SMC Issue on MBP 13 - Hardware Troubleshooting Guide

[EnricoFermi]

SMC issues I think

My son spilled some water on my macbook pro yesterday. So I have the dead boot issue like everyone else where absolutely nothing lights up or turns on, and I did disassemble the device and checked voltage levels.The magsafe power adapter does nothing, no orange or green whatsoever, and the incident actually shorted out the white magsafe adapter. A working magsafe, which I have determined by plugging it into a fully working macbook, doesn't get any voltages onto the pins of the magsafe board internally, not even 6.5 volt levels, they just hover around 40mV or so. I went ahead and ordered a new magsafe board because I can definitely say it is needed.

However, I am afraid that I may or may not have fried or corrupted the SMC when I was checking the pins on the battery connection. I believe I very briefly connected SMBUS_SMC_BSA_SCL to +12V and saw a small spark at those contacts when I did. Now one of the battery indicator lights on the motherboard is solid green all of the time. I cannot remember if it was this way prior to this accidental mishap or I just hadn't noticed the light. I had assumed it may indicate a diagnostic message but it is on no matter what the shape of the laptop. I have tried resetting the SMC by the startup routine and the power removal/power button approach, so perhaps it is from this. It is hard to remember when this showed up.

That said, I had enough battery and got the macbook to boot using the SMC bypass mentioned in this thread and it ran normally except for all battery functionality and the fan was on at full speed. It listed no battery, that it was plugged into AC, which it was not (not getting any AC power anyway), and the lights were still the same. None of the SMC functionality worked either, no keyboard lights, etc. It ran out of power while I was backing it up and now is dead, although I have another laptop so I can charge the battery if I need to.

Is the light you see in this photo a specific indication of any kind and do I need to reset the SMC? If so, what approach actually works?

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/171/photo1ll.jpg/

 

[triplelucky]

This is a great thread with more board level tech info in one place than I've ever seen anywhere.

After reading this for hours and armed with all of this excellent information I'm anxious to get back to my own project which is a June 2009 MBP 13, liquid spill.

It runs fine on AC but won't power on or run with just the battery.

So I'm off to have a look at Q7055 to try and see why I have no 3.42 on G3HOT on only battery power.

After one more cup of coffee.

Thanks to everyone for posting all this information.

 

[mac-n-sauce]

Hi Dadioh,

Can you show me on a logic board 820-2530A (MBP-13" A1278 - K24, Mid 2009) where LT3470A and R6995-R6996 are located?

The parts you are looking for are located on the bottom of the board. This is the side you can see when you take the bottom case off the computer. They are located 1.5" left of the lcd connector near the top edge of the computer which is the north side if the battery is the south.

 

[destic]

My son spilled some water on my macbook pro yesterday. So I have the dead boot issue like everyone else where absolutely nothing lights up or turns on, and I did disassemble the device and checked voltage levels.The magsafe power adapter does nothing, no orange or green whatsoever, and the incident actually shorted out the white magsafe adapter. A working magsafe, which I have determined by plugging it into a fully working macbook, doesn't get any voltages onto the pins of the magsafe board internally, not even 6.5 volt levels, they just hover around 40mV or so. I went ahead and ordered a new magsafe board because I can definitely say it is needed.

However, I am afraid that I may or may not have fried or corrupted the SMC when I was checking the pins on the battery connection. I believe I very briefly connected SMBUS_SMC_BSA_SCL to +12V and saw a small spark at those contacts when I did. Now one of the battery indicator lights on the motherboard is solid green all of the time. I cannot remember if it was this way prior to this accidental mishap or I just hadn't noticed the light. I had assumed it may indicate a diagnostic message but it is on no matter what the shape of the laptop. I have tried resetting the SMC by the startup routine and the power removal/power button approach, so perhaps it is from this. It is hard to remember when this showed up.

