Macbook charger teardown: surprising complexity inside Apple's power adapter • Hacker News Board

Re: Macbook charger teardown: surprising complexity inside Apple's power adapter

#51

Post by AnthonyMouse » Wed, Nov 25, 2015, 6:54 PM UTC

throwaway420 wrote: post #30

Despite the visual appeal of their products, Apple normally does a very good job with prioritizing function over form except in this case with the charger wire being so fragile and thin. I know I'm not the most careful and delicate person in the world, but the failure rate here is ridiculous compared to other similar products I own. The end of the cable gets frayed every single time. Otherwise, Apple makes ridiculous…

> Shame on Apple for ignoring this very real problem with their product.

The cynic says they like it this way. By the time the charger goes bad the battery is already degraded and fixing both of them is so expensive that you might as well just buy a new device.

Re: Macbook charger teardown: surprising complexity inside Apple's power adapter

#52

Post by robin_reala » Wed, Nov 25, 2015, 6:55 PM UTC

DarkTree wrote: post #32

throwaway420 wrote: post #30

Despite the visual appeal of their products, Apple normally does a very good job with prioritizing function over form except in this case with the charger wire being so fragile and thin. I know I'm not the most careful and delicate person in the world, but the failure rate here is ridiculous compared to other similar products I own. The end of the cable gets frayed every single time. Otherwise, Apple makes ridiculous…

Honestly, I've never had the frayed problem with my macbook chargers, even with 2 years of use. However, I have had to buy 2 chargers since my original one because they will stop working after a couple of years. That's quite frustrating.

I’ve never even had that. Sold a heavily used 2008 MacBook with its original charger last month with no signs of fraying or problems. I’m yet to have a charger die on me in any way.

Re: Macbook charger teardown: surprising complexity inside Apple's power adapter

#53

Post by cjensen » Wed, Nov 25, 2015, 6:57 PM UTC

strictnein wrote: post #45

throwaway420 wrote: post #30

Despite the visual appeal of their products, Apple normally does a very good job with prioritizing function over form except in this case with the charger wire being so fragile and thin. I know I'm not the most careful and delicate person in the world, but the failure rate here is ridiculous compared to other similar products I own. The end of the cable gets frayed every single time. Otherwise, Apple makes ridiculous…

Yep. Every single charger we've owned has had to be replaced after a year or two. The only thing worse are the Apple USB cables. Complete junk.

I have seven year-old chargers which work fine. Neither you nor I are unicorns: there are plenty of others for whom it breaks constantly or never breaks. I'd love to know what it is we do differently.

Re: Macbook charger teardown: surprising complexity inside Apple's power adapter

#54

Post by somedudethere » Wed, Nov 25, 2015, 6:58 PM UTC

abritinthebay wrote: post #48

weland wrote: post #18

This is a pretty interesting article! I raised more than my fair share of eyebrows by telling people I'm not really surprised with this kind of complexity (note: I'm an EE by formation, I took a frickin' two-semester course on power supplies) but that it doesn't fully justify the price difference. Also, Jobs was a blatant liar :-). The SMPS in any modern computer is based on a standard topology that Rod Holt -- thoug…

I think this isn't so much Jobs lying as it is him doing his normal embellishment. Rod Holts design wasn't electrically unique, but it was extremely light and small. The Apple II wasn't the first computer to use a switching supply but it was shockingly light of a power supply which really helped the Apple II's reputation. Which... as far as Jobs was likely concerned was all that mattered, but it wasn't the rip-off he…

Yeah. When Apple claims to have invented something, they don't mean that they invented the very first instance of it, they mean that they invented a practical and transformative consumer implementation, which depending on who you are can be viewed as just as important (because what use is a technology if it can't be used on a practical level?)

Re: Macbook charger teardown: surprising complexity inside Apple's power adapter

#55

Post by hedgehog » Wed, Nov 25, 2015, 6:58 PM UTC

agentultra wrote: post #14

I really hate how weak they made the strain relief. I found mine frayed within a year of use (in and out of bags and often hastily "wrapped up" in exactly the way the device suggests one should by form... but which everyone advises against). So I did what any enterprising hacker would and tore it open to strip and re-solder the connection... only I found super-thick solder points and don't have a strong enough gun to…

Their wrapping instructions are terrible. You'll kill either the cable or one of the prongs pretty quickly. To protect the end when it starts coming apart silicone tape is ugly but effective (also works for the USB cables).

