MDD power supply issues

Good evening.
There seem to be more frequent power supply issues with the MDD than with other models of G4 desktops.
Is there a reason for this?
Thanks for your time.

Hi Glen-
I see more Power Supply failure postings here than on any other Older Mac discussion. I think the accommodations made for heat are simply not enough for these hot dual-processor Macs.
The huge processor fan keeps the processor module from melting, but does not effectively dispose of all of that hot air. Some of It filters up through the cabinet and the PCI slot cards add even more. The perforated slot covers allow a little air movement, but not enough to release the heat generated. Any hot air that makes it to the top of the case gets sucked out through the power supply -- and that cannot be doing it any favors.
In contemplating adding a Core-Image qualified display card, I took a hard look at adding a hot display card (that requires an additional power connector) to the SCSI card already in place, and decided more cooling was in order. I am currently experimenting with a thermistor-controlled slot fan (up to 45 cfm) exhausting out through the top slot, with its inlet facing UP, and all solid slot covers in place of any remaining perforated ones.
My first measurement of exit temperatures showed the air coming out the slot cooler was almost ten degrees cooler than the power supply exit air, so I think I am doing something. Whether it is enough to run all this hot gear without cooking the power supply remains to be seen.
I do not think it is an accident that when the dual G5 cabinets were designed, processor control of multiple flow-through cooling zones was the way they chose to make it work. I think the whole dual G4 cabinet got so hot inside the engineers were caught off-guard, and had to resort to drastic measures to keep G5s from dying (like the MDD G4 did). Then Steve announces that he can't take the heat (for the processing power available) and Apple will switch to Intel (because they are so cool).

Similar Messages

PMG4 MDD Power Supply dead? Where can I get one?

Does anyone know of another source for the PMG4 MDD Power Supply? When I press the power button to turn it on, nothing happens. Yes, I have reset the PMU, replaced the battery, left it unplugged overnight, and still nothing at all, no lights noises or anything.
I think it's the power supply, and my Apple Authorized Service Center says they haven't been able to get a power supply for over a month now.
Is there a shortage of the Samsung Power Supplies for this?
Thanks,
Jay

Thanks for the help. After calling my Apple Authorized Service Center asking what the ETA was, they told me to call 1-800-MYAPPLE and ask about the status of the Power Supply they ordered on April 24th. I called Apple yesterday, and today I got a call that the Power Supply was being shipped out today.
Not sure where the bottleneck was (Apple, AASS, etc.) but it took over a month for one to get shipped out, when the MDD G4 that blew a PS last month had one replaced in 2 days.
I am speculating that these Power Supplies have been failing at an abnormally high rate lately, and are out of production. Of course, that is just a guess.
Hopefully someone out there benefits from my info here.
Thanks,
Jay

My Time Capsule has just failed, 2 months after the end of 12m warranty. same old known power supply issue, "just unlucky" says my local Apple service center. ***?

i bought a 2TB Time Capsule in Sep 2010. its just failed last week, less than 2 months after the expiry of the 12month warranty.
and 3 months after the end of Apple's offer to replace all the many Time Capsules that have failed previously due to this same fault.
nice timing guys.
"yeah, its dead. same old known power supply issue", says my local Apple service center, "just unlucky".
huh? "unlucky"? you sell products with known defects, and when it fails i'm "unlucky". nice.
"OK, anyway, how much to fix it ?", i ask.
"you can't fix them, its closed", is the reply, "you have to buy another one".
"hmpf. OK, how do I get my backed-up data off it ?"
"you can't. we could try break it open and recover the hard disk i guess, but no guarantees we'd get it, and you'd have to pay for us to do that, whether it works or not of course".
"er.... is there a hidden camera in here? are we on TV? you can't be serious ? ..and this piece of garbage is what i've been using for a secure backup of my precious, irreplaceable, priceless personal data ???"

ceeb28744. Welcome to the Apple Users Support Community. Sorry to hear your TC died! You said it was a 2TB so I would guess it be the model A1355/MB997LL/A or MC344LL/A. Believe it or not all users of these time capsules will eventually experience this problem like you have. There is a 99.5% (or better) chance that the only thing that is wrong with it is the internal power supply. If you will go to this site.... https://sites.google.com/site/lapastenague/a-deconstruction-of-routers-and-modem s/apple-time-capsule-repair and once there look over at the left side and you will find:
Apple Time Capsule Repairers and from that list you will be able to choose from a list of individuals that could repair your TC and have it returned to you fully operational again. The individuals on the list are hardware technicians and they can save you a lot of money and time.
Larry

Buy MDD power supply from Apple

I just found a link suggesting that you can buy a new MDD power supply from Apple. I had tried clicking on their parts link but it just takes me round and round. Can you buy one online or do you have to call them up?

