Kensington 70W AC/DC adapter?

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csean2006 Author

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Kensington 70W AC/DC adapter?

I just got a new 70W Kensington AC/DC adapter to use with my G4/1.67 15" Hi-Res.
It powers the computer okay and charges the battery, but I was surprised to find that when I was on battery power and the battery ran out, when I plugged the Kensington into the powerbook, I wasn't able to power up the PB: I hit the spacebar, but it didn't wake from sleep; I then hit the power button, which would normally wake it from Safe Sleep, but nothing happened. The PB just wouldn't power up.

I had to reconnect the original Apple AC adapter, and then it woke from Safe Sleep.

Anyone else ever seen this? Is it a problem with the Kensington adapter?
Does the PB need to recognize that an Apple adapter is connected, in order to wake from Safe Sleep?

Weird, yet good to know. If I had been out of town with only the Kensington adapter, I would've been in big trouble.

Also, if you're using the Kensington and you can't let the battery run all the way down to zero, and let the PB go to sleep, your batteries won't retain their capacity as long.

15" PB G4/1.67 Hi Res - 1.5GB RAM, Mac OS X (10.4.7), ROKR, iPod Photo

Posted on Sep 10, 2006 12:20 PM

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Answer 1

Sep 10, 2006 4:31 PM in response to csean2006

The PowerBooks, not to mention the rest of the Apple laptops, require a certain charge in the battery for it to wake from sleep. This is normal behaviour. The reason is that for what ever reason it has to expect that the power could be removed. It would then require enough power to maintain operation and get back into sleep.

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Answer 2

csean2006 Author

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Sep 10, 2006 7:31 PM in response to infinite vortex

So why is one able to wake from Safe Sleep using the Apple AC adapter (65W) and not the Kensington (70W)?

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Answer 3

Sep 11, 2006 5:40 PM in response to csean2006

It could have just been timing. Often when batteries are given a moments rest they do normalise and will be able to give more charge. This can often happen with a PowerBook battery.

I've never been able to get my PowerBook to come out of sleep immediately after it goes to sleep due to no remaining battery power even with an Apple 65W charger.

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Answer 4

csean2006 Author

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Sep 11, 2006 10:01 PM in response to infinite vortex

I don't think it's timing. It's not a one-time thing. I have now verified this problem 3 different times.

I have never had the slightest problem waking the PB from Safe Sleep using the Apple 65W adapter: it has worked flawlessly 100% of the time for 10 months now. I always let the PB go into Safe Sleep in order to fully drain the charge on the battery, which I believe also helps the batteries maintain their original capacity over time.

I have had the Kensington 70W adapter for 10 days now and I have tried to wake the PB from Safe Sleep on 3 different occasions, but it does not work. After the PB goes into Safe Sleep, I plug the Kensington into it and try to wake the PB first from Sleep (no go) and then from Safe Sleep (no go). I have to plug the Apple 65W adapter in and the PB wakes from Safe Sleep without a hitch.

I have contacted Kensginton but haven't heard from them yet. The 70W adapter seems to work fine the rest of the time.

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