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I want to buy some Lithium Polymer batteries off a website and solder a mag socket power switch (the Standard Mac Power Plug) to it. I'm assuming I will need a 5 Cell battery because the voltage would be 18.5V
Is this true? Can I just make a backup battery for, say, on an airplane or in a car?
Thanks!
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To me something like this dc to ac adapter for autos and airplanes would make more sense, but I'm sure you could make such a battery. To me the problem would be housing it and recharging. Good luck whichever way you go. Ralph
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The unknown factor would be any circuitry in a normal battery. Ralph
After conducting some research on how the MacBook Pro AC power adapter works, I have concluded that building a custom LiPo battery pack would not be significantly cheaper than buying from a 3rd party (specifically a HyperMac battery). The reason for this is because the AC power adapter outputs 16.5V for normal operations and switches to 18.5V for intensive tasks. Building a custom external battery that could do this would not be cost-effective. Also, I believe there may be some differences in current draw when the MacBook Pro is charging vs. 100% charged.
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Here we are two years later...I have not done it, but E Rogers did, for under $60.
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Thanks for both replies!
Well, I've been talking to my dad about it and so far it seems I will need about 5 Amps at 18.5 volts which would be great for a 5000 mAh 5 Cell LiPo with a 10C rating. Not too much in terms of the actual battery, but it should be able to give about 1.6x the capacity of the laptop's battery.
It will cost over $100 to do, so I doubt I will do it, but if I do, I will post it!
by David Hoyt