Capacitor Reference - PowerBook 500 Series AC Adapter

The PowerBook 500 series AC Adapters are very unreliable and just generally awful. The usual cap failures and leaks, but many just refuse to work even after a recap. I recapped two that would work for a short time and then die. Both had leaking caps in them, but still didn't work right after the recap was finished.

If your original doesn't work after a recap, I'd recommend building an adapter to power your laptop off a modern 16V supply. Details on that are available here.

The hardest part of either method is just getting the plastic case open. The best method to do so seems to be to bust it open with a vice and a couple of pencils on either side of the seam to guide the stress to that area. It got both mine open, but caused a pair of chewed up cases. There's no way to get them open without damage with how brittle they are.

How much work on the vice it takes to open one can also vary. My first adapter took a lot of work and extra prying while clamped before it finally gave, which my second one snapped open nearly immediately.

Capacitor List

Capacitor(s) Value Voltage Diameter Height Type
C1, C2 (2x) 100uf 200v 16mm 26mm Radial
C308A, C308B (2x) 330uf 25v 8mm 20mm Radial
C14A, C14B (2x) 100uf 25v 6mm 11mm Radial
C802 (1x) 47uf 25v 5mm 11mm Radial

Reference Image

Click on the image below to view the full-size version of it.

Provided by @Fizzbinn on 68kMLA.org, used with permission.



Page last updated (MM/DD/YYYY): 05/17/2024
Update Reason: links updated

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