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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Mac Notebooks > The MagSafe power plug: homebrew amelioration?

The MagSafe power plug: homebrew amelioration?
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Etnier
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Jun 23, 2009, 08:23 AM
 
My daughter just had her 2nd MagSafe power supply replaced because the cable was so frayed at the junction with the MagSafe plug. Thank goodness Geniuses deigned to replace these PSU's, twice. It's my understanding this doesn't always happen.

Is there any DIY for attractively reinforcing this junction so as to prolong life? I can think of a million fixes with vinyl tape or some kind of thick goop (Liquid Electrical Tape, say), but thought I'd check to see what was out there.
     
Simon
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Jun 23, 2009, 08:28 AM
 
I have never experienced this and I own about a dozen MagSafe chargers. But you are not the first to report it here.

My advice is to make sure you never pull the cable. Instead tilt the MagSafe plug to one side or up/down first, and then only once it releases from the socket on one side pull the plug out. Holding the cable and yanking it away or bending the cable at the plug (instead of tilting the plug) will put a lot of stress on that junction.
     
ghporter
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Jun 23, 2009, 08:31 AM
 
My strongest suggestion is to NOT BEND THE CORD AT EITHER END. This is applicable to ANY device with an anchored cord, but especially to the MagSafe series because it seems to invite tightly wrapping the cable around either the winding ears or the body of the device itself.

My son has gone through at least 4 power bricks for his Dell laptop for exactly the same reason-winding the cord too tightly where it comes out of the device overstresses the cable and causes it to break down. The Dell brick has a very substantial strain relief sleeve on the cable-much more robust than Apple's-and it still suffers from this problem

It isn't really a design issue, but rather an issue with how the gadget is used. Being very careful has meant my 2006-vintage MBP's power adapter is still in decent shape, though the cable itself shows that the wires inside it are twisted. However, ANYTHING you do to reinforce the place where the cable comes out of the box will simply move the point of damage from the reinforced, strain relief sleeve to farther down the cable, which isn't nearly as rugged. Practice is the way to avoid this problem-practice in treating the cable gently where it comes out of the box.

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
Etnier  (op)
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Jun 23, 2009, 02:17 PM
 
Thanks, folks!
     
iomatic
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Jun 24, 2009, 06:23 PM
 
Originally Posted by Etnier View Post
Thanks, folks!
The MacBook Air charger might not be as prone to bending. Your charge times will be about 30% slower though.
     
dzp111
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Jun 24, 2009, 09:29 PM
 
It's happened to me once and it was costly to replace (I forget the amount). I've applied Goop (silicone?) where the wire meets the adapter about half an inch, ever since. It's not pretty, but it's sturdy.
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Spheric Harlot
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Jun 25, 2009, 02:04 AM
 
Originally Posted by iomatic View Post
The MacBook Air charger might not be as prone to bending. Your charge times will be about 30% slower though.
The 45W Air charger will not supply enough power to keep another MacBook/Pro running and charge the battery at the same time (depending on what you're using the book for).

It will probably not charge at all while the book is in use, and you may actually see battery power *decreasing* in use while the power supply is connected.
     
iomatic
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Jun 25, 2009, 03:59 PM
 
That's not what my MacBook Pro 13" is doing with an MBA charger.
     
Spheric Harlot
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Jun 25, 2009, 04:09 PM
 
MacBook/Pro 13" have 60W power supplies.

MacBook Pro 15" run on 85W, and they *will* perform as i described above.
     
imitchellg5
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Jun 25, 2009, 09:21 PM
 
I bet if your daughter pays for the next broken one, it'll never happen again
     
   
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