That said, I had enough battery and got the macbook to boot using the SMC bypass mentioned in this thread and it ran normally except for all battery functionality and the fan was on at full speed. It listed no battery, that it was plugged into AC, which it was not (not getting any AC power anyway), and the lights were still the same. None of the SMC functionality worked either, no keyboard lights, etc. It ran out of power while I was backing it up and now is dead, although I have another laptop so I can charge the battery if I need to.

Is the light you see in this photo a specific indication of any kind and do I need to reset the SMC? If so, what approach actually works?

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/171/photo1ll.jpg/

If R5280 and R5281 have both 2.61K then very likely the SMC took some damage. Has anybody here been able to manual reflash a SMC with the same firmware?

 

[EnricoFermi]

If R5280 and R5281 have both 2.61K then very likely the SMC took some damage. Has anybody here been able to manual reflash a SMC with the same firmware?

So I should check the resistance on both of those and make sure it's about 1k ohm, if not it's damaged?

 

[destic]

So I should check the resistance on both of those and make sure it's about 1k ohm, if not it's damaged?

The Resistance should be exact 2,6 kOhm as the diagram says just 1% tolerance, if this is not the case, then the resistors are the problem and not the smc

----------

Does anybody here found a way to manual reflash a SMC with the same firmware thats already on it?

 

[MightyMars]

THANX

Does it charge the battery? what do you mean with efi test? do you mean the apple hardware test or where did you get it? Did you only measure resistance or did you also measure voltage?[/QUOTE]

it is charge the battery... but when battery is connected it runs very slow...
Yes i mean the apple hardware test..
I just measured resistance..
thanks!

 

[triplelucky]

I am having a look at the EMC 2326 820-2530-A MBP 13 board.

No G3HOT 3.42 on only battery operation at the jump points pictured way earlier in the thread.

Good 3.42 with normal startup, charging and normal operation on AC.

So I appear to be loosing the 3.42 on battery only power.

Earlier discussion points out this might be a problem with Q7055 and Q7056.

Are these their location on this board?

Thanks

 

[RetroRepair]

I have here a mid 2010 A1342 Macbook (not pro, the unibody white model) which does nothing but show a green light on the magsafe.

Its had a liquid spill but I cleaned that up.

I'm getting the right voltages at the dc in connector on the logic board.

The G3hot seems fine, 3.3v one side, 0v the other.

I have noticed on the battery connector that I get 3.3v on pin 4 but pin 6 is shorted to ground. Anyone have the schematic for that bit? Since theres no board markings and its shorted I have no idea where pin 6 goes.

I should add pin 14 on the SMC (I think its the SMC?) is getting 3.3v.

I'd really appreciate some help, I've been doing this for days now

 

[triplelucky]

Ok I think that in the pix those are Q7050 and Q7052 the inrush FETS

Looks like I have input but no output on Q7050 so off to look in that direction….

 

[debo160]

Has anyone ever replaced a keyboard connector? Is this a part you can purchase? I have a white Macbook and the keyboard connector is broken. It will boot from the connectors. Any info would be great.

 

[Dadioh]

Has anyone ever replaced a keyboard connector? Is this a part you can purchase? I have a white Macbook and the keyboard connector is broken. It will boot from the connectors. Any info would be great.

http://www.ebay.ca/sch/i.html?_nkw=...nnector&_osacat=0&_trksid=p3286.c0.m270.l1313

You can buy them on eBay. Pretty much need to get a new one because I doubt you could get one off a spare parts board without melting the plastic.

Installing the new one should be done by someone with good soldering skills.

 

[debo160]

http://www.ebay.ca/sch/i.html?_nkw=...nnector&_osacat=0&_trksid=p3286.c0.m270.l1313

You can buy them on eBay. Pretty much need to get a new one because I doubt you could get one off a spare parts board without melting the plastic.

Installing the new one should be done by someone with good soldering skills.

Ok I have not replaced one of these yet but have brought a few MacBooks back to life. But this looks like it will melt really fast. I guest I could tape it down with kapton tape and quick solder and flux would do it.
Thanks

 

[Dadioh]

Wacky Sensors

Here is a new, unrelated issue but maybe some of the board repair experts on this thread have some ideas.

