Macbook Pro Caught Alight!

[harcosparky]

I thought it would never happen to me!

I smelt burning plastic earlier, and inspected my room only to find that the powercord was slightly melted near the box. Since I didn't have any other cord, I decided to plug it back in and watch it very closely.

Very quickly it heated up again, this time melting enough to exposing the inner wire, and making smoke! Needless to say I am NOT plugging it back in, and am now slightly scared! What if this had happened when I was not home?!

Looking at your pics, leads me to further believe what I posted above about the cable being stressed outside the plug/charger.

Two questions ....

1 Did you notice any cracking in the insulation prior to the burning incident???

2 Did you try plugging in the charger ALONE to see if it continued to short/burn??? ( this would isolate the issue to the charger and not the notebook itself )

 

[MacLadybug]

You obviously have other access to the internet... I couldn't deal with having to wait so long while they decide. My over heating issue (resolved in April and mentioned in another thread) ended up in a brand new notebook with better specks replacing a refurbished. I took mine into a store but had lots of documentation on previous over-heating and battery issues. We used the notebook for work so we really were pressed to get it resolved quickly and Apple cooperated fully and made every effort to handle it quickly. By the way, mine was with an older MBP not unibody w/AppleCare.

 

[Nermal]

A couple of years ago, on a weekend, the building that I work in caught fire. Damage was severe and the official explanation was "electrical fault". There was an MBP in the office where the fire started. There's no proof that it was the cause of the fire, but after seeing these stories and photos it has me wondering.

 

[Gwardys]

Looking at your pics, leads me to further believe what I posted above about the cable being stressed outside the plug/charger.

Two questions ....

1 Did you notice any cracking in the insulation prior to the burning incident???

2 Did you try plugging in the charger ALONE to see if it continued to short/burn??? ( this would isolate the issue to the charger and not the notebook itself )

I am using a different charger right now, and it is working fine, albeit I am watching it like a hawk.

Before I smelt the burning plastic the first time, I had no idea it was in bad condition at all...

HOWEVER, this is from the first intel mac that Apple released way back when (Jan 2006) and the charger is from then too. While I'm scared that this happened, it was a four year old charger. I just really am ticked that it's going to cost me almost $100 to fix something that's not my fault!

 

[pinoyplaya]

Omfg!!!! My Macbook Pro Is On Fire As We Speak!

 

[JamesGorman]

Omfg!!!! My Macbook Pro Is On Fire As We Speak!

Honestly?

 

[pinoyplaya]

I just called Apple and they send they will send a new one immediately or I can head on over to my nearest Authorized Apple Dealer (which is BestBuy) and they will replace it no questions asked... at least thats what the guy on the phone said.

 

[jav6454]

Honestly?

might be

 

[åidån]

Looking at the melting of the cable near the power brick in Gwardys post, are we safe to be using the cable sorting hooks on them?

 

[puma1552]

and whats the consensus on the acd magsafe adapter?

 

[IBradMac]

.......

I have called apple and they say they are looking into it and they told me they had a procedure for when this happens.

Like what?

Telling you how to toss it in the garbage?



Hope you get it fixed bro.

 

[smartalic34]

I am using a different charger right now, and it is working fine, albeit I am watching it like a hawk.

Before I smelt the burning plastic the first time, I had no idea it was in bad condition at all...

HOWEVER, this is from the first intel mac that Apple released way back when (Jan 2006) and the charger is from then too. While I'm scared that this happened, it was a four year old charger. I just really am ticked that it's going to cost me almost $100 to fix something that's not my fault!

ah yes... my magsafe also started to char a year and a half ago (june '06 MBP). got mine replaced before a fire started. the redesigned adapter seems much better, despite the OP's predicament

 

[Sehnsucht]

Build quality?

Ahem, Apple...ahem. We your sheeple have had quite enough of Shanghai.

Ahem...

