Macbook power adaptor melts its own cable

taovdg · 5th November 2007, 11:31 PM

So, I'm chillin on my PC after a hard day of exam study, and my girlfriend comes in from the lounge with her Macbook power adaptor in hand.

"It melted!"

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Distraught, she seeks my manly, er, advice.

She's going to have to buy a new one tomorrow ASAP as she basically lives and dies by that thing - it has all her uni work on it, as well as a lot of work stuff.

She's also had her battery die once (replaced under warranty) and had the keyboard wrist rest replaced from discolouration (also a known fault). And, yes, it's only recently out of warranty.

We looked on the official store site for an adaptor - read all the reviews about how this is a very common fault. 508 user reviews, and a 2 of 5 star rating...

Disappointing, Apple. Really. It seems as if they're all about putting a 'premium' badge on faulty, if not dangerous components. If that adaptor had been on carpet, it could quite easily have caught fire IMO.

(No, it was not used on the bed, it was on a wood floor...)

Anyone else have a similar experience? Any chance of it getting replaced without having to fork over $130 for another dangerous product?

Kharn · 5th November 2007, 11:35 PM

Yeah happened to me with my MBP. Luckily it was under warranty and they replaced it no worries. Your best bet will be to try and find a really nice apple reseller and try your luck. I don't like your chances though.

edit: i think they recently redesigned them to stop this fault so you could try and argue that its a design fault and that it is of unmerchantable quality. double edit: in my opinion they should recall them because it could be dangerous.

sanjay · 5th November 2007, 11:47 PM

gotta love it how ive got 10 year old dell, HP, toshiba, compaq, IBM power adaptors that still work 100% like the day they were made and yet apple brings out terrible produce like this. shame, apple, shame...

(ive seen this happen a few times, as well as seeing the actual magsafe connector itself melt because of intense heat. ridiculously dangerous, especially seeing as lots of macbooks are used by young children!)

taovdg · 5th November 2007, 11:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sanjay

... magsafe connector itself melt because of intense heat ...

Holy crap!

sanjay · 6th November 2007, 12:40 AM

here you go.

ReP0 · 6th November 2007, 1:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by taovdg

So, I'm chillin on my PC after a hard day of exam study, and my girlfriend comes in from the lounge with her Macbook power adaptor in hand.

"It melted!"

I seriously hope the macbook you have is 4+ years old at least. This was a well known problem when I was in the US at the time. Was a recall over there. It'd be shocking to think the problem hasn't yet been totally fixed by this time.

I haven't been overly impressed with Apple engineering for many years now. It's one reason why i give them a miss these days. The stuff is just constructed from cheapo plastic low grade bits that aren't up for to the task for long use. The PC bits inside it are ok but the Apple specific designed bits are sorely lacking.

proffesso · 6th November 2007, 2:05 AM

I keep thinking I have some kind of special blessed macbook pro....absolutly nothing has gone wrong with it in the year ive had it...and ive dropped it to the point of dinting the corner....wasnt a happy man that day...

taovdg · 6th November 2007, 9:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ReP0

I seriously hope the macbook you have is 4+ years old at least.

Negative, it's a bit over a year old.

sanjay - thanks for the link - interesting to see that a lot of the frays occurred at the top of the cord; this was at the bottom. Seriously unsafe, at either end - but I'm glad the actual magnet didn't melt/burn like some of them did! That would actually have messed up the Macbook itself!

haydio · 6th November 2007, 9:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ReP0

I seriously hope the macbook you have is 4+ years old at least.

the macbook range isnt even 4 years old

carazy · 6th November 2007, 9:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sanjay

gotta love it how ive got 10 year old dell, HP, toshiba, compaq, IBM power adaptors that still work 100% like the day they were made and yet apple brings out terrible produce like this. shame, apple, shame...

(ive seen this happen a few times, as well as seeing the actual magsafe connector itself melt because of intense heat. ridiculously dangerous, especially seeing as lots of macbooks are used by young children!)

Your absolutely right.. at least all that happens to the other manufactures is that they catch on fire...

joyufat · 6th November 2007, 10:03 AM

Technically because the fray is on the DC end, it's not particularly dangerous. Don't go scuba diving with the adaptor and you'll be fine.

Call AppleCare or take it in to a service provider for proper advice.

sejanus · 6th November 2007, 12:01 PM

My MBP one frayed at the magsafe connector. They replaced it on the spot.

SquarkyD · 9th November 2007, 4:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by taovdg

. If that adaptor had been on carpet, it could quite easily have caught fire IMO.

(No, it was not used on the bed, it was on a wood floor...)

if the tempreture that will slowly melt thin cable will set your carpet on fire then i'd be ripping it up straight away dude, trust me it'll take ALOT more than that.

BlastM · 10th November 2007, 7:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by taovdg

and had the keyboard wrist rest replaced from discolouration (also a known fault). And, yes, it's only recently out of warranty.

Do they do that under warranty?

Because mine is atrocious, and I'm hardly a sweaty or dirty computer user. The iBook never looked like my newish Macbook does.

~Coxy · 12th November 2007, 12:19 PM

The discolouring was a problem with the plastics that they used. AFAIK they will replace it even if the warranty is expired, I think there was a recall about it.

5th November 2007, 11:31 PM	#1
taovdg Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Sydney Posts: 387	Macbook power adaptor melts its own cable So, I'm chillin on my PC after a hard day of exam study, and my girlfriend comes in from the lounge with her Macbook power adaptor in hand. "It melted!" Click to view full-sized image! Hosted by UGBox Image Store Distraught, she seeks my manly, er, advice. She's going to have to buy a new one tomorrow ASAP as she basically lives and dies by that thing - it has all her uni work on it, as well as a lot of work stuff. She's also had her battery die once (replaced under warranty) and had the keyboard wrist rest replaced from discolouration (also a known fault). And, yes, it's only recently out of warranty. We looked on the official store site for an adaptor - read all the reviews about how this is a very common fault. 508 user reviews, and a 2 of 5 star rating... Disappointing, Apple. Really. It seems as if they're all about putting a 'premium' badge on faulty, if not dangerous components. If that adaptor had been on carpet, it could quite easily have caught fire IMO. (No, it was not used on the bed, it was on a wood floor...) Anyone else have a similar experience? Any chance of it getting replaced without having to fork over $130 for another dangerous product? __________________ 2500K @ 4.6GHz (1.3V), Corsair H70 \| ASRock Z68 Ex3Gen3 \| 8GB DDR3 1600 Ripjaws \| XFX and GByte HD6970 in CFX \| SilverStone FT02B-W \| Zalman 850W PSU \| 256GB SSD + 3.5TB \| Samsung S27A950D \| Wacom \| UPS Sony α700 \| 10-20mm f/4-5.6, 28-75mm f/2.8, 50mm f/1.7, 70-210mm f/4, 75-300mm f/4.5-5.6 \| Sony HVL-F42AM flash \| Yashica Mat 124G \| Epson V500 \| flickr \| getty

5th November 2007, 11:35 PM	#2
Kharn Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: See the world they said. So i bought a mac. Posts: 1,788	Yeah happened to me with my MBP. Luckily it was under warranty and they replaced it no worries. Your best bet will be to try and find a really nice apple reseller and try your luck. I don't like your chances though. edit: i think they recently redesigned them to stop this fault so you could try and argue that its a design fault and that it is of unmerchantable quality. double edit: in my opinion they should recall them because it could be dangerous. Last edited by Kharn; 5th November 2007 at 11:37 PM.

5th November 2007, 11:47 PM	#3
sanjay Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Prospect, Adelaide, SA Posts: 13,028	gotta love it how ive got 10 year old dell, HP, toshiba, compaq, IBM power adaptors that still work 100% like the day they were made and yet apple brings out terrible produce like this. shame, apple, shame... (ive seen this happen a few times, as well as seeing the actual magsafe connector itself melt because of intense heat. ridiculously dangerous, especially seeing as lots of macbooks are used by young children!) __________________ 2003 Mitsubishi Magna TL VR Limited Edition \| 5sp Auto, 17" Enkei Ralliart Alloys Over 120 Successful Trades on OCAU - Most Recent: dche5390, Rugal, Tornhelm, ummmz, darknight84, bumography, b4sk3tb4ll3r, marktadros, MoveIt, Maxknott, NoBooze, bnyboy, Stooge007, caddy, the_rick, Soupratt, Doktor, Logik47, KraniX, Talisman, start, gizmo_melb, Omarko, Arkanite, WooKiE_MaN, PM for full list

6th November 2007, 12:40 AM	#5
sanjay Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Prospect, Adelaide, SA Posts: 13,028	here you go. __________________ 2003 Mitsubishi Magna TL VR Limited Edition \| 5sp Auto, 17" Enkei Ralliart Alloys Over 120 Successful Trades on OCAU - Most Recent: dche5390, Rugal, Tornhelm, ummmz, darknight84, bumography, b4sk3tb4ll3r, marktadros, MoveIt, Maxknott, NoBooze, bnyboy, Stooge007, caddy, the_rick, Soupratt, Doktor, Logik47, KraniX, Talisman, start, gizmo_melb, Omarko, Arkanite, WooKiE_MaN, PM for full list

6th November 2007, 2:05 AM	#7
proffesso Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Watsonia, Melbourne Posts: 8,616	I keep thinking I have some kind of special blessed macbook pro....absolutly nothing has gone wrong with it in the year ive had it...and ive dropped it to the point of dinting the corner....wasnt a happy man that day... __________________ If at first you don't succeed, remove all evidence you ever tried.

6th November 2007, 10:03 AM	#11
joyufat Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Moral High Ground Posts: 1,009	Technically because the fray is on the DC end, it's not particularly dangerous. Don't go scuba diving with the adaptor and you'll be fine. Call AppleCare or take it in to a service provider for proper advice. __________________ They'll Kick You, Then They Beat You, Then They'll Tell You It's Fair

6th November 2007, 12:01 PM	#12
sejanus Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Sydney Posts: 359	My MBP one frayed at the magsafe connector. They replaced it on the spot. __________________ www.gavincato.com.au - sydney wedding photog

12th November 2007, 12:19 PM	#15
~Coxy Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Cannington, WA Posts: 1,194	The discolouring was a problem with the plastics that they used. AFAIK they will replace it even if the warranty is expired, I think there was a recall about it.