Apple to Provide Refunds for Notebook Power Adapters?

[MacRumors]

In another class action suit settlement, Apple has reportedly agreed to give refunds of $25-$79 to as many as 2.3 million PowerBook and iBook owners who purchased faulty power adapters.

Customers who bought certain replacement adapters for PowerBook and iBook computers are eligible for the settlement, according to documents filed in federal court in San Jose. U.S. District Court Judge James Ware granted preliminary approval of the agreement March 24.

The settlement has not yet been finalized with an approval hearing scheduled for September 8th.

One customer had posted a Youtube video demonstrating a sparking power supply, though it was from a MacBook, so it does not appear that it would qualify for the settlement. Full details on the settlement won't be available until it is finalized.

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[Eraserhead]

What about magsafe?

[Adokimus]

How does one go about redeeming this?

[flopticalcube]

Hopefully this won't affect early MacBook/MBP customers from getting free exchanges on their fried magsafes.

[forafireescape]

Originally Posted by Eraserhead

What about magsafe?

Apparently they're not as faulty as the older ones

[bigmc6000]

I had this happen. I fried the first brick because I was playing a game and then I fried the replacement I bought from Apple. Since then I refuse to buy an Apple adapter...

[kkat69]

I gotta say good for the consumer on this and boo for Apple.

I'm all for producing products that look good, but I've always thought the power adapters were "to good looking" in regards to quality.

If you bend metal even a normal "Dell" power cord enough times, and even crimp it in tight bends for extended periods of time eventually wires will touch and it'll spark and melt.

But the Apple cords are TOO THIN thus making them MORE prone to this.

If you crimp or have the magsafe corde (within 1" of the actual plug) bent to sharp repeatidly or for extended periods of time, your 70% more likely to get the wires to work themselves closer to touching. I've done electronics work in the military and have had more than a basic understanding prior to my actual training so this is common sense to me. They'll eventually touch, faster than other manufacterer's plugs.

If Apple will beef up the cord a bit it would probably be less likely to occur.

The MagSafe concept is really nice, but the cord needs more 'beef' to it which will help eliminate this from happening.

I haven't manhandled iBook or Powerbook cables but from what a long time Mac User in my office has said regarding this, is that they are just as flimsy.

I do know that my wife's MB cord I'm always commenting to her not to allow it to stay in a bent position to long or to often or else it'll spark.

[mtrctyjoe]

What does this have to do with the new 3G, GPS iPhone 2.0?

[arn]

Originally Posted by Adokimus

How does one go about redeeming this?

Wait until it's finalized and details are posted. (after Sept 8th)

arn

[Matthew Yohe]

This is definitely an issue with Magsafe connectors as well. For all the things that the "loyal" Apple fans get pissed about, I'm surprised this hasn't been a bigger issue.

My magsafe also melted, and Apple will happily exchange a new one for free.

Want to see a ton of examples?

http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=macbook+melt

[KingYaba]

What about international customers?

[MrCrowbar]

Originally Posted by Matthew Yohe

This is definitely an issue with Magsafe connectors as well. For all the things that the "loyal" Apple fans get pissed about, I'm surprised this hasn't been a bigger issue.

My magsafe also melted, and Apple will happily exchange a new one for free.

Want to see a ton of examples?

http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=macbook+melt

I feel your pain. I have also fallen victim to spontanious combustion:


(Feel free to post the picture elsewhere, imageshack doesn't like too many hits)
Sent it to apple in warranty but it came back 3 weeks later with a notice not to bend the cables on it. I've always taken great care of my cable and usually didn't curl it up on the cable holders because, in my opinion, this puts too much stress on the cable where it comes out of the brick.

My cable smoked, sparked, then briefly burnt in pretty green and blue (shield and rubber make cool flames). I was serisouly pissed off but managed to sell it on eBay for 26 Euros to a guy with the same problem but on the magsafe connector. He'll try to weld the 2 together. I for one won't tolerate sparkling electronics connected to 230V mains power, thank you.

EDIT: This was a 60W Magsafe power brick, the one that came with my generation 1 2.0 GHz Core Duo black Macbook.

[raggedjimmi]

Awesome. They've already given me a free battery for my PowerBook and soon I'll be getting another charger? Le smile.

[bumfilter]

I went through about 5 power adapters on my PowerBook and I've went through two MagSafe on my MBP on in my third now. Luckily Apple have replaced them each time at no cost to me.

But something tells me there is some fundamental design flaw with them.

For the record, I'm not doing anything mental with them, they mostly sit on my desk.

I've never had this with any other power adapter on any other device.

[iam:Caine]

Originally Posted by Eraserhead

What about magsafe?

Ya what he said! I just had the power supply for my MacBook Pro melt at the point where the cord goes into the brick. I went into the Apple Store (Victoria Gardens- Rancho Cucamonga, CA) and was met with indifference (and arrogance) for my problem, because it was 1 month beyond the 1 year warranty.

I was then told that I could either get a replacement for the old style adapter @ $61.99 and wait 2-3 days, or they would give me 10% off of a new one, @ 7. The later offer was only after I got a bit irate, because I rely on using the computer every day. I have been an Apple customer for 10 years and have never had anything go wrong.

I am glad that all of you got a replacement for free, but I ended up having to pay for something that I did nothing to cause.

[iam:Caine]

What a ridiculous response from Apple. Isn't that how they are designed with the little wings that pop out so you can wind it up?

[Darkroom]

let me guess, you gotta spend the $25-$79 at the apple store

[DickArmAndHarT]

my sisters ibook, my brothers ibook, my ibook all have replacement power adapters due to a tearing at the end of the cord. two broke while applecare was still in effect and were replaced free of charge. another was purchased at full cost.

all of our non-magsafe power adapters now have a very attractive piece of electrical tape reinforcing the weak area.

FINALLY THIS ISSUE IS BEING ADDRESSED!

[tonybeyondo]

My mom's 2001 TiBook power adapter frayed and sparked, but I always assumed she got a faulty one

Glad to see has addressed this issue.

[thestaton]

WTF. My MBP magsafe adapter melted on the end and they made me pay for a new one, because it was 'out' of warranty... hopefully we get covered as well.

[MrCrowbar]

Originally Posted by Darkroom

let me guess, you gotta spend the $25-$79 at the apple store

In Germany, they're 89 Euros, that's $137 US. Had to pay it because I needed a powerbrick immediately and Apple sent back the broken one after 3 weeks, telling me not to bend the cables...

[Kyle?]

I'm curious if this is just for the yo-yo adapters, or are the block designs covered by the lawsuit as well? I had a yo-yo adapter fail quite a while ago (sparking and so forth), but I can't recall if they replaced it under warranty or not. I'll have to see if I have any records from back then.

[BornAgainMac]

And I thought this was normal for it to spark.
[Edit] I just saw the video. I meant the plug. Nevermind.

[BongoBanger]

Macs. They just work.

Until they explode.

[sananda]

Originally Posted by DickArmAndHarT

my sisters ibook, my brothers ibook, my ibook all have replacement power adapters due to a tearing at the end of the cord. !

me too. i'm on number three. number two only lasted 5 months. and number one caught fire.