Update Log:
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2 Nov 2022: Images reworked to be more clear on pin numbering
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This page will walk you through some checks that should be done before buying one of the hybrid replacement modules sold on this site. The purpose of these checks is to assert that your system has not sustained any hardware damage which could cause issues in normal operation.
Linked below is a Google Spreadsheet with measurements of resistance and voltage (See the tabs at the bottom) which should be taken.
Please record your measurements and send them to me, I’m trying to find what the baseline and outliers look like.
The results listed are from my personal Portables that have been updated with the hybrid replacement module. Both Portables work fine after the replacement, and given that their results were so similar I’m hoping they can be used as a baseline.
If your measurements are substantially similar to these, then your system should be safe to perform the upgrade on. But as always, take caution. The primary thing to monitor is voltage present at Q16’s pin 2 (middle pin, or the big metal tab with a hole in it, or on the large shiny metal heatsink clip). Watch that this does not go above 5.2 volts (5.26, 5.28, not an issue).
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1UuimsU50-zfGkfePpQFFvMdw2yRpz3iFfBIIjOgnKow/edit?usp=sharing
Before doing any of these measurements, you’ll have to take apart the Portable. You will be measuring resistance between points on the hybrid and a bunch of other locations around the motherboard. A second round of checking for voltages will also be performed. If you are not comfortable taking apart your Mac Portable, please find a reputable electronics repair service to perform this task.
Below are pictures to help locate the various points which will be checked.
This first picture notes where Pin 1 is on the hybrid, and shows that a check should be performed between pin 8 of the hybrid and pin 1 of Q16. Later pictures omit the Pin 1 marker. This should be very low resistance, both of my Portables measure 0.2 ohms or less.
While you’re here, check the component labeled F1 by Q16. In resistance mode, your meter should show near-0 between the legs on left and right. This is a fuse, and if it’s burned out (high resistance, no connection) your Portable won’t work.
This next picture shows a checking pins 11 and 18 to the L10 inductor. Also check pin 25 to the Battsense location in the battery connector plug. These should be as low-resistance as possible, my Portables measure less than 0.3 ohms to all these locations.
Next are some specific resistance checks. Pin 16 of the hybrid to Q1’s Pin 2 should result in right near 4.4k ohms. This is because of two series 2.2k resistors on the back of the board (which we’ll be checking in a minute). Pin 17 of the hybrid to Q1’s pin 3 should have very close to 9.6 ohms of resistance. Again because of dual series resistors. Pin 2 of Q1 to pin 3 of Q1 should read close to 100 ohms. Mine were 99 and 101. And pin 22 of the hybrid to Q1’s Pin 1 should result in about 10k. My portables were 9.7k and 9.9k.
Onward we go, to checking signal lines. All of these should be very low, less than 2 or 3 ohms ideally. My Portables were less than 1 ohm here. Hybrid pin 19 goes to Power Manager (PMGR) Pin 33. Hybrid pin 37 goes to PMGR Pin 38. Hybrid Pin 39 goes to Power Manager Pin 31.
The Power Manager is over by the CPU and keyboard connector at the other end of the motherboard. Hybrid pin 62 goes to Power Manager Pin 52. (Each side of the PMGR is 15 pins, Pin 1 is bottom right by the dot). This one is an exception, and should not have near-0 resistance. There’s a 1k series resistor here, and my Portables were both bang on 1000 ohms.
Now flip over the board and let’s check under where the hybrid sits. These again should be very low resistance. Hybrid pin 29 to C19 positive, hybrid pin 31 to C19 negative, hybrid pin 33 to C18 negative.
Still on the back of the board, let’s check R158. The marked Hybrid pin goes to the top edge of R158 so that link should be very low resistance. If you check from that pin to the other end of R158 you’ll get about 2.2k
Back to the front, always more to check. The marked pin on the hybrid (number 17) goes to one side of R22, and that should be very low resistance. Measure to the other end of R22 and you should get around 4.9 ohms (4.7 plus trace resistance)
Hybrid Pin 41 should connect to both Q14 and Q15, pin 1 on both. Low resistance desired here. Hybrid Pin 51 goes to the positive side of C26, and hybrid pin 52 goes to the positive side of C25.
And now, the last thing to check. Hybrid pin 40 runs across the board to this pin over by the CPU. Low resistance is desirable. Both of my portables were at or below 1 ohm on this connection.
You may have noticed that we did not verify every single pin on the hybrid module. This is because most of them are unconnected! 62 pin module and less than half are even used.
Please refer to the spreadsheet for where to check voltages. They’re just hybrid module pins.
The voltage measurements as mentioned in the spreadsheet were taken with battery voltage at 6.4 volts to the connector with an adjustable power supply. Only the measurements at pins 16, 17, and 41 are relative to the battery voltage. So if your battery is above 6 volts when performing this test, only pins 16, 17, and 41 should be majorly different (different to the tune of half a volt or more).