Apple Voluntarily Recalls Some Older Three-Prong Wall Plug Adapters Due to Risk of Electrical Shock

[Apple a Day]

Your expectation is that someone at Apple should have employed their psychic powers to predict that a product not under recall when you went it in, would be subject to a recall in the future?


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You dodged a bullet.

So let me get this straight, you think I’m unreasonable because I bought an Apple Worldwide Travel Adaptor Kit, something like 6 of the 7 plugs were recalled, they made technical changes to the 6, left the 1 unchanged, and now are determining that the 1 is also suspect, and I’m unreasonable that they should’ve just replaced the entire kit instead of the individual ones. And you infer that I’m acting entitled or something. Whatever dude.

 

[gnasher729]

Some of the affected units would be nearly 20 years old???

That's the thing with security: If it still works, it must be safe, forever. Well, as long as it works. If it stopped working (out of warranty), the manufacturer is fine.

 

[Gasu E.]

This makes me mad because I went through this recall process months ago for the recall program for the other plugs in the worldwide adaptor kit, excluding those mentioned in this article. They didn’t just swap my adaptor kit out because these were specifically excluded. Now I have to go through the entire process for the remaining adaptors. Lame Apple.

They stopped shipping these latest adapters nine years ago. I think their obligation to replace these for you gratis ended a while back. Did you expect these to last your entire lifetime? If you don't want to get the free new replacement, then don't. You don't "have to" go through this if you don't want.

 

[joueboy]

"Apple states that, in very rare cases, affected Apple three-prong wall plug adapters may break and create a risk of electrical shock if touched." I wonder if the rare case who got shocked still alive?

 

[Fixey]

I have one, cane with my iPhone 3G.

Perfectly safe, any plug after 7+ years may become unsafe, if a plug looks damaged we all know stop using it, bin it.

Good that Apple takes safety seriously like this and give them good Apple for it.

 

[doctor-don]

These must be fairly old; I bought the world travel kit over a year ago and mine is the newer one with the gray on the inside.

EDIT: I found the receipt. Mine is from April 17, 2015 and is the newer model.

DUH!
"These wall plug adapters shipped with Mac and certain iOS devices between 2003 and 2010 and were also included in the Apple World Travel Adapter Kit." - this article
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and the new ones still have no metal contact for earth grounding!

Would that require a FOURTH prong?

 

[Scoot65]

DUH!
"These wall plug adapters shipped with Mac and certain iOS devices between 2003 and 2010 and were also included in the Apple World Travel Adapter Kit." - this article
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Would that require a FOURTH prong?

No, in a UK three pin plug there is live wire terminal, earth (ground) wire terminal and neutral wire terminal........ Also our electrical wall sockets have a on/off switch too

 

[Kebabselector]

Would that require a FOURTH prong?

No, the long pin of the 3 is an earth pin. Just it's not required to be an earth on some connections

 

[aperantos]

Also just noticed only one (the correct version according to Apple) has the CE marking which I assume means they shouldn't have been shipped in the UK - they are marked with a bs 5733/a number - but I thought CE was the UK/European standard marking.

Actually, it is ones with a CE mark that should not be shipped. It actually makes them look fake.

The CE mark is a self-certification scheme for certain categories of products. But domestic plugs and adapters are not one of those categories, so they should not carry the mark. And the mark being wrong used is generally recommended as a way of recognizing counterfeit goods.

Technically Apple could be found as breaching trading standard regulations, by misusing the mark to imply conformity with a standard where none exists.

It is explicitly described in page 10 of the government's advice on the legal requirements for plugs:

https://assets.publishing.service.g...al-equipment-plugs-sockets-guidance-notes.pdf

 

[Joniz]

I use one of these to straighten out the bend in my iPad Pro.

Wonder if I should bother getting it replaced.

 

[Mike Boreham]

I have five which are all gray, but without any writing on. I am pretty sure these are OK but if Apple had said:-

"New adapters are white with gray on the inside portion that attaches to the power adapter.....and may or may not have writing on the gray part"

....it would have removed all doubt.

 

[Coconut Bean]

Useless to use the adverb voluntarily.

It makes our sound like a recall is always forced. Should just state apple recalls some wall plugs.

 

[Geordiekeith]

and the new ones still have no metal contact for earth grounding!

No point when they use a two-wire lead, whereas UK plugs on extension leads do have a metal earth pin.