As an original owner of a G4 MDD DP1.0GHz, AND having MISSED the power supply recall/exchange for the "VERY NOISY" Fan and power-supply combo, I am wondering if this will take me half-way, or all the way to where I would be if I hadn't missed that opportunity?
Sorry if this is confusing... in other words, will this solve my "Noise" problem that I've had ever since I bought the machine in 2002?

Mdd power supply price?

Anyone happen to run across a good price on a new mdd power supply. The best I have found so far is 199 with exchange plus shipping. Hoping for cheaper.

HEHE I don't think mine is fixable now. I put a oversized fuse in it to see if I could get it to run just long enough to check if everything else was working and when I plugged it in it popped so loud that I about had a heart attack.

G5 Powermac Dual Core Power Supply Issue

My G5 Dual Core 2.3 GHz was working fine till this morning when at about 6:00 AM the power supply started making a bunch of noise. Luckily I was at home not at work so I pulled the plug...waited a while, powered on again, saw the apple logo and decided to turn it off till I get it fixed.
This is the third G5 I have with power supply issues. The first one was a dual processor that hums when doing a lot of networking or when attaching USB flash drives...so apparently there was a extension program on that one. I sold that and switched to the dual core machine, then both of the dual cores had power supply issues. One got replaced under Apple Care. The 3rd one just had the issue happen.
Anybody having bad luck with these? My old G4 DP 1.42 has been running almost flawlessly since it came out (only replaced the main fan for a more powerful and quieter unit).
Have the power supplies for the Dual Core G5 machines been redesigned or should I expect my new one to fail again?

Hi Jack,
I'm sorry. You did note that with your first G5 you knew of the extension program. Too early in the day for me I guess. Personally I haven't sensed from the G5 discussions that Power Supplies have been a major continuing issue, but there certainly have been a lot reported. Usually it's Logic Boards that keep getting fried for one reason or another. Fortunately it doesn't seem to be the most expensive thing to replace, especially if you buy a used one. Maybe someone will chime in who is more observant then I am this morning.
For what it's worth I still have the first Mac I ever bought which is a PM8500. It still runs fine whenever I pull it out from it's dusty storage. By contrast this is my third G5.
Edit: Up early and fasting for a test... I just caught your reference to 3 years. That time frame I have seen a lot here, usually 3 years plus a few months, just out of Applecare. Apparently for G5s thats like 90 in Mac years.
Message was edited by: Samsara

MDD power supply and fan upgrade kit question.

Hello, Its been a few years since I posted anything here and I'm getting ready to (possibly) trade in my mirror drive door 1GHZ dual processor machine on one of the current imac-s.
I'm not real hopeful that putting much work into my current machine is worth it. Here's why:
1) crazy levels of noise - I wear woodworking hearing protectors when I surf the web. Listening to music on itunes is fine so long as you like a background of low level blow dryer noise!
2) I'm still running OSX version 10.2.8, I have been too cheap to buy the latest OS. I'm tempted to go out and spend the $119 on 10.5 but I only have the original 256mb of ram installed and since the min requirement of ram is 512, I know I'll need to spend an extra ~50$ on a 512mb PC2700 ram chip. My price tag to do a minimal update is rising...
3) I would love to neutralize the noise and install the Apple provided MDD power supply and fan retrofit kit that they sent me at no charge several years ago while I was still under warranty. But I never did because the tech at my local (Dayton Ohio) reseller told me that the kit only addressed high noise levels when rebooting in OS9. So I never bothered. Looking on ebay, I see where power supplies for G4's could fetch 75 or 100$ or so.
In summary, here are my questions.
1) Has anything come along recently to tame MDD G4 fan noise that is easy to install, cost-effective and most of all, something that actually works to decrease the noise?
2) To get the quietest, quickest performance with the current OS 10.5 should I cut my losses now and trade (or sell on ebay) my MDD, sell the new power supply and just purchase a new machine with the OS already installed?
Thanks a bunch in advance for any assistance...
from Bill.