I have a 2010 MBP13 2.4GHz that I got with liquid damage. I got it working for a few weeks but it suddenly developed a problem where it would not start up but would shut down part way through the chime. Holding down the power button until it flashed would allow it to boot and things "seemed" fine. I ran Apple Hardware Test and it failed with code 4SNS/1/40000000:ICOC-65.828

The SNS means "Sensor" and I suspect ICOC is something about "Over Current". So I thought maybe one of the current sensors is broken.

I installed iStat Menus on the machine and had a look at the sensor data and it is all over the place. So it is not just one sensor that is wrong but it is across the board for voltage and current sensors. But there doesn't seem to be a common failure point that would lead to so many apparently unrelated sensor circuits to be wrong. Common denominator is the SMC but a bad SMC probably would kill the whole board.

Am I missing something obvious or does anyone have any ideas?

 

[macelek01]

Hello Everybody,

I would like to ask for some help from you. I've got a white macbook unibody (2010), but this doesn't power on. On the PPBUS_G3H line the voltage isn't the stable 12,6V. (It's changing 0 to 12,6V.)
The charging control ic (ISL6259) contols on a wrong way the inrush limiter FET(Q7085 - SI7149DP). The gate of this FET is controlled on a wrong way by the ISL6259 (AGATE). At this place should be stable 6V, but now it's ones 6V, than turns into about 13V. I've already replaced the ISL6259, but I still have this problem. I would be so glad if somebody could help me. To repair my mac would be very important for me.

Thank you very much for reading.

I'm so desperated, because I really need your help. Now unfortunately I dont't have enough money for a new laptop, so please help me to repair my laptop!

Thank you!

 

[comphorizons]

Short pin 5 to ground, no boot. I got voltage across the board, DCIN is good.
With magsafe plugged in, got a solid green led, tried to start with power button, nothing. Then after SMC reset, cpu started on high speed, no boot.
short pin 5 to ground, nothing.

What you think i should look into?

Any help on this, guys?

 

[cmdrdata]

I'm so desperated, because I really need your help. Now unfortunately I dont't have enough money for a new laptop, so please help me to repair my laptop!

Thank you!

A few questions before I can tell you what to look next.
1. Does it work with battery alone? If not, with a charged battery, do you see correct G3HOT (3.4v) and steady 12v on the PPBUS_G3H?

2. If operating on magsafe only, do you see steady G3HOT? if not, the problem is somewhere before the ISL6259

3. If yes, then do you see 16.5v or greater on the top of the FET driven CHGR_UGATE? My MB13W schematic shows this as pin5 of Q7020. I do not have schematic for your model (my schematic is for K84)

 

[macelek01]

A few questions before I can tell you what to look next.
1. Does it work with battery alone? If not, with a charged battery, do you see correct G3HOT (3.4v) and steady 12v on the PPBUS_G3H?

2. If operating on magsafe only, do you see steady G3HOT? if not, the problem is somewhere before the ISL6259

3. If yes, then do you see 16.5v or greater on the top of the FET driven CHGR_UGATE? My MB13W schematic shows this as pin5 of Q7020. I do not have schematic for your model (my schematic is for K84)

Dear Cmdrdata,

Thank you for your answer.
Already I have no more idea.

1.) No, it doesn't work with battery alone, but the G3HOT is correct (I measured 3,41V). The PPBUS_G3H is steady 12,45V, but the mac doesn't turn on.

2.) If the logic board operates only from magsafe, the G3HOT is steady 3,41V, but the PPBUS_G3H is changing continuously 0 to 12,6V and doesn't turn on too.

3.)If the logic board operates only form magsafe, the CHGR_UGATE (This is the gate control of Q7030 FET on my schematic) is changing like the PPBUS_G3H. (not steady, changing 0 to 12,6V)

Do you have any idea to solve this problem?

