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18 Responses to “Apple’s MagSafe Powercord Issues”  

1. 1 Constable Odo Feb 23rd, 2008 at 5:11 pm

   I have a MacBook Pro C2D 2.33 that I’ve had for well over a year. I have the charger that came with the machine and I use that upstairs and purchased a second charger for downstairs. I have not had one single problem with those Magsafe adapters. They seem to stay very secure until definitely tugged upon. I certainly never received any shock from them either. People said they had problems with the cord pulling out of the adapter fitting. Both of mine are as solid as the day they were purchased. No wear that I’ve noticed even though I’ve pulled it a number of times by the cord on purpose or by accident.

   I’d recommend that people who do pull it out by the cord and have problems should use some sort of rubber adhesive to beef up where the cord meets the plug. I personally think the Magsafe adapter is a fine device. I never had any pins stick or anything of the sort. But then again I don’t put crap into the male or female Magsafe connectors for them to stick or short out.

   Anyway, this is my personal experience and I’m not stretching the truth.

2. 2 Kiwiiano Feb 24th, 2008 at 3:12 pm

   Your problems & symptoms raise the question as to how you detach your magsafe(s) from the laptop. Ideally you should press down on the plastic housing to break the magnetic grip before rotating it away. Simply pulling on the cable overstresses the connections and can break wires within the coupling. The subsequent intermittent open-circuits will cause the ‘not charging’ warning.

   The shocks are a mystery. The charger is rated at 16.5VDC, waaay less than the amount needed for a tingle. Is it possible that static electricity is involved? Dry atmosphere, synthetic fabrics, lack of earthing points….?

3. 3 Mr. Nosuch Feb 24th, 2008 at 6:16 pm

   My MacBook Pro has a pretty stationary lifestyle, and the magsafe connector is almost never removed intentionally. However, that hasn’t stopped the very weak strain connector from the wire to the connector to start to come undone. Those of you who keep the laptops on a desk, where the cable has no tension on it probably have no problem. People like me or John, who must be putting a bit more tension on the cable, are getting failures.

   I think it’s a bad design. The strain relief on the connector is very poor. I haven’t gotten shocked, but probably because the moment I saw the cable insulation separating from the connector, I put tape on it. But that’s already wearing out.

   Not to mention my first magsafe power brick outright failed and needed warranty replacement. But that’s obviously a different issue.

   Some Mac Book Pros need more wattage than plane power outlets provide. My friend blew two circuit breakers on a plane using his. My suspicion is that’s why your laptop wasn’t getting charged. Good news is you’ll get a very long life on a flight like that, but it won’t run forever, that’s for sure. A different aircraft/flight and you may have a better experience.

4. 4 Ryan Feb 24th, 2008 at 6:38 pm

   I have really good luck with my power adapters. However, I stopped using the fold out cord pins on the adapters because I think they put too much stress on the joint where the cord enters the brick. I either wrap my cord loosely around the brick itself or around my hand.

   As for the airline adapter, I haven’t actually used mine yet. However, I did notice in the documentation when I opened it up that Apple warns that it will not charge the battery. I suspect that the airplane does not provide enough power to run the computer. Does the adapter at least slow the battery consumption and extend usage?

5. 5 Jp Feb 24th, 2008 at 9:08 pm

   I’m a Certified Apple Consultant and use a MacBook Prop for my main computer. I take it everywhere and plug it in most times It’s used. This is at least three times a day since late ‘06. I have no problems whatsoever and I’ve not had a client who has had an issue with their adapters in any way.

   I can’t explain why yours keeps failing so often. Perhaps I just value my equipment more and baby it?

6. 6 John Feb 25th, 2008 at 1:39 am

   I’ve had a 17″ MacBook Pro for almost two years and have had no problems with the power adapters. I have one that stays home and one that travels with me. The traveling adapter is frequently deployed and stored on almost a daily basis as I travel around the country.

   I would like to see a little better strain relief at each end of the thin cord.

   I’ll support the advice you got above. When disconnecting the power hold the connector and remove it from the laptop. Don’t yank on the cord.

