TS3499: Portables: L-shaped MagSafe power adapter does not charge computer and LED indicator light does not illuminate

Learn about Portables: L-shaped MagSafe power adapter does not charge computer and LED indicator light does not illuminate
sjgrun

Q: I live on a US sailboat right now off the coast of New Zealand. My Mac will only recognize power input from a land-based source.  It will not charge from either a 110 or 220 outlet on the boat. Any suggestions?

I am about to heave this Mac and return to a PC.  I need a working computer on my boat at all times.  We are often off shore for days at a time and for many days on long passages.  Often we are anchored off islands with no power.  My computer must recharge itself from the power available on the boat, and this it will not do on a consistent basis.  It will always start charging when I plug it into a land-based source, but it will not charge on the boat.  I have been told that the cycles are different, the voltage is lower, the Apple is too sensitive, etc., but I must be able to charge this thing.  We have 2 PC's on the boat.  No problem with them.  We have high-end, complicated navigation equipment.  No problem with them.  We have a re-chargeable satellite phone that works just fine.  It is just my Mac that will not work.  Does anyone have any suggestions?

MacBook Pro

Posted on Apr 12, 2012 8:21 PM

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Q: I live on a US sailboat right now off the coast of New Zealand. My Mac will only recognize power input from a land-based source.&n ... more

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  • by sjgrun,

    sjgrun sjgrun Apr 18, 2012 3:25 PM in response to ZintainUSA
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 18, 2012 3:25 PM in response to ZintainUSA

    Thanks for this input.  I will talk to the electicians here when we return in 10 days to see about a UPS, but I am sadly coming to the conclusion that Apple has some kind of built-in safety systems that PCs do not have.  We have 2 PCs on board which fortunately are the ones most used for navigation and weather details, and they do not experience any of these problems.  I may have to return to a PC if only to restore marital harmony on this boat! I love my Apple, but not at its present frustration cost. 

  • by OGELTHORPE,

    OGELTHORPE OGELTHORPE Apr 18, 2012 3:42 PM in response to sjgrun
    Level 9 (52,700 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 18, 2012 3:42 PM in response to sjgrun

    The two MBPs that I have function flawlessly on my boat.  I have a Xantrex Pro Sine 2.0 feeding electrons to the MBPs.  This is a pure sine wave inverter and put out 'clean' 120 v AC power.  I have on few occasions had the older MBP (2006) hooked to a modified sine wave inverter and there were no difficulties with its operation.

     

    It would seem to me that you should try another power adapter or another MBP and see what the results are.

     

    Ciao.

  • by ZintainUSA,

    ZintainUSA ZintainUSA Apr 18, 2012 3:45 PM in response to OGELTHORPE
    Level 3 (965 points)
    Apr 18, 2012 3:45 PM in response to OGELTHORPE

    OGELTHORPE wrote:

     

    It would seem to me that you should try another power adapter or another MBP and see what the results are.

     

    Ciao.

    That too is another thing I would suggest.  It could possibly be that particular adapter could be defective.  If this is something you haven't tried, it's the cheapest place to start.

  • by sjgrun,

    sjgrun sjgrun Apr 18, 2012 4:28 PM in response to OGELTHORPE
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 18, 2012 4:28 PM in response to OGELTHORPE

    I have a feeling that you are right about the sine wave, though I have no idea what a sine wave is!  We sailed around Mexico and then across the Pacific in a 2-year voyage, and I had no problem with the computer.  It wasn't until we arrived in New Zealand.  We did not want to put on a bulky, heavy-duty inverter to be able to use the 220 shore power.  Instead we brought a 220 line onto the boat where it feeds into the battery bank.  The other thing we did was increase the size of the battery bank which should not have caused this problem.  Unfortuntately, other than telling me to deep six my MBP, my husband is of little help.  He has no patience with the Apple, prefering his ever-reliable PC's, and he really does have enough to contend with given all the other electronics we have on this boat.  He just wired in a new AIS system and new chart plotters.  I am trying to give myself a crash course on electricty, but so far, I have had 3 different electricians from 3 different companies here on the boat who have all shaken their heads in complete bafflement.  Part of my problem, too, is that no one has an Apple around here -- at least none of the other cruisers. 

     

    The thing that is most confonding is that the Apple will charge, and always charges, when I bring it to land and connect to power there.  Even though we now have the 220 line coming directly onto the boat, it will not charge when it is plugged into that.  Same current, same everything - only difference we can come up with is the GFI-type switches that are put into the system before the line leaves land to go on down the dock to the boats.

     

    I am heart-broken at this turn of events.  Between my photography and my blog, which now has a following of people whom I do not even know, two of the things I enjoy most about our cruising are closed to me if I cannot get this computer to work when we are offshore.  It sounds like you may also be a cruiser so I am sure you must know what I am talking about.

