I think my Titanium PowerBook wall adapter is failing, and googling for more information about getting a new one, I have found quite a few other complaints about Apple's adapter.
I hear lots of crackling noises coming from the adapter (from the prong area) when it's plugged into either the wall or a power strip, and then sometimes it stops working. I plug it into a different socket and it works again. I've taken great care of it the adapter, and there are no visible problems with the cord or any part of it.
Does it sound like this is a wall adapter problem? Or might it be something else?
Also, if I don't notice it has stopped working right away, the PowerBook shuts off well before before the battery level reaches zero. I think there's a button beneath the keyboard that I should try and reset to fix this, but I haven't gotten around to doing that yet. I think this is a separate issue from the wall adapter.
"Elizabot v2.0.2" Elizabot@redacted.invalid schrieb :
I think my Titanium PowerBook wall adapter is failing, and googling for more information about getting a new one, I have found quite a few other complaints about Apple's adapter.
I hear lots of crackling noises coming from the adapter (from the prong area) when it's plugged into either the wall or a power strip, and then sometimes it stops working. I plug it into a different socket and it works again. I've taken great care of it the adapter, and there are no visible problems with the cord or any part of it.
If it is a UFO-Style adapter, I guess it is the isolation of the cable that went off or it is broken. Take a close look where the cable that leads to the computer goes into the adapter. Mostly you can see there a part where the cable became more black.
Florian Zschocke wrote:
"Elizabot v2.0.2" Elizabot@redacted.invalid schrieb :
I think my Titanium PowerBook wall adapter is failing, and googling for more information about getting a new one, I have found quite a few other complaints about Apple's adapter.
I hear lots of crackling noises coming from the adapter (from the prong area) when it's plugged into either the wall or a power strip, and then sometimes it stops working. I plug it into a different socket and it works again. I've taken great care of it the adapter, and there are no visible problems with the cord or any part of it.
If it is a UFO-Style adapter, I guess it is the isolation of the cable that went off or it is broken. Take a close look where the cable that leads to the computer goes into the adapter. Mostly you can see there a part where the cable became more black.
I'm not sure what you mean by UFO-Style adapter. It's the white brick that came with the PowerBook. I don't see any blackening at all on any part of the cable or adapter anywhere.
The sparking/arcing happens even if the adapter is not connected to my PB and I plug/unplug the adapter into the wall.
Althought this one still works mostly, I'm just going to get a new adapter, and not one from Apple, as I have now read too many stories about people getting replacements that, in turn, fail also.
Thanks for your response. This arcing stuff is making me uncomfortable.
Your adapter is toast, or likely soon to be. Get a replacement.
This nice adapter from Kensington is also a DC adapter which allows you to operate your PB in a car's or an aircraft's power outlet as well from a wall outlet in your home/office:
http://www.powermax.com/cgi-global/generate_css_temp.cgi?p=c55921
Here's a whole list of adapters:
http://www.powermax.com/cgi-global/generate_css_temp.cgi?i=PM_AS_PO_BA_PB
Don't know how these folks compare price-wise; you might find a better price elsewhere.
Good luck,
In article 11652i6t6mnnfc3@redacted.invalid, "Elizabot v2.0.2" Elizabot@redacted.invalid wrote:
Florian Zschocke wrote:
"Elizabot v2.0.2" Elizabot@redacted.invalid schrieb :
I think my Titanium PowerBook wall adapter is failing, and googling for more information about getting a new one, I have found quite a few other complaints about Apple's adapter.
I hear lots of crackling noises coming from the adapter (from the prong area) when it's plugged into either the wall or a power strip, and then sometimes it stops working. I plug it into a different socket and it works again. I've taken great care of it the adapter, and there are no visible problems with the cord or any part of it.
If it is a UFO-Style adapter, I guess it is the isolation of the cable that went off or it is broken. Take a close look where the cable that leads to the computer goes into the adapter. Mostly you can see there a part where the cable became more black.
I'm not sure what you mean by UFO-Style adapter. The UFO adapter is the one that came with G3 Powerbooks. It was known, in its earlier versions, for breaking, then burning wires.
