Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Mass recall of Apple AC Wall Plug Adapters 2003-2015 due to shock hazard

apple.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

41–50 of 59 posts

Re: Mass recall of Apple AC Wall Plug Adapters 2003-2015 due to shock hazard

#41

Post by feelix »

rahimnathwani wrote: post #20
jacknews wrote: post #4

How about a recall of the entire adapter. I have 4 or 5 of them, all which have disintegrated cables. Either the famous problem where the cable/sleeve detaches at the adapter or the plug end, or on a couple of them, the entire plastic cable housing has disintegrated and sloughed off, leaving bare shield wire. This after just a year or so in every case. Absolute disgrace, Apple.

I haven't experienced this, and I wonder which of these is the reason: 1) I don't wrap/unwrap the cable around the plastic clips each day. 2) When I do wrap the cables, I'm careful to (i) leave a little slack before I start winding, and (ii) grip loosely so as not to cause twisting stress 3) I remove the magsafe by pulling the outer edge upwards, rather than pulling outwards in the opposite direction to the magnetic…

I do 1,2 and 3 as well. My cables routinely perish and disintegrate. I have been using mac laptops for the past 15 years.

Re: Mass recall of Apple AC Wall Plug Adapters 2003-2015 due to shock hazard

#42

Post by manyxcxi »

tedmiston wrote: post #13
jacknews wrote: post #4

How about a recall of the entire adapter. I have 4 or 5 of them, all which have disintegrated cables. Either the famous problem where the cable/sleeve detaches at the adapter or the plug end, or on a couple of them, the entire plastic cable housing has disintegrated and sloughed off, leaving bare shield wire. This after just a year or so in every case. Absolute disgrace, Apple.

Maybe I'm the exception here, but in a decade of using MacBooks, I've never experienced the power adapter falling apart. I remember this a lot back in the PowerBook days, especially those clearish gray translucent adapters.

I've only had one iPhone cable come apart on me and my power cable from my Thunderbolt Display shows some wear but I've never had a cord for any of my MBPs get loose or breakdown in any way. I've got at least two bricks/cords from 2008ish that I still use with an adapter.

Re: Mass recall of Apple AC Wall Plug Adapters 2003-2015 due to shock hazard

#43

Post by captaindiego »

orbitur wrote: post #32

This is interesting. I bought the World Adapter Kit for our trip through Germany/France, and nearly every hotel/B&B we stopped at, I could literally feel a gentle vibration/shock coming from MBP's case whenever it was plugged in to the two-prong outlets. I don't know if that's poor grounding or something else, but it was definitely unnerving and I didn't feel comfortable using my laptop when it was plugged in. But it…

I have experience this as well and was quite concerned about it for a while, this is exactly the first thing that came to my mind as well.

Re: Mass recall of Apple AC Wall Plug Adapters 2003-2015 due to shock hazard

#44

Post by blackguardx »

userbinator wrote: post #33
blackguardx wrote: post #12

It looks like it is only the international adapter part. Everyone complains about Apple's strain relief, but a lot of engineering went into making that as good as it is (which is less than average). It is hard to make robust stuff look sleek and well designed. Some companies err on the side of robust. Apple goes the other way.

I don't know about you, but I think the strain reliefs that just about every other cable has are "sleek and well designed" enough to stop them from failing there. Apple's strain relief, which doesn't relieve strain particularly well, reminds me of those on very old equipment (pre-1940s): nothing more than a featureless tube surrounding the cable. The reinforced design with a flexible, radius-limiting boot that's popu…

I prefer other companies' strain reliefs, but I get why Apple uses the one they do.

Re: Mass recall of Apple AC Wall Plug Adapters 2003-2015 due to shock hazard

#45

Post by blackguardx »

marshray wrote: post #30
blackguardx wrote: post #12

It looks like it is only the international adapter part. Everyone complains about Apple's strain relief, but a lot of engineering went into making that as good as it is (which is less than average). It is hard to make robust stuff look sleek and well designed. Some companies err on the side of robust. Apple goes the other way.

Why does it matter how much engineering went into it if the result is worse than average? How could anyone call that 'well designed'?

Well designed in that an Industrial Designer probably put a lot of effort into it. A lot of people use that term to describe something sleek. I prefer it when art and engineering work more closely together, but that is just me.

Re: Mass recall of Apple AC Wall Plug Adapters 2003-2015 due to shock hazard

#46

Post by dwd »

steve19 wrote: post #6

I would love to know how they could possibly be a shock hazard. I have a piles of these (for travel) and they are solidly build and almost only plastic. The only way they could break, I think, is if they fell apart somehow.

Shock can also be via the casing of the Macbook.

I may have one of these dodgy plugs from a 2011 11" MBA that I started using as a spare so to preserve my most recent replacement. (third or fourth bent/broken cord)

When you place either hand on the MBA casing beside the trackpad you get what feels like a buzzing in your lower palm. If you are shirtless (common on these balmy summer nights) and touch your stomach against the edge you get a definite kick like you burnt yourself.

Re: Mass recall of Apple AC Wall Plug Adapters 2003-2015 due to shock hazard

#47

Post by m_mueller »

sobbybutter wrote: post #31
m_mueller wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just another anecdotal datapoint: I've tried to do that both in Switzerland and Japan, and they wouldn't replace adapters I brought with broken down cable shielding.

tip: call apple and tell them you have a cord that looks like it's a serious fire hazard. Each time I've said "fire hazard," they've replaced it without question.

Good hint, thank you!

Re: Mass recall of Apple AC Wall Plug Adapters 2003-2015 due to shock hazard

#48

Post by m_mueller »

rangibaby wrote: post #39
m_mueller wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just another anecdotal datapoint: I've tried to do that both in Switzerland and Japan, and they wouldn't replace adapters I brought with broken down cable shielding.

JP here too. This was in ~2011, the staff then Really Liked Macs. Now it's the "my iPhone screen broke" bar, and they have way more staff. The service for my Mac last time was actually pretty hideous. I can't remember what he said, but he used some amazing jargon to explain the difficult act of booting off an OS on a USB hard disk. Then tried to say that the broken hinge (the hinge part of the stand on 2014 skinny iM…

I also had very mixed experience. In Switzerland I now avoid them like the plague and I go to certified service partners instead. Problem there is that there's always an issue, like screws not sitting tight and falling out after service, or some non essential component not being reconnected again, like keyboard backlight.

Lately my position on Apple is: I buy their iPhones and their iMacs. One has comparatively good service, the other rarely needs service because it isn't carried around and doesn't contain a battery. For laptops I was hoping that Windows 10 tablets would be any good, but was severely disappointed again, especially by the software side, Windows is a total mess. Right now I'm at a loss at what my next portable computer is supposed to be. Maybe Lenovos upcoming classic thinkpad line with Ubuntu?

Re: Mass recall of Apple AC Wall Plug Adapters 2003-2015 due to shock hazard

#50

Post by Artemis2 »

orbitur wrote: post #32

This is interesting. I bought the World Adapter Kit for our trip through Germany/France, and nearly every hotel/B&B we stopped at, I could literally feel a gentle vibration/shock coming from MBP's case whenever it was plugged in to the two-prong outlets. I don't know if that's poor grounding or something else, but it was definitely unnerving and I didn't feel comfortable using my laptop when it was plugged in. But it…

Same experience here (with French plugs). Using the cable with the ground pin "solves" the problem.
Post reply on HN