7. 7 Krishna Feb 25th, 2008 at 5:26 pm

   I’m on my 2nd MagSafe adaptor with my Macbook Pro. I agree with the author of this blog -there are some definite design issues with the MagSafe adaptor that need to be addressed. As it stands, it’s the weakest link for an otherwise awesome machine.

8. 8 vandenhog May 8th, 2008 at 12:26 am

   please. i have had 1 magsafe fail on me after 18 months and my daughter had a failure after about 6 months. I have a PBpro and she has a MB. The design is a POS and i would be surprised if you see if on future macs.

9. 9 Bob Crossman May 8th, 2008 at 11:15 am

   MagSafe problems, Do what Leo LaPorte does. . . http://www.twit.tv/dgw507

10. 10 Ryan B May 24th, 2008 at 5:39 am

    I have had my 17″ Macbook Pro for 2 years now and have had the same problem of the fraying on the end nearest the magsafe connection. I am, unfortunately, in Germany at the moment and my 2nd one has just developed the same problem and I have babied this one ever since I got it. The only thing I can think of is that I don’t sit at a desk to use my computer I am usually sitting on the bed as there is very little furniture in my room and that puts more stress on the end. When I’m at home I usually sit on the couch to use my computer. I am firmly convinced it is a design flaw. The first cord lasted about 6 months. The second has lasted about a year but that’s because I purchased an extra one. I thought this one would last for at least 6 months when I came to Germany but it has lasted only 3 months, otherwise I would have brought my extra with me. Although, because I had the two at home it had lasted for a little over a year there plus the 3 months here. Now I’m not sure what I’m going to do since this one frayed and is about to come totally apart and it did it in less than a week. I know I can call Apple but a new cord will take closer to two weeks to get here. I may be without my computer for a while.

11. 11 unrulyasides Jul 12th, 2008 at 2:42 am

    i’ve had the same problem with my magsafe power adapter. have had intermittent (though probably only 5% of the time it’s being used) issues where even though the adapter is plugged in, and it’s connected to my macbook, it simply will not charge. has caused issues where i haven’t noticed this and thought my macbook was charging, only to find 30-45 minutes later the battery’s almost dead. sometimes turning the little connector over works, sometimes it doesn’t. so far, i haven’t been able to figure out what makes it happen when it does happen. hopefully it doesn’t become more prevalent. but good to come across your post, to realize i’m not the only one who’s had this problem.

    oh, also, 3 years of owning various ibooks, and not once did i ever pull the ibook off a desk or anything via some mishap with the power adapter cord. but this damnable magsafe adapter comes off at the slightest provocation, and given how i generally work in a chair with all my work piled on top of me, it’s a hassle grabbing the thing from the floor and putting it back in. personally i’d prefer the old adapter style, but possibly the magsafe kind has advantages for some people.

12. 12 Declan Rieb Oct 11th, 2008 at 9:41 am

    Stupid Adapter. Same intermittent problems as unrulyasides. 15″ MBP, with AppleCare.
    I found that by carefully wiggling the low voltage connection at the brick, I could get the light to come back on. Sometimes just turning the brick over helps.

    I’ve looked for dirt; I now know to look for retracted pins on the magsafe connecter. (Dang, those things are TINY; I need better glasses!)

    I took the old adapter to Apple, explaining that the LV-brick connection is intermittent. They replaced the thing, for “free”.

    The new one has the same symptoms… sitting for an hour, “connected” but the orange LED has actually gone off and I MUST get power. Turn connector over… LED MAYBE blinks on… let go connector, LED blinks rapidly, dims, and goes out. Wiggle OTHER side of connection, and/or turn brick over: LED stays on.
    GRRRR!

13. 13 Liz Nov 3rd, 2008 at 7:41 am

    My only problem with the Macbook power cords is my cat.
    She chews on them and I am now on my third one!
    This one is locked up in a spare room!
    They are so expensive!! That’s my only problem.
    $80. is a lot to pay to replace them!

14. 14 Boogie Jan 17th, 2009 at 12:30 pm

    I’m on my second replacement magsafe (3rd in all) for my macbook since i purchased it two years ago. I’m always very careful about my gear and how i treat it and have always made sure there was no strain on the cord (both at the brick and adapter ends). My first magsafe failed after eight months due to fraying and melting on BOTH ENDS of the cord. I had to duct tape coils of wire around the plastic to keep the copper in the cord bent the right way so it was still conductive thru finals week at FSU. I called apple, they replaced it without question, admitting that it was defective (in fact, after making a call at 7 pm, i had a new one on my doorstep at 8am the following morning).