Re: Macbook charger teardown: surprising complexity inside Apple's power adapter

#56

Post by jsmith0295 » Wed, Nov 25, 2015, 6:59 PM UTC

throwaway420 wrote: post #30

Despite the visual appeal of their products, Apple normally does a very good job with prioritizing function over form except in this case with the charger wire being so fragile and thin. I know I'm not the most careful and delicate person in the world, but the failure rate here is ridiculous compared to other similar products I own. The end of the cable gets frayed every single time. Otherwise, Apple makes ridiculous…

I've found it hardly happens at all if you avoid wrapping the cable. I just toss mine in my bag, and it's hardly worn at all.

Re: Macbook charger teardown: surprising complexity inside Apple's power adapter

#57

Post by palmeida » Wed, Nov 25, 2015, 7:01 PM UTC

Analemma_ wrote: post #2

My takeaway from this is that the $80 Apple charger is definitely safer and has higher-quality components than the $12 cheapo Chinese charger, but not nearly so much better that it solely explains the price difference, and that Apple is making a healthy margin on these things. So my question is, is anyone selling a quality charger without the Apple tax? Is there anyone making, say, $40 chargers that have the componen…

On ebay there are a couple that say genuine http://www.ebay.com/itm/Genuine-Original-AC-Power-Adapter-Ap...

I ordered one yesterday (not from this dealer in question) that also said genuine. Let's see what they will send to me.

Re: Macbook charger teardown: surprising complexity inside Apple's power adapter

#58

Post by blhack » Wed, Nov 25, 2015, 7:02 PM UTC

>It enables the output when the charger is connected to a Macbook, disables the output when the charger is disconnected

I don't think this is actually true...

I found out by doing something really stupid. The pins on my charger get really dirty, which makes the charger connector get REALLY hot (like burn your finger hot). One day, I was cleaning the pins off with a wire brush, but I [stupidly] forgot to actually UNPLUG THE CHARGER. I knew this because when I applied the brush, (the end of it looks a lot like steel wool), it started sparking against the brush.

Re: Macbook charger teardown: surprising complexity inside Apple's power adapter

#59

Post by sowbug » Wed, Nov 25, 2015, 7:02 PM UTC

Analemma_ wrote: post #2

My takeaway from this is that the $80 Apple charger is definitely safer and has higher-quality components than the $12 cheapo Chinese charger, but not nearly so much better that it solely explains the price difference, and that Apple is making a healthy margin on these things. So my question is, is anyone selling a quality charger without the Apple tax? Is there anyone making, say, $40 chargers that have the componen…

Not quite on point, but I hope someone soon creates a small adapter with a USB 3.0/3.1 Power Delivery-compatible plug on one end, and my laptop's charger plug on the other end. Then I'll be able to invest in a very high-quality 100-watt USB power supply that will work with any legacy laptops I have lying around. I expect all my future laptops/mobile devices will be Type C/USB 3.1, so I'll keep using that power supply for many years.

Re: Macbook charger teardown: surprising complexity inside Apple's power adapter

#60

Post by engi_nerd » Wed, Nov 25, 2015, 7:02 PM UTC

spike021 wrote: post #17

engi_nerd wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Had a 2011 Macbook Pro. Was always very nice to the charger, never abusing or dropping it. But Apple's decision with all their cabling to not incorporate strain relief was frustrating. I went through four chargers in four years. Why does Apple continue to ignore strain relief on their cabling?

Odd. I have a 2011 MBP as well and over four years of constant use in school (plugging in the charger at the dorm, unplugging and throwing it into my bag, plugging it in in class, removing, etc. in various places) it's held up. I use it now with my newer Macbook (just needed to get the magsafe 2 adapter dongle).

It wouldn't have been so bad if you weren't paying for the high-quality engineering inside the charger itself. You get really nice, clean power out of them, but when you go through a charger every year, $80 is a little painful.