My Powerbook Charger is smoking

[Bubbasteve]

So here I am, lying in my bed with my laptop and I realize that it's hotter than usual. When I unplugged the thing I saw a little puff of smoke. I'm sure that's not normal. Do I continue using my charger, I mean my laptop works fine but with the charger over heating and everything I dunno what to do. Please someone, help me out ASAP!

 

[robbieduncan]

Take that one back to Apple! Even if it works it's not a risk worth taking!

 

[Applespider]

You need to get it checked out but if you're using your laptop in bed, make sure that it's not resting on a pillow/duvet/soft surface where its vents are blocked. Even sitting it on a hardback book will help the heat dissipate - soft surfaces and cooling your 'book do not go together.

 

[ReanimationLP]

What is it smoking? Cigarettes, or is it being illegal and smoking weed?

Sorry, couldn't resist pal.

But seriously, you better get that adapter back to Apple ASAP, before it fries your PB. That'd be sad to see happen.

 

[petej]

Where did you see the puff of somke from? Was it from the charger itself (replace PDQ) or from the mains plug pins / wall socket? In the case of the latter, this is normal (ish). It is relatively common to get arcing between the mains pins and the socket on connect / disconect with switch mode power supplies like laptop power adaptors. On the mains pins of my adaptor, there are dark pitted areas on the tips of the pins where this occurs. If it's dark you can often see the blue flash of the arc and sometime hear the pop. In some circumstances this can also produce a bit of smoke. If it is possible for you to isolate the socket before removal /insertion, then you can stop this from happening.

 

[satty]

Return the adapter

I had some problems with my adaptor and it turned out to be a short of the power cable just next to the adaptor. First I also thought it was the adaptor itself.

I didn't have any problems to get it replaced.

 

[Jay42]

We should have an intervention.

 

[njmac]

before my DC board needed to be replaced, the part of the plug that went into the computer was so hot that when I pulled it out it burned my hand. And strangely, the green light on the cord glowed for about 30 seconds after being unplugged.

I think my plug caused my DC board to short.... so watch out.

 

[mpw]

So here I am, lying in my bed with my laptop and I realize that it's hotter than usual. When I unplugged the thing I saw a little puff of smoke. I'm sure that's not normal. Do I continue using my charger, I mean my laptop works fine but with the charger over heating and everything I dunno what to do. Please someone, help me out ASAP!

Hmm electrical equipment over heating and smoking...what should I do...?

I'd love to make a joke about licking the power socket to see if it's live, or throwing water on it to stop a fire but it sounds like you might miss the humour.

Rule of thumb; overheating and smoking in computer equipment is never good, get it seen by a competant technician ASAP and don't run with scissors.

 

[iDM]

Hmm electrical equipment over heating and smoking...what should I do...?

I'd love to make a joke about licking the power socket to see if it's live, or throwing water on it to stop a fire but it sounds like you might miss the humour.

Rule of thumb; overheating and smoking in computer equipment is never good, get it seen by a competant technician ASAP and don't run with scissors.

No brainer, I would say do not even attempt to use again until you get the adaptor checked to see if its that or your wall socket having a short, maybe turning off that breaker in your box would not be a bad idea if you have anyone in the house that may be tring to use that socket, at least until you get things figured out!

 

[Bubbasteve]

Where did you see the puff of somke from? Was it from the charger itself (replace PDQ) or from the mains plug pins / wall socket? In the case of the latter, this is normal (ish). It is relatively common to get arcing between the mains pins and the socket on connect / disconect with switch mode power supplies like laptop power adaptors. On the mains pins of my adaptor, there are dark pitted areas on the tips of the pins where this occurs. If it's dark you can often see the blue flash of the arc and sometime hear the pop. In some circumstances this can also produce a bit of smoke. If it is possible for you to isolate the socket before removal /insertion, then you can stop this from happening.

When I unplug the charger from the computer I saw a puff of smoke... I think I will bring it into Apple and have it replaced... or I will probably have to buy another

 

[petej]

Doesn't sound good.

Not one that I'd care to leave plugged in and walk away.

 

[AJ Muni]

i jus would of let it fry....

 

[ohcrap]

i jus would of let it fry....

Let the motherF'er burn... haha.

Yeah, obviously unplug it until you figure out what's wrong, "duh".

 

[AJ Muni]

lol...riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight

 

[orijinal]

isn't leaving it connected for long periods of time bad for the battery?

i wanted to double my powerbook as a desktop unit, so what do i do about the power?

 

[Xephian]

Sometimes my power adaptor gets pretty hot after charging.

 

[Sun Baked]

When I unplug the charger from the computer I saw a puff of smoke... I think I will bring it into Apple and have it replaced... or I will probably have to buy another

Apple will probably replace the adapter if you say it gets real hot and was smoking last time you used it.

The warranty is most likely a non-issue at this point.

If it dies they would probably fight you on warranty, but if it's a fire hazard things are generally a little looser.

 

[ajampam]

These adaptors do get really hot though....sometimes, I run my PB only on battery to cool down the adaptor....but this was the case with my other sony and hp laptops too

 

[Ph4lynx]

Letting the magic smoke out is not condusive to fuctioning... send it back to apple and have them put the magic smoke back in your highly specialized device.