     

    Apple gave me a new power adapter last year.  No change.  They also did a PRAM reboot, which I have tried myself to no avail.  I also cannot imagine that anything we have on the boat regarding energy conversion, consumption or whatever is faulty.  This is a 52' sailboat with all the high-end, high-powered electronics one would expect on a blue-water boat.  Everything works just fine.  The electicians are all amazed and pleased with the power we have on the boat.  It just doesn't make sense that it is only this Apple that is so fussy about what current it will use or not use.

     

    I think I am now going to have to see if I can find a web program like iWeb which will allow me to work on my web site when not connected to the internet.  We can go 2 - 3 weeks without internet access, but my website will be ready to pubish the minute I do connect.  If there is such a program out there, I will definitely look into switching everything to a PC.  What a shame!  I really do love my Apple, but not if it's so finicky.

  • by Carolyn Samit,

    Carolyn Samit Carolyn Samit Apr 18, 2012 4:41 PM in response to sjgrun
    Level 10 (123,770 points)
    Apple Music
    Apr 18, 2012 4:41 PM in response to sjgrun

    but it will not charge on the boat.

    Same problem in the SF bay area. I can charge from the shore power from the dock, but not from the batteries on both MacBook and a MBAir offshore. 

     

    Riptide.jpg

  • by Grant Bennet-Alder,

    Grant Bennet-Alder Grant Bennet-Alder Apr 18, 2012 4:55 PM in response to sjgrun
    Level 9 (61,322 points)
    Desktops
    Apr 18, 2012 4:55 PM in response to sjgrun

    When the Apple Power adapters fail, they generally develop one of two loose connections. The most common, especially on older models, is an internal fraying of the DC power cord about two inches from the power brick. Newer models with the stiffer rubbery DC power cord are somewhat resistant to that problem, but the L-shaped head sometimes becomes loose internally, such that it can be rotated about the cord more than a few degrees.

     

    The point is that both of these problems can provide intermittent connections. Your power adapter may be failing, but the way you place it when you use it on land makes it work ok, the way you place it on the boat fails. If you wiggled the cord around more, it might just behave differently.

     

    --------

     

    The computer itself is looking for 16.5 Volts DC at the end of the Magsafe connector. If you cannot provide the full 85 Watts, it will run, but not charge until you shut it down.

     

    Several people have suggested you get an automotive type accessory power adapter [instead of the Apple 110/220 AC power adapter] and use it to switch your 12 Volts DC shipboard battery up to 16.5 Volts straight into the computer. This bypasses all the problems with sine waves, Ground fault Interrupters, and all that other BS with the AC power, and bypasses the Apple Power Adapter as well.

  • by OGELTHORPE,

    OGELTHORPE OGELTHORPE Apr 18, 2012 5:04 PM in response to sjgrun
    Level 9 (52,700 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 18, 2012 5:04 PM in response to sjgrun

    Please understand that I make no pretenses to being a qualified electrician.  That is one of the reasons for the Xantrex Pro Sine inverter selection on my part.  It produces a pure sine wave output that is equal to or better than your shore side t.  It is idiot proof (which is a requirement for me) unlike a modified sine wave inverter which can destroy some electronic devices.  Within limits this particular inverter will convert any electrical input to a steady 110/120 AC output.

     

    You may very well have a pure sine wave inverter, thus this could not be viewed as a solution. If not it may be, but these inverters were not cheap when I purchased it and I have no reason to believe that has changed.  I do not wish you to spend a lot of money on what may not be the solution to your problem.

     

    Regarding you current shore power, I would be curious what the output is.  If you have a volt/ohm meter, stick the test leads in there and see what you get.  I also would be interested to know what the output is on your ship board 110 outlets (from the inverter).  Also let me know the type of inverter you have (model, manufacturer).

     

    Ciao.

  • by a brody,

    a brody a brody Apr 18, 2012 5:14 PM in response to sjgrun
    Level 9 (66,889 points)
    Classic Mac OS
    Apr 18, 2012 5:14 PM in response to sjgrun

    http://www.barebones.com/ Textwrangler can help you edit everything offline, and preview in a web browser without going online.  Best of all, it is only for the Mac, and it is free.

  • by Grant Bennet-Alder,

    Grant Bennet-Alder Grant Bennet-Alder Apr 18, 2012 5:28 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder
    Level 9 (61,322 points)
    Desktops
    Apr 18, 2012 5:28 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder
  • by Bart1977,

    Bart1977 Bart1977 Apr 18, 2012 11:35 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder
    Level 2 (285 points)
    Apr 18, 2012 11:35 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

    I think that's a good suggestion, and I've already suggested a DC-DC converter as well as an in-between battery, but topic starter seems into keeping the mystery alive.

