Minor Gripe about Apple Chargers...

hakr100 · Dec 7, 2012

Both of the current Apple chargers only have two prongs that plug into the electrical outlets. The problem is, if you travel a lot and stay at hotels, the outlets at even the newer hotels are so heavily used and worn that two prong chargers tend to slide right out of the wall outlets within a minute or so of plugging them in.

Is there any technical reason why these chargers aren't available with the three prong setup? A three prong charger is far more likely to remain plugged into the wall outlet.

maflynn · Dec 7, 2012

The grounding prong is not needed, its not there to keep it in the wall but provide grounding to the device, since the adapter is small and low powered its not needed.

GoCubsGo · Dec 7, 2012

^ What he said.
I often travel with one of these:

109467403-260x260-0-0_belkin+3+outlet+surge+protector+with+usb+charger+r.jpg

thewitt · Dec 7, 2012

Go to the hardware store and buy a three prong multiple plug adapter and plug your charger into a tight outlet...

hakr100 · Dec 7, 2012

maflynn said:
The grounding prong is not needed, its not there to keep it in the wall but provide grounding to the device, since the adapter is small and low powered its not needed.

I understand the prong is not needed electrically, but its presence would help keep the charger plugged into those well-worn outlets.

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jessica. said:
^ What he said.
I often travel with one of these:
Image

Does that Belkin product have a three prong plug in on the backside, or is it a two pronger?

Thanks!

jettrue · Dec 7, 2012

hakr100 said:
Does that Belkin product have a three prong plug in on the backside, or is it a two pronger?

Thanks!

I don't have one, but it has to have three prongs, otherwise it wouldn't have three grounded outlets.

hakr100 · Dec 7, 2012

Ha!

Looks like I'll be lugging along my Apple 10W or 12W chargers with the Apple extension cord. It has a three prong connector. But I was hoping to find a smaller, more compact unit with three prongs that could efficiently charge my iPad III and our two iPhones...

Still looking.

maflynn · Dec 7, 2012

hakr100 said:
I understand the prong is not needed electrically, but its presence would help keep the charger plugged into those well-worn outlets

But is its apple's responsibility provide a plug that has no purpose other then staying plugged in for a few receptacles that may be loose?

The other advice is sound a portable powerstrip or even two prong to three prong adapter which goes for like a buck at your local hardware store.

Partridge · Dec 7, 2012

hakr100 said:
I understand the prong is not needed electrically, but its presence would help keep the charger plugged into those well-worn outlets.

Right. Apple should put an electrically unnecessary grounding prong on to the plug.

Can you imagine the outcry when people are trying to plug their phones into non-grounded outlets/extension cords and need to get an adapter because their charger won't fit due to a prong that has absolutely no electrical reason to be there, but is there only to allow it to hold securely in those rare instances where an electrical outlet has been worn out????

Are you serious?

hakr100 · Dec 7, 2012

maflynn said:
But is its apple's responsibility provide a plug that has no purpose other then staying plugged in for a few receptacles that may be loose?

The other advice is sound a portable powerstrip or even two prong to three prong adapter which goes for like a buck at your local hardware store.

These Apple chargers sell for $19. They're made in China, where the cost of materials and manufacturing is probably a U.S. dollar.

Is it too much to ask for a plug that has the third prong and stays connected if you are a traveler and frequent popular hotels where lots of people have used the wall outlets and worn them out so that a two prong plug falls out? It's not a "few" receptacles, by the way...it's most of them, even in the newer hotels.

Sure, i can buy a three prong adapter. It's just more stuff i have to carry around when I travel, eh?

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Partridge said:
Right. Apple should put an electrically unnecessary grounding prong on to the plug.

Can you imagine the outcry when people are trying to plug their phones into non-grounded outlets/extension cords and need to get an adapter because their charger won't fit due to a prong that has absolutely no electrical reason to be there, but is there only to allow it to hold securely in those rare instances where an electrical outlet has been worn out????

Are you serious?

I wonder what the ratio of grounded to non grounded outlets is in the places "upscale" Apple users frequent. I stay at a 110 year old hotel once a year in the San Diego area, and its outlets are designed for three prong plugs.

Partridge · Dec 7, 2012

hakr100 said:
I wonder what the ratio of grounded to non grounded outlets is in the places "upscale" Apple users frequent. I stay at a 110 year old hotel once a year in the San Diego area, and its outlets are designed for three prong plugs.

There are plenty of non-grounded outlets out there. As well as plenty of non-grounded extension cords. I'd be flat out pissed if the default apple charger had a grounded plug for no reason.

Frankly, if you're as much of a techie traveller as you indicate and you're staying at places with poor electrical maintenance, you should probably pick up a travel surge protector anyway. Just because.

zhenya · Dec 7, 2012

hakr100 said:
These Apple chargers sell for $19. They're made in China, where the cost of materials and manufacturing is probably a U.S. dollar.