    Now aware of the defect, I made sure to take EXTRA special care of my magsafe. This includes putting the brick on the same surface as the notebook, removing the adapter by grabbing the plastic casing, lifting up and then turning, and even taping the cord to my desk. The cord still failed. While it didn’t melt and fray like my first, not having a power source is still clearly a problem. As the cord seemed more rigid near the connectors than my first, I believe this failure was due to the pins in the adapter connection losing their resistance, or spring, if you will. When I noticed the problem, I called apple immediately and received a good bit of resistance about getting another free replacement (as I REFUSE to pay for a company’s shortcomings). After literally 30 minutes of debate and persuasion, my third (free) magsafe was in the mail.

    Now, even as I sit and type, my THIRD magsafe charger light is changing from orange to green, back to orange, and then to green. I’ve taken extra special effing care of this thing! In fact, the charger and macbook HAVE NOT LEFT MY DESK. Once again, I will refuse to pay for a new adapter and will DEMAND that apple infernally send them to me UNTIL THEY GET IT RIGHT. As a power user, and an owner of Logic Pro 7, Aperture and Final Cut Pro, I WON’T take no for an answer. To the guy who paid for three magsafe’s, and to anyone else with this same problem: be more persuasive and DON’T TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER!

15. 15 Momzoid Feb 5th, 2009 at 8:02 am

    My MacBook Pro is only 6 mos. old and I am already awaiting a replacement adaptor … a big disappointment and frustrating in a rural area as I have to wait for FedEx so I can sign for the part – that could be anytime in the next 48 hours! Apple knows there is an issue — they were not surprised at all when I called. Come on Apple — get this fixed and keep us supplied.

16. 16 propete Mar 19th, 2009 at 7:50 pm

    Yes. Another MBP owner with famous issue. On my case , it started after battery change. Minor interferences on connectors orange/green light at first, turning to “not charging” and heating problems on MBP. Left side of MBP is very hot, even on idle (iStat shows CPU A = 64 C, and I turned the machine on 15 minutes ago !)
    I have read boisterous stories about MagSafe and logicboard ruptures. Now I don`t even know anymore where is the problem and how it can be fixed. Some people claims, that the problem is on Macs logicboard?

17. 17 propete Mar 20th, 2009 at 8:18 am

    On my case Apple Care said, that unfortunately your serial number of the adapter is not valid. It means, that my adapter went broken on the time period, when apple no longer replaces borked MagSafe adapters. It`s not fair. What does it matter WHEN it goes broken, while apple anyway confess, that wide problem is on manufacturing/product.

18. 18 Jared Davis Dec 12th, 2009 at 11:18 am

    I agree 100% with the Author. I have bought 3 myself (I have a Macbook and Macbook Pro) along with returned two to get a replacement for free. The three I bought all shorted out at the connector, then I bought a Macbook Pro (that was kind of stupid considering my ‘luck’ with the three adapters prior….but I am an Engineer and love the other features of the Mac/Needed more speed). Ahem!

    Just three weeks ago I went to an Apple Authorized Service Center here and asked to have my two adapters replaced (showing him that they were indeed shorted out and not ‘charging’. Apple sent the two magsafe blocks (not the ducks that you might think come with a replacement), but they then told the service man that I needed to pay for one of them, because the issue that I had was not associated with the recall that I had mentioned. I told the service man to tell the Apple agent that it is his prerogative to charge me, but that he ought to think about before he rejects my claim because as an Engineer that does Computational Fluid Dynamics my livelihood depends on good computers and if I was charged I would never buy another apple product as long as I live. ‘He apparently ‘bent’ the rules for my particular case.

    Since that time, (its been a month) one of those adapters shorted out. I use my computers all the time, but I take good care of them. This shouldn’t be happening. Apple is going to blow their momentum if they don’t stop covering there eyes and saying there is not an issue (like in my case). I like Apple products tremendously, but they had better correct quick because I am not in the consuming business to accept abuse! Not trying to be cynical, just honest.

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