Average life of a portable power adapter?
This morning the 65W adapter for my powerbook decided to go up in smoke.
So now I'm Mac-less for about 10 days until a replacement (x 2) arrives from the online store. This afternoon I was counting the last few minutes of battery juice while giving a Keynote on loss of flight control system power -> modern 4th gen aircraft go up in smoke.
I'm not one of these guys that disconnects the adapter by tugging on the cable, even so I was 'surprised' because the adapter is barely 5 months old.
So is 5 months good, bad, or bloody typical?
So now I'm Mac-less for about 10 days until a replacement (x 2) arrives from the online store. This afternoon I was counting the last few minutes of battery juice while giving a Keynote on loss of flight control system power -> modern 4th gen aircraft go up in smoke.
I'm not one of these guys that disconnects the adapter by tugging on the cable, even so I was 'surprised' because the adapter is barely 5 months old.
So is 5 months good, bad, or bloody typical?
Comments
It is understandable for them to stop working depending on usage of how often the cables get wound up. Copper wire, although flexible only has so much strength while being bent back and forth until it breaks and you no longer get current though. I forget what that is called, I want to say tinsel strength but I don't think that is right.
Yes, I had a power adapter almost die on me. I started noticing sparks inside the cable at night when I scooted the laptop on my desk. I didn't like that so I 1) bought a new power adapter, 2) cut the plug off the old charger and re-soldered it together. It worked... Come to think of it, it still works, but I prefer to use my new one. I taped a straw to the end of the new plug to relive cable stress and it has been working for 2 years. I DON'T wrap up the cable unless I'm going on vacation. I think that is where most of the stress comes from.
reg
Originally posted by åsen
...while giving a Keynote on loss of flight control system power -> modern 4th gen aircraft go up in smoke.
must be refering to Airbus .... Boeing still has manual control of flight surfaces with total electrical and hydraulic failure .
Otherwise, my first iBook power supply lasted 3 years ... with LOTS of traveling and winding ... the cable finally shorted/opened where it enters the plug.
i've had my 12" powerbook for over a year now, and my adaptor is going strong. i think the key is to avoid wrapping it that ONE last time....