PowerBook PSU connector fix

thingiverse

Most people who've had an Apple PowerBook for several years likely know that the power supply unit has a weak spot near the connector where it plugs into the computer. The cable simply tears open, revealing exposed wires - which isn't great. I had several of those power supplies in pretty bad shape, so I decided to open up the connector and see if I could fix it. The connector isn't really designed to be opened, but I managed to do so without breaking the inner case or damaging the electronics inside using an exacto knife and a small electronics side cutter. The connector features a little PCB and some LEDs, so be cautious when cutting into it. Since the outer casing and the component glued to the cable got ruined in the process, I decided to print new ones. I opted for white PLA for the outer cover and soft grey PLA for the strain relief, although regular PLA would also work just fine - it's not really utilizing the flexible properties of the material. Here are some instructions: This was printed on an Ultimaker (original) using 0.1mm layer height, which results in a very strong cover. To add some extra strength to this area, I applied heat shrink tubing around the cable, then glued the strain relief onto it - hoping that tension in the cable wouldn't reach the solder joints (make sure to put on the cover before gluing and soldering the connector). When disassembling the connector, make sure to verify the polarity of the connections between the core and shield in the cable as well as how they connect to the little PCB. I printed the cover white but, as shown in one photo, the LEDs shine through it, so you might want to use a darker color if you don't like that look. Before closing it up, give your PSU a good once-over - because if it doesn't work properly after fixing the connector, you'll need to cut it open again.