Is it too much to ask for a plug that has the third prong and stays connected if you are a traveler and frequent popular hotels where lots of people have used the wall outlets and worn them out so that a two prong plug falls out? It's not a "few" receptacles, by the way...it's most of them, even in the newer hotels.

Sure, i can buy a three prong adapter. It's just more stuff i have to carry around when I travel, eh?

I travel 150 days a year and I have literally never had this experience.

Yes, I'd rather my charger be as small as possible than include an unnecessary 3rd prong.

takeshi74 · Dec 7, 2012

hakr100 said:
I understand the prong is not needed electrically, but its presence would help keep the charger plugged into those well-worn outlets.

I understand that the grounding prong would help keep it in the socket but mass produced products aren't going to be likely to kowtow to an odd requirement like this. Why would a manufacturer add a grounding prong that isn't electrically necessary? Because you said so? You need to look at it from the manufacturer's perspective and not just your specific needs/wants. If you're the odd one out then you're the one that will have to adapt and there are certainly options such as the one in post 3 in this thread.

Try bending the two prongs closer together if this is a common problem for you. I travel quite a bit and have never had this problem.

hakr100 said:
Is it too much to ask for a plug that has the third prong and stays connected if you are a traveler and frequent popular hotels where lots of people have used the wall outlets and worn them out so that a two prong plug falls out? It's not a "few" receptacles, by the way...it's most of them, even in the newer hotels.

Yes, it is when the majority don't have the problem that you're having. If this was a rampant problem among IOS device users then there would be far more threads on the matter. As stated by several who travel in this thread, it's not a common problem for us. Not sure why it's a common problem for you but you can't assume that there's a wide, sweeping trend based solely on your own experiences.

There are an infinite number of "Is it too much to ask?" pet issues out there and clearly Apple can't cave into all of them. No single one is "too much to ask" but why should Apple consider yours above the millions of others?

hakr100 said:
Sure, i can buy a three prong adapter. It's just more stuff i have to carry around when I travel, eh?

Is it important to you or is it not? Apple's not going to change and add an unnecessary grounding prong to solve your problem. It's up to you to take the initiative to address your problem.

maflynn · Dec 7, 2012

hakr100 said:
Is it too much to ask for a plug that has the third prong and stays connected

but I think you're asking for solution to a problem that really doesn't exist so you want apple to fix something that you can easily rectify yourself. I'm no travel warrior but when I have traveled I've never ran into the problem that you describe. So since it is a problem for you, and apple is not going to give you a 3rd prong why not just get the adapter that was mentioned?

S.L. · Dec 7, 2012

zhenya said:
I travel 150 days a year and I have literally never had this experience.

Yes, I'd rather my charger be as small as possible than include an unnecessary 3rd prong.

First hand experience right there. Unless, of course, thread starter travels 200-250+ days a year.

hakr100 · Dec 7, 2012

maflynn said:
but I think you're asking for solution to a problem that really doesn't exist so you want apple to fix something that you can easily rectify yourself. I'm no travel warrior but when I have traveled I've never ran into the problem that you describe. So since it is a problem for you, and apple is not going to give you a 3rd prong why not just get the adapter that was mentioned?

As I stated, I have the Apple 10W and 12W Chargers, and the three pronged extension cord that plugs into them. I've just been hoping to lighten the load of gadgets and chargers and suchlike I have to lug around on road trips. Heck, I sold my MacBook Pro because it and its charger were just too much to lug around with my camera and other gear. Now I use an iPad III. Much less avoirdupois.

thewitt · Dec 7, 2012

hakr100 said:
Ha!

Looks like I'll be lugging along my Apple 10W or 12W chargers with the Apple extension cord. It has a three prong connector. But I was hoping to find a smaller, more compact unit with three prongs that could efficiently charge my iPad III and our two iPhones...

Still looking.

You can purchase any USB wall charger up to 12W and plug in your iPhone cable. I use one for my Bluetooth headphones that comes stock with a grounded plug.

ladytonya · Dec 8, 2012

If it ain't broke, don't fix it! I love the little square charger, adding a third prong would make it oddly shaped and it would take up a lot more space in my neoprene sleeve. There are a lot of options that will solve your problem, but honestly I don't see the problem. I would never plug my phone directly into a power outlet anyway, I always have a portable surge protector in my bag somewhere. Too risky, you never know what kind of surge might happen in a strange place.

greenchiliman · Dec 8, 2012

I travel for work too and I would not blame apple - blame your finance dept for the hotels they are putting you in!

Locksmth · Dec 8, 2012

You can try this if you like. Your two prongs look like this. l l
If you take a pair of pliers, you can twist the ends of the prongs a few degrees. This will make the plug stay in the wall. This is an exaggeration, but it will look something like this. \ /

If you grab the tip of the plug blade and rotate it only about 10 degrees in opposite directions, your plug won't fall out as easily.

Of course, you do this at your own risk.

Minor Gripe about Apple Chargers...

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