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Preciousss · Jun 6, 2003, 02:08 AM

Just thought I'd relate a good experience with Apple customer service.

A couple of weeks ago when I got to work and plugged in my 1GHz Ti (only 5 months old and babied to the extreme), the little light didn't come on in the connector ring. I pushed it in firmly to make sure it was seated securely, no effect, then went under my desk to make sure it was plugged in right.

When I brushed the cord where it meets the adapter/brick, sparks shot out of it.

I quickly turned off the power strip but when I brushed the cord again to pull out the adapter, sparks, not as big a display this time, shot out again.

Freak out! Le freak, c'est chic.

When I called Apple they classified it as a saftely issue and were all serious. I had to resist the tendency to make it seem as if it was worse than it really was--you know how you get when people baby you.

But I got transferred to some specialist who asked very specific questions like was any damage done to my property, were there fumes, anything happen to me at all. All of my answers were pretty low key, i.e. honest. Just sparks. But there were burn marks on the cord and adapter where the two met.

They offered to send out a replacement free of charge (still under the one year warranty), and depending upon their stock, they said I could get it as early as the next day. They took my credit card number in case i didn't send back the faulty adapter.

Bam! It arrived the next day. But without the duckhead part with the two prongs. I just whipped out my grounded extension and used that. Called them back and got them to send me a new duckhead (next day arrival). Sent in the bad one and I'm staying charged up.

What's worrisome though is I babied the adapter as well as my Powerbook. The cord was always wound properly (in film school, they taught me how to do this) and I even retained the little plastic nub to go over the nipple whenever it's not in use. I haven't seen or found any evidence of my PowerBook being affected by the whole thing so I'm guessing everything's cool.

Anyway, that's it.

gdiddy · Jul 23, 2003, 03:38 PM

Just had the same experience with a few minor changes in the details (9 month old TiBook, took 2 days to show up).

At first the tech started to explain that my call wasn't covered because I was passed the free 90 day phone support. As soon as I mentioned "sparks" I was imediately sent to a senior tech person!

G.

RGB · Jul 23, 2003, 06:46 PM

Hmmm I've had a few sparks from my new TiBook adapter as well, never called about them though.

gdiddy · Jul 23, 2003, 10:43 PM

Originally posted by RGB:
Hmmm I've had a few sparks from my new TiBook adapter as well, never called about them though.

Get a call in before your warrenty runs out! Are they in the same place (Near where the cord comes out of the "Brick") Mine got so bad if I wiggled the cord it would short out the power to the 'Book. I'm sure yours will get progressively worse. No harm in calling.

Be sure to mention sparks! Gets you moved to the front of the line!

vancenase · Jul 23, 2003, 10:50 PM

same thing happened to our TiBook (had less than 3 months). talk about bad karma.

Jul 24, 2003, 05:17 AM

Chalk up another one. TiGhz bought around Christmas. The first level tech wasn't very interested in the problem and wanted to charge me since it was past the 90 day warranty. I had to explain to him how sparks flying out of a power adaptor constituted something that was under warranty and was not "software related", as he wanted me to do a reinstall of OSX (WTF?!!). Needless to say, there's 20 minutes of my life I won't get back and one of the worst tech support calls I've had the displeasure of.

As I needed the computer operational, I did go down to the Apple store and bought another adapter. I received the replacement from Apple 3 days later for the fried one.

Link · Jul 24, 2003, 05:28 AM

Why of course they'll replace the adapter. They don't want anyone to get hurt and it's a $5 or $10 part to them

Come back to me when your laptop's hinges get stuck, you try to open the screen, and the hinge snaps, breaking the screen too... and apple won't believe a word you said.

Not that this has ever happened to me or anyone I know but.. yeah.

RGB · Jul 24, 2003, 05:33 AM

Originally posted by gdiddy:
Get a call in before your warrenty runs out! Are they in the same place (Near where the cord comes out of the "Brick") Mine got so bad if I wiggled the cord it would short out the power to the 'Book. I'm sure yours will get progressively worse. No harm in calling.

Be sure to mention sparks! Gets you moved to the front of the line!

No, it happens where the plug from the adapter goes into the outlet, right at the prongs. My girlfriend's two day old PowerBook adapter did the same thing as well today... I think it has to do with my surge protector. And the surface of the protector is at an odd angle, so getting the plug which likes to snap back into its closed position into it is quite difficult.

gdiddy · Jul 24, 2003, 08:40 AM

Originally posted by RGB:
No, it happens where the plug from the adapter goes into the outlet, right at the prongs. My girlfriend's two day old PowerBook adapter did the same thing as well today... I think it has to do with my surge protector. And the surface of the protector is at an odd angle, so getting the plug which likes to snap back into its closed position into it is quite difficult.

Oh, sparks like that. I think that my be because the "Brick" is disapating whatever electricty is still stored in there.

I think!

I have plenty of other appliances that spark like that when you plug them in. Heck, you should see my kid spark when he puts a fork in the socket! You think he'd have learned by now. Pavlov my ass!

G.

OpenStep · Jul 24, 2003, 04:02 PM

I've had the adapter replaced on my Pismo twice for sparking and once on my PB G4 for the same thing. Apple did a good job getting the replacement out quickly. On my PBG4 the cord is already starting to sever from the end that connects to the laptop (and now it's out of warranty .

)

cliff · Jul 24, 2003, 05:06 PM

How do you properly roll a cord?

coolmacdude · Jul 24, 2003, 05:45 PM

Originally posted by cliff:
How do you properly roll a cord?

I had to have mine replaced a week ago. Just died though, no sparks. New one arrived next day.

PurdueRPh · Jul 24, 2003, 09:09 PM

I own a 15 inch 1GHz powerbook, just bought it when they first announced them. I had my power cord have the same problem. What actually happened was the cord sheathing actually started to melt right where the cord goes into the power brick. This exposed a little bit of wire which caused an arch and the power brick got REALLY HOT. I always properly wound the cord around the built-in retractable prongs, so that probably is not the issue.

I called Apple, and the first advisor immmediately put me through to another advisor. He immediately offered to send me a new one. Me thinks they have a known problem with this.

sydric · Jul 24, 2003, 09:11 PM

I got my PowerBook Ghz/SuperDrive in November. I am on my 3rd power adapter!! There is definitely a problem here...

Jul 25, 2003, 05:13 AM

Originally posted by PurdueRPh:
I own a 15 inch 1GHz powerbook, just bought it when they first announced them. I had my power cord have the same problem. What actually happened was the cord sheathing actually started to melt right where the cord goes into the power brick. This exposed a little bit of wire which caused an arch and the power brick got REALLY HOT.

EXACTLY what happened to mine!

There really does seem to be a problem with these. Seeing as there is, that this is more than just coincidence, I won't be leaving my 'book plugged in unattended anymore.

gdiddy · Jul 25, 2003, 11:51 AM

I wonder if we put a piece of that electrical shrink tubing down at the base it would help with the wear on these things? The other question is would it void the warranty? You can pick that stuff up a Radio Shack .. I think I'll give it a try this weekend.

Jul 27, 2003, 08:16 AM

I don't know if wear is the problem. My adapter stayed plugged into the wall outlet with the physical adapter sitting on the desk. There was absoloutely no strain on the wire at all.