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ARCHIVE: Power ports, plugs and electric adapters / technology for AA

ARCHIVE: Power ports, plugs and electric adapters / technology for AA

 
Old Feb 13, 2007, 4:42 pm
  #1  
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ARCHIVE: Power ports, plugs and electric adapters / technology for AA

I have a flight coming up on AA from NRT to ORD. It's a 777, and the seat I'm booked into has a power plug.

In the last few years I think I've seen three or four different types of power ports on airlines, including normal plugs. Does anyone have an educated guess about what type of plug this will be, so I can get the right kind of adapters for my time-wasting gadgets?


==============MODERATOR NOTE=============


FOR THE CURRENT THREAD, PLEASE REFER TO: Power ports, plugs and electric adapters / technology for AA (consolidated)

N.B. Currently, there are four power configurations (including no power):

(1) The new 777-300ER / 77W with 110 VAC / 75 Watt limit with multiprong outlet and USB 5.0 VDC port. 2014's 777-200ER / 772 Cabin Improvement Program (CIP) is likely to see these installed in the 772 dribbled in beginning Q3 2014. See this post for Coach seat photo (110 VAC + 5.0 VDC USB).


(2) Aircraft with two-prong (ungrounded) 110 VAC common US powerports - with a limitation of 75 Watts supply - include all "75L" "International" 757-200s, some 737 and "domestic" 757s. All remaining 763, 757 and 737s are to be converted to 110 VAC.


(3) Aircraft with 15 VDC cigar lighter type plus, also limited to 75 Watts


(4) Some aircraft have powerports disabled due to technical issues.
Most mainline AA aircraft (777, MD80, many 757 and 737,) in-seat power supply is 15 Volts Direct Current (VDC), with a "cigar lighter" style outlet, limited to 75 watts of power. Some computers and devices with heavier power needs than 15 VDC and 75 Watts will not work, and may disable the powerport. Be aware power converters are "lossy" in converting DC to AC and may not serve your purpose. Those devices that specifically state they are limited to 12 VDC input may not be approved for 15 VDC use.

Some new or refurbished 737 and 757 aircraft are provided with 110 VAC powerports with standard two-prong US power outlets; all 757s and 737s (and probably Airbus) aircraft will eventually offer 110 VAC 75 Watt powerports.

From AA: Powerports are offered on Boeing 777, 767, 757, 737, and MD80 aircraft. Use of powerports is permitted only when the aircraft is above 10,000 feet in altitude and the flight attendant announces that personal electronic devices are allowed. The use of powerports is at your own risk. American is not responsible for loss of data or damage to personal hardware or software.

On most aircraft, a power outlet is available at each seat in First and Business class, as well as selected rows in the Coach cabin. Outlets are located on your seat console, or mounted to the seat frame below your seat cushion. Look for the "lightning bolt" symbol on the overhead bin rows containing powerport-equipped seats. Splitter or Y adaptor cords may not be used. Only one device is allowed per outlet. System power is available when the green light on the outlet is illuminated.


Adapters for 15 VDC / "cigarette lighter" outlets are offered for sale on international flights with Duty Free sales. Powerports are limited in use to times the aircraft is above 10,000 feet and the FAs announce electronic devices may be used.

aa.com also states "*AC adaptors are available for First and Business Class passengers on the following flights: 777-200 and 767-300 planes flying to/from Europe or South America, and 767-200 and 767-300 planes on transcontinental flights between JFK and LAX or between JFK and San Francisco (SFO)." (Ask an FA to borrow one.)

Resources:

Link to aa.com Onboard Technology page

Link to aa.com status of the fleet and power issues

Link to aa.com page with links to each aircraft's seat and powerport chart

Link to SeatGuru - seat charts show show powerport locations

LinkTravel Technology Forum: The In Flight Power Knowledge Compendium

Link to FT-AA FAQ

Also note: Link to FT AA Power ports domestic 757 temporarily disabled September 1 2010


N.B. Though a particular aircraft may be equipped with the new powerports, there are many reports of flying on those and having the power not be available, or requiring a lot of fiddling around with the connection to make it work.

