As mentioned on a previous post, I ran into trouble with the power adapter on my Powerbook G4. This adapter design gets a lot of criticism, and there are many dissatisfied reviews on the Apple store. This has been ameliorated somewhat with the introduction of the magsafe connector on the new generation of MacBook Pros. However, they still look susceptible to the same kind of fatigue from regular bending.
So I have this bit of advice, which I hope helps other Mac users. I picked this trick up from one of the Apple Store Geniuses. As an aside, since he showed me this technique and confessed that all the other employees use it too, it seems pretty clear that Apple knows the design is flawed.
So the technique can be seen in the picture (click for larger image). The idea is to give the cord a wide, slack first loop before wrapping and then continue to wind it around the brick loosely, giving the cord a half twist each time. It should be just like winding rope.
Seems simple enough. But if you wrap it tightly like in the picture shown in the product promos and on the Apple website, you are likely to wear out your cord and get the same cracks that I had with my Powerbook. We will see if this techniques helps my new brick last longer. Also, I added some white Gaffer tape to the end points too, as reinforcement.
Jason Robertshaw
Thanks for this tip, it will definitely increase the life of my AC adapter. Can’t believe they’re $80!
yes and at almost a hundred bucks you think they would figure it out or go back to some of there old school products.
Hey I figured out a simple way to resolve this.
wrap one loop around and prongs and then loop it into a simple knot.
I have had it this way for a year and a half and its not showing any problems of wear and tear
http://staff.washington.edu/jwendt/Photo82.jpg
Josh: Thanks for sharing. Still looks like it might not work though.
It was the area where the wire emerges from the brick that was the problem for me. That spot receives the most stress and flex and is the area that cracked open. The way I have it wrapped now, the wire comes straight out for about an inch before it bends. I even added tape to reinforce that joint where it comes out. I am not sure from the angle of your picture if there is enough slack with your method. Let me know how it works out though. Ultimately it is up to Apple to fix this crummy design.
thanks for sharing , very since
I think what Josh means is that he wraps it like that and leaves it that way forever, that way the point at which the wire comes out of the brick is not being bent at all.