It's the white brick that came with the PowerBook. I don't see any blackening at all on any part of the cable or adapter anywhere.
The sparking/arcing happens even if the adapter is not connected to my PB and I plug/unplug the adapter into the wall.
The real test is to plug the adapter into the wall, slap a Voltmeter on it, and wiggle the wires around. If the voltage is intermittant you have broken wires and arcing, no matter what it looks like.
Althought this one still works mostly, I'm just going to get a new adapter, and not one from Apple, as I have now read too many stories about people getting replacements that, in turn, fail also.
Thanks for your response. This arcing stuff is making me uncomfortable. As well it should. However, it is normal to experience a brief arc when connecting your brick into the wall. I understand you are experiencing additional crackling, but don't be surprised if this first arc/pop doesn't go away.
John Johnson null@redacted.invalid wrote:
"Elizabot v2.0.2" Elizabot@redacted.invalid wrote:
I'm not sure what you mean by UFO-Style adapter.
The UFO adapter is the one that came with G3 Powerbooks. It was known, in its earlier versions, for breaking, then burning wires.
It's the white brick that came with the PowerBook.
By 'UFO-style', I understood it to be what other people sometimes call the 'yo-yo'. That is certainly not the adapter that came with my G3 Powerbook. (The term 'G3 Powerbook' obviously encompasses too many models for your generalisation to hold.) My original adapter was a small black brick--the one that Apple recalled and replaced with the yo-yo.
cheers,
Henry
In article 1gv7lrp.1nul9wy1ojcm68N%henry999@redacted.invalid, henry999@redacted.invalid (Henry) wrote:
John Johnson null@redacted.invalid wrote:
"Elizabot v2.0.2" Elizabot@redacted.invalid wrote:
I'm not sure what you mean by UFO-Style adapter.
The UFO adapter is the one that came with G3 Powerbooks. It was known, in its earlier versions, for breaking, then burning wires.
It's the white brick that came with the PowerBook.
By 'UFO-style', I understood it to be what other people sometimes call the 'yo-yo'. That is certainly not the adapter that came with my G3 Powerbook.
Quite correct, sorry about that. The UFO/yo-yo came with the Pismo, and possibly with the Lombard (I can't remember atm) PowerBooks. I was dashing that off to fill in the OP, who could NOT have the UFO, because the TiBook was the first PowerBook to come with the white brick (and use a smaller power connector). In any event, mea culpa. :-)
DaveC wrote:
Your adapter is toast, or likely soon to be. Get a replacement.
This is what I wanted to hear. I've never had an adapter fry on me before.
This nice adapter from Kensington is also a DC adapter which allows you to operate your PB in a car's or an aircraft's power outlet as well from a wall outlet in your home/office:
http://www.powermax.com/cgi-global/generate_css_temp.cgi?p=c55921
I found that one. It looks nice. I've decided on the iGo iJuice, as it is more versatile.
Here's a whole list of adapters:
http://www.powermax.com/cgi-global/generate_css_temp.cgi?i=PM_AS_PO_BA_PB
Don't know how these folks compare price-wise; you might find a better price elsewhere.
Good luck,
Thanks!
John Johnson wrote:
In article 11652i6t6mnnfc3@redacted.invalid, "Elizabot v2.0.2" Elizabot@redacted.invalid wrote:
The UFO adapter is the one that came with G3 Powerbooks. It was known, in its earlier versions, for breaking, then burning wires.
Oh, OK. I had one of those with an old iBook.
The real test is to plug the adapter into the wall, slap a Voltmeter on it, and wiggle the wires around. If the voltage is intermittant you have broken wires and arcing, no matter what it looks like.
I'll keep that in mind in the future. Thanks.
Thanks for your response. This arcing stuff is making me uncomfortable.
As well it should. However, it is normal to experience a brief arc when connecting your brick into the wall. I understand you are experiencing additional crackling, but don't be surprised if this first arc/pop doesn't go away.
It happens occasionally when the plug isn't being moved at all.
I'm going to try an iGo iJuice.