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Botched charger repair, Macbook not charging

F

fernplant

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 20, 2012
3
0
Please spare me insults, I already feel like a complete idiot
The strain relief on the Macbook charger broke and the cable frayed apart. I stripped the cables back and soldered them back together. Asleep at the wheel I stupidly connected the wrong wires; power to ground, ground to power. Big mistake obviously. Plugged it in, no smoke or smell but now it no longer charges (even when using a known good charger from another computer). The computer still powers on from battery and functions fine, just doesn't run off AC power or charge the battery
Any idea what part needs to be replaced in this depressing situation? I'm hoping it's the Magsafe board but it may be a fuse on the logic board.
It's a MacBook Pro 15.4" 2.2GHz Core i7 Early 2011 (A1286)
 
justperry

justperry

macrumors G5
Aug 10, 2007
12,558
9,750
I'm a rolling stone.
fernplant said:
Please spare me insults, I already feel like a complete idiot
The strain relief on the Macbook charger broke and the cable frayed apart. I stripped the cables back and soldered them back together. Asleep at the wheel I stupidly connected the wrong wires; power to ground, ground to power. Big mistake obviously. Plugged it in, no smoke or smell but now it no longer charges (even when using a known good charger from another computer). The computer still powers on from battery and functions fine, just doesn't run off AC power or charge the battery
Any idea what part needs to be replaced in this depressing situation? I'm hoping it's the Magsafe board but it may be a fuse on the logic board.
It's a MacBook Pro 15.4" 2.2GHz Core i7 Early 2011 (A1286)
Click to expand...

This is cheap on Apple's side, normally electronic stuff has a Diode on the main board which prevents things like these, i.g. connecting the + and - wrong, seems Apple did not get this safety measure onto the board.

You can find out on iFixit.com if it has a separate power board, I think it does, and if it does you need to find a replacement, might find one on Ebay, don't think Apple will send you one.

http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/MacBook+Pro+15-Inch+Unibody+Early+2011+Teardown/4990/1


In this attachment you can see there is a plug connected to the main board, also seems to have a tiny small board, you might be lucky.
On the second one you can see there seems to be a diode bridge module, so there might be a good chance you can fix it.(The small black block)
 

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S

skier777

macrumors 6502
Jul 3, 2010
325
6
Take it to apple. Don't say a word about fixing the charger. They will likely repair it for free.
 
F

fernplant

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 20, 2012
3
0
Thanks for the replies

A diode to prevent my stupidity would have been nice!
It definitely does have a separate Magsafe board. You think that's what went and not the logic board?


I did try to take it to Apple since it's under warranty. They took it to the back to have a look and they told me they wouldn't warranty it because they found evidence of moisture. Total BS if you ask me
 
justperry

justperry

macrumors G5
Aug 10, 2007
12,558
9,750
I'm a rolling stone.
fernplant said:
Thanks for the replies

A diode to prevent my stupidity would have been nice!
It definitely does have a separate Magsafe board. You think that's what went and not the logic board?


I did try to take it to Apple since it's under warranty. They took it to the back to have a look and they told me they wouldn't warranty it because they found evidence of moisture. Total BS if you ask me
Click to expand...

The dark square looks like a diode bridge but I find it kinda odd that if that is the case it is damaged.

You might try an electronics store where they can solder a new one on.
It could also be a fuse but it's not likely to be one.

Hopefully is is only that and nothing on the Logic board.

They should forbid sensors like that, believe me those will set off in a very humid country.
 
F

fernplant

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 20, 2012
3
0
SUCCESS!! Replaced the magsafe board and it works again! Close call there

Thanks for your help
 
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