HELP PLEASE-powerbook g4 charging problems

[jaz6425]

i have a powerbook g4 with the following specs: 1.5ghz, 1.25 ram, 80g, 12" model.

i am having issues with the computer charging. first off i have a new charger and battery so i know that's not the issue. The problem is that when the computer is on and in use, it will not charge. The battery icon in the top right will switch back and forth from showing the charger is connected (the little plug not the lightning bolt icon) to just showing the battery life. very rarely will it kick on to the little lighting bolt showing its charging, and when it does it's only for a few seconds.

however.... when the lid is closed and the computer is asleep/standby mode, or when i turn the computer off, it will charge with no issues. i have no idea if this could just be a short or if it's a board issue (dc, logic, etc). any advice will be greatly appreciated and i can try and explain further if i wasnt' too clear.

thanks

 

[pandabearjohnso]

Hi Jaz
Have you tried holding or fiddling with the power cable when the cover is open? Maybe you have a bad DC-in board. I am just about to replace my 2nd DC-in board in 6 months on my old 12" PBG4. Did the problem show up when you got the new charger? Is it a proper Apple charger or a cheap knock-off?

If it is the DC in board the good news is they are not very expensive. The bad news is you have to take just about every single component out of the body to get to it.

 

[GregBrannon]

Have you tried resetting the Power Management Unit since getting the new power supply and battery?

Read about it here:

Resetting PowerBook and iBook Power Management Unit (PMU)

 

[jaz6425]

I tried resetting the pmu, that did not fix it. When I fiddle with it with the lid open it recognizes the charger but rarely charges the machine. The charger is not an apple but not a cheap eBay one either. It was $50 from microcenter. I guess maybe I should try the dc in board?

 

[chas_m]

My guess would be the DC inverter board. It's not an expensive part, but sadly the whole computer needs to be taken completely apart to fix it, so its a labour-intensive thing to fix.