Anyone have any experience of these USB-C to Magsafe 2 cables?

[kiranmk2]

My 45 W Magsafe 2 charger cable has started fraying (the classic disintegration of the rubber sheath near the magnestic T-head). As I'm planning to replace my MBA 2014 later this year I don't really want to splash out £80 on an official replacement charger. I'm wondering if anyone has any experience of the following type of USB-C to Magsafe 2 cables which are a lot cheaper?

This one - essentially a dongle with female USB-C on one end and Magsafe 2 on the other

This one which is a single cable solution with a male USB-C on one end and Magsafe 2 on the other

I'm guessing these cables have a Power Delivery chip in the USB-C end that requests 15 V from the charger (any USB-C charger that can supply at least 45 W) but I'd appreciate any experience people have with these types of cable and any brands / suppliers to recommend.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

USB-C to MagSafe2 adapters are out there, so I guess they must work… MagSafe is 16.5v, so my guess is they’re “Banking” on the Mac accepting either 15v or 20v without problems.

Personally I wouldn’t chance it. You can get an actual Apple MagSafe2 charger for less than the cost at the Apple Store. In USA I see them for about $35, example here - even eBay might work. Heck, I had several for my old Mac, I gave them all away when I upgraded.

 

[adrianlondon]

I have a 2013 MBP with a smashed display that I use, connected to a monitor, for playing with Ubuntu. Although my original charging cable is holding up (I use electrical tape to cover that bit where it's fraying) I want to use the usb-c charging cable that comes from my monitor (which works a treat to charge my MBA) to charge it.

I've just ordered this and I'll post again once it arrives to say whether it works or not!

SUPERNIGHT USB C Magnet Adapter, USB C to Magnetic T-tip for MacBook Pro/Air After 2012, Female Type-C to Mags 2 Converter Connector Replacement MacBook Power Supply for PD 45W-100W Charger, T-tape!

With PD charger

www.amazon.de

 

[kiranmk2]

My thinking with these cables / adapters is that they don't generate the power, they just request it and transmit it so in my mind they are much less risky than a 3rd party power supply (and you can pick your trusted power delivery power supply).

 

[FreakinEurekan]

My thinking with these cables / adapters is that they don't generate the power, they just request it and transmit it so in my mind they are much less risky than a 3rd party power supply (and you can pick your trusted power delivery power supply).

Sure, but it isn’t the “Quality” of the power supply that worries me. It’s the literal voltage/amperage. MagSafe 2 is 16.5v, which you can’t get out of USB. But, if it’s an older Mac & on the way out like you mentioned… why not? Worst case, it speeds your replacement decision

 

[maccydaccy]

I have a 2013 MBP with a smashed display that I use, connected to a monitor, for playing with Ubuntu. Although my original charging cable is holding up (I use electrical tape to cover that bit where it's fraying) I want to use the usb-c charging cable that comes from my monitor (which works a treat to charge my MBA) to charge it.

I've just ordered this and I'll post again once it arrives to say whether it works or not!

SUPERNIGHT USB C Magnet Adapter, USB C to Magnetic T-tip for MacBook Pro/Air After 2012, Female Type-C to Mags 2 Converter Connector Replacement MacBook Power Supply for PD 45W-100W Charger, T-tape!

With PD charger

www.amazon.de

Hey Adrian, How did you get on with this adaptor? I'm in a similar position myself and have tried one of those adaptors previously without any success. Hoping you've got better news Thanks

 

[real_mon2]

If in a pinch, it will work but you must watch the order of operations. That is, plug in the mated power cables and only then plug in the adapter to the power mains. The key reason is that the complete solution does not have a soft start for the power rail. That is, hot voltage will be present at the magsafe contacts. To test, touch the pogo pins across the metal plate of the MacBook. Often you will see sparks. That is also typical of the clone magsafe adapters. The original units from Liteon built for Apple feature the soft start architecture. A small amount of voltage is used to gauge if the unit is connected or not before kicking up to the full power rail. Google for more details on this topic on the magsafe operation. Just my 2 bits.

 

[adrianlondon]

Hey Adrian, How did you get on with this adaptor? I'm in a similar position myself and have tried one of those adaptors previously without any success. Hoping you've got better news Thanks

It works. Just. However, it needs a powerful charger and the only USB chargers I have are a travel one and one that's part of my Dell monitor. The travel charger doesn't really charge it much but the monitor can power the laptop when in use, although it doesn't charge much.

As it's a 15" MBP it comes with an 85W charger. My travel charger is 45W which is the minimum the adapter can work with, and my Dell monitor says it can charge up to 90W (but doesn't give my MBP anywhere near as much charge as the official 85W one).

tldr it works but you need a very powerful usb-c charger to give it enough power to be useful.

