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My Macbook power cord is frayed.

I just received my Mabook in December and just a few days ago my power cord was connected but no lights were coming on. So upon closer inspection I see that right before the piece that connects to the computer the line is frayed and the wires are exposed. Is it possible to splice it or will I have to order a new one?

Macbook, Mac OS X (10.4.8)

Posted on Jan 29, 2007 9:52 AM

Reply
9 replies

Jan 29, 2007 10:02 AM in response to HLQ

If you just got your MacBook in December... and haven't been pulling it out by the cord as a general way to remove it (you should always remove it by the plug)... your power supply may be defective. You should bring it by an Apple store and have them take a look at it. They're usually pretty good at doing exchanges for things like that.

Jan 29, 2007 1:29 PM in response to rynojoy

If you just see some of the wires, but the insulation around them is in tact, it is probably ok to use... but I would make sure you were around while it's charging. If you see exposed wire, or you're getting intermittent contact by moving the wire, I would NOT use it until you get it replaced. An intermittent connection may be an indication of a