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Macbook Air - Intermittently Charging , Now not at all

Hi all,


I own a Macbook 13 inch air which I purchased in early 2012. My problem lies with the charging of my laptop.


The symtoms;


Macbook intermittently charges, but is now not charging at all

Mag connector is not showing any lights (being green or orange)

Laptop shows no charge increase with mag attached and no light


Took laptop into my apple store and they ran a 'diagnostic test' which showed everything as OK . I also noted that as soon as they plugged the laptop in the charger started charging the battery.


I then took my laptop home frustrated, after trying for the last week to get it to charge with no success. I plugged the laptop in and it started charging. Unusual i thought!


However now the same problem has came along again, with my laptop not charging and the mag light not glowing any colour.


Is this a hardware fault perhaps?


My software is up to date.


I have tried multiple known working plugs around the house.


The power adaptor is in excellent condition, it just sits in the same place and is never wrapped up etc and looks in perfect condition.


The power plug on laptop and mag are both clean.


Im really struggling to find any info as to what is wrong?


Any ideas?


Much thanks in advanced,

Flipstick476

MacBook Air, iOS 5.1.1

Posted on Sep 4, 2012 1:22 AM

Reply
118 replies

Aug 2, 2017 3:36 AM in response to Flipstick476

Weird.

I was having the same issue. So I figured out there's definitely something wrong with my adapter. Cross-checked with my friend's charger and it worked fine with his charger. I left my MBA and the charger on my bag thinking of visiting an Apple service soon.

Three days later, I am ready to go visit the service centre now. I don't know but I thought of giving the charger one last shot and voila, it worked.

I'm still very unclear what is wrong here. I contacted Apple via chat and they couldn't figure this out. Mind you, that I have done all troubleshooting regarding my MagSafe adapter and all solutions provided in every thread. It all failed. My laptop is just two months old so I really do not know what is wrong?

I want Apple to provide a clear explanation here?

Sep 20, 2017 2:40 PM in response to Flipstick476

Well, I have (HAD?) a similar problem. If my MagSafe was plugged in, the battery icon on screen said it was charging, and the screen brightened up like it was charging, but my battery percentage never increased. (and I never pay attention to the led on the MagSafe. That seems worthless.) If I plugged it in at 36%, it didn't lose charge, but it never went beyond 36%. VERY FRUSTRATING...I can't stay at 36% forever!
But I tried the hilariously silly hair dryer suggestion and voîla! it is now working!


Can someone/anyone PLEASE explain why a $1000 computer has a problem and the fix is a f**king hair dryer?? Seems pretty lame and low-tech for Apple to have this issue resolved this way. I'd love a decent explanation. Thank you.

Oct 25, 2017 10:28 AM in response to leeyisu

Wow...just wow. Like farleftlane said, it boggles my **** mind that after I paid AUD$1,300 for this laptop, this kind of **** what I have to put up with from a supposedly "superior" product. It's the general consensus among IT professionals (and many other geeks) that Apple notebooks are the "best" on the market, and "well-worth" the extra expense...I find this absolutely absurd!


Granted, my Mid-2013 13" MBA is now 4 years old, but after taking it to a "Genius" bar and having them look at it (and two different chargers with which I've had this problem), I was actually shocked when they didn't take that as a perfect opportunity to upsell me a new Mac. Instead, they told me that it was still well-within its feasible life span. All hardware diagnostic tests passed with flying colours and the battery had only been through 50% of the acceptable charge cycles before they would deem it replacable under warranty. Of course, my warranty had long-expired by then anyway, but that's the reasoning that they used to suggest that I just stick with it.


That was roughly 6 months - 1 year ago (please excuse my spotty memory) and the problem has gotten worse. Now every time I plug in any charger, from any wall outlet, I have to fiddle with the MagSafe 2 adapter for anywhere between 30 seconds - 5 minutes to get the charging light to come on. This involves unplugging and re-plugging it in at the computer end, turning it 180 degrees, and manipulating the cord at various angles before a green light will eventually come on and turn to orange after 5 seconds or so. Over the last few days, I've noticed that this has gotten worse still in that the light will stay green for roughly a full minute before the computer/charger finally realises that the battery level is below 100%.


I haven't tried a SMC reset, nor the ludicrous hair dryer solution that worked for others. I will try those the next time it needs charging. But this is just such a frustrating issue that I thought I'd add my 2 cents to the conversation, in the hope that an Apple employee will eventually notice it and help us all who are still struggling (and will undoubtably struggle in the future) with this crazy problem.


I will also add that once I finally get the charger to work, the slightest move can (not always, but more-often-than-not) start the whole process over again, whereby I have to fiddle with the adapter to get it to start charging again.


I'm not an electrician, but I'm pretty sure that this is not an issue with the wall outlets or the wiring in my house or anything like that. How could it be, when every other appliance and device works flawlessly? I do use a lot of power boards, which usually have lots of other devices plugged into them, but I doubt that could be a cause for this. Even the Apple Genius that I spoke to denied that as a possibility.


