UK MBP/MBA Charger Plug

[MrGimper]

One thing that's annoying about the UK chargers is that the plug bit it quite fat and makes it hard to pack the charger in a smallish bag.

Noticed this charger on Amazon and was interested in the much slimmer plug part.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Replacement-Magsafe-Adapter-Charger-13-3-inch/dp/B009YRUWO4

Anyone know of anywhere that may do just the plug bit in this slimmer style? Don't really want a 3rd party charger. Guess I could buy this and just use the plug part, but thought I'd throw it out there to see if anyone has seen them.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

Noticed this charger on Amazon and was interested in the much slimmer plug part.

You mean the one with US Plug as part of the description? The fold-down style can't be used in the UK

That link points to a search page with a bunch of items, so maybe I'm misunderstanding what you're looking at. Can you post a picture?

 

[MrGimper]

Sorry. There's a UK one that has a much thinner 3-pin plug piece. I'll try and dig out a pic.

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[theluggage]

Sorry. There's a UK one that has a much thinner 3-pin plug piece. I'll try and dig out a pic.

Some of my Apple mains plugs are noticably slimmer than others (see centre of pic - the one with the grey insert) and fit flush with the adapters, although the 'wings' stick out just as far. I'm pretty sure that the slim ones came with old-style Apple iPad/iPod adapters - but they are completely interchangeable with Mac ones (and I've just checked that they have the same 3A fuse).



Not sure if this helps you, unless you can find a 2nd hand iPad adapter with the right plug (they're jolly useful as universal purpose USB chargers anyway).

I'd rather have the bulky UK plug with its individual fuse and safety shutter in the socket than the shower of sparks you get when plugging the flimsy US plugs into the wall...

 

[MrGimper]

Some of my Apple mains plugs are noticably slimmer than others (see centre of pic - the one with the grey insert) and fit flush with the adapters, although the 'wings' stick out just as far. I'm pretty sure that the slim ones came with old-style Apple iPad/iPod adapters - but they are completely interchangeable with Mac ones (and I've just checked that they have the same 3A fuse).



View attachment 471102



Not sure if this helps you, unless you can find a 2nd hand iPad adapter with the right plug (they're jolly useful as universal purpose USB chargers anyway).



I'd rather have the bulky UK plug with its individual fuse and safety shutter in the socket than the shower of sparks you get when plugging the flimsy US plugs into the wall...

Cheers, however it's the width that's annoying and makes it bulky. On the one I posted, the plug piece is just a little wider than the charger itself, making it more "compact".

 

[Brookzy]

The smaller attachment you've linked to on Amazon is an unoffical adapter, and is likely unsafe, especially given the plastic third prong (it's not grounded).

 

[theluggage]

The smaller attachment you've linked to on Amazon is an unoffical adapter, and is likely unsafe, especially given the plastic third prong (it's not grounded).

Agree that cheap far-eastern power adaptors have a dodgy reputation, but not being grounded isn't the issue. Virtually no laptop adapters or other low-power, plastic-bodied electronic appliances - Apple or otherwise - are grounded.

The Apple plugs may have a metal earth pin on the plug but it isn't connected to anything. The actual power input to the adapter is actually a standard two-pin figure of eight plug.

 

[flynz4]

The Apple plugs may have a metal earth pin on the plug but it isn't connected to anything. The actual power input to the adapter is actually a standard two-pin figure of eight plug.

For USA adapters... the small adapter only has 2 prongs, and indeed does not have a 3rd connector for earth ground. As stated, it just uses two connections through the figure 8 plug.

However, the ~ 6' power cord type adapter, does have an earth connector, and connects through the metal tang that is used to guide the adapter into place.

/Jim

 

[FreakinEurekan]

The smaller attachment you've linked to on Amazon is an unoffical adapter, and is likely unsafe, especially given the plastic third prong (it's not grounded).

As others mentioned, that third prong isn't just earth (ground) like in the USA. UK sockets have "Shutters" over the hot & neutral holes, and that 3rd prong is longer than the others - even when earthing is not required, the pin is still present in order to engage a mechanism in the socket to open the shutters for the other two prongs. For that purpose, plastic is fine.

US outlets have no shutters, so if the device does not need to be grounded the 3rd prong is simply omitted - not possible with the UK style outlets.

 

[theluggage]

For USA adapters... the small adapter only has 2 prongs, and indeed does not have a 3rd connector for earth ground.

However, the ~ 6' power cord type adapter, does have an earth connector, and connects through the metal tang that is used to guide the adapter into place.

Hmm... looking at a UK power cable, it does indeed have a metal contact to connect with the metal bush in the adapter. However, the UK plug adapters don't seem to have have these, even though they have metal ground pins (as FreakinEurekan says, all UK plugs have ground pins to open the safety shutters on the sockets - but plastic ones are quite common even on 'reputable' adapters).

I guess Apple reckon that the 6' power cable is long enough to reach the bath...

 

[FreakinEurekan]

Hmm... looking at a UK power cable, it does indeed have a metal contact to connect with the metal bush in the adapter. However, the UK plug adapters don't seem to have have these, even though they have metal ground pins (as FreakinEurekan says, all UK plugs have ground pins to open the safety shutters on the sockets - but plastic ones are quite common even on 'reputable' adapters).

I guess Apple reckon that the 6' power cable is long enough to reach the bath...

There are only 2 pins on the actual charger itself, where the duckhead plugs in. So even with the Apple version, the metal tip on the 3rd prong isn't actually connected to anything. They probably just tipped it with metal for durability.

 

[theluggage]

There are only 2 pins on the actual charger itself, where the duckhead plugs in. So even with the Apple version, the metal tip on the 3rd prong isn't actually connected to anything. They probably just tipped it with metal for durability.

If you look carefully at the power cable that comes with the Mac adapter, the end with the figure 8 also has a metal earth contact midden away inside the slot that takes the metal knob on the adapter. I hadn't noticed that before. I've just checked with a meter and this is indeed connected to the 3rd prong on the plug.

The plug adapter doesn't have this contact.

 

[urbis]

Sorry. There's a UK one that has a much thinner 3-pin plug piece. I'll try and dig out a pic.

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DO NOT BUY ONE OF THESE!

THE UK PLUG DOES NOT CONFORM TO UK LEGISLATION AND IS ILLEGAL.

There are regulations around the spacing surrounding the pins, hence UK plugs are significantly larger.