Bill,
Carl has some pretty good points that I'd agree with - trying the replacement PSU and fans should quiet it down somewhat and replacing the stock main fan with a newer, quieter unit will also help. But I'm going to disagree with him on running Leopard on the G4's with a few reservations.
As you might notice from my profile, I'm running Leopard on my dual-867 MDD and find the performance acceptable; perhaps a little slower than Tiger in some respects but it does run well enough within the limitations of the G4's capabilities. The reservation I have about recommending Leopard on a G4 is the graphics card - without Core Image support (which you won't have unless you upgrade the video card) Leopard is going to tax the CPU more and may bog down in some tasks like Quick Look and Cover Flow.
In the end, whether to continue upgrading the G4 is a matter of use and economics. Tiger would be a fine upgrade with minimal cost and squeeze a few more years out of your G4 if you're not requiring software that needs an Intel CPU (like certain iLife '08 apps).
-Douggo

Heat, and Fans, and a Power Supply issue! Oh, My!

Hello,
My iMac G5 2Ghz (20") has been experiencing issues lately which I thought were resolved back when I brought it in for the "Repair Extension Program for Power Supply Issues". I took it to my local Apple Store and they replaced the power supply as well as my HD. The machine kept shutting off at random times as well as heating up, so it broke my HD after several months making me forced to bring it in. First and most importantly, the machine is producing a significant amount of heat which I believe is not normal, especially when doing simple tasks such as opening a file or folder on the desktop just after boot. I don't mean to complain about the heat, but the whole room is filled with hot air and it feels like somebody turned the heat on. I have several other Macs around my house and no two of them make as much heat as this one. (iMac G4 and eMac G4) The fans power on from time to time, but "rev up" when doing CPU intensive tasks. I understand the fans need to be at a higher speed, but they were never this high when I just used iMovie back in 2005 when this was new. Now, I know others have been having issues in these related areas as well, but is there anything else I can do. I have tried about everything, but I am just worried that power supply and HD will go again. Also, the highest inside temperature I recorded was "161.4°F". I thought that the normal temperature was "70°F", so if anyone could tell me that as well, it would be appreciated.
I have tried just about everything:
PMU/SMU reset
PRAM reset
reset-all
repair permissions
You name it, but fell free to reply with something new. (the fans are already clean)
Thank you.

Thanks for the reply. I at one point ran the hardware test using my installer disc and all was fine. It seems that the fans were actually running better when I booted from the disc which leads me to think it could really be partially a software issue. There is a possibility there is something corrupt in the system files, but I had to reinstall Mac OS X a few times due to them replacing my HD. It seems the computer runs cool with the lower versions of 10.4, but warmer with the higher versions of 10.4. It now makes sense because it shipped with a lower version and over time got worse with the higher versions. I am assuming that the people who got their power supplies replaced had the lasted update possible causing this issue. I cannot be 100% that it is software because I do not know exactly which system files run each hardware component. I am currently using the machine a lot and would not be too happy without it for about a week. (although, before the holidays come it may be best to bring it in before the holiday gift repair parade comes in!) Thanks again for the advice and if anyone owns this machine, feel free to share your message.

1st Gen iMac Power Supply Issue

I just got my iMac G5 back from Apple after having the power supply and logic board replaced for the second time in two years.
It is apparently a fairly common problem with the first generation iMac G5s. I've basically been told it's a problem with no real solution and that they'll fix it for free (for the first three years). It's great that I'm within the three years, but if it happens again after October, I'm likely going to have to foot the bill to get it repaired.
Does anyone have any more detailed info on this issue (other than Apple's Repair Extension doc)? Would turning off the computer each night prolong the life of those parts? Would turning it on/off everyday reduce the life of those parts?
Any thoughts/comments?
Thnx...CN
iMac G5 Mac OS X (10.3.9)
iMac G5

Just to add to BB's comments, I doubt that leaving the computer on will have any benefit at all for you in terms of longevity. If you have problems with faulty capacitors , and the like, in fact it will probably make the issue worse rather than better (though I doubt this will be a problem for you if your logic board was replaced after about April 2005). Doing so will probably also add a little extra wear to the bearings of your HD (unless you have it set to spin down when not needed) , and will cost you a little more (but not a whole lot - though when we all leave them running the environmental costs continue to mount) in electricity over time.
You should probably also shut down every so often anyway - maybe once a week or so, to help clear some potential memory issues that can persist with some applications even under OSX, and you should certainly shut down at and start up again at any time when you notice slowdowns, program "hangs" or other problems.
Cheers
Rod

Correct part number for G4 MDD power supply

I am in the process of replacing my old Power Mac G4/350 with a G4 MDD 1.0 ghz DP.
The power supply is missing from the MDD unit. Does anyone know what the correct
part number for this power supply?

