Charger dead after Macbook got hot while using it

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Level 1

60 points

Charger dead after Macbook got hot while using it

Hi all,

Last week I was using my laptop and some apps were working hard, and the Macbook got quite hot. The charger was plugged in, and suddenly I noticed it sopped working because the screen light was dim. The light in the charger went Off. As I had enough charge, I disconnected it (it felt really HOT!) and went on with my work. Later I plugged the charger again but it was dead, it didn't work or light up at all.

So I had to rush to an Apple reseller and buy a new one. I already had another one for emergency, but I like to have two, one I use always in a fix place near the TV set in a Henge dock, and other one I can use while in the sofa.

Both chargers are connected to a UPS to avoid any problems.

Now I was deleting a lot of old emails in Apple Mail, and it got hot again, I installed iStats Menus and I know CPU Die sensor was 93ºC. The charger I was using (the second old one I have) just disconnected itself! Just as soon as I noticed, I unplugged it from the Mac and the UPS to let it cool.

Fortunately it still works 😀

My question is, What is happening in my Mac, is this normal or happened to you? This shouldn't be normal at all. I know it can get hot as it disipates the heat through the metal body, but burning chargers like this is a little bit of a problem to me.

Computer is the one in the signature: MacBook Pro (13-inch Late 2011), OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.4).

Please bear with me, as English is not my mother tongue and sometimes I make mistakes.

MacBook Pro (13-inch Late 2011), OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.4)

Posted on Sep 2, 2013 7:38 AM

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Answer 1

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OGELTHORPE

Level 9

57,305 points

Sep 2, 2013 8:19 AM in response to Carola Clavo

Your English is just fine.

You might want to examine the power adapter connection on the MBP and the power adapter it self. Look for any debris or discoloration.

Try a SMC reset:

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht3964

Run an Apple Hardware test and see if it picks up any clues;

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1509

You may need to use OPTION and D keys to start it.

Open Activity Monitor and set it to show ALL PROCESSES and %CPU to display values from high to low. When the MBP gets hot post images of Activity Monitor and iStat menus temperature readings,

Post this from System Information:

If we cannot identify the problem, then the Apple store or AASP will be the place to go.

Ciao.

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Answer 2

Carola Clavo Author

Level 1

60 points

Sep 2, 2013 8:41 AM in response to OGELTHORPE

Thank you for your elaborated reply.

While trying to do the other suggestions, this is the content of Power information (may look a bit different since my System is in Spanish language):

Información de la batería:

Información sobre el modelo:

Número de serie: 9G1400ULMD3MA

Fabricante: DP

Nombre del dispositivo: bq20z451

Pack Lot Code: 0

PCB Lot Code: 0

Versión del firmware: 201

Revisión de hardware: 2

Revisión de celda: 158

Información sobre la carga:

Carga restante (mAh): 4907

Totalmente cargada: No

Cargando: Sí

Capacidad de plena carga (mAh): 5280

Información sobre el estado:

Número de ciclos: 330

Condición: Normal

Batería instalada: Sí

Amperaje (mA): 1180

Voltaje (mV): 12525

Ajustes de alimentación del sistema:

Alimentación de CA:

Temporizador de reposo del sistema (en minutos): 0

Temporizador de reposo del disco (en minutos): 0

Mostrar temporizador de reposo (en minutos): 10

Activar al cambiar el modo de alimentación: No

Activar al abrir la pantalla: Sí

Activar al acceder a la red local: Sí

Fuente de alimentación actual: Sí

El reposo de la pantalla utiliza atenuación: Sí

PrioritizeNetworkReachabilityOverSleep: 0

Standby Delay: 4200

Standby Enabled: 0

Carga de la batería:

Temporizador de reposo del sistema (en minutos): 0

Temporizador de reposo del disco (en minutos): 0

Mostrar temporizador de reposo (en minutos): 1

Activar al cambiar el modo de alimentación: No

Activar al abrir la pantalla: Sí

El reposo de la pantalla utiliza atenuación: Sí

Reducir brillo: Sí

Standby Delay: 4200

Standby Enabled: 0

Configuración del hardware:

SAI instalado: No

Información del cargador CA:

Conectado: Sí

ID: 0x0100

Potencia eléctrica (W): 60

Revisión: 0x0000

Familia: 0x0085

Número de serie: 0x004c32d9

Cargando: Sí

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Answer 3

Carola Clavo Author

Level 1

60 points

Sep 2, 2013 9:57 AM in response to OGELTHORPE

The Hardware Test is fine. I run both, short and long version. Everything seems Ok.

