Issues with Apple Mac's Power Lead

Rosemarie44

Hi Guys

5 years ago I bought my first Apple product, a Macbook Pro. I have been happy with it but the issue I've had is that I've just had to buy another power lead. I'm not happy about it because I bought one just 2 years ago and at £65 they're not cheap. Does anyone know if they can be repaired? I have 2 weeks to return the new one I bought yesterday but in the meantime I want to know if it's fixable. Prior to buying the Macbook I was using windows and I never had to buy a new power lead so I guess they got something right.

fergual2

Hi Rosemarie,
Can advise from my experience take the powerlead into an Apple shop.
There are common issues with these where the power pins stick in so just take it in and ask them to take a look and say you have made a special trip to get to the store.
Assuming no technician is available if you just walk in, hopefully the sales staff will just swap with a new one from the stock for free. This is what happened to me with a 3-4 year old power lead.

Good luck
A

Rosemarie44

Hi Fergual,

Thanks! I did have the power lead with me when I visited the store on Saturday but the manager I spoke to was very unhelpful and disinterested so I will lodge a complaint. All he said is that it is no longer under warranty. That said, I spoke to a really nice sales assistant who made an appointment for me to get it looked at by the genius bar technicians next week. In the meantime I bought another power lead (£65) but he told me that I can return it within 14 days so that's what I intend to do as I see no reason why I should be expected to buy a power lead every 2 years!

Mr_Toad

I'm assuming it's one of the magnetic ones?

Where is it failing? Is it the power supply itself or the magnetic plug end?

I've my current Macbook Pro since 2009 and still using the original power lead, never had a problem.

On the other hand a friend gets though them every 18 months or so but I've seen both him and his children using it and to be honest they are far from gentle with it pulling out of the laptop by the wire and this inevitably leads to it failing where the wire goes into the plug.

securityguy

The tradeoff with the Apple power supplies is that you can coil the cable tightly over the two fold-out clips to put them neatly in your bag, but in exchange for that the insulation and strain relief around the connector end is a bit marginal. I've repaired a couple with heat-shrink (squeeze on as small a diameter piece as will go over the magnetic connector and then shrink it over the joint between the connector and the cable) and now I tend to do that prophylactically when I buy a new one. It means the connector flaps out when it's coiled up, that's all, but if you're using it at home or in the office that doesn't matter.

The other possibility is a dose of Sugru, against to improve the strain relief, but that tends to split when coiled.

Rosemarie44

Thanks for your input guys. Yes, it is the magnetic power lead but the problem seems to be with the white box. Last week I noticed that the charging light went off a couple of times but came back on when I touched or moved the white box.

When I purchased the power lead 2 years ago the sales assistant advised me not to use the clips on the box to wind up the lead but to roll it up in a circle (similar to how a rope would be wound up..... I hope that makes sense!) and that is what I've always done so as not to put undue pressure on any part of the lead.

almillar

This has nothing to do with your 5 year old computer - it has everything to do with your 2 year old power supply, where the transformer itself seems to have failed. Where did you buy it from? The Apple Store? Under SOGA, I would 'reasonably expect' a £65 power supply to last more than 2 years. Do you have a receipt? If so, take it with you to that appointment, and you should be looking a refund for that power supply you just bought.

Anne_Marie_2

Agree with almillar. Even if you don't have your receipt, if you paid by debit or credit card, you should have some record as in bank or credit card statement, so take that with you.

knightstyle

Funny enough my son is on his third lead on his 2000 macbook, they are all the new shape with the wire coming out of the end, whilst my 1996 macbook still has the original lead with the wire coming out of the middle of the magnetic connector.

Rosemarie44

Good idea. I did look for the receipt but couldn't find it but I almost certainly paid by card so I'll check my bank statements. Thanks.

almillar

Remember to come back and let us know what happened!