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 rthansen,

    rthansen rthansen May 25, 2012 12:21 AM in response to sjgrun
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 25, 2012 12:21 AM in response to sjgrun

    I read somewhere in another forum post that battery charging is a "black art" - because there are quite a few variables and its difficult to exactly say how much power goes through an adapter.

     

    I have a MBP 60W magsafe too, sailboat, a cheap maplin 300W modified sine wave converter (not the expesive true) AND same problems. Have been searching and looking for an alternative solution to the OBVIOUS one which is buying a MikeGuyver modified 12V magsafe charger for 80 USD (suppplied an old magsafe). Shipping is expensive though (50USD) and timeconsuming.

     

    The first obvious problem that I havnt seen mentioned yet-- is a lack of grounding (and the resulting computer/charger hum). Thats what the 3rd plug in the magsafe plug is for. On a sailboat (truck or caravan) working with 12Vs there usually no ground. That mean the surplus power generated will not go through the remaining plug (and into the ground) but through the computer, into the water (or through the chasis of the car/truck into the ground).

     

    With a proper grounding there seems to be much higher chances of getting a 12V system to work through an inverter.

     

    But that's a problem because you cant get it on a boat.

     

    I noticed that mine will not charge if 0%, but will charge if sort of above 20-30%. Indicating that the first part of the charging process draws a lot of power and the remaining deosnt. The magsafe adapter seems to be flimsy especially when drawing a lot of power alas.

     

    So now I just run the computer to about 40% and then recharge. However there are times when fulll and still no charge.

     

    For sure a pure sine wave is better - but also significantly costlier (if getting a 300W inverter) than e.g. the MikeGuyver kit.

     

    Im pretty sure though that the cheap Maplin 300W modified sine wave broke the internal power on my PC (HP mini2140) - with too much surplus amps, so its not recommendable in the long run.

  • by sjgrun,

    sjgrun sjgrun May 25, 2012 8:19 PM in response to sjgrun
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 25, 2012 8:19 PM in response to sjgrun

    For any that have been following this dialog, I have worked out the problem to the computer charging on the boat.  After learning nothing of value from the Apple Store tecnician in Auckland, I called 2 computer repair shops that listed Apples as computers they worked on.  Both listened to the symptoms, asked pertinent questions and told me that somehow noise was getting into the line on the boat.  The simple solution without bothering to find out how, where or what the noise is, was buy a Spike Buster for a mere $30.00 NZ.  Only the master electrician at the marina knew what a Spike Buster was, but he said a Surge Protector might work.  I ended up buying a small Surge Protector that stated it protected against spikes and cancelled out noise in the line.  ($14.99 NZ on sale)  Plugged it in on the boat.  The MacBookPro sighed in relief and immediately started charging as it should.  Three weeks later, an 1,100nm passage, we are now in Vanuatu, and the computer is going strong.

     

    There appear to be a few more boats out there with a similar problem.  This simple fix worked for us.

     

    Also, we found a boat whose owners had one of those MikeGuyver kits for their 2 MBPs on board.  We tried it on our boat, and the computer started charging as it should.  Once back in the States, I will be ordering one of those so that I have both options available.

     

    Hope this will help those boats that have written in with the same charging problem.

  • by carl wolf,

    carl wolf carl wolf May 25, 2012 11:25 PM in response to sjgrun
    Level 6 (14,625 points)
    May 25, 2012 11:25 PM in response to sjgrun

    I recommended this back on April 18th.  Regardless, good luck.

  • by rthansen,

    rthansen rthansen May 26, 2012 7:35 AM in response to sjgrun
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 26, 2012 7:35 AM in response to sjgrun

    which brand and model?

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 May 26, 2012 9:08 AM in response to sjgrun
    Level 9 (51,241 points)
    Desktops
    May 26, 2012 9:08 AM in response to sjgrun

    What frequency does your boat supply power at, 50 or 60hz will work. Please don't tell me you don't know, being aware of your boats power supply specifications is important, especially when your safety may depend on it.

  • by sjgrun,

    sjgrun sjgrun May 27, 2012 1:32 AM in response to Csound1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 27, 2012 1:32 AM in response to Csound1

    We are a US-wired boat:  60hz

  • by sjgrun,

    sjgrun sjgrun May 27, 2012 1:34 AM in response to rthansen
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 27, 2012 1:34 AM in response to rthansen

    I presume you mean the Surge Protector.  It is by Surge Shield.  Model # M7800-1.

  • by sjgrun,

    sjgrun sjgrun May 27, 2012 1:47 AM in response to carl wolf
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 27, 2012 1:47 AM in response to carl wolf

    Sorry. There were so many complicated and technical responses to my problem that were beyond our capability to input on this boat either due to cost or availability that I stopped reading many of them.  I wanted a simple, uncomplicated fix to the problem, and that is what I finally received from the 2 technicians at 2 different computer repair stores in Auckland, NZ.   In short:  "You have noise in the electric current on the boat.  Go get a Noise Buster."  That's all we needed to know.  Our little Surge Protector is doing the job. 

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