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Answer 4

OGELTHORPE

Level 9

57,305 points

Sep 2, 2013 10:31 AM in response to Carola Clavo

I saw nothing to be concerned about in the Battery Information display. The charger is operating.

It is good that the Hardware Test comes back with no problems.

Have you reset the SMC?

Have you checked the connections for the charger and the MBP?

Is it operating at a hot temperature? If so, post an image of iSat and Activity Monitor, set as previously requested.

Ciao.

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Answer 5

Carola Clavo Author

Level 1

60 points

Sep 2, 2013 12:47 PM in response to OGELTHORPE

Thank you again 🙂

I haven't reset the SMC yet.

I have made the screenshots, but at this time everything is normal. I don't remember what I was doing when the charger was burnt last week, probably using Photoshop and Mail and getting some work done. But in this occasion I checked the Monitor and Apple Mail was consuming at that time 200% CPU! I forced quit and after that it just fine. Maybe this isn't related to last week problems, but I'd like to find out.

One app I found it makes work a lot the CPU is the Upsagent, is the app run by the UPS. You can see it in the Monitor window, and also in the iStat window (change in activity is when I manually quit the process). I've tried to uninstall it but couldn't make it. It is advised to run a uninstall command as a root user and I did it, but uninstallation is not completed so I just kill it manually 😟

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Answer 6

OGELTHORPE

Level 9

57,305 points

Sep 2, 2013 1:07 PM in response to Carola Clavo

I am not familiar with UPS agent application. I suggest contacting the vendor for uninstalling instructions. 33% of CPU is not a serious problem.

The temperature images are somewhat problematic for me. I think I understand the Time Frame graphs, but I see no reference numbers on the CORES exhibits. If you would please, download Temperature Monitor from the Bresink web site. I am familiar with those outputs:

http://www.bresink.com/osx/TemperatureMonitor.html

Do the SMC reset. It is fine to do it more than once, just to be certain.

Since you say the MBP seems to be operating satisfactorily, wait until it becomes hot and then post back. It does not have to be today. I still will get the emails. 🙂

Ciao.

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Answer 7

Carola Clavo Author

Level 1

60 points

Sep 3, 2013 8:40 AM in response to OGELTHORPE

🙂 Great! I downloaded and tried Bresink's app, it works great. At the moment everything looks normal, I don't know what happened days ago, and last week that it got so hot.

Right now the left side of the Macbook is hotter than the right, and next to the charger it feels almost unpleasant to the touch if you stay touching it for a while.

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Answer 8

OGELTHORPE

Level 9

57,305 points

Sep 3, 2013 10:36 AM in response to Carola Clavo

Carola Clavo wrote:

Right now the left side of the Macbook is hotter than the right, and next to the charger it feels almost unpleasant to the touch if you stay touching it for a while.

That is because the 13" MBP has all of the heat producing elements in that area, so that would be expected.

The CPU temperatures that the Bresink readout displays are a touch on the high side, but nothing to be overly concerned about. A warm operating environment may account for some of that.

If you have the time and the patience, open the MBP and inspect the interior for any dust or debris, especially by and in the fan. If so, clean it out. You would need a #00 Phillips driver. Place it on a towel so that you can slide it about easily and make certain that you do not lose any screws. Three of them are longer than the rest, so remember where they came from.

Ciao.

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Answer 9

Carola Clavo Author

Level 1

60 points

Sep 10, 2013 1:39 PM in response to OGELTHORPE

I don't feel brave enough to open it 😀. It is a relatively new computer and has been in a clean home environment. I know there can be surprises, because you believe it is clean and then… a lot of dust gets in the way. I used to clena regularly all of my tower Macs but I'll avoid opening my Macbook. Until the day I have to install a little more RAM in a few months.

