[olpc-help] Power input polarity

[Steve Holton]

Reverse voltage on the power inputs  will not harm the XO, but it also will
not  charge.

The 'trick' you suggest (called a bridge rectifier) would have allowed
power  to be forward bias, reverse bias, or alternating current and all of
them would have charged the XO.

Unfortunately, bridge rectifiers:

   - cost about 1.4 volts of your charging power, whether your polarity
   is right or wrong.
   - Add extra cost/require space on the mainboard.
   - encourages people to be sloppy about the power they are providing.

-- 
Steve Holton
sph0lt0n at gmail.com
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