How to solve Magsafe problems?

[jdaco6]

Ok, so with my Magsafe fire and a few other reported ones on the site would making the adaptor like the cinema display ones (pictured below) solve this problem? By the fact the wire cannot bend as it goes strait out of the magsafe means the wire is less likely to bend and the fact its made of Alu could reduce fire risk?

What do you think?

 

[jdaco6]

In-fact to be honest why were they different in the first place?!

 

[miles01110]

In-fact to be honest why were they different in the first place?!

Technological progress? I dont know.

Making the cord stiffer is not a great solution, IMO. Stiff things crack and cause problems of their own.

 

[aleksandra.]

In-fact to be honest why were they different in the first place?!

They needed a different one for MacBook Air (because of its form factor) and the only way to make ACD compatible with all Apple laptops was to use this connector. You can use a MBP's MagSafe connector with Air, but it can't lie on the table then, while there's no problem doing the reverse.

 

[jdaco6]

They needed a different one for MacBook Air (because of its form factor) and the only way to make ACD compatible with all Apple laptops was to use this connector. You can use a MBP's MagSafe connector with Air, but it can't lie on the table then, while there's no problem doing the reverse.

Oh I see, very interesting. So this revision is unlikely to help ease these problems then?

 

[enforcer17]

That definitely looks like it has the potential to fix the problem since the weak point in these connectors is stiffened. Why wouldn't this help, the PC laptop power supplies always have a stiffener where the connector meets connects with the wire.

Question, where can you buy a universal magsafe, I don't see it on the Apple online store?

 

[bov]

That definitely looks like it has the potential to fix the problem since the weak point in these connectors is stiffened. Why wouldn't this help, the PC laptop power supplies always have a stiffener where the connector meets connects with the wire.

Question, where can you buy a universal magsafe, I don't see it on the Apple online store?

Different computers require different wattages

Ex. MacBooks use 60W adapters while MacBook Pros use 85W

 

[nizmoz]

Different computers require different wattages

Ex. MacBooks use 60W adapters while MacBook Pros use 85W

Not true. My new 15" MBP has a 65W adapter.

 

[miles01110]

Not true. My new 15" MBP has a 65W adapter.

the base 15" comes with a 60W adapter, the other two come with 85W adapters.

http://www.apple.com/macbookpro/specs.html

 

[jdaco6]

the base 15" comes with a 60W adapter, the other two come with 85W adapters.

http://www.apple.com/macbookpro/specs.html

Does the machine not 'take' what it needs from the Power cable? I am sure someone on here has used a Macbook Pro one with a macbook.

 

[nizmoz]

the base 15" comes with a 60W adapter, the other two come with 85W adapters.

http://www.apple.com/macbookpro/specs.html

I apologize, mine is a 60w.

 

[m85476585]

Does the machine not 'take' what it needs from the Power cable? I am sure someone on here has used a Macbook Pro one with a macbook.

It does, but Apple saves money by including the smallest possible power supply.

 

[jdaco6]

It does, but Apple saves money by including the smallest possible power supply.

So with that taken into account, 'Apple' could release a stand alone power cable for all Macbook's if they got around to fixing the problems.

Thanks for clarifying.

 

[aleksandra.]

^ That's sort of what they did with ACD, isn't it? Also there were some battery readings showing that Air's (coming with 45 W power adapter I think) battery health deteriorated when using MBP's (85 W) power adapter, although it may have just messed with readings. It apparently does charge faster, though, so it seems laptops can take more charge if it's provided.

 

[dlhuss]

Throw the magsafe in the garbage where it belongs and make a nice stiff power connector like a Thinkpad. Steal their display hinge design while you're at it.

 

[federikk]

Does the machine not 'take' what it needs from the Power cable?

sure,
the battery charge is voltage-controlled, so, if apple charger all use 10,85 volt(V), every computer takes the watts(power, W) he needs, whatever the power of charger.

but:
problem can come when you use a less powerfull charger: at that voltage the (underpowered)charger tryes to supply more ampere than he can, and can get very hot, and burn. if not, the charger could give a lower voltage(due to internal resistence, growing at non projectual ampere level), ruining the battery. but i'm almost sure that every macbook has a voltage control, so if the volts go down will stop the charge.

if different voltage, no deal!

edit: my uMB has a 60W@16,5V/3,65A.
so it appears that not all mac notebook uses the same voltage!
for example, the problem with the air is obvious, as it uses a 14,5V charger

 

[m85476585]

sure,
the battery charge is voltage-controlled, so, if apple charger all use 10,85 volt(V), every computer takes the watts(power, W) he needs, whatever the power of charger.

but:
problem can come when you use a less powerfull charger: at that voltage the (underpowered)charger tryes to supply more ampere than he can, and can get very hot, and burn. if not, the charger could give a lower voltage(due to internal resistence, growing at non projectual ampere level), ruining the battery. but i'm almost sure that every macbook has a voltage control, so if the volts go down will stop the charge.

if different voltage, no deal!

edit: my uMB has a 60W@16,5V/3,65A.
so it appears that not all mac notebook uses the same voltage!
for example, the problem with the air is obvious, as it uses a 14,5V charger

Apple built their laptops to be able to handle different chargers. There is a circuit (I'm assuming that it's in the laptop, but it could be in the charger) that tells the laptop what kind of charger it is connected to. It gets information from the charger (either based on voltage or by communicating with a chip in the charger) about how much power it can put out. If the charger is lower than the necessary wattage, the laptop will save power by not charging the battery, or charging the battery more slowly. If the charger is more powerful than the laptop needs, the laptop will just not draw any more power than it needs, and it will regulate the higher voltage down. Normally, this will keep the battery from overcharging, and nothing should get hotter than expected by Apple. A smaller charger might get warmer than usual since you are using more of its capacity, but it shouldn't overheat or be damaged. The laptop might get slightly warmer if it has extra voltage, but the voltage regulators inside are probably around 95% efficient, and you probably won't get more than a watt of extra heat using a charger that is two volts higher. Now there might be some kind of defect with the MBA that causes this system not to work right, but I don't know.