This is the output for the last 12 hours. It arrived to 90ºC in one occasion but charger is alive.

Due to a problem with iMessage not able to login, I have done some extreme maintenance to the computer, and also removed upsagent, which only used 33% CPU but when I quit it also lowered the temperature a bit. I don't know if all this is related to this problem but time will tell.

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Answer 10

OGELTHORPE

Level 9

57,305 points

Sep 10, 2013 3:25 PM in response to Carola Clavo

None of the temperatures are lethal, though it does seem a touch on the warm side. I looked at the other discussion and I see you have very able assistance in Linc Davis.

Ciao.

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Answer 11

vj.b

Level 1

25 points

Sep 10, 2013 7:52 PM in response to Carola Clavo

Do you have your charger wrapped up in a blanket or on your bed, or somewhere like that? It seems as though its overheating, and goes into protection mode. Plug in your charger, but leave it in a cool place. If you place it on your bed, or pillow where little venting is, it will stop charging as it overheats.

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Answer 12

Carola Clavo Author

Level 1

60 points

Sep 11, 2013 12:12 AM in response to vj.b

Not wrapped or in wrong places, it is on the ground or over the table.

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Answer 13

Carola Clavo Author

Level 1

60 points

Sep 21, 2013 2:08 PM in response to Carola Clavo

After a few days using it as always, the charger has auto-powered off itself due to high temperatures a couple times. I can say, the Macbook gets hot specially when I use it while it is charging.

A few days ago we were watching a 45 minutes movie, with the Macbook plugged to the TV and to the charger. And in the minute ~40 the screen went black. You have to plug the TV and the charger at the same time to see the screen in the TV with the lid closed. So, the TV went black because the charger went off because the Macbook was hot enough!. I unplugged the charger, and used just the cable to the TV and saw the rest of the film and after that, another 45 minutes movie with the lid a bit open (so I didn't need to plug the charger). It went fine. Maximum temperature after that was 75º C which is fine. The charger only turns off automatically when the Macbook reaches more than 90º C.

So, the problem happens while I'm using the computer with the charger in. I don't do it all the time, because I use to charge it overnight, and use it in the morning until discharged.

I think it will be a good try to use it while charging with another charger (I have two) and see what happens. I should be able to use while charging, shouldn't I?.

If you had read down to here without getting bored, thank you 🙂 I appreciate that.

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Answer 14

vj.b

Level 1

25 points

Sep 25, 2013 10:47 PM in response to Carola Clavo

well it sounds like a hardware problem. I take it your fan works properly? do you hear the fan speed up when the computer gets hot? there can also be dust in the mac that prevents proper cooling. but I doubt that would be the problem. run your movies, and listen for the fan, as your computer heats up, the fan should spin faster, and make a louder sound. It seems as though your mac is going into protection mode, because internal temps are too high.

I'm thinking your fan is not cooling well. Place your mac on the table as well, because the heat is expelled through the back of your mac where the battery is. don't block that area.

If your fan is working fine, and your mac continues to overheat and go into protection mode, then try installing more RAM into your mac. and upgrading the fan. or take it to the apple's genius bar.

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Answer 15

Carola Clavo Author

Level 1

60 points

Sep 26, 2013 2:28 AM in response to vj.b

Hello, thank you for your input!

The fans seem to work properly. I have been using the Macbook with a different charger this days and it is a different computer now. Although I had a temperature rise once, it looks like the other charger may be the culprit. Two days ago ir reached temperatures over 95ºC while encoding video. I think that is a high demanding task, but also it shouldn't get so hot (my guess, maybe in that case is normal).

Since I use this other charger, temp. is ok while playing video, around 70ºC, that makes a difference.

Whenever the heat went up, the fans were working accordingly, so they work.

There is no Genius Bar in my city, but I'll keep using this charger as much as possible and avoid using the other one. Also, in the near future I would like to upgrade the hard disk and put in a SSD, so that will be a chance to improve the performance and also check the fans, and check if there is any dust. Also a little more RAM wont' hurt, although it's got now 4GB and maybe adding more RAM can consume more battery and / or make the system hotter. On the other hand more RAM should also help the CPUs work a little less. Well, you see I'm full of doubts! 😀

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