Briefly: redesigned MacBook Pro power adapters on the way
Apple Inc. has halted shipments of MagSafe power adapters for its MacBook Pro notebook line as a result of quality design issues and is presently working on a fix, AppleInsider has been told.
Several people familiar with the matter say the Cupertino-based firm began pulling inventory of the 85W power supplies from its retail stores a few weeks ago. Those same people say Apple also discontinued shipments to third party retailers ahead of "redesigned" models that are expected to ship sometime later this month of early next.
MacBook Pro owners have consistently reported on at least three reoccurring issues with their adapters. Therefore, it's unclear if any one particular problem is to blame for Apple's decision to halt sales of existing models, or if all of the issues eventually combined to force a change in the design.
Of the potentially more serious problems are reports dating back to last year that the thinner of the two adapter cords has a tendency to heat up and fray near both the power brick and the MagSafe connector, creating a potentially serious hazard. As noted in a AppleInsider report from March, Apple has made at least one attempt to remedy this problem by increasing the strength of the plastic insulator where the cord meets the MagSafe connector.
Another, more recent issue is a tendency for the tiny pins inside the MagSafe connector to improperly spring back into place, resulting in a faulty connection between the MagSafe connector and the MacBook Pro's built-in power adapter port.
A Melted MacBook MagSafe Adapter Posted to the flickr Image Sharing Website.
And lastly, some adapters -- including those owned by AppleInsider -- are showing signs of a somewhat benign defect where the LED indicator light on the MagSafe connecter will intermittently shut off even though the adapter continues to charge the MacBook Pro.
A quick check with the Apple online store indicates that new orders for the MacBook Pro's 85W power adapter will ship in about 2 to 3 weeks. In the meantime, however, customers who've had their adapters fail just recently have been left scrambling to find a replacement from part suppliers or auction sites such as eBay. Apple has reportedly declined to ship replacement units until the redesigned adapters are available and all major retailers list the product as being on backorder.
Several people familiar with the matter say the Cupertino-based firm began pulling inventory of the 85W power supplies from its retail stores a few weeks ago. Those same people say Apple also discontinued shipments to third party retailers ahead of "redesigned" models that are expected to ship sometime later this month of early next.
MacBook Pro owners have consistently reported on at least three reoccurring issues with their adapters. Therefore, it's unclear if any one particular problem is to blame for Apple's decision to halt sales of existing models, or if all of the issues eventually combined to force a change in the design.
Of the potentially more serious problems are reports dating back to last year that the thinner of the two adapter cords has a tendency to heat up and fray near both the power brick and the MagSafe connector, creating a potentially serious hazard. As noted in a AppleInsider report from March, Apple has made at least one attempt to remedy this problem by increasing the strength of the plastic insulator where the cord meets the MagSafe connector.
Another, more recent issue is a tendency for the tiny pins inside the MagSafe connector to improperly spring back into place, resulting in a faulty connection between the MagSafe connector and the MacBook Pro's built-in power adapter port.
A Melted MacBook MagSafe Adapter Posted to the flickr Image Sharing Website.
And lastly, some adapters -- including those owned by AppleInsider -- are showing signs of a somewhat benign defect where the LED indicator light on the MagSafe connecter will intermittently shut off even though the adapter continues to charge the MacBook Pro.
A quick check with the Apple online store indicates that new orders for the MacBook Pro's 85W power adapter will ship in about 2 to 3 weeks. In the meantime, however, customers who've had their adapters fail just recently have been left scrambling to find a replacement from part suppliers or auction sites such as eBay. Apple has reportedly declined to ship replacement units until the redesigned adapters are available and all major retailers list the product as being on backorder.
Comments
That's my MagSafe adapter you linked to there (on Flickr)
BTW, I've also had that problem with the light shutting off during charging.
I already took it in to get a new one- the cord had started fraying from the connector. Maybe I could get the new "shrunk" form factor this time...
-=|Mgkwho
Ah well, I can't complain too much -- at least I was able to get a replacement without having to wait several weeks. I'd be screwed if I couldn't charge my battery for that long!
- damage when wrapped around the power adaptor, during transport. I now ensure that it is packed in such a way that the cable at that point is not bent and is protected by the thicker power cable.
- Dangling from a MacBook Pro that is near the table edge.
While I realise that Apple probably designed the cable the way they did for aesthetic reasons, I believe they could have used the same design as seen on networks cables where the rubber of the cable melds into the connector.
Drew
I was quite amazed. I called on Friday, reported the issue and had a new adapter on Saturday morning. They overnighted it Saturday delivery.
Drew
what the fuck, i got my macbook pro a week ago and now they're changing the adapters? what does this mean for me?
The problem is that the method of making a connection isn't as low resistance as the older plug designs. While they will work fine for low amperage usage, where more power is needed, they can be a problem. The high resistance of the contact means that power transfer is of a lower efficiency than it should be. That causes the contacts to heat up more than on more traditional "wiping" designs.
Over time, the resistance rises, causing the plugs to overheat. This can cause the LED to become less reliable, as heat is the cause of LED failure. If it gets worse, the plugs can fail.
My chocolate fountain uses this same technology for its plug. But the electrical contacts are much larger. It also uses bakelite, which has a greater immunity to heat, stronger magnets, and of course, the "on" light is a neon, placed in the machine itself.
I doubt we'll see a recall... is it dangerous?
A free replacement if your cord frays would be more than enough..
I just patched mine with electrical tape after it started to fray (and even shot off a spark or two!). I'm hoping Apple will be willing to replace it gratis (the MBP is still under warranty), since those sparks were, um, not reassuring.
Electrical tape will protect you from the metal cores themselves... but if the 2 interior cores are both exposed, and you just taped them together... that's not very good for your power adaptor/sparks/fire etc.
Basically, if you noticed sparks then TELL APPLE and get a new one, even if you pay. Short of that, tape it up better/differently - once you unplug the adaptor and let it power down entirely, you should put electrical tape around each internal wire, THEN the whole wire.
A yo-yo with mag-safe would be ideal.
I've noticed twice that the plug didn't sit straight when connected, I figured the pins were a little 'sticky'. I've had no fraying issues at all, but have noticed the LED light was dim a couple of times.
That could be a problem, as the springs behind the connectors might not press as hard.
I doubt we'll see a recall... is it dangerous?
A free replacement if your cord frays would be more than enough..
It seems to me that a recall could be a good for safety's sake, though not a good one from the public relations point of view. It depends on how many people have the problem, and whether fires have occurred, or shock.
Electrical tape will protect you from the metal cores themselves... but if the 2 interior cores are both exposed, and you just taped them together... that's not very good for your power adaptor/sparks/fire etc.
Basically, if you noticed sparks then TELL APPLE and get a new one, even if you pay. Short of that, tape it up better/differently - once you unplug the adaptor and let it power down entirely, you should put electrical tape around each internal wire, THEN the whole wire.
Yes. I didn't catch that in his post. But, you are right.
If sparks are EVER seen from ANY electrical device, one MUST stop using that device, and take it for repair. Putting electrical tape over the wires will not stop the problem, and as you say, could, and possibly will exacerbate the problem, leading to damage to the cord, the machine itself, or even to the user.
Very dangerous, and very foolish.
Oh this is great! Yesterday I dropped off my power adapter to get replaced because of the first issue. The reseller said Apple will take 2-3 days. Obviously someone hasn't told them, or this has just come about. Given that I have no other Mac, I'm going to have withdrawal symptoms if this takes more than a few days.
If you're lucky, the reason it's going to take 2-3 days is because they're waiting for the new ones to arrive.