 

[Gorms]

That's the thing with security: If it still works, it must be safe, forever. Well, as long as it works. If it stopped working (out of warranty), the manufacturer is fine.

I'm more fascinated that some of these devices would still be in regular service. Even at the top end 2010 is 9 years ago. I'm not still rocking any tech from back then.

 

[Kebabselector]

Technically Apple could be found as breaching trading standard regulations, by misusing the mark to imply conformity with a standard where none exists.
It is explicitly described in page 10 of the government's advice on the legal requirements for plugs:
https://assets.publishing.service.g...al-equipment-plugs-sockets-guidance-notes.pdf

Thanks for the info.

 

[scartart]

and the new ones still have no metal contact for earth grounding!

Why would it? It goes into a two pin connector at the other end for use only with an Apple double insulated power supply that requires no earth connection.
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Just to update my original tweet....

https://twitter.com/kebablog/status/1121415705428099072

Also just noticed only one (the correct version according to Apple) has the CE marking which I assume means they shouldn't have been shipped in the UK - they are marked with a bs 5733/a number - but I thought CE was the UK/European standard marking.

Not within the date range in question, that BS standard was perfectly valid.

 

[BODYBUILDERPAUL]

Guys, why are your plugs so needlessly large?

I agree. They are also used in Southern Cyprus, The Maldives and South Africa!

Getting mine changed on Monday as I have the travel adapter from December 2009 which I use on a daily basis and also one for my standby 2010 MacBook

Impressed with Apple that they are bothered. I'm Samsung or SONY or LG would just turn a blind eye - mind you, there's probably not many Samsung or LG products that still work or are in use from 2010.

Respect to Apple on this!

 

[the johnmc]

The three-prong plugs are also used in Ireland, though I'm sure anyone potentially affected by this issue in Ireland would already know that.

Someone in Holyhill should put in a call to HQ and remind them that they exist.

 

[joueboy]

joueboy said: ↑
Would that require a FOURTH prong?

How in the world this quote was in comments? WTH!

 

[NightFox]

Guys, why are your plugs so needlessly large?

Bit of light reading for you: https://www.fastcompany.com/3032807/why-england-has-the-best-wall-sockets-on-earth

 

[Loge]

I'm more fascinated that some of these devices would still be in regular service. Even at the top end 2010 is 9 years ago. I'm not still rocking any tech from back then.

The chargers may be in use even if the original devices are not.

 

[CarlJ]

That is of course assuming you haven't impaled your foot on one of those bad boys first. Between these and LEGO, I'm beginning to think the uk has it out for feet.

Well, LEGOs are from Denmark, so...

 

[grjj]

Useless to use the adverb voluntarily.

It makes our sound like a recall is always forced. Should just state apple recalls some wall plugs.

A recall can be forced by the government, either a court or a regulatory agency. This one was initiated by Apple without any such compulsion.

 

[aperantos]

For those saying about the Apple three-pin adapters not being earthed (grounded), they do not need to be as they are basically just figure-8 connecters and the power adapters are double insulated instead. The same as most lower powered devices sold in the U.K., and if you really wanted to I am sure a standard figure-8 lead would fit instead of using an official Apple adapter. Though obviously it could be pulled out more easily.

Double insulation is represented by a mark of a square containing another square, so you should see that if you look at an Apple power adapter. Although sometimes they are not easy to see, on my Magsafe adapter it is in the top left corner of the UL Japan certification.

I'm more fascinated that some of these devices would still be in regular service. Even at the top end 2010 is 9 years ago. I'm not still rocking any tech from back then.

I am sure plenty of people use old adapters if they still work, all they are is a set of pins to match an appropriate power outlet. When I need to use one I just grab whatever is nearest.

The cable adapter I mainly use I think is the one from my 2003 PowerBook G4. Though it might be from a mid-2007 MacBook instead.

And not that it uses an adapter, but I still use my 2011 Mac mini in regular service, though my MacBook Pro which I use daily for everything is a late 2013 model. And I still use my iPhone 4 as an iPod from time-to-time, though my main phone is now a very modern iPhone 6.

They all still works well enough for my needs that I have no need to replace them just because there have been superseded several times since.

 

[Hustler1337]

Guys, why are your plugs so needlessly large?

Main reason it's bigger is because they are individually fused which acts as a safety cut off before blowing up your appliance and wider electrical circuit.

The plugs we use are safer than those used in the US and other parts of the world (and also fit nice and securely).

You can check this vid on some of the benefits: