guyfromauckland
Level 1 (4 points)
Servers Enterprise

Q: charger cable fraying

I have had a series of charger cables fraying and bursting the insulation adjacent to the laptop connection. Like, almost all of the type 1 connectors (3 of 5, the busy ones) and now a type 2 within 9 months (1 of 1, also busy) with a new Retina 13. The cat does not eat them.

 

The man at support said I was using them wrong. The charger in question is plugged and unplugged, occasionally for lap tops other than mine (my daughters), and sometimes falls out. I find it hard to imagine what little things I could do to make it better.

 

My question: I would appreciate any tips to avoid charger fraying?

 

What makes this worse? There is no Apple Store in New Zealand. The official service centre said easier to buy one and that they tie little threads around the cables to avoid this problem.They are apparently not authorised to eyeball something and hand over a new one... Apple Support won't ship me one unless they get a credit card bond and I ship back the messed up thing. Oddly enough I have a job (out and about with difficult delivery addresses like hospital intensive care) and couriers only deliver during work hours.

 

My impression is that these cables are delicate and Apple has not fixed this and does not acknowledge this with easy replacement options.

 

Oops sorry about rant, back to question:

 

My question: I would appreciate any tips to avoid charger fraying?

 

Odd that there are products available to... prevent charger cord fraying!

MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch,Early 2015)

Posted on Mar 21, 2016 8:28 PM

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guyfromauckland

Q: charger cable fraying

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  • Helpful answers

  • by K Shaffer,

    K Shaffer K Shaffer Mar 21, 2016 11:47 PM in response to guyfromauckland
    Level 6 (14,350 points)
    Desktops
    Mar 21, 2016 11:47 PM in response to guyfromauckland

    Do you have a few images of the power adapter cable that show

    where this problem occurs, if not in the same place on each one?

     

    There may be a way to get some heat-shrink tubing that could be

    fitted over the areas where the fraying or other damage occurs to

    strengthen it before the problem happens or before it breaks...

     

    Some companies sell repaired MagSafe adapters where you can

    see there was a repair (example, near the mag connector/wire)

    and you tell they used some black heat-shrink tubing. There is a

    certain amount of shrink-ability depending on the type of tubing;

    so it may be possible to attempt to strengthen the cable without

    taking the wire out of the adapter end. Or use a silicone tape that

    can stick to itself, to make a sem-permanent seal instead.

     

    Not sure if you'd looked into these topic threads, or an iFixit article...

     

    • Apple Portables: Troubleshooting MagSafe adapters - Apple Support

     

    • Replace or reconnect of magsafe cable (magsafe takeapart shown)

    https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/MacBook+power+cord+5+pins+Magsafe+

    connector+and+cable+Replacement/21842

     

    • A DIY - repair that someone submitted to iFixit site: (note comments)

    https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Repairing+MagSafe+Connector/1753

     

    The above are included in this link:

    https://www.ifixit.com/Device/Apple_AC_Adapter

     

    There may be a company in Australia that can order you several at less

    cost than from the US, however macsales.com aka OWC has fair prices

    on new MagSafe adapters (before shipping/duty/tax) 85w & other...

    http://eshop.macsales.com/search/magsafe+adapters

     

    A few authorized resellers exist in New Zealand, and a few repair shops.

    That may be an option if they order things in general, to have them get you

    a few spares. For a time I located a few at second-hand thrift stores, cheap.

     

    • Apple - Find Locations - New Zealand: (sales, service, consulting, training)

    https://locate.apple.com/nz/en/

     

    The mag-end has to match the product; in some cases an adapter lets it fit.

    (If you have several cords around, you may be able to make one frankenstein.)

     

    Since these discussions are for the most part, user-to-user and Apple techs

    don't officially present themselves, you are unlikely to directly contact Apple

    in the course of asking or answering questions here. Just thought to mention.

     

    Hopefully you can find a source or somehow modify the cable so they won't fray

    or twist. I've never had troubles with Apple portable power adapter cables. Not

    even the older G4/G3 model adapters. PS: try Self-mending co-axial seal tape?

     

    Good luck & happy computing!

  • by Duane,

    Duane Duane Mar 22, 2016 10:04 AM in response to guyfromauckland
    Level 10 (124,018 points)
    Mar 22, 2016 10:04 AM in response to guyfromauckland

    Someone post this recently -> http://thefrayfix.bigcartel.com/ and it looks like a good preventative.

  • by K Shaffer,

    K Shaffer K Shaffer Mar 22, 2016 12:01 PM in response to Duane
    Level 6 (14,350 points)
    Desktops
    Mar 22, 2016 12:01 PM in response to Duane

    Those look like a fair idea to strengthen the weaker points of the cabling.

     

    For those with weak spots or suspicions of their eventual arrival, a roll of

    the better self fusing silicone tape may do OK; especially if you should have

    a roll on-hand for other purposes. Examples appear via link below:

     

    https://duckduckgo.com/?q=silicone+tape+self+fusing&t=ffsb&ia=products

     

    Since I've used similar tape and have some (again) nearby, note there are

    various grades of like-product; some for outdoor rugged use, & is thicker.

    The fancy clean look of colorful add-on re-enforcement looks nicer, though.

     

    Good luck & happy computing!