http://natramelec.com/g4powersupply/
Part Number: 661-2816, 661-2816-R, 661-2725
Manufacturer part: API1PC36
Apple assembly: 614-0224, 614-0183
Product EEE Code: NS3, P0V, P0W
http://www.welovemacs.com/6612816r.html

Imac keeps shutting down - is this a power supply issue

Dear all. Help would be much appreciated.
my imac G5 has recently started shutting down by itself - always about 1 minute after starting up... I have seen a few suggestions to reset the PRAM and the power switch - both of which I have done to no avail.
I have hoovered the dust out - still same problem.
Question is - can I be confident that this IS the issue - and order a replacement part?
I would like to install it myself - thus avoiding cost for a repair - and am confident I could do it if I had good instructiuons.
Can anyone help me with my diagnosis or how to fit a new power supply?
Thanks in advance - I am really missing my imac!

You can't be completely sure that it's the power supply, it could be bad caps . Open the machine up and inspect the caps, and also the ones in the power supply unit. If any of them is bulging or leaking, that would be your problem. Look at http://www.jimwarholic.com/2008/07/how-to-repair-apple-imac-g5.php for instructions and help.
You can also try to run Apple Hardware test from your install disk and see if it comes up with anything, also, from your install disc try to run Disk Utility:
1. Insert the Mac OS X Install disc that came with your computer, then restart the computer while holding the C key.
2. When your computer finishes starting up from the disc, choose Disk Utility from the Installer menu. (In Mac OS X 10.4 or later, you must select your language first.)
Important: Do not click Continue in the first screen of the Installer. If you do, you must restart from the disc again to access Disk Utility.
3. Click the First Aid tab.
4. Click the disclosure triangle to the left of the hard drive icon to display the names of your hard disk volumes and partitions.
5. Select your Mac OS X volume.
6. Click Repair. Disk Utility checks and repairs the disk.

Power Supply Issues maybe?

I have always had random and instant power downs. Which I initially attributed to heat. The machine is now shutting off instantly several times a day. It starts up and runs fine, but it is shutting down after anywhere from 10 minutes to 2 hours later. I am thinking it is a bad power supply that has gotten worse. I want to bounce this off the experts and see if there is anything else I can eliminate before buying a power supply?
I have reset the SMU I think. I could not find a button so I unplugged for 15 minutes. I ran AHT from cd without errors, ran disk utility from cd, and checked to see if the SMART status is verified. I use temperature monitor which has read as hot as 115, but according to what I am reading that is well below danger.
I did a safe restart to eliminate any font issues since I use a lot of fonts. I don't know what to look for in the console, but I saw nothing that looked suspicious. I am assuming since the AHT found no problems the logic board is functioning properly. Is that correct?
Can you suggest anything else to narrow down my issue?
Thanks for all your help. This machine is within a month of retirement, I think it senses something!

I have had exactly the same problem over the last couple of days and it drives you nuts! It started to happen just after I transferred some files to a mates cheap firewire drive....no idea why...
You can try actually pressing the SMU button
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=300341
These two articles also take you through a good process, including deleting some prefs.
http://www.gibbilicious.com/gibbilicious/2006/02/troubleshootingthemysterious.html
http://www.gibbilicious.com/gibbilicious/2005/10/mac_g5_desktop_spontaneously1.html
Also check all the bits inside are connected. The airport card can get loose in particular. Double check memory is pressed in etc.
I tried it all but to no avail until I read your post and tried Safe Restart. For some reason it dumped a load of files in my trash, but the issue seems to be gone (at least for now). I don't wanna detract from helping Kenny, but whilst peeps are looking if anyone can shed some light on what they are and whether I should bin them it would be good.
All in a folder called 501.231504386 and called annex_aux, annex.db, Classic.fodb, filetoken.db, font.db, Local.fcache. Local.fodb, qdfams.db, System.fcache, User.fodb

Mdd power supply revisited

Hi
I just got a classroom donation of a dual 1 ghz without a power supply. I am not going to use an ADC driven monitor but instead use a reflashed 6800gs. So I don't think I need the +28 v rail. It is clear that
what is left on the market for OEM is both overpriced and underpowered. Does anyone have a link for a clear direction set for adapting any ATX supplies that are still sold new? Also does anyone know where you can buy an inexpensive copper heat sink for this model?
Ty

Hi-
Use this Motherboard connector chart to mod the ATX connection as needed. Biggest hurdle is getting the ATX PSU into the MDD case-different form factor. Could gut the MDD and put it all into a PC case like this Sawtooth owner did. In the end you'll have less money (and effort) if you buy a MDD PSU......
For the heatsink, watch eBay, Craigs list or LEM.