  • by OGELTHORPE,

    OGELTHORPE OGELTHORPE Apr 19, 2012 2:52 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder
    Level 9 (52,700 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 19, 2012 2:52 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

    Grant Bennet-Adler, greetings:  I have wanted a device like that for a long time and I remember it was brought up on another post a few months ago.  (It was claimed by one of the frequent forum participantsin his response  that it was infringing on Apples patents, ie. the magnetic end, suggesting that the device has illegal.  I can only speculate as to the validity of that issue).

     

    The more important issue is whether if it will charge the MBP or will it just tend to extend the battery life similar to the one Apple sells for airplanes (or maybe lets the battery drain anyway but slower).  Apple does not have this or a similar device in their store and if they did, I would purchase one in a heart beat.  Until I see some definitive information that this or other such items work, I am loath to expose my MBPs to them.

     

    I like the idea but I do have reservations.

     

    Ciao.

  • by Bart1977,

    Bart1977 Bart1977 Apr 19, 2012 3:00 AM in response to OGELTHORPE
    Level 2 (285 points)
    Apr 19, 2012 3:00 AM in response to OGELTHORPE

    I've heard about the patent issue too, but the wierd thing is that replacement MagSafe chargers have been popping up all over the place. I can't really rhyme that with the hassle that HyperJuice seems to go through (with their Magic Box) to avoid that particular patent issue.

     

    Also, the one review on Amazon says it charges his MB, for what it's worth.

  • by carl wolf,

    carl wolf carl wolf Apr 19, 2012 3:03 AM in response to sjgrun
    Level 6 (14,625 points)
    Apr 19, 2012 3:03 AM in response to sjgrun

    "It sounds ridiculous that this could be the problem and that Apple's system is so finicky if this is the problem."

     

    There are reason that a computer (as comparedd to, let's say, an electric toothbrush) is finicky.  I'm sure that you've read about computers with batteries that have cuaght fire.  To prevent that from happening, the battery is charged very carefully, and any problem will cause the power adapter to shut down.  So, line and frequency fluctuations and interruptions in milliseconds will cause the power adapter to shut down.  The GFI will trip if there is an abnormality in the grounding scheme.  The MBP will work without a ground - it's not recommended, but it will work.  An open GFI breaker will remove power, and it must be manually reset - it does not reset automatically.  Since you did not mention that you needed to reset a GFI, I assumed that wasn't involved with the problem.  Another poster mention UPS, or power conditioner.  I mentioned "line conditioner".  As someone once commented, "Six of one, and a half-dozen of the other."  A $100 device will likely fix the problem.

     

    An electrician not finding the problem is not a surprise.  A voltmeter is not likely to find a 50V spike that's only 2mS in length.  Too, if the power adapter LED is not amber, it is not charging.  Bon voyage!

  • by sjgrun,

    sjgrun sjgrun May 6, 2012 9:21 PM in response to sjgrun
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 6, 2012 9:21 PM in response to sjgrun

    We have just returned to the marina, and I am in the Yacht Club recharging the computer.  There are 2 UPS units available at a local computer store that also sells Apple Products.  They are by Dynamix.  One is a Dynamix 650VA UPS.  The other is a Dynamix 1000VA UPS.  Neither one's specs mention anything about pure sine so I suspect that is available.  I am not sure what the difference is, but I believe the smaller unit at 650VA would be enough for powering just my computer.  During tomorrow morning's radio check in, I am going to ask if anyone in the marina has an UPS onboard that I could borrow to check it out with my computer on our boat.  It's a 2-hr. round trip ride to the nearest store, and I sure don't want to make 2 trips if it doesn't work.

     

    We now have friends joining us for the 6-day passage to Vanuatu who also have an Apple MBP.  Their computer is charging on our boat, but the white box on their power cord has started vibrating hum, which is something mine used to do but no longer does.  Their power cord will also charge my computer, but my power cord will not charge their computer even though it does charge my computer on land.  I am concerned that whatever is going on with our boat's electricity will shortly alter their computer's charging capabilites in the same way that it has altered mine and have advised them not to charge their computer on the boat.

  • by steve359,

    steve359 steve359 May 6, 2012 9:32 PM in response to sjgrun
    Level 6 (14,032 points)
    May 6, 2012 9:32 PM in response to sjgrun

    I was looking at specifications and reviews for UPS as my 4-year-old 750VA APC was reporting "not enough left in battery".  I noted reviews that some Dells have issues due to the UPS creating "synthesized sine wave" power signal instead of pure sine wave, probably due to the method required to buffer/slow-feed power during low-voltage and power-spike conditions.

     

    Not sure if hat helps, but it seemed possibly more than coincidental.

     

    I never noticed any issue when my MBP was plugged into that UPS, but then the UPS is mainly for the tower systems and router/DSL-moem in the basement where I *usually* am not with my MBP.

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