To those who got this far in my post, many apologies for the long-winded rant. I just find this issue so utterly unbelievable and inexcusable that I'm at my wits end, and needed to vent to somebody who might care. I also really hope that if enough of us complain about this, Apple will take notice and fix their dodgy chargers that cost way too much (like all their products and accessories). Many thanks to those still reading, and best of luck :-)


<Edited by Host>

Sep 6, 2012 2:50 AM in response to carl wolf

Hi there,

Sorry for not being clear enough with my problem. To answer the above questions ;


My local apple store DID test my own laptop and charger. They both worked 'without fault' at the time - typical !


The power adaptor works sometimes, about 10 percent of the time actually. Unplugging the charger / re plugging the charger / trying the charger on several different power points / plugging charger in at wall and computer and visa versa does not charge the laptop.


I have noticed in the dark i can sometimes see a wee spark as the mag is connected to the laptop, so i presume this means the charger works fine or at least has power surging through it. This also backs up the apple tech's hardware test showing that the charger is in good order.


Unsure what else to do, at this stage looks like i will have to take the laptop back to the apple store again and hope for a negative result so I can get this problem resolved .

Sep 21, 2012 2:57 PM in response to Flipstick476

My early 2012 macbook air is having the same problem. Charger intermittantly charges the laptop. Electricity is flowing from the charger because when I plug it in the symbol on the laptop shows the charge symbol. However when clicking on the icon it says "battery is not charging" power source is power adapter.


This is really frustrating because I need to charge my laptop and often times I will leave and it is still out of power.


I have not tried to take it to the Apple store yet. Have tried unplugging and replugging, updating software and firmwire. Not sure what else to do.


Please help!


Matt

Sep 22, 2012 3:28 AM in response to mdecelles

Hi there,


I ended up taking my laptop in to my local apple store after much frustration with a similar case to yours. The 'technician' said the laptop had to fail a hardware test they run on the laptop there in order to log a fault and replace parts under warranty, they then proceeded to plug the laptop in and my charger worked!


I ended up taking my laptop home, and it appeared the charger was functioning correctly once again.


A few days later, same problem! I took it back to the apple store and thankfully it showed there was a fault in my charger, this was then replaced under warranty (9 days left to go, phew! )


Best option would be to take it in to your local store is my advice, good luck!

Nov 20, 2012 8:05 AM in response to RandomAragorn

I am having this exact same problem and it's been going on intermittently for a few months. Sometimes when I plug the charger into the laptop no light appears. I've tried using different outlets all with the same problem. Then, when I'm just about to lose hope and head to the Apple store it lights up mysteriously. I'm wondering if it's possible that the charge gets so low in the laptop that it takes time before the charger lights up? Or perhaps my charger is going bad. What I'm afraid of is that this will happen exactly when I need the laptop the most and the inability to charge it is just not acceptable.


If anyone has diagnosed this problem please speak up.

Dec 11, 2012 6:04 PM in response to calfmac

I am having the exact same problem; early 2012 mac book air (11.6 inch); charges in seemingly random and unpredictable ways; at times it will start charging after 3-10 or so min of being plugged in, and sometimes, like today, it won't start at all (even though battery is at ~70% in either scenario). Any solutions so far? The cabling in the cord per se is not broken, as when it does start charging, it happens on its own (i.e., independent of any mechanical intervention).


The power cord that came with my 2007 mac book pro, on the other hand, is always able to get this macbook air to charge... Is permanently switching power cords a (non-ideal) solution? I.e., are there any cons to switching to a power cord from an older computer?

Dec 22, 2012 7:04 PM in response to regilapa

One more here in the "me too" category.


11 inch Macbook air. The Charger worked fine for months. Now, about 60% of the time, if I connect the power cord, no indicator light, and obviously no charging. I also note the charger brick itself does not get the slightest bit warm. If I leave the power cord plugged in (Sometimes for more than an hour) it will rectify itself, given time. Its very strange.


I have no access to another charger yet, so I can not test this, but multiple sockets including home and work, ruling out issues at the source.


So, the scenario is the power cord, plugged in, no light, no charging. Left alone (and I have repeated this at least 20 times now) the light eventually comes on, charging begins and all is well.


The only variable that I can think of is room temperature. Which I dont think should vary too much in the rooms that i have been in.

Dec 25, 2012 12:05 PM in response to stone4345

I can't believe it - I was having the 'no charging' problem and I took your blow drying advice and it starting charging a minute later. Go figure, and I live in SoCal. I started having intermittent charging problems beginning about a month or so ago. tried different outlets, reconnecting power from mac side and outlet side, etc. Thanks for the hot tip, Stone.

Macbook Air - Intermittently Charging , Now not at all

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