RANT: Apple magsafe adapters are a fire hazard!

[ben7]

So today someone's genuine apple magsafe adapter caught fire where the low voltage output wires come out of the case. I managed to cut the wire and resolder, so the cord is a little shorter now (it doesn't catch fire anymore though!)

Sorry no pictures, I was in a hurry to fix it LOL, then found that the solder was nowhere to be found, and I had to go get some...

So yeah, the strain relief is just poorly designed. The psu is made by delta, and it has Nichicon capacitors inside

Again, the strain relief is crappy, it is waaaay too stiff to work as a proper strain relief.

Any of you had these do the same?

BTW, it was an 85W one, but the 45W ones have the same stupid design...

Edit: here is an example of what it was doing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghqX5L7kzg8

[Wester547]

Re: RANT: Apple magsafe adapters are a fire hazard!

Out of curiosity... what series of Nichicon capacitors did you see in there? There was another Delta-made 85W Magsafe adapter posted to this forum a couple years back and it had Rubycon ZLH caps.

[ben7]

Re: RANT: Apple magsafe adapters are a fire hazard!

Out of curiosity... what series of Nichicon capacitors did you see in there? There was another Delta-made 85W Magsafe adapter posted to this forum a couple years back and it had Rubycon ZLH caps.

The secondary side capacitors were HD series, I think.

[smason]

Re: RANT: Apple magsafe adapters are a fire hazard!

Holy crap! You'd think it would shut down with that sudden current draw.

[ben7]

Re: RANT: Apple magsafe adapters are a fire hazard!

Holy crap! You'd think it would shut down with that sudden current draw.

Yeah!

[Khron]

Re: RANT: Apple magsafe adapters are a fire hazard!

What're the odds Apple forgot to / didn't choose to specify OCP in their design request?

[ben7]

Re: RANT: Apple magsafe adapters are a fire hazard!

What're the odds Apple forgot to / didn't choose to specify OCP in their design request?

_
My guess: 99.9%
...
Just kidding LOL



In fact, there was a silly bodge in the adapter, Apple added in a 5a fuse on the output. But the pay probably turns itself off and on from the short circuit, instead of blowing the fuse, which takes time because the fuse link has to heat up... sorry I forgot to mention about the bodge fuse

[Wester547]

Re: RANT: Apple magsafe adapters are a fire hazard!

One last thing... if you don't mind me asking, ben, do you remember the model number of the Delta Magsafe adapter in question?

[ben7]

Re: RANT: Apple magsafe adapters are a fire hazard!

One last thing... if you don't mind me asking, ben, do you remember the model number of the Delta Magsafe adapter in question?

No I don't, but I could sometime next week. Why?

[Wester547]

Re: RANT: Apple magsafe adapters are a fire hazard!

You don't have to. I'm just wondering, IE whether different model numbers use different series of capacitors... but then capacitor series are used so interchangeably in so many products with so many little revisions that the only way to really find out would be to crack it open.

[goontron]

Re: RANT: Apple magsafe adapters are a fire hazard!

i've seen about 7 chard magsafes just this year

[ben7]

Re: RANT: Apple magsafe adapters are a fire hazard!

i've seen about 7 chard magsafes just this year

LOL

Apple has some serious design issues. Now the iPhone 5 has an issue with being bent easily, even being bent right out of the package!

[goontron]

Re: RANT: Apple magsafe adapters are a fire hazard!

LOL

Apple has some serious design issues. Now the iPhone 5 has an issue with being bent easily, even being bent right out of the package!

LOL
bent as in dented or bent as in warped?

[Th3_uN1Qu3]

Re: RANT: Apple magsafe adapters are a fire hazard!

Bent as in dented. It will happen if you put the phone in your back pocket and sit down.

[tom66]

Re: RANT: Apple magsafe adapters are a fire hazard!

It's nothing to do with overcurrent... it's to do with extra contact resistance leading to excessive power dissipation. P=IV...

[ben7]

Re: RANT: Apple magsafe adapters are a fire hazard!

Bent as in dented. It will happen if you put the phone in your back pocket and sit down.

Kind of, but not quite right...

http://iphone.pandaapp.com/news/1223...l#.UbNJaDDD9cs

Yep, that's right! They totally messed up with the design - and they chose aluminium! Look on the web for more bent iphone porn LOL

[ben7]

Re: RANT: Apple magsafe adapters are a fire hazard!

It's nothing to do with overcurrent... it's to do with extra contact resistance leading to excessive power dissipation. P=IV...

In this case it is due to the strain relief on the adapter being poorly made, out of very stiff rubber. The wire bends much easier, and so it does does (over time that is). The insulation eventually cracks and the two wires short out ... then start melting things. The wires are actually a coaxial type, both conductors being stranded wire. My idea is that the strand(s) short out but heat up due to their higher resistance, and hence the overcurrent isn't tripped. The insulation starts burning then...