How long do Macbook charger last? (Magsafe 2)

Question

Cyflor-N-Ac Author

Level 1

25 points

How long do Macbook charger last? (Magsafe 2)

My Magsafe 2 charger that came with my Macbook Air 2017 model - I wanna know how long it lasts.

Yes, I handle it with the highest care I can give it;

I left the power brick exposed to the air when charging

I don't tightly wrap around the cords when charging or when storing it.

I try not to put stress on the cords by unplugging the charger head properly.

I do keep my Macbook plugged in whenever I am using it. So I could say it's charger is being used at least 8 hours a day, with staying it unplugged overnight and whenever not used, which is typically 1 - 2 hours a day.

So on average, how long will my charger last? I'm trying my best to avoid any physical damage on the cords or the charger.

Will it last long enough to charge my Mac properly for its entire lifespan? At what point does it usually have problems?

My charger does not have any problems so far. It does have a yellow color In the cords. And the charger head gets really warm when charging the battery (which should be normal considering it is also made out of aluminum too) and it takes about a second or 2 before the green LED light comes on and charges the battery after plugging it in.

Though there was a situation where i accidentally left my hot adapter sitting in a box with crayons which definitely sticked to the power brick, fortunately it did not touch the connectors inside. I immediately scraped off all the crayons in the outside and cleaned out the inside after a few months.

Here is a picture about a few months after it happened. I hope my charger is okay, it's been through alot :P

But aside from those, i dont have any other problems with it. Hopefully it stays as long as my Mac long before i have any problems with it.

MacBook Air

Posted on Oct 16, 2022 6:22 AM

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Answer 1

Oct 18, 2022 5:56 PM in response to Cyflor-N-Ac

I'm still using chargers that I acquired many years ago from other people who said they were bad. Some of them are the original Magsafe 1 chargers with the old style "T" connector which was the original design before Apple changed the Magsafe 1 chargers to the "L" shaped connectors.

FYI, the Duckhead adapter shown in your right hand in the picture is actually the weakest link there. I actually prefer using the Apple AC Cord (aka Power Extension Cord) instead because it is grounded and provides extra length (not grounded in some regions). I have found the Duckhead adapter tends to arc at the pivot point and doesn't work well except when plugged into a wall outlet with the brick on the bottom, otherwise I find the charger tends to pull from the socket and/or bends the prongs.

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Answer 2

Oct 19, 2022 6:17 AM in response to Cyflor-N-Ac

As long as all the contacts are clear it should be fine, but if the contacts cannot be verified clear, then it is best to err on the side of caution and dispose of the charger and/or Duckhead adapter. However, you may want to replace the Duckhead adapter if any of the wax got around the prongs at all since you cannnot see the pivot points clearly and those pivot points is where electrical contact is made. There also appears to be some wax around the circular grounding lug on the brick itself you should try cleaning especially if you use an AC cord which is grounded.

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Answer 3

AnnieL2

Community Specialist

Oct 17, 2022 12:31 PM in response to Cyflor-N-Ac

Salutations Cyflor-N-Ac,

We’re unable to predict or offer a timeline on hardware failure for a device or accessory. Physical damage, such as what you’re describing with the melted wax, can certainly lend itself towards causing a hardware issue but you've indicated all is working fine.

Should you encounter an issue, the community will be glad to assist. Likewise you can reach out to Apple Support for assistance - Contact Apple Support

Thanks.

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Answer 4

Cyflor-N-Ac Author

Level 1

25 points

Oct 18, 2022 7:50 PM in response to HWTech

Hi HWTech.

I normally use my charger on an elevated power strip placed horizontally. i make sure the cords are not stressed too much during plugged in.

About the melted wax, should I be fine? i immediately scraped all of it off the next morning it happened and it did not go to the connectors inside, only the plastic. I made sure it's all clean now. Am I safe or will the charger fail soon because of the damage?

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