I canna give you any more power!
For the past year, the fan in the power supply on my G4 has been making a grinding noise. This week it got loud enough to drive raininva to distraction, so she asked me to please fix it. (Frankly, I was sick of listening to it too.) Replacement Apple power supplies run $130 – $230 on the web, so that was right out. Besides, it was only the fan itself.
I pulled the power supply out, then the fan, and took it to CompUSA. They had a wide variety of fans, but although several were exactly the right size and shape, they had three-pin connectors instead of two-pin, and the amperage ratings were different, which worried me. The technical guy there strongly suggested I just get a new power supply. (Fans are $10, power supplies $40. Hmm.)
Apparently, my G4 can use a standard ATX power supply, but the motherboard connector pinouts are slightly different, and I’d have to splice some wires (and me without a soldering iron or, indeed, much soldering practice). Also, my power supply is 237 watt. I think I can use a 250 safely, but I don’t know that.
On a better note, we played Plague and Pestilence and Dork Tower at Card Night last night, and both games went over well. Dork Tower even came with a free 8-page mini version of Dork FRAG, which means that by taking advantage of the Dragon*Con sale, I got two games for the price of half of one. Not bad!
Soooo tired.
Tags: apple, gaming, technology
The wattage on a PS is the maximum, there’s no need to match them precisely. You can also probably do okay for splicing by twisting the wires together and binding it tightly with electrical tape (though soldering is better).
I have an iron (and even a pocket butane-poswered one as well). My soldering is not pretty or efficient, but I do okay, and Wattage is fine, so long as it’s AT LEAST as much as the old one, there should be no problems.
Also, on the fans, how big are the differences in amperage? Higher or lower?
I just gave away a 350 watt PS. *sigh* At least it was also to a friend who’s going to use it, so no big. As you said, atx PS are somewhat cheap.
Let me know if you want my assist, or my iron. dolndarien at gmail dot com
Right, what Vond said
If you decide to get an ATX power supply, be sure to get a good one. A bad power supply can ruin your motherboard. I speak from experience.
Get me a part number from the old one. Between us, David, Bob and I might be able to find something compatible in the great Macintosh graveyard.
At the moment, I’ve quieted the power supply down with some fresh lube in the fan. I’m not sure how long it will hold, though; if you’re still in the area when it freaks out on me again, I may well take you up on the offer. Thanks much!
Would you classify the CompUSA house brand as ‘bad’ or ‘good’? I really don’t need to be replacing the motherboard on this thing right now 🙂
If I get home early enough tonight, I’ll do some research and get you the part number this evening. I know it’s the 237W supply that is unique to ‘Sawtooth’ AGP G4 machines. It might be part no. #614-0108.
I suspected that about the wattage – thanks for easing my mind with confirmation. If I have to put the ATX in, I might just take phred1973 up on his offer.
No problem – but after 3 weeks, Dawn’ll just be handing you the iron — I’ll be gone.
Glad the lube worked. Is it a ball-bearing bearing fan, or a sleeve bearing? Or does it even say?
I wouldn’t call their house brand ‘bad’, but the Antec PS are good, and not much more unless you want their flagship model.
It doesn’t say. Based solely on the noise it was making, I think ball-bearing, but I could be wrong.