bt, used to be 5000, which to run an old banger worth not much more is a lot.

I therefore asked a pal to bring one back from SFrancisco, where it cost $36 for a good generic.

He had it sent to the wrong address by one number!

Then I had one sent via eBay. Only $13.99.

Only trouble was it didn't work either.

Does anyone have a charger they don't use? It would brighten up the life of someone when they work nightshift and I'd be wiling to pay a fair amount.

cheers John

Why don't you just retrofit any generic notebook charger with the power plug from your dead charger? Just needs the right voltage...

[nikster]

Hi

I would like to give my old iBook to someone as a present.

The charger is dead.

Apple charges 4000bt, used to be 5000, which to run an old banger worth not much more is a lot.

I therefore asked a pal to bring one back from SFrancisco, where it cost $36 for a good generic.

He had it sent to the wrong address by one number!

Then I had one sent via eBay. Only $13.99.

Only trouble was it didn't work either.

Does anyone have a charger they don't use? It would brighten up the life of someone when they work nightshift and I'd be wiling to pay a fair amount.

cheers John

Why don't you just retrofit any generic notebook charger with the power plug from your dead charger? Just needs the right voltage...

[Gary A]

I had a similar problem and couldn't find an adapter that had enough amperage. I bought a Pluto brand name AC Adapter that Will put out adjustable DC voltage and 60 watts maximum. I cut the adapter plug off the original charger and taped it to the wires from the converter. It works fine and cost 600 baht.

[sleepyjohn]

Thanx for the replies

I f i remember right from last year I cannot find a charger in the computer shops here in CM which goes up to 24v.

Gary was this Pluto a sort of regular black lump and where did you buy it? Did you connect an iBook or lower voltage PC? I would be happy to reconnect the terminal. (I believe even 45w is enough they're 45 or 65w alternatives)

ps: some history and why I was against paying 5000bt at the time:

The Apple charger was beset by complaints, mostly around the low voltage wire. In my case it shorted. I am quite able to tinker and took the whole thing apart to faultfind then soldered a patch up job which worked for a couple of years.

cheers John

[Gary A]

Thanx for the replies

I f i remember right from last year I cannot find a charger in the computer shops here in CM which goes up to 24v.

Gary was this Pluto a sort of regular black lump and where did you buy it? Did you connect an iBook or lower voltage PC? I would be happy to reconnect the terminal. (I believe even 45w is enough they're 45 or 65w alternatives)

ps: some history and why I was against paying 5000bt at the time:

The Apple charger was beset by complaints, mostly around the low voltage wire. In my case it shorted. I am quite able to tinker and took the whole thing apart to faultfind then soldered a patch up job which worked for a couple of years.

cheers John

Everything I found at computer shops did not have enough power besides the voltage seldom being correct. I bought this unit from a hardware store and it is actually quite large, about 8 X 5 X 3 inches high. It has a switch, a fuse, voltage selector, positive and negative terminals and an on/off switch. As mentioned, it cost 600 baht.

Your existing charger should be marked with voltage and amperage. Multiply the voltage and amperage to get watts. You should be able to get a adjustable voltage transformer and if it has enough wattage it will work fine.

Edited July 13, 2009 by Gary A

[sleepyjohn]

Thanx for the replies

I f i remember right from last year I cannot find a charger in the computer shops here in CM which goes up to 24v.

Gary was this Pluto a sort of regular black lump and where did you buy it? Did you connect an iBook or lower voltage PC? I would be happy to reconnect the terminal. (I believe even 45w is enough they're 45 or 65w alternatives)

ps: some history and why I was against paying 5000bt at the time:

The Apple charger was beset by complaints, mostly around the low voltage wire. In my case it shorted. I am quite able to tinker and took the whole thing apart to faultfind then soldered a patch up job which worked for a couple of years.

cheers John

Everything I found at computer shops did not have enough power besides the voltage seldom being correct. I bought this unit from a hardware store and it is actually quite large, about 8 X 5 X 3 inches high. It has a switch, a fuse, voltage selector, positive and negative terminals and an on/off switch. As mentioned, it cost 600 baht.

