Apple Powerbook Adaptor Model Number Confusion:

Question

Level 2

294 points

Apple Powerbook Adaptor Model Number Confusion:

Hey there.

Apple's power adapter Model M8482 (also referred to as A1021) seems to be a somewhat generic model number - it seems to apply to both 45W and 65W Apple Powerbook Adaptors for the G4 Titanium & Aluminum powerbooks. So how do I tell which I have?

Nothing specific in wattage is written on these three original M8482 apple power adaptors I have - they all have the exact model, etc info on them - even though two of them came with G4 667mhz TiBooks, and the third with a G4 1ghz TiBook. And after hours and hours of reading and researching here and elsewhere, I still am not sure which they are. This is very confusing and frustrating!! Other than that the 1ghz shouldn't really be running regularly off a 45W adapter, I want to get AC cords (the long ones) for them and I don't know which of those models I can use with them (#922-5463 w/ a 3-prong plug apparently won't work with the 45W version).

The System Profiler on the G4 1ghz Tibook, when plugged in, with the M8482 adapter that came with it says there is no power adaptor connected - although it does give Battery Info.

And these are the results when I plugged the G4 1ghz in with the M8482 adapter that came with my 667mhz TiBook:

Battery Information:

Battery Installed: Yes
First low level warning: No
Full Charge Capacity (mAh): 4855
Remaining Capacity (mAh): 4850
Amperage (mA): 178
Voltage (mV): 16584
Cycle Count: 7

AC Charger Information:

AC Charger (Watts): 50
Connected: Yes
Charging: Yes

Then I plugged the 1ghz TiBook in with an after-market adapter from Powermedic that says it's 65W (it's less than a year old and has been lightly treated):

Battery Information:

Battery Installed: Yes
First low level warning: No
Full Charge Capacity (mAh): 4855
Remaining Capacity (mAh): 4845
Amperage (mA): 252
Voltage (mV): 16647
Cycle Count: 7

AC Charger Information:

AC Charger (Watts): 45
Connected: Yes
Charging: Yes

So, please help me - what wattage are these Apple power adapters supposed to be?

Note: The battery is pretty new - a Newertech battery - 5000 mAh (74 Watt-Hour)

These are the Serial numbers of the adapters:

1ghz: RR30401926MKDB
Mine: (667mhz): RR21508258MKDA
Broken (667mhz): RR22717566MKDB

PM G4 867 QS-2002 * G4 533 DP/800 DA * G4 667 DVI PB, Mac OS X (10.4.11), PM9600/XLR8 G3 384 * Beige MT G3 338 * Indigo G3 366 FW * All run OS 10.3.9

Posted on Sep 14, 2009 5:16 AM

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Answer 1

eww

Level 9

53,052 points

Sep 14, 2009 8:48 AM in response to Karbon

If your adapters don't have wattage ratings on them, they must — by law in the USA, I believe — have amperage ratings, from which wattage ratings can be calculated. what are those amperage ratings for each of your adapters?

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Answer 2

Karbon Author

Level 2

294 points

Sep 14, 2009 1:51 PM in response to eww

Hi Eww.

The Apple M8482's all read:

91-56802 Input AC 100-240 50-60Hz
85-120VA Output 24V ~ 1.875A
Samsung...

Model Number M8482
AC INPUT: 1.2A PSCV450120A QAS TE4906

So... Apple requires it's users to be electricians? Sigh, all these years that I've been insisting to people how user-friendly macs are... lol.

Thanks so much for your help.

Karbon

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Answer 3

Nov 20, 2009 6:28 PM in response to Karbon

Taken from the PowerBook G4 (1GHz/867MHz) service manual:

"The PowerBook (1GHz/867MHz) power adapter must be used with the
PowerBook (1GHz/867MHz) computers. The adapters can be identified by 65W in
the name and markings, and the metal securing-stud on the plug connector."

I have been having problems charging my PowerBook and finally decided to check my adaptor. Nowhere does it say 65W but given the voltage and current ratings it's a 45W. That and it has a plastic securing stud.

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Answer 4

eww

Level 9

53,052 points

Nov 20, 2009 7:27 PM in response to oneforthepot

Hi, one. A 45W Apple adapter in good working order will charge a 1GHz Tibook while it's asleep or shut down, but may not charge it when it's running, especially when it's doing heavy processing or is powering external peripherals through its USB or FireWire ports. It's even possible that at those times its power demands will exceed what the AC adapter provides, and it will draw on its battery simultaneously — so of course the charge level of the battery will drop instead of rising at such times.

Even when the machine is asleep or shut down, charging with the 45W adapter may take longer than with a 65W adapter, and when the computer is drawing the full 45W that the adapter can deliver, the adapter may get hotter than a 65W adapter would. An Apple 45W adapter in good condition has robust overload protection built into it and will shut down before it overheats dangerously. Not all third-party adapters are as well protected against overloads, and I wouldn't use a 45W third-party adapter, but I've used several different third-party 65W and 70W adapters with my own and other 867MHz and 1GHz Tibooks.

Message was edited by: eww

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Answer 5

Karbon Author

Level 2

294 points

Nov 30, 2009 1:30 AM in response to eww

Hi all.

I'd read these concerns too that the 1GHz Tibooks should be ideally run off the 65 watt power adapter also, and I had an original apple adapter that was supposed to be 65 watt, but I guess was not. Just found it very frustrating trying to find out exactly which model my adapters were as nothing concrete was written on the ones that now I'm assuming to be on 45 watt - a lot of time wasted trying to find out. I went and got an original apple 65 watt power adapter on eBay and yes it does proudly and loudly say "I'm 65 watts and I'm not ashamed of it" - unlike the 45 watt ones.

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Answer 6

Karbon Author

Level 2

294 points

Nov 30, 2009 1:39 AM in response to Karbon

Okay, didn't mean to post "that" yet... hit the wrong button, lol.

Anyway, I'm happy now that I've done the best I could for my little TiBook - the 65 watt one is indeed much sturdier in construction also. I don't really trust most of the after-markets power adapters neither and interesting enough I had borrowed one from a friend that is marked as 65 watt and was bought from PowerMedic over a year ago (and was only lightly used as a backup) and it shows up in the System Profiler as only 45 watts. My friend didn't know how to check the actual wattage before and is now somewhat disappointed as he paid a fair bit for it and it's now too late to return it.

Thanks for all of your input, it's appreciated.

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