 

[UltraNEO*]

Dunno what's worst... Built in Shanghai or

 

[jdaco6]

OP : What's with the popped out keys? Is that a result of the fire or previous damage? I think Apple will ask you about that.

Keys Melted as a result of the heat from the Magsafe.

 

[jdaco6]

No news as of yet, they seem to be taking their time to decide what to do...

Anyway thought I would give you an update.

 

[MacModMachine]

I am using a different charger right now, and it is working fine, albeit I am watching it like a hawk.

Before I smelt the burning plastic the first time, I had no idea it was in bad condition at all...

HOWEVER, this is from the first intel mac that Apple released way back when (Jan 2006) and the charger is from then too. While I'm scared that this happened, it was a four year old charger. I just really am ticked that it's going to cost me almost $100 to fix something that's not my fault!

when mine caught fire i took a multimeter to the laptop, it dident show any shorts in it through to the magsafe connector, but the magsafe when plugged in gets very hot...showing a short somewhere, if plugged in it will cause another fire.

 

[Sound Evolution]

Dear,

I am surprised that those magsafe power supplies are apparently not protected internally from over current. Can be done with a simple fuse. Those fire hazards are clearly a sign of over current.

Either the laptop draws to much current (for some unknown reason) or there is a short in the wires. In the first case with a new magsafe power supply the same issue (burning wires) will happen again.

With kind regards,
Bas

 

[Phil A.]

The most likely cause is a breakdown in the insulation either through a design / manufacturing fault or mishandling of the cable (it could be deemed a design fault I guess if it is possible to cause a breakdown through mishandling!)
I've never had a problem with any Magsafe adapters, but I did have an issue once with an HP charger that started sparking around the connector then smoking then burning.

 

[MacModMachine]

The most likely cause is a breakdown in the insulation either through a design / manufacturing fault or mishandling of the cable (it could be deemed a design fault I guess if it is possible to cause a breakdown through mishandling!)
I've never had a problem with any Magsafe adapters, but I did have an issue once with an HP charger that started sparking around the connector then smoking then burning.

actually it has nothing to do with the insulation, the previous magsafe revision had insulation problems...the new one is to do with the connector face itself, they short and cause fire. the magsafe leads can withstand a immense amount of heat and causes the adapter to break down and burn.

 

[harcosparky]

actually it has nothing to do with the insulation, the previous magsafe revision had insulation problems...the new one is to do with the connector face itself, they short and cause fire. the magsafe leads can withstand a immense amount of heat and causes the adapter to break down and burn.

From what I see in the pics the fire is not starting in the face. But then again all we have to look at are user supplied pics.


My vote is the wiring.

If it was the connector itself al fires would be at the connector end, but from what I have researched there have been some at the brick end as well. Again in the cable just outside the brick.

This also leads me to the conclusion of a problem internal of the wire causing insulation to fail.

 

[MacModMachine]

From what I see in the pics the fire is not starting in the face. But then again all we have to look at are user supplied pics.


My vote is the wiring.

If it was the connector itself al fires would be at the connector end, but from what I have researched there have been some at the brick end as well. Again in the cable just outside the brick.

This also leads me to the conclusion of a problem internal of the wire causing insulation to fail.

well the head of the magsafe as i said can withstand very high temperatures, causing the cable to break down before the head to give way on its connection.

 

[iCBF]

i guess the magsafe isn't all that safe, lol

 

[jdaco6]

Just an update, called in and there has still be no response from the hardware team, after 28 hours.

 

[BlackMax]

A couple of years ago, on a weekend, the building that I work in caught fire. Damage was severe and the official explanation was "electrical fault". There was an MBP in the office where the fire started. There's no proof that it was the cause of the fire, but after seeing these stories and photos it has me wondering.

Apple needs to get a handle on this and fast before we have someone posting that their house burned down because of their MBP caught fire. Perhaps it will not be as aesthetically pleasing to use a slightly larger power cable, but the alternative is unacceptable.