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tenny · Jan 18, 2003, 05:35 PM

My yo-yo power adapter recently began sparking, damaging my iBook. These cords are the same design as those used for Powerbook G3s as well.

Apple refuses to accept responsibility for the obvious design flaw in these power cords. Even though there were over 80 posts at Apple.com in the discussion board, Apple Customer Care insists they have never gotten any complaints about the cord, that the iBook is not a laptop and should not have been in my lap, and that I must have pulled out the wires myself.

I posted on Apple.com asking customers to complain to the FTC, Consumer Product Safety Commission and California Board of Consumer Affairs. Within minutes, almost every post regarding frayed cords were removed the website.

This is a very dangerous cord. I have just started a petition asking Apple to recall the defective cords before someone gets seriously injured. Please sign it!

http://www.PetitionOnline.com/appleSOS/petition.html

Cipher13 · Jan 19, 2003, 07:03 AM

The yo-yo power adapters are terrible. Absolutely terrible. Apple replaces them for us at work (we have one or two die completely every week).

They spark, melt, and are generally just... bad.

Talk to customer relations.

CyberPet · Jan 19, 2003, 09:19 AM

This happend to me too after about a year, I actually saw the spark in the cord, close to the power connector on the back-side of the computer. I threw myself on the wall outlet and pulled the cord out and then pulled the cord from the computer. Luckily the computer was safe, nothing had happen to it, but the cord had a short so I did borrow a spare cord from a friend.

Anand · 03:21 PM

Same problem here. Called Apple and they wanted $29.99 to replace. We had a Dell laptop at work with a cord that would work in its place (but was black). Called Dell and told them the we were having the problem with their machine and 24 hours latter we had a new cord. I will never buy another windows PC again but I will say that Dell's customer service is amazing. They will replace anything at the drop of a hat.

Another thing, Dell's ads are stupid.

mrmister · Jan 19, 2003, 03:19 PM

I've seen two yoyo's die, and one was with the terrible sparking death...I keep hoping that if Apple's market share picks up we might see an upgrade in customer service for things like this.

GK · Jan 19, 2003, 03:32 PM

Same thing happened here with my PBG4. Sparks flying from the cord. I did no even bother to call Apple as my warranty had of course already run out. I thogught I was the only one with this problem. I'll call Apple and ask for a replacement.

It;s sad that Apple does not respond adequately to a apparently widely occuring problem.

LtKernelPanic · Jan 19, 2003, 03:49 PM

Same here. I forget which end of the AC cord sparked, but it was getting bad so said yo-yo is now in my desk drawer. I had 2 other yo-yos I got free when I sent back two defective ac adapters from my Wallstreet, but it still ticks me off Apple won't send me a new damned cord.

Millennium · Jan 19, 2003, 09:32 PM

The yo-yo cords looked cool but were absolutely terrible.

Eventually I just got fed up, after my second one died. I went to the Apple Store, and bought one of their new-style PowerBook AC adaptors (the square ones, with the little light at the plug's base). They work great. Granted, I should not have had to do this (Apple should be doing a recall and replace), but if you're too impatient to wait for that, this is a solution.

Vond · Jan 19, 2003, 09:46 PM

My girlfriend has lost 2 yo-yo's working with her Pismo. When the second one went she bought a black "madsonline" replacement and it seems to be working well. We'll see how long it lasts.

mrtew · Jan 19, 2003, 11:10 PM

My yo-yo's have been fine, but my first white cube power adapter that came with my Ti667 did a bit of sparking when the end that plugs into the computer came off. The Apple store here replaced it after a long talking to.

Cellery · Jan 20, 2003, 01:52 AM

My square white power adapter that came with my Ti667 recently gave up the ghost, breaking right at the plug end like the three PowerBook adapters that preceded it. 80 bucks every year is unacceptable, but what can you do?

Big Mac · Jan 20, 2003, 07:16 AM

I haven't had any problems with my iBook's yo-yo power cord. People are often impressed by it as well. I had not heard until now that there is an epidemic of the units malfunctioning. It is good to know, for reference, that the newer power adapters are compatible with the older machines.

vmarks · Jan 20, 2003, 09:47 AM

There are some yo-yo's that have failed.
Some with sparking, and some simply stopped working. I've even seen one that works, but powers weakly, so that it charges slow if the machine is off or asleep, but not at all when on.

Adapters are not interchangeable.
The yoyo is a 45watt supply. On Lombard and Pismo it has a large plug for the computer. On TiBook, it has the smaller plug. It can be used in place of the square adapter on Ti400-667, but I wouldn't recommend it. Some of the newer square adapters are 65watt, not 45watt.

Please don't interchange power adapters. Use the correct one for your system, with regard to wattage and connectors.

atomium · Jan 20, 2003, 10:54 AM

I had the same problem, but much different results.

Walked into Apple Store Tyson's Corner. Told them it was sparking. They walked into the back and grabbed me a new adapter, no questions asked. They pitched the old one into a box that had a couple others in it. This was about a year ago.

The cord on the new unit is definitely built differently. No problems since.

-atomium

Judge_Fire · Jan 20, 2003, 04:22 PM

Yeah, I've burned two of them, too. They really should be replaced by Apple - this is a well known issue.

J

tenny · Jan 22, 2003, 03:37 AM

I have also filed official complaints to consumer groups and the US government.

I highly recommend it:

Federal Trade Commission: www.ftc.gov
US Consumer Product Safety Commission: (800) 638-2772
California Department of COnsumer Affairs: (800) 952-5210
Better Business Bureau: www.bbbonline.org

jguidroz · Jan 22, 2003, 02:25 PM

A few months back I started to see sparks inside my yo-yo card. Didn't think too much about it except that I should get another power adapter. Well getting busy with school, I lost track of that and before I know it, my battery on my pismo was fried.

shadowplay · Jan 22, 2003, 10:49 PM

My Yo-Yo died on me this past Xmas eve. It sparked and burned out at the end closest to the connector that plugs into the back of the PowerBook.

I raced to the closest Mac retailer in Seattle before they closed early and replaced it for $80 bucks, which hurt because I was saving it for a new battery.

On top of that, when I got to the counter to pay for it, the girl paying for her item next to me saw my old burnt out Yo-Yo (I brought it with me to show the store employees), and she said that was why she was there. Her Yo-Yo had died and she was buying a replacement as well.

So that was at least two bad Yo-Yo's on Xmas eve in Seattle. I shudder to think how bad the failure rate is overall.

The damn things are dangerous, and Apple should do a recall. Bad enough that they're expensive to replace.