On 2011-02-22 05:59:12 -0800, whisky-dave said:

On Feb 21, 2:47*pm, Savageduck wrote:
On 2011-02-21 05:42:43 -0800, whisky-dave said:

Le Snip


Current MacBook Pros do not have a user replaceable battery.

The air doesn't either.

So? You are not going to randomly remove that battery either if you are
using a MacBook Air.


I am not sure of the lesser MacBooks. My Old PowerBook Pro (a PPC or non-Intel)
machine has a user replaceable battery and it is possible to run that
without the battery. That option is not possible with the Intel
MacBooks.

Well yes if you buy a new Mac but perhaps the better option for the OP
would be a cheaper laptop such as old old Mac or even PC type
which I believe most have user replaceable batteries

At no time have I suggested which "laptop" he should consider. He can
buy whatever works for him. I have just remarked on some nominal
differences between "Netbook" & "Laptop" portable computers. I used my
experience as an example, and I have been using Apple computers since
1983.
He seems to be a Windows user, and I have no idea if he would, or would
not care to switch OS at this stage, or if he would be comfortable
switching. (Though I suspect he would be quite happy if he did. There
are others in this NG who have who are happy with the move.)

...and as I have said I use the Kensington Power Inverter which is able
to power the MacBook Pro 85W power supply without issue.
http://us.kensington.com/html/17163.html

That might be the same or similar one to my friends which 'blew up'
although I thought his was 65W.

Correct, the PPC G4 Powerbook & MacBook portables use a 65W power
supply, and they are normally functional with voltage input range of
100-240V 50/60Hz. Current Mac portables us a 60W power supply for
portables with displays 13" and smaller, and 85W for 15" & 17"
PowerBooks.

But it was blown by using an inverter (UK inverters give out ~230V).
he uses his powerPC macbook G4 1.5GHz 15" on a boat and this one time
forgot to use a surge protector. Although we can't prove it, it
stopped the
laptop battery charging. He brought a new charger, no luck so he took
the labtop
back to an Apple store where they tried a new battery which worked
fine.
The 5 amp surface mount fuse in the laptop was OK as we tried that
first.

His inverter has also died so whatever caused this spike from his
diesel generator
did something nasty blowing up the inverter, PSU and battery or at
least that appears
to be what happened.

I can't speak for what might, or might not have happened to the setup
your friend was using with diesel generator.

So just a warning really, I hear on a mac podcast that USians are more
likely to suffer brownouts
and surges, lightning than we in the UK are generally speaking.
I can only speak for my bit of London and I can't remember a powerout
in the last 10 years.

I have the occasional power outage out here at the lake. The cause can
be anything from a lightning strike, a localized PG&E transformer
issue, sometimes an accident where a utility pole has been damaged
miles from my home. For that eventuality I have a UPS which does a good
job of giving me time to shut down safely, and which provide a degree
of protection against power surges. For those extended outages I also
have a Honda 3000W portable generator (this one is not all that
portable, or as quiet as I would like), which provides 110/240V output
and 12V charging when I need it. That has been around twice a year.


--
Regards,

Savageduck