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Afraid to leave Macbook plugged in

A

atad6

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 7, 2006
155
1
This probably seems a bit ridiculous, but after having my first power supply melt and short out on me I've been completely paranoid of this happening again.

My first power supply was one of the older models from 2006. I then got it replaced by one of the newer smaller models. After about a half a year it started twisting around on the inside of the cable which got me worried. The apple store wouldn't replace it unless it was melted so I called Apple and got a new one.

I've had the newer one for about a year and the cable seems to be wrapping around itself on the inside again. There doesn't appear to be a place where it's melting or breaking. I take care to not wrap it too tightly.

Using it as a desktop replacement I'd like to not have to worry about leaving it plugged in when I'm gone. I find it crazy that this is even an issue but after having the first one melt right in front of me I find it hard to trust.

Are the newer power supplies any better? Is this not an issue anymore?
 
No idea; if you plug 24/7 with weeks on end, it doesn't look like a laptop is the computer for you ;)
 
I unplug mine with I leave the house and go to sleep, I just don't trust it! All that I have seen posted and pictures on this forum! I like my house a little more then my computer. I Know what people will say "you leave all your other appliances plugged in".
 
I know that Apple changed the base of the power cable where it goes into the power adapter to help prevent that from happening again. The melting power supplies were freak accidents so I really wouldn't lose any sleep over leaving your MBP home alone.
It seems like it was a common issue, but when you think about it, the percentage wasn't all that high given the amount of MBP users on this forum.
 
alphaod said:
No idea; if you plug 24/7 with weeks on end, it doesn't look like a laptop is the computer for you ;)
Click to expand...

Ha, I know but that's the way it's ended up for me. I wish I had money for a workstation. Plus, looking at the 17 inch, I don't think it's really designed to be truly portable. I just find it crazy that I have to worry about this with my nearly 3k machine and my 300 dollar eee pc is fine. Function > form
 
If you leave it plugged in when the computer is off then theres no problem at all, when the battery is full the charger simply stops sending charge to the computer, same as with most mobile phone chargers, however if you leave your computer on, i.e. downloading something, or doing nothing for long periods of time, with the charger plugged in then it can wear the charger out, and as you said cause it to short, but that would take many hours of useage.

It is best to leave your Macbook on overnight though once a month or so, because it likes to update and do the housekeeping when its left idle for a while.
 
brentsg said:
You guys worry too much.
Click to expand...

+1 for this one. What do people do with an iMac and or a Mac Pro? Unplug them every nite? I don't. My iMac is my living room TV, it's a waste to unplug it every nite just to rid myself of fear of a surge. Some of these Mac heads need to stop treating their Macs like they're precious gems or decorative ornaments, they are electronics devices and are meant to be plugged in for as long as needed. You have to plug it in to charge it, you can have a melt down anytime.
 
This has to do specifically with the MagSafe adapters. The early models had some problems that would cause the wires to short and melt through the cable which was a fire hazard. It happened to me. After getting it replaced again the cable is showing the same signs of twisting on the inside that the first one did before it melted. That is why I'm worried.
 
is the problem only occurring at a specific outlet and not causing the breaker to trip? it is odd that 2 cables and ps in a row could fail in the exact same manner provided the parts of concern were indeed replaced. you might also have a short in your outlet so try checking other appliances or try moving your laptop ps and see if it behaves in the same way.
 
sehnsucht77 said:
is the problem only occurring at a specific outlet and not causing the breaker to trip? it is odd that 2 cables and ps in a row could fail in the exact same manner provided the parts of concern were indeed replaced. you might also have a short in your outlet so try checking other appliances or try moving your laptop ps and see if it behaves in the same way.
Click to expand...

+1. Check the outlet(s) you primarily use for your machine.
 
infernohellion said:
Don't know if the problem is specific to the two-prong charger.
Click to expand...

which is why the OP will need to eliminate some possible trouble spots to ensure that the two prong adapter is the culprit in the problem. switching outlets and paying attention to how the wire behaves will tell them if the outlet is responsible for the short. moreover, you should also try switching the adapter on the power brick between the small snap on plug and the long extension cord because the contact between the detachable parts could have gone bad over time. i had a power brick with my ibook that had this problem so I used the long wire cord to ensure that the power contact was snug. moving parts in the plastic housing could have come loose over time and this can cause short circuits.
 
Yeah I think you're being too paranoid. I mean what I do is not wind it so tight.
 
I've had my MBP plugged in for coming up on 2 years without any sort of problems. Maybe make sure to plug it into a surge suppressor for additional protection. If you're going to be worried about having something plugged in, you probably don't need it. You're more than likely going to be fine. I would assume most MBP users plug theirs up about as often as I do.
 
over heating

I have a white macbook 2.0ghz core2duo. I have gone through 4 power supplies in the last year. All doing the same thing.

My macbook is out of warranty so I don't have the luxury of Applecare to take care of it.

Both the adapter and the macbook get very hot.

This last time, I finally took apart the Adapter and found that the wires look like they may be shorting out on the shielding inside. A thin plastic coating on the inside of the shield looks like it gets scraped by sharp solder on the back side of the cable.

I cut out the burnt part of the wire, re stripped it, and resoldered it to the board inside.

It may also be an issue with the mac's charging circuit pulling too much current. I'll find out soon, if it melts again, then its an issue with the computer.

I know it is not the plug, as it has done this on multiple plugs in multiple houses/office locations.

So he has a valid point.
 
HLdan said:
+1 for this one. What do people do with an iMac and or a Mac Pro? Unplug them every nite? I don't. My iMac is my living room TV, it's a waste to unplug it every nite just to rid myself of fear of a surge. Some of these Mac heads need to stop treating their Macs like they're precious gems or decorative ornaments, they are electronics devices and are meant to be plugged in for as long as needed. You have to plug it in to charge it, you can have a melt down anytime.
Click to expand...

I think he's concerned about his house, not his Mac.:rolleyes: The iMac really doesn't have an adapter, right? (I don't own one and have never owned one, so I'm not so sure on the adapter part).
 
atad6 said:
This probably seems a bit ridiculous, but after having my first power supply melt and short out on me I've been completely paranoid of this happening again.

My first power supply was one of the older models from 2006. I then got it replaced by one of the newer smaller models. After about a half a year it started twisting around on the inside of the cable which got me worried. The apple store wouldn't replace it unless it was melted so I called Apple and got a new one.

I've had the newer one for about a year and the cable seems to be wrapping around itself on the inside again. There doesn't appear to be a place where it's melting or breaking. I take care to not wrap it too tightly.

Using it as a desktop replacement I'd like to not have to worry about leaving it plugged in when I'm gone. I find it crazy that this is even an issue but after having the first one melt right in front of me I find it hard to trust.

Are the newer power supplies any better? Is this not an issue anymore?
Click to expand...

Oh, and I forgot. How does this affect battery life (new integrated battery in my case).
 
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