Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Apple Recalls Some International Wall Adapters Due to Risk of Electrical Shock
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Unfortunately the design doesn't help if the plug comes apart, leaving the live pins exposed in the socket.
This regularly happens with fake iPhone charges.
The point is that Apple has acted on the problem with respect to the wall plug issue, but remains steadfastly silent and unhelpful on the issue regarding cables. That seems like quite an inconsistency to me. We've gone through several MacBook adaptors (3 in a year) because the cables have lost insulation due to insufficient strain relief at the ends. They've expensive and it's a hassle. If you look at the Apple store reviews of the adaptors, you'll see the average for some models is one star, and almost universally people report problems with the cables.
Anything that is connected to an AC outlet can be dangerous. You're assuming normal output. However, of their is a failure in the transformer, how can you be sure that the full AC current won't flow through the cable? This is why medical devices must be optically isolated (or the functional equivalent) from any AC power source. Second, I can't imagine that short circuits are good for any piece of electrical equipment, but frankly I am not rich so I prefer not to perform the experiment. Apple uses insulation (2 layers actually) for a reason.
Okay, but the point of my original post was to answer someone's claim that just because Apple acted on the power adapters in question doesn't mean that the issue was widespread. Apple acknowledged that there was a potential safety related design/build issue, and they replaced it. I was trying to explain that any smart company with a potential safety related design issue, no matter how small would take care of it in order to minimize liability.
Regarding the MacBook power supply, I am aware of the complaints by way of these boards. But I swear I have never had anyone I personally know experience the issue. I myself have been using my MacBook Air in bed every morning for 5 years with the power cable attached, and the cord still looks like new. Where, exactly is the cord fraying for you?
How do I know if my iPad mini retina is defective? There's a number on the charger like in the photo above. The iPad purchased in Israel.
The iPad mini itself isn't defective, the charger plug is. You'll need to act according the Apple instructions.
Agreed. They've had a serious design flaw for years and yet Apple doesn't fix them.
I just take them back and ask for a new one every time they break, which is quite often; about every 12 months or so.
Pretty poor quality cable and wire for them to break so often at that obvious stress point.
[doublepost=1454087827][/doublepost]
Perhaps yours are fine because they stay plugged in to the same socket their whole life and are never used in a way that puts stress on the chord (ie there is ample slack and you don't travel with them) but in other cases the chord deteriorates at the stress point near the power supply much faster than it should.
Moving the adapter often, such as packing it into laptop bags requiring you to wrap the chord around the adapter, causes the cable to break down where it exits the power supply. This is normal use yet the cable doesn't last and it renders the entire adaptor broken, which is environmentally wasteful.
The adapter and its cable is poorly designed and Apple should fix it, if not for safety then for environmental reasons.
Last edited:
Why not? Historically there have been preventive recalls where not even a single person has been injured.
Okay, so you answered why the one on my MBA isn't fraying. Because it does stay plugged in almost all of the time. But what about the one that is in my bag that I carry when I travel? I can guarantee you that I roll it up and unroll it often.
Did 4 recall so far, my refurb 11' Macbook air 2015 isn't affected but my 2014 13' is... + ipads
had to do the recall one by one so that means they are going to send 4 boxes and I'll have to resend 4 boxes?
That's kinda wasteful...
Microsoft with their AC cord recall doesn't require you to ship back your cord, you can recycle it anywhere.
By the way you don't even need to look for the "EUR" logo, just look at the plug itself, if there's a seam, it's affected, the new EUR ones are made in one piece of plastic (like unibody macs... unibody plugs
).
had to do the recall one by one so that means they are going to send 4 boxes and I'll have to resend 4 boxes?
That's kinda wasteful...
Microsoft with their AC cord recall doesn't require you to ship back your cord, you can recycle it anywhere.
By the way you don't even need to look for the "EUR" logo, just look at the plug itself, if there's a seam, it's affected, the new EUR ones are made in one piece of plastic (like unibody macs... unibody plugs
).
I called Apple Support yesterday morning when I read the notice. Today I received 6 new "duckheads" - 2 each of the Australia/New Zealand/Argentina adapters, the continental European adapters and the South Korean adapters - delivered by the friendly, neighborhood FedEx guy.
And FWIW, they changed the design of the Australia/New Zealand/Argentina duckhead from the large round headed adapter to a smaller, more oval shaped adapter.
[doublepost=1454115504][/doublepost]
Did 4 recall so far, my refurb 11' Macbook air 2015 isn't affected but my 2014 13' is... + ipads
had to do the recall one by one so that means they are going to send 4 boxes and I'll have to resend 4 boxes?
That's kinda wasteful...
Microsoft with their AC cord recall doesn't require you to ship back your cord, you can recycle it anywhere.
By the way you don't even need to look for the "EUR" logo, just look at the plug itself, if there's a seam, it's affected, the new EUR ones are made in one piece of plastic (like unibody macs... unibody plugs
I was able to order all 6 replacement duckheads in one call to Apple Support. They have a max of 5 items on the processing form, so the support analyst and to do two separate incidents. I received all 6 replacements today via FedEx, each in a separate package. The support analyst said the old/bad parts did not need to be returned - that I should just recycle them (which I did). In the package with the replacement part was instructions to return the old part. A quick call back to the agent cleared the matter up - they did not need to be returned, after all.
Recall website says:
"If you need a different replacement part or have a World Travel Kit, please exit this web order form and contact Apple instead."
Apple Chat says:
"Go to the recall website."
1 Infinite Loop.
"If you need a different replacement part or have a World Travel Kit, please exit this web order form and contact Apple instead."
Apple Chat says:
"Go to the recall website."
1 Infinite Loop.
Last edited:
That's not uncommon practice. They do that at times..and may possibility replace it. I remember one time when MR member had somewhat similar situation ..in a sense that he had to post it to them.Anyone else a little confused by the last two paragraph's here - it sounds like they want me to put my iPad into the mail and post it to them. All this was is the charger adapter that's unsafe.
Had Five out of six that needed replacing. 2 Macs & 4 iPads. Just took the five duck plugs into the only supplier within 3 hours drive (No Apple stores in New Zealand) with all the Mac & iPad serial numbers. No Dramas, just replaced and signed off.
The recall was advertised in the major newspapers here and news travels fast
The recall was advertised in the major newspapers here and news travels fast
Last edited:
There's only one authorised agent handling this recall in my city. I walked in on Monday morning with two of my four recalled chargers. Guess how many replacements Apple had given them to cover the entire city? 40! "They're all gone. Well take your name and number and call you when we get some more."
I'm not holding my breath.
I'm not holding my breath.
Well after failing to get replacements for my travel kit from the web form or through chat I spoke to support on the phone. I gave all the details of my kit and was told replacement had been authorised and gave my address. Today I just received one EU adapter. Grrr.
Strangely, I ordered my replacements on the 28th. Received them on the 29th. Yesterday I got shipping notices and tracking numbers from Apple - a full week later.