My second MagSafe power adapter is fraying. Which of the following options is best?

It's hard to give advice without seeing/knowing the damage, but usually they get pretty hot. The first one that I used started to appear somewhat slightly burned in spots on the cord before it had ultimately stopped working.

It's hard to suggest - maybe pictures would help. I don't want to advise you to tape something that I haven't seen personally. If anything is actually wrong with yours, it's a tough call because these things have potential to be dangerous.

 

Don't just put electrical tape on it. You don't want a fire hazard in your house. Just get a new one.

You say you feel that's a waste since you will replace it in the future. But then you'll probably resell it, and you'll need a decent power adapter to go with that.

 

Option 4 - repair it?

http://forums.macrumors.com/threads/apple-magsafe-one-mbp-charger-repair.1900264/

 

I'd say just buy a new one if you can. Then you can include it if you sell your MBP or sell it separately if you junk the MBP.

 

You want to make sure you are getting the MagSafe (came in T-style but sold as L-stye now) one NOT the MagSafe 2 (T-style) one. MagSafe is the original version that came on Mac's before the Retina models and came in a T-style connector originally but that was replaced with an L-style connector later on. MagSafe 2 is a smaller wider connector with a T-style connector used on the retina MacBook Pros.

For optimal charging get the 85-watt model as that is technically what your 15" MBP came with. It will provide your MBP with the amount of power it needs. You can use a 60-watt model but your computer will either charge slower or if under full load it may not charge at all. You can use the 85-watt model with Mac's that shipped with lower wattage adapters as the Mac will only take what it requires to charge/run.

Edit: This one: http://www.apple.com/shop/product/M...-power-adapter-for-15-and-17-inch-macbook-pro



When wrapping your cable make sure you leave some extra-cable length at the end that goes into the charger. This will reduce strain and extend the life of your power adapter

 

I'd still prefer to replace the cable in an otherwise healthy charger. As per my link above, it is simple to do and avoids the expense.

 

(1) You can just use your old 60W adapter, they are perfectly exchangeable but charging will take slightly longer due to the availability of less power.

(2) Just putting a piece of tape on it is a bad idea. That wouldn't solve the problem, and as mentioned earlier the faulty wire imposes a significant fire hazard.

(3) Buying a new one is probably not worth it. However, if you have the right tools repairing it would be a very good option.

+1 to this. All MagSafe adapters are a potential fire hazard, in my experience. During the past 6 years, I had to repair my Magsafe 1 & 2 adapters 4 times by removing faulty wire sections (which were luckily always at the end or the beginning of the wire). A repaired adapter is not more or less dangerous than a new one. They will all develop faulty wiring at some point in time when used intensively.

 

I love your walk through on fixing MagSafe chargers but I am hesitant to recommend this for all users. While it is a generally simple fix in the grand scheme of electronics repairs it still requires half decent soldering skills and tools. If you are new to this those tools will probably cost more than a new charger. And there is nothing more painful than learning your first soldering job on a mission critical piece of hardware.

Bottom line/TLDR: if you have the tools and skills repair it yourself. If you are new to electronics repair buy a new one and if your feeling like learning a new skill use it as a test bed.

 

That is a nicely balanced way forward. You may even have a friend who is wizard with a soldering wand leaving you with 2 healthy chargers at some point in the future. It also avoids putting the old one in the trash.

 

Get a new unit:
https://eshop.macsales.com/search/macsafe

If you upgrade, this replacement can be used as a spare in the office etc. It won't be wasted.