Macbook Pro charger mystery

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Level 1

4 points

Macbook Pro charger mystery

So... I have been given a Macbook Pro Retina 15" Late 2013 A1398 model.

It came with a 60 W charger which, while it charges the computer, is not the right one for that model and gets extremely hot while charging.

No problem, I thought. I ordered up the correct 85 W charger from Apple, plugged it in, and — nothing. No problem, I thought again. Faulty charger. So I went back to the Apple Store and exchanged it, but when I got the new one home and plugged it in — still nothing.

The 60 W charger still charges and still gets hot — but the Macbook doesn't even recognize the existence of the 85 W charger.

Does anyone have a clue what might be going on please? I really don't want to burn my house down.

MacBook Pro 15″, macOS 10.13

Posted on Apr 14, 2021 4:01 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

HWTech

Community+ 2026

Level 9

74,534 points

Apr 14, 2021 8:28 PM in response to rockbeer

Does the LED on the connector light up at all?

Is your old adapter using a "T" shape or "L" shape connector on the charging cable? The new "L" style connector can easily be prevented from seating correctly if the side of the laptop around the Magsafe port is deformed. There is so little clearance normally, that any deformation of the corner can keep the "L" shaped style connector from mating properly with the port on the laptop. Look closely to make sure you can see the tiniest hairline gap between the connector on the charger and the body of the laptop. Keep in mind even a piece of paper cannot (or barely) fit between the connector and the laptop when the case of the laptop is pristine.

Also make sure to wiggle the connector a bit and try reseating it several times. I find this is necessary a lot of times as the charger doesn't always connect to the magsafe port all the time.

Here is an Apple article for troubleshooting Magsafe charging issues:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203207

There is also a possibility that you may have a bad DC-In Board or Logic Board. Perhaps when using the larger charger the laptop begins pulling more power and that triggers an issue with the protective circuitry whereas the smaller charger isn't able to deliver enough power to trigger this failure.

I must say this is an odd and unusual issue which I've never seen.

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Answer 2

leroydouglas

Level 10

204,924 points

Apr 15, 2021 4:10 AM in response to rockbeer

rockbeer wrote:

I'm not sure how to proceed as the laptop is long out of warranty and a repair such as that is sure to be uneconomic. Perhaps I'm left with using the 60 W charger and keeping a close eye on it in case it overheats.

You proceed by taking it in and getting a bench test, and make you decision after the diagnosis, if you want to proceed with the repair or not...(?)

Any computer repair shop familiar with Macs can do the work for ~$50.00 USD check in deposit to be applied to diagnostic or repair cost if you proceed. If it is the DC - inboard ~$65 USD. Therefore you will have to come to your own conclusion if $115.00 is uneconomical or not.

You can expect 10 days to bench, and same day repair if the part is in stock.

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Answer 3

leroydouglas

Level 10

204,924 points

Apr 14, 2021 4:27 AM in response to rockbeer

rockbeer wrote:

So... I have been given a Macbook Pro Retina 15" Late 2013 A1398 model.

It came with a 60 W charger which, while it charges the computer, is not the right one for that model and gets extremely hot while charging.

No problem, I thought. I ordered up the correct 85 W charger from Apple, plugged it in, and — nothing. No problem, I thought again. Faulty charger. So I went back to the Apple Store and exchanged it, but when I got the new one home and plugged it in — still nothing.

The 60 W charger still charges and still gets hot — but the Macbook doesn't even recognize the existence of the 85 W charger.

Does anyone have a clue what might be going on please? I really don't want to burn my house down.

Find the right power adapter and cable for your Mac notebook ...

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201700

Try resetting the SMC https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201295

Use Apple Diagnostics to test your Mac

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202731

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Answer 4

rockbeer Author

Level 1

4 points

Apr 15, 2021 12:55 AM in response to leroydouglas

@leroydouglas, thanks for your reply. It's definitely the right adaptor. I've reset the SMC multiple times to no effect. Diagnostics does exactly what you would expect: with the 85 W or no power adaptor connected it complains that no adaptor was connected and therefore it could not be tested. With the 60 W adaptor connected, it complains that a 60 W adaptor is connected and tells me it's not the correct charger for the computer.

Helpful as far as it goes I guess – at least it confirms what my eyes are telling me, but I'm no further forward.

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Answer 5

rockbeer Author

Level 1

4 points

Apr 15, 2021 1:08 AM in response to HWTech

@HWTech, many thanks for your helpful reply.

Both the 60 W and 85 W chargers are the T type. I've wiggled the 85 W until I can't wiggle any more. I'm sure it's mating properly. The 60 W connects and lights up immediately with no wiggling required. And of course this is now the second 85 W charger I've tried. I've been using Macbooks with Magsafe chargers for a long time, and always keep the charging port scrupulously clean. I'm certain that the physical connection between the charger and the port isn't the issue.

Obviously it could be a DC-In board or logic board problem, in which case I'm not sure how to proceed as the laptop is long out of warranty and a repair such as that is sure to be uneconomic. Perhaps I'm left with using the 60 W charger and keeping a close eye on it in case it overheats.

Here's the weirdest thing though: just one time, while I was running hardware diagnostics as suggested by leroydouglas above, I plugged the 85 W charger in and it worked. Just once. It was after I'd run the test for the first time with no adaptor connected, and it told me to plug it in. I connected the 85 W and the light came on. Ran diagnostics again and it happily recognised the 85 W charger. All was apparently well. Leaving it connected, I started the laptop, let the OS load, then opened the system report. The charger light stayed on the whole time, the status bar confirmed the battery was charging, and the system report confirmed the 85 W charger was connected. Everything normal. Bravely I unplugged the adaptor, and immediately reconnected it.

Nothing.

That was about half an hour ago. Since then I've plugged and unplugged, connected and reconnected, switched power cables, powered off and on again, run diagnostics with each adaptor and with none. Back where I started – the 60 W wrks fine, but not a blink or a flicker from the 85 W.

Thanks so much for trying to help. This is doing my head in.

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Macbook Pro charger mystery

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