Your existing charger should be marked with voltage and amperage. Multiply the voltage and amperage to get watts. You should be able to get a adjustable voltage transformer and if it has enough wattage it will work fine.

The problem being who will push the wheelbarrow with the charger in it.

[sleepyjohn]

Gary and Nikster

I thought the iBook chargers were 24v.

I went to Pantip CM yesterday. A charger shop offered me an original new one for 3500. Not sure why the whites on the plastic parts were different but no matter. I said do you have any old charger at 24v? He showed me the iBook charger box it said 16.5v.

Now there can't be confusion between peak volts and RMS because it's DC.

So am I right about 24v?

cheers John

[nikster]

They do appear to be 24V, maybe you can get one of those OEM models they sell in the states?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16834997289

[sleepyjohn]

They do appear to be 24V, maybe you can get one of those OEM models they sell in the states?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16834997289

This is extraordinary.

The iBook adaptor had a well known fault with the low voltage line fraying/deconnecting internally and as far as I could find out at the time exactly the same adaptor was being sold to replace it at a cost of 5000bt ($!40?!) which is why I was pissed off enough to try to get a cheaper replacement elsewhere.

I just plugged in my Macbook tonight, noticed no charging, then a flicker, then SMOKE!

Exactly the same thing has happened the lead has frayed at the charger end. The outer sheathing had worn right through and was brown at the ends and the braided neutral line next inside was all but completely disconnected......the just touching wires were causing the heat.

My Macbook is a hint over 3 years old.

Suggestions how to deal with Apple? Who in the world would pay the (now) 4000bt to buy a known substandard item?

Let alone no charger.....smoke is a pretty serious thing that ought to scare them into action.

(ps already Googled in 3 minutes found another burned charger issue.)

cheers John

Edited July 14, 2009 by sleepyjohn

[sleepyjohn]

Gave the Macbook charger to Apple.

It's now a well known fault and I was told it would probably be replaced tomorrow.

I still need an iBook charger which i would happily pay for to give my iBook as a birthday present next week.

still hoping

John

ps would still like to know why it says 24v but have twice seen 16.5v.

(the battery is rated 10.8 one would think 16.5 might be enough.....and i can buy a 16v and change the LV plug over)

[sleepyjohn]

Gave the Macbook charger to Apple.

It's now a well known fault and I was told it would probably be replaced tomorrow.

I still need an iBook charger which i would happily pay for to give my iBook as a birthday present next week.

still hoping

John

ps would still like to know why it says 24v but have twice seen 16.5v.

(the battery is rated 10.8 one would think 16.5 might be enough.....and i can buy a 16v and change the LV plug over)

[verydumbubba]

The real test is to count the cells in the battery - 16/24 VDC might indeed be the off-load max voltage

Bubba

[sleepyjohn]

The real test is to count the cells in the battery - 16/24 VDC might indeed be the off-load max voltage

Bubba

Hi Bubba

would love you to expand on your

"16/24 VDC might indeed be the off-load max voltage" if possible.

I have now read somewhere that the iBook will actually run on 15v.....but not charge....perhaps due to power management unit not cutting in for charge.

Anyway today I found a 20v/3.5a adapter for 120 baht(!) so I'm going to swap solder the plug over. Suck it and see as the actress said to the bishop.

Would love to understand more though.....once again it says 10.8v on the battery.

cheers

ps maybe you're not so verydum as you make out?

Edited July 17, 2009 by sleepyjohn

[verydumbubba]

Any DC charger near 12VDC out, will happily recharge, so long as there is say 1 to 2 ampere available - might take a while, so leave it on 24 hours and go drink some cold Chang!!

Bubba

[sleepyjohn]

Sleepyjohn fans will be thrilled to know I went ahead and cannibalised the old charger plug/lead with the new 120 baht 20v charger.

It worked first time and continues to do so.

It not only fires up OSX it charges the battery too and not slowly.

Apple minus 4000bt and lose reputation.

Sleepyjohn minus 120bt and very smug.

[sleepyjohn]

.

Edited July 30, 2009 by sleepyjohn

[sleepyjohn]

How do I remove accidental posts like this it doesn't seem possible even in edit mode?

Edited July 30, 2009 by sleepyjohn