Apple LED Cinema Display 27" chemical odor

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Level 1

24 points

Apple LED Cinema Display 27" chemical odor

There is much about this display that is wonderful. However.

A serious drawback of the new display is the strong "new electronics" odor, (a.k.a. "new electronics smell" for searches). I hope Apple will take seriously this problem of unpleasant and toxic indoor pollution and improve the PC board cleaning process used in manufacturing so as to leave a lot less residue (and then I want a replacement)!

The problem is that the odor flows into the unit through the grill in the middle of the back of the display and then internally downwards and out from the many tiny holes along the bottom of the unit (faster when the fan revs up). Hot air rises, and since the display is usually tilted back a bit, the odor flows up the front side of the display, in your face, as it were.

I found a workaround that directs that air toward the back instead of toward the front. Much better!

I attached 2" clear tape all the way across the bottom of the front of the display, then wrapped it around to the back, making a semicylindrical channel. Then I attached the tape at three places along the back of the display so as to leave plenty of room for air to escape up the back.

This is only a partial workaround, as the odor fills the room no matter how the exhaust air is redirected as it comes out of the display.

I posted a photo here http://Yost.com/apple27

MC007LL/A, Mac OS X (10.6.4)

Posted on Oct 10, 2010 6:20 PM

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Answer 1

wessew

Level 1

50 points

Oct 10, 2010 6:44 PM in response to daveyostcom

Is this some kind of joke? It seems obvious the unit needs to be returned as defective if what you are reporting is true. Why would you waste time with this kind of a "jury rigged" device? Return it for a new one! If they are all defective, then buy another product!!!

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Answer 2

daveyostcom Author

Level 1

24 points

Oct 10, 2010 6:49 PM in response to wessew

The benefits outweigh the hassle. Except for this problem, this is a GREAT product. Lots of computer equipment has this odor problem. I'll wait for Apple to acknowledge the problem and say that it is fixed.

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Answer 3

Oct 15, 2010 6:50 AM in response to daveyostcom

I just brought the 27" and its a great monitor and I really like it but the chemical odor is very strong, so strong in fact its causing minor respiratory problems. I don't have any allergies whatsoever but within a couple of hours of getting it I started getting mild throat/chest pain. Problem is I'm in a small studio with bad ventilation and the hole room stinks of this new Apple smell. Any idea's how I can reduce it? I've had to go back to laptop only and store the monitor.

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Answer 4

Oct 15, 2010 12:26 PM in response to Robot Human

snifff Mmmm that is the best part of the new display.

No seriously though, I am confident this smell will go away. It's probably just from factory-fresh glues continuing to set and dry. It will probably fade after a few weeks. Until then, you will be high as a kite when playing on your Mac!

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Answer 5

daveyostcom Author

Level 1

24 points

Oct 25, 2010 3:29 PM in response to daveyostcom

Apple reads these discussions! A great guy from AppleCare called me to talk about this. He had me return it at the local store, and they gave me a new one. The new one has the same problem, but it's now evident to me that most of the odor is residue from the adhesive around the edges on the clear protective cover that goes over the front. In fact, the odor is very strong when you just open the box.

This time, I cleaned the adhesive-residue areas several times with generous amounts of Goof-Off (xylene) and then Everclear (ethanol). I got a lot more of it off this time, so the odor is quite a bit less, but it is still there (and moreso the warmer it gets), and I'm using my diverter contraption again.

The representative said they would be investigating this. I hope they get their manufacturer to mend their ways by using nontoxic, low-VOC adhesive and by clearing up any PC board odor problem that might be there.

Message was edited by: daveyostcom

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Answer 6

wessew

Level 1

50 points

Oct 25, 2010 3:44 PM in response to daveyostcom

Very interesting! We all have different tolerances and expectations. I did not find the odor in the least bit objectionable. In my case, it cleared up after a few days...I am pleased to hear that you found a resolution to your problem.

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Answer 7

Nov 1, 2010 2:28 PM in response to daveyostcom

What's wrong with you, I love that smell personally, new-product smell! I hope you don't complain about the new car smell as well.

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Answer 8

Dec 4, 2010 11:57 PM in response to daveyostcom

The smell is so intense on my new display I have unplugged it and gone back to my laptop screen. Has anyone had the experience of the smell actually going away? It seems that people are just suggesting that "it should" or "it will" but I do not see that anyone has actually had a strong smell at first and then experienced it no longer being a problem.

I am also having trouble with my display flickering when it is warm. But I will post to a different thread about that. It seems I am not alone in that problem either.

This is day two of owning/using this display. When it worked well at first I LOVED it. Hope I can get that to reoccur and continue.

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Answer 9

X423424X

Level 6

14,265 points

Dec 5, 2010 2:39 AM in response to IslandOwl

Ok, this discussion has got me curious. You guys who are complaining about the smell. By any chance is the _box and packing materials_ the display came in near by? I say that because, yes, there was a smell when I took my display out of its box. But it wasn't the display that was causing the smell it was all that Styrofoam packing material, particularity that flexible thin stuff they wrap the display in. But even that was hardly noticeable after a day or two -- to me anyway.

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Answer 10

Feb 17, 2011 1:43 AM in response to daveyostcom

I have the same problem as you: brand new LED Cinema Display 27'' which emits very unpleasant (and I hope not toxic) odor, especially when hot.
I also own an iMac, same odor when new but disappeared after few days; instead the LED Cinema Display still continues to emit it even after two weeks of usage … I’m very disappointed, except for this problem it is a great display.

Andrea

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Answer 11

Feb 17, 2011 10:31 AM in response to Andrea_Maticad

My suggestion is to take it back to Apple and ask them to fix or replace it.

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Allan

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Answer 12

Feb 18, 2011 12:22 AM in response to Andrea_Maticad

After further investigation, I've found that 70% of the odor does not come from the display but from the keyboard; I replaced the keyboard and now the situation is a lot better.
I think that Apple uses some cleaning chemical on all of its products, in fact the odor is present in every Apple product I have. Perhaps the keyboard has some plastic or rubber part that absorb a lot of it and it is quite unusable when new; same thing for the display given its big dimensions, but being made of glass the odor goes away sooner.
Thanks
Andrea

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Answer 13

Mar 18, 2011 9:05 AM in response to Andrea_Maticad

I'm also hoping it's not toxic... But i'm worried since I work in a very small office. The smell is really intense and disgusting. Brand new Apple LED 27 just bought in Spain. Let's see what happens in a few days, but considering the ergonomy problems and this kind of chemical emissions I doubt that this thing could pass a security at work audit.

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Answer 14

Mar 27, 2011 8:35 PM in response to David Losada

If you feel that strongly about then take it back to Apple and stop whining.

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Allan

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Answer 15

Mar 28, 2011 1:40 AM in response to Allan Eckert

I would be glad to do it. Unfortunately, I bought it from a reseller that didn't accept returns. So I'm tied to the fumes of this monitor.

On the other hand, are Apple customers supposed to accept everything from Apple without "whining" if they are not up to the minimum quality standard? Is this the new Apple? I don't know you, but after spending €1100 in a product I feel totally entitled to complain if it emit strange fumes strong enough to fill a small room and to irritate my eyes and throat.

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