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

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

#91

Post by twerkmonsta » Wed, Nov 25, 2015, 7:48 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 had an Apple charger fray and light my office on fire. Not much damage beyond burned carpet, but that was only because I was in the room and caught the fire immediately. After calling the company and escalating the issue up to a vice-president, they did nothing but replace the charger. It seriously disturbed me how unconcerned they were of a potentially deadly safety problem. It turned me off of Apple as a company and potential employer. Never wanted to work there after that.

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

#92

Post by kens » Wed, Nov 25, 2015, 7:49 PM UTC

palmeida wrote: post #57

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.

From eBay, shipped from Hong Kong... I'm sure it's a genuine charger, but I would bet against it being a genuine Apple charger.

I've had good luck ordering used Apple chargers from U.S. sellers on eBay; they have always turned out to be genuine and at a reasonable price.

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

#93

Post by pfooti » Wed, Nov 25, 2015, 7:51 PM UTC

Fraying on the charger (dc-carrying) cable is definitely an issue, but my biggest gripe about these chargers is the form factor of the AC-carrying part of the power cord. I can't speak to non-US chargers, but the three-prong cord that plugs into the wall has no coiling shape. If the plug itself had a self-clip (like at the end of the charging cable), at least I could keep my cord from unrolling in my bag and expanding to fill the entire free space. I'm usually torn when I'm leaving the house with my macbook: do I bring the long cable and deal with bag disorganization, or do I hope I'm close enough to a plug and the plug orientation doesn't make me regret my lack of regular power cord?

You'd think with all this industrial design effort spent (pretty successfully IMO for the most part), there'd be an improvement in that particular cable.

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

#94

Post by listic » Wed, Nov 25, 2015, 7:51 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.

You probably haven't tried poor imitation Apple USB cables. My brother bought a (probably especially poor) lot of 3 on Aliexpress and went through all 3 in a week! Maybe they did not use solder at all?

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

#95

Post by trymas » Wed, Nov 25, 2015, 7:52 PM UTC

robin_reala wrote: post #52

DarkTree wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

I've seen that from some models made in ~'08-'09, the cables do not fray.

I have 2013 rmbp 13" I have handled my charger with great care avoiding as much twisting ant touching as possible, and after around 20 months, cable isolation just tore up by touching it.. It seems that cable isolation is made of such plastic, that it completely degrades after some time..

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

#96

Post by yourapostasy » Wed, Nov 25, 2015, 7:53 PM UTC

msoad wrote: post #27

I'm so sad to see MagSafe was replaced with USB-C in the new MacBook. Hopefully they don't deprecate MagSafe for larger laptops. I won't mind USB-C + MagSafe charging capability though! ;)

MagSafe connectors saved my MacBook Pros over the years more times than I can count. They are a must-have for anyone around young children or plugs into mains power in public or seat power on planes. The USB-C connector is a large step backwards if it means losing that functionality, IMHO.

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

#97

Post by jacobolus » Wed, Nov 25, 2015, 7:53 PM UTC

blhack wrote: post #64

DarkTree wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

Same here. Never had a frayed end, but have had the magnetic connector get really dirty, which causes it to either get REALLY hot when charging, or just stop charging completely. One time I just bought a replacement connector/cable, disassembled the power supply, and soldered the new cable in place. That worked for a while. The second time I just bought a new charger. (Well: two new chargers, actually. The first, whi…

The magnetic connector attracts any little bits of iron oxide lying around. It’s easy to clean with a q-tip soaked in alcohol though.

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

#98

Post by Gracana » Wed, Nov 25, 2015, 7:53 PM UTC

Sakiina_ wrote: post #81

Anyone here heard of the Magsafe saver? https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/lightning-magsafe-saver-p... This is what I got-- took an eternity to get to me, but it works well enough. I wrap my cables. I had my Macbook Pro for two years, abused it, charger was fine. I sold it with the Macbook when I moved back Stateside after living abroad. My next charger broke, because my kitten decided it made a great teething chew.…

How does that not just move the point of strain further down the cable? It looks like a rigid extension of the strain relief boot.

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

#99

Post by nickpsecurity » Wed, Nov 25, 2015, 7:55 PM UTC

DanBC wrote: post #22

untog wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I disagree - a lie is told knowingly. If you say something untrue without knowing it is untrue, it isn't a lie.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_Bullshit It might not be a lie, but it is bullshit. > On Bullshit (2005), by Harry G. Frankfurt, is a philosophical essay that presents a theory of bullshit that defines the concept and analyzes the applications of bullshit in the contexts of communication. As such, bullshit can be neither true nor false; hence, the bullshitter is someone whose principal aim — when uttering or publish…

Yes, Jobs was great purveyor of bullshit. Much like the movies made about him. ;)

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

#100

Post by tomcam » Wed, Nov 25, 2015, 7:55 PM UTC

You know what's not surprisingly complex? My feeling about how screwed I felt when I got the Macbook and its charger consisted only of straight-to-plug wall wart, power cord to Mac, as opposed to cord-to-wall-wart, wall wart, power cord to Mac. They halved the length of the cord while forcing you to stick your wall wart right into the socket, crowding out other cords if it's on a small power strip. That and the fact that it's not MagSafe anymore.