MSI GT680 Power Supply Issue = Performance drop

Hello,
I have a MSI GT680.
Recently my computer has developed fps issues with games like minecraft, LoL, dota2, etc. Which were previously very easy to run without any problems.
I believe it is something to do with the power supply, When I hover over the battery icon in the bottom right it says (plugged in, not charging)
and the computer performs the same plugged in as it does unplugged.
Ive tried to fix the (plugged in, not charging) issue but nothing has worked so far.
I just need to know if I have to buy a new charger/battery or if its just a software issue
Thanks for your time

Check which power scheme is selected. Power scheme "balanced" will do nicely in most situations and for testing.
Check if the graphics speed (GPU/graphics memory speed) is the same in the plugged and unplugged state when running the game.
You can do this by running MSI's Afterburner software.
http://event.msi.com/vga/afterburner/download.htm

Power Mac G4 MDD power supply unit/RAM

Hello,
I just bought a used Power Mac G4 (Mirrored Drive Doors) at a garage sale for $20. The owner said it works, but he took out the RAM, power supply unit and hard drive.
I would like to place an order for the RAM and power supply unit but I am not sure how I differentiate which power supply unit to purchase. When I try to look it up all I find it is that it had gods gift to worst ever power supply unit in the history of power supply units. It was the loudest most obnoxious fan set up or something of the sort.
Well bottom line I need to get a few replacement parts for the old G4 desktop and was hoping that some experienced mac hardware person could point me in the right direction. I am comfortable replacing parts I am just not certain what I need to purchase to install.
Does anybody know of any good 3rd party hardware that they could suggest for a replacement part?
Power Mac G4
Designed by Apple in California
Model No.: M8570 EMC No.:1914
Thank you very much :]
(I am pretty sure I posted this in the right subcategory, sorry if I did not.)
None of these model numbers match, but it everything I research says it was from this generation of G4’s. How can I 100% tell which one is the model I have?

I just finished rebuilding my MDD (FW800). As for finding specific parts for your machine, be sure you have the model number, or are able to differentiate between the models. That being said, most of the case parts are interchangeable. Problems can occur when swapping processors and failing to use the proper heat sink for that processor.
The best place (price wise versus availability) that I've found for MDD power supplies is on eBay. However, be aware that you will probably be getting it used. So either ask the seller if they will guarantee it for a specified period of time, or buy it from a seller that offers a guarantee (normally 30 days). If you get one that lasts for 30 days without any problems you've probably got a good one. Price is normally around $140 + shipping.
Another avenue is to try shopping the web (Google) for what you need. There are a number of great websites that carry what you may need, or maybe are looking for. Some of those to checkout are:
www.applecomponents.com
www.otherworldcomputing.com
xlr8yourmac.com
www.lowendmac.com
Additionally there are a number of case and power supply mods that can be done to quiet down the MDD. Apple doesn't necessarily endorse these mods, as they deal with changing power supply cooling fans, and/or the processor/case cooling fans. However, if your MDD is out of warranty, you practice safe electrical/static work practices as you're working, and you're willing to accept any negative consequences should those mods either not work properly or they happen to result in damage to other components, then do what you feel is appropriate.
As for telling exactly which model you have, and how it was originally configured when it shipped from Apple, research the serial number through this Apple website. Another way is to check the model number of the motherboard. This is located near the PCI slots, by the modem connection. It will have a number something like 820-1453-A, or 820-1500-A. Cross referencing these through Google can help tell which motherboard you have. As for the processor, you'll need to carefully remove the heartsink (5 screws) and look at the chip(s) itself. If there are two chips it's a dual processor, and if only one it's a single (Duh!). Then locate the small white sticker that's stuck to the processor card for the processor's info. It should tell you what you need to know about it. You can also look at the info inscribed on the face of each processor chip.
Important Note: Be very careful, and wear a grounding wristband at all times when when working on the inside, or handling any computer components. This is particularly true when handling the processor card, and here's why. Any static shock from you to the motherboard or to the processor could severely damage or destroy that component.
Here's another link to way of quieting the MDD.
http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/systems/g4mirrored_drive_doors/noise_reduction/g4_ddr_noisereduction.html
Anyway, I hope these help you find what you need. Be careful!!
kudzu48

MDD power supply issues

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