Last edited by JDiver; Mar 3, 2014 at 12:43 pm Reason: update
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Old Feb 13, 2007, 4:45 pm
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It's a normal cigarette lighter type plug. , and AA supplies 75 watts. See the AA technology page:
http://www.aa.com/aa/i18nForward.do?...horEvent=false
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Old Feb 13, 2007, 6:07 pm
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Please continue to follow this thread in the AA Forum.
Thanks..
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Old Feb 13, 2007, 7:01 pm
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Nothing else to follow, Tom 911 said it all. (Now watch this go to 120 posts)
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Old Feb 13, 2007, 7:18 pm
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Originally Posted by ricktoronto
Nothing else to follow, Tom 911 said it all. (Now watch this go to 120 posts)
I thought the same thing after it got moved, and I wasn't going to to contribute to the 120 posts...but now I have

Cheers.
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Old Feb 13, 2007, 8:24 pm
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115 to go.

To include:

Wattage discussions.
Which laptops then violate that limit?
Mine doesn't.
Does too.
Does not.
You're a butthead and will kill us all with that thing.
No I won't
Will too.
Drop dead.
Yeah? Stick your tongue in the outlet.
Can't use a coffee maker.
Or a microwave.
No GPS either
FA can't/won't turn it on.
Mine doesn't work, the guy next to me , his does, can I use his even though he might want to use it later and get mad?
Hey he's Amish . That should help.
Why doesn't AA use Empower?
Or for that matter AC plugs?
And why are TACA's so far recessed that you can't fit a plug in theirs?
Not that they work 1/2 the time anyway.

114 to go now.
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Old Feb 13, 2007, 8:26 pm
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Originally Posted by ricktoronto
115 to go.
Isn't this a OMNI game?

(OP - buy one that has both EmPower AND cigarette adapter... latter fits onto former on mine).

(Everyone else... isn't this info on AA.com? Sorry, I don't know myself, I haven't been on it for at least 30 minutes.)
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Old Feb 13, 2007, 8:32 pm
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You cannot ask that or suggest a search. Nobody would look at the official website of the airline to find such elusive answers.

If they are Amish they can't.
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Old Feb 13, 2007, 8:34 pm
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Make sure you are in a row that is close to other powerports in case your fails. And of course never travel without the extension cord to plug into ports across the aisle.

Nothing is worse than a non-working powerport
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Old Feb 13, 2007, 8:42 pm
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Originally Posted by Deltahater
Nothing is worse than a non-working powerport
Well no... a seat poacher with body odor who ganks the empty middle exit row seat after the FA confirms our willingness to open the exits in an emergency who then gets up without warning and snags their foot on your power cord and almost kills your laptop... that's definitely worse
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Old Feb 13, 2007, 8:45 pm
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Let's not forget the mandatory "How come my battery doesn't charge even though the computer is getting power?" question with at least ten responses (half of them on-topic, with half of that half perhaps correct).
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Old Feb 13, 2007, 8:46 pm
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Originally Posted by Efrem
Let's not forget the mandatory "How come my battery doesn't charge even though the computer is getting power?" question with at least ten responses (half of them on-topic, with half of that half perhaps correct).
And then the angry post blaming this thread for their expectation of power ports when they board an ex-TWA 757.
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Old Feb 13, 2007, 9:29 pm
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Or the obligatory, "I have a Dell. Do I need to buy a special charger?"
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Old Feb 13, 2007, 9:51 pm
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One of my favorite FT threads this year, which strangely seems to have gone bye-bye: when they don't turn on the power ports, how much fuel are they saving?
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Old Feb 13, 2007, 10:19 pm
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so i bought a cigarette style adapter from best buy, it did not work on the last 2 flights. I didn't want to start a new thread. i never see anyone using the ports to ask. Sorry to ask the obvious but--what should i buy for a 5 cel dell laptop that will work?
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