Thank's a lot!

 

[cmdrdata]

1.) No, it doesn't work with battery alone, but the G3HOT is correct (I measured 3,41V). The PPBUS_G3H is steady 12,45V, but the mac doesn't turn on.

2.) If the logic board operates only from magsafe, the G3HOT is steady 3,41V, but the PPBUS_G3H is changing continuously 0 to 12,6V and doesn't turn on too.

3.)If the logic board operates only form magsafe, the CHGR_UGATE (This is the gate control of Q7030 FET on my schematic) is changing like the PPBUS_G3H. (not steady, changing 0 to 12,6V)

Do you have any idea to solve this problem?

Thank's a lot!

My MB13W schematic is quite different from yours so I can't tell you what your Q7030 is doing (not in my schematic). See the attached schematic, yours should be similar and the voltages should also be similar if magsafe is plugged in. If the lower FET GATE signal (LGATE) is not pulsing, then the FET or the ISL6259 maybe bad.

 

[Musicsoul78]

Macbook A1278 13" Unibody silver

Macbook A1278 13" Unibody silver

Hi, guys back again
fault
will Not power on

tests
magsafe good

magsafe green light

green light turn orange

charging battery fine.

checked and replaced keybaord

keyboard fine

but clip on keyboard connector has come loose

still if i try short pins on keyboard connector nothing happens.

i can i have help locating pins

Where are the g3hot pads that allow me to power up bypassing keyboard and keyboard pins.

if i look back to daddioh 1-4 post mine are not located there!

thanks in advance

I think data had one like this too!

 

[mac-n-sauce]

Does anyone know if you can do a SMC reset with just the logic board? If so, how? The keyboard is bad on the mac so I have the logic board out.

 

[Musicsoul78]

Does anyone know if you can do a SMC reset with just the logic board? If so, how? The keyboard is bad on the mac so I have the logic board out.

what mac is it T?

 

[macattack600]

A1278 Non Pro Unibody fickering magsafe can't find pads

I have the a1278 just like the pictures just above this thread I too can't find the g3hot pads to boot. I've cleaned this board well but this is def a smc issue. At one point I got the battery to charge and stop blinking board got warm then went back to regular flickering its a quick blinking, the battery lights also flickering. Can anyone point me to where to start I have a few of the a1286 schematics I can't find any a1278 though. Anyone familiar with this model a1278 2008 macbook that can lead me in the first direction greatly appreciated.

 

[Musicsoul78]

[/IMG]

I have the a1278 just like the pictures just above this thread I too can't find the g3hot pads to boot. I've cleaned this board well but this is def a smc issue. At one point I got the battery to charge and stop blinking board got warm then went back to regular flickering its a quick blinking, the battery lights also flickering. Can anyone point me to where to start I have a few of the a1286 schematics I can't find any a1278 though. Anyone familiar with this model a1278 2008 macbook that can lead me in the first direction greatly appreciated.

here is the schematic for the a1278

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/38440147/MBP%2013%20i5%20A1278(1).pdf

i think the pads are on this side of board just to the right

look here

my g3hot measures 2.77v thats where im stuck! it is supposed to be 3.4v

i need a new keyboard connector i think. coz when i short the pads it boots fine?

@data and daddioh and macnsauce do you agree?

 

[macattack600]

power pads

[/IMG]
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/38440147/apple_macbook_pro_13_a1278_mlb_k24_rev_a_sch.pdf

here is the schematic for the a1278

i think the pads are on the other side of board just above the keyboard connector but on the flip side.

look here i could be wrong

my g3hot measures 2.77v thats where im stuck! it is supposed to be 3.4v

Image

Yes that's it i'm getting 3.4v on that. Your just jumping across with a paper clip or screwdriver together right? It's working for you but I get nothing maybe i'm doing something wrong. Can you tell me where the fuse is located on this any other areas to check I do get a fast flickering on the magsafe maybe a fet is bad any suggestions appreciated thank you so much for the schematic!