Powerbank solution for PowerBooks.

[darngooddesign]

My Maycintosh contribution is powerbank battery power because Powerbooks without batteries kind of suck, and it also solves the lack of MagSafe with my three dogs running around.

If you’re interested order these two things from Bixpower. This is just for my Duo and 2400C but Bixpower might have plug adapters for other old PowerBooks like the 100s so you’ll have to ask them.

CNT-C11 C11 DC Power Connector for Apple (9.0 x 3.5mm) with 5.5 x 2.5mm Female Jack
1 US$7.95 US$7.95

CAB-UC-20V 20V USB Type C Power Cable with 5.5 x 2.5mm Male Output Connector

Then you need a 100W PD Powerbank. I picked up a 20000k one from Ugreen which is on sale for like $55. You should be good for 5+ hours of use.

USBC is 20V instead of the PowerBook’s normal 24V but I’ve been doing all kinds of things and I don’t think even the 2400c draws enough power for that to matter, it’s not like I’m 3D rendering on these things.

 

[TheShortTimer]

Thanks @darngooddesign for sharing this info. It's very helpful! 🙂

 

[milliectl]

In a similar vein you can use a USB-C PD Trigger board set to 20V and an iBook/PowerBook tip soldered together to have a little USB-C -> PB adapter 🙂

The resistors in the board of the tip (under that plastic shield) are what negotiate the wattage with the computer - so you'll probably want a powerbank/charger that does the same or more wattage (35W for an iBook? 45W for a PowerBook G4 17" if I remember correctly).

 

[Certificate of Excellence]

Do these battery solutions work without an internal battery at all? I mean at some point they all become spicy pillowy fire hazard 😛 Just thinking about all these cool old portables with really old and unreplaceable batteries like my powerbookg4 17" as an example. It would be so cool to have a modular battery solution (albeit external) like this with multiple tips for these old macs that could supplement & function in place of the internal completely.

I like these solutions so much. Quite elegant.

 

[darngooddesign]

Do these battery solutions work without an internal battery at all? I mean at some point they all become spicy pillowy fire hazard 😛 Just thinking about all these cool old portables with really old and unreplaceable batteries like my powerbookg4 17" as an example. It would be so cool to have a modular battery solution (albeit external) like this with multiple tips for these old macs that could supplement & function in place of the internal completely.

I like these solutions so much. Quite elegant.

Yes. You can take the battery out because they might not boot with really dead battery connected.

 

[milliectl]

Do these battery solutions work without an internal battery at all? I mean at some point they all become spicy pillowy fire hazard 😛 Just thinking about all these cool old portables with really old and unreplaceable batteries like my powerbookg4 17" as an example. It would be so cool to have a modular battery solution (albeit external) like this with multiple tips for these old macs that could supplement & function in place of the internal completely.

I like these solutions so much. Quite elegant.

Looking at a PBG4 17" DLSD - as long as it 'sees' a powerful enough charger (so like I said, 45W(?)) it will power on without the battery.