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My charger wire has split, is it safe to tape?

O

OllieDS

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 14, 2012
45
0
My charger wire has split, is it safe to tape?

Hi,

So I'm using a Macbook Pro with its original charger, I've had my Macbook Pro for about 2 years now and the charger wire has developed a split. None of the insides are poking out and if I bend it straight, the slit closes up neatly. I am aware that replacement chargers are fairly expensive so I was wondering if it would be safe to use a tiny bit of duct tape around the slit (Once its aligned) would be safe to carry on using?

2chq5vp.png
 
OllieDS said:
My charger wire has split, is it safe to tape?

Hi,

So I'm using a Macbook Pro with its original charger, I've had my Macbook Pro for about 2 years now and the charger wire has developed a split. None of the insides are poking out and if I bend it straight, the slit closes up neatly. I am aware that replacement chargers are fairly expensive so I was wondering if it would be safe to use a tiny bit of duct tape around the slit (Once its aligned) would be safe to carry on using?

Image
Click to expand...

I would use electrical tape and it should be fine to use. But, you may want to take it to the Apple Store. They may replace it for you.
 
SDAVE said:
Do you have Apple Care? Take it in and they might give you a new one.
Click to expand...


DollaTwentyFive said:
I would use electrical tape and it should be fine to use. But, you may want to take it to the Apple Store. They may replace it for you.
Click to expand...

I don't have Apple Care and I also live absolute miles away from an Apple Store, when you say use electrical tape, is this the same as duct tape?
 
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Electrical tape is different from duct tape.
My then kitten chewed into the cord on my daughters charger just over two years ago. The wires were fine, just the tubing was split. I put electrical tape around that and it's still working fine (knock wood).
 
DollaTwentyFive said:
Duct tape is usually silver and has a nylon webbing to it. Electrical tape is black and will insulate the wire. Actually, if you have a hardware store nearby, you can probably find a white electrical/insulating tape and then it will not be so noticeable.

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http://www.amazon.com/Scotch-Electr...8HSM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1337565810&sr=8-1
Click to expand...



nickali said:
Electrical tape is different from duct tape.
My then kitten chewed into the cord on my daughters charger just over two years ago. The wires were fine, just the tubing was split. I put electrical tape around that and it's still working fine (knock wood).
Click to expand...

But will Duct Tape be ok? I googled and there doesn't seem to be much difference apart from insulation. I don't really want to wait a few days to get electrical tape and would rather it be fixed now so would it be ok to use the duct tape I have?
 
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I decided to use Duct Tape in the mean time but I'll be buying a new charger probably in a few weeks.

2yo4xfm.png
 
Don't use duct tape for this. Electrical tape is flexible and will stretch for tight wrapping. The best tape is 3M/Scotch. It's more expensive, but I recommend it over cheaper brands.

When you wrap, start about an inch from one end of the slit and pull on the tape to stretch it while wrapping in a spiral with an overlap of half the tape width. Continue to about an inch beyond the slit. It would help if someone could hold the cable taught while you wrap.
 
drambuie said:
Don't use duct tape for this. Electrical tape is flexible and will stretch for tight wrapping. The best tape is 3M/Scotch. It's more expensive, but I recommend it over cheaper brands.

When you wrap, start about an inch from one end of the slit and pull on the tape to stretch it while wrapping in a spiral with an overlap of half the tape width. Continue to about an inch beyond the slit. It would help if someone could hold the cable taught while you wrap.
Click to expand...

This is what I linked you to. Best to pick some up when you have a chance.
 
nickali said:
Electrical tape is different from duct tape.
My then kitten chewed into the cord on my daughters charger just over two years ago. The wires were fine, just the tubing was split. I put electrical tape around that and it's still working fine (knock wood).
Click to expand...

How was the kitten?
 
Do not use krcs

I have a macbook pro 2011 still under warranty. Cable had a hairline split. Sent it via KRCS to get it replaced. Apple refused and KRCS had damaged it even more in the meantime. It was like they'd taken a knife to it. They refused to apologise and now I cannot appeal as the cable looks like it was damaged on purpose. Do NOT use KRCS!! Really bad news. WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE EVER!!
 
This happend to one of mine as well, taped it up without a problem, but the split just kept getting bigger and bigger regardless of the tape.
 
Go to Radio Shack and get a package of heat shrink wire splices. Split one, wrap around your split, and tape it thoroughly. DON'T try to heat shrink it once you split it, makes a mess. If you ever end up neatly severing the charger (like say, from a reclining chair hinge, for example, random example, not that I have any experience with that...) you can feed the splice tubes on first, solder your cable back together, shift the splices over the solder, shrink, and that sucker doesn't look to bad... ;)

Oh, yeah, use electrical tape, though duct will do in a pinch for short term.
 
Last edited:
Try out http://www.repairsq.com

This works way better than electrical tape and isn't sticky. Saved my charger
 
Thread is over 2 years old I'm guessing he found a solution in the meantime =p.

On a separate note, there is a recall program for macbook chargers with "stress damage" which causes them to split...It's a fairly common issue with apple cables I guess they didn't think too much into the durability of the materials they used.

I have a late 2013 15" with apple care and the cable started splitting after less than a year. I took it in the the apple store and they wanted me to pay 80 dollars for a new one. Needless to say I showed him the post on their own website and 5 minutes later after confirming with his manager an "exception" was made for me and I walked out with a new charger at no cost. It goes without saying do your research before you go to the apple store since many of the geniuses that I've encountered are sadly misinformed.
 
OllieDS said:
But will Duct Tape be ok? I googled and there doesn't seem to be much difference apart from insulation. I don't really want to wait a few days to get electrical tape and would rather it be fixed now so would it be ok to use the duct tape I have?
Click to expand...
 

To my understanding... (i.e., someone smarter than me may have a better understanding and the ability to provide a better/more accurate response...)

No, average duct tape is not a substitute for electrical tape that must meet a certain standard that duct tape does not have to.
https://www.astm.org/Standards/D3005.htm


As we are talking about damage where only the outer jacket had sustained damage and the inner cord is NOT damaged, this is arguably less significant if you were to use duct tape as a short term repair. However, even with superficial damage to the outer cover of a cord, electrical tape is arguably much preferable over duct tape.

However, interpretations over the appropriateness of using even electrical tape to repair superficial damage, seems to be anything but agreed upon!
https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=INTERPRETATIONS&p_id=22666
 
nickali said:
Electrical tape is different from duct tape.
My then kitten chewed into the cord on my daughters charger just over two years ago. The wires were fine, just the tubing was split. I put electrical tape around that and it's still working fine (knock wood).
Click to expand...

Was the kitten ok?
 
Ha! I had some 3M Surgical Tape in the medicine cabin (to tape gauze with) and I just taped that around torn cable and it worked perfectly! My cable is even better now just in case my kitten wants to nibble on lightning cable again. Wonder why she won't nibble on Android charging cable, just the Apple lightning cable. Must taste better, LOL
 
Fastweb011 said:
Ha! I had some 3M Surgical Tape in the medicine cabin (to tape gauze with) and I just taped that around torn cable and it worked perfectly! My cable is even better now just in case my kitten wants to nibble on lightning cable again. Wonder why she won't nibble on Android charging cable, just the Apple lightning cable. Must taste better, LOL
Click to expand...
it must taste like apples
 
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