 

[chunqiudai]

It works. Just. However, it needs a powerful charger and the only USB chargers I have are a travel one and one that's part of my Dell monitor. The travel charger doesn't really charge it much but the monitor can power the laptop when in use, although it doesn't charge much.

As it's a 15" MBP it comes with an 85W charger. My travel charger is 45W which is the minimum the adapter can work with, and my Dell monitor says it can charge up to 90W (but doesn't give my MBP anywhere near as much charge as the official 85W one).

tldr it works but you need a very powerful usb-c charger to give it enough power to be useful.

Hi Adrian, Can you confirm that it truly works with a powerful charger? I have purchased several usbc to magsafe 2 cables and I have modern usbc chargers with power (65W, 100W, etc.) greater than the official 60W charger that comes with my Macbook Pro 2013 (13-inch) but none of them work. The Macbook tells me it is "not charging" no matter how high I go with the charger's watts number. I'm starting to speculate that older macbooks with magsafe 2 aren't supposed to get power from any usbc charger at all.

 

[adrianlondon]

It works to charge the laptop up, slowly, when the laptop is turned off. When on, it just seems to keep it constant.

To be honest, I don't use my 2013 laptop much any more so haven't tested it much. You've just reminded me to dust it off and see how it is!

I've just booted it up for the first time in months and an using OCLP to upgrade it (a 2013 15" MBP) to Sonoma. It currently has 20% battery and is connected to my Dell monitor which can provide 90W. The laptop says it's connected but not charging, although the battery percent has yet to drop.

Let's see how it goes. I'll edit this post in an hour or so (or sooner if it runs out of battery trying to update!).

EDIT: I'm copying files over as a backup from my MBA, Sonoma is preparing to install, Office is updating, fans have gone crazy, and the battery percentage has gone from 20% to 21%. So the USB charger adapter thing does work. Not as good, I'm sure, as plugging the original charging cable/brick in but good enough for me!

 

[MBAir2010]

last month I had to purchase my fourth charger for the MacBook Air 2010 from OWC for $40 with shipping.
the MBA is now sitting in a box while the MBP 2012 powerchord is slightly fraying as the electric tape needs to keep this on but my Battery Health Information:
Cycle Count: 501- Condition: Normal-Battery Installed: Yes-Amperage (mA): -1075-Voltage (mV): 11908
seems fine.
would this USB-C to Magsafe 1 work on a 2012 MBP?

 

[adrianlondon]

would this USB-C to Magsafe 1 work on a 2012 MBP?

If you're asking me ... my 2013 MBP has Magsafe 2. I can't answer for Magsafe-1 devices.

 

[MBAir2010]

If you're asking me ... my 2013 MBP has Magsafe 2. I can't answer for Magsafe-1 devices.

I'm asking the MacRumors members conglomerate as well

 

[real_mon2]

Hi. Understand that the type C spec for power delivery is based on a data packet handshake between the cables. Start with a 100w or higher power adapter with type C port. Next confirm the C to MagSafe cable support 100W. The e-marker chip inside the type C hood must dial up the packet for 20v at 5A = 100w and the cable has to be designed as such. Otherwise the cable will not deliver the power regard of the more powerful 100W source adapter. I am writing to you from HK on business travel and at the world’s largest electronics fairs where everyone including my mother has type C power adapters for bulk sale. Will be at the Mobile fair this Friday and will check on the latest equipment to service MacBooks. Chat with each vendor for the proper sourcing. I know that Vina makes a good adapter. The bridge cable you can probably buy on AliExpress. Will update this thread if there are other options.

 

[chunqiudai]

It works to charge the laptop up, slowly, when the laptop is turned off. When on, it just seems to keep it constant.

To be honest, I don't use my 2013 laptop much any more so haven't tested it much. You've just reminded me to dust it off and see how it is!

I've just booted it up for the first time in months and an using OCLP to upgrade it (a 2013 15" MBP) to Sonoma. It currently has 20% battery and is connected to my Dell monitor which can provide 90W. The laptop says it's connected but not charging, although the battery percent has yet to drop.

Let's see how it goes. I'll edit this post in an hour or so (or sooner if it runs out of battery trying to update!).

EDIT: I'm copying files over as a backup from my MBA, Sonoma is preparing to install, Office is updating, fans have gone crazy, and the battery percentage has gone from 20% to 21%. So the USB charger adapter thing does work. Not as good, I'm sure, as plugging the original charging cable/brick in but good enough for me!

Thank you for clarifying. I think the crux of the problem is the 2013 mbp's stringent requirement of receiving 60W. A lot of modern multiport chargers, albeit advertised as giving far more than 60w output, in reality give you <60W per port when plugged in with multiple devices. Some 100W wall chargers charge slowly if I only plugin my mbp but stop charging the mbp if I plugin my phone at the same time. In the end, I came back to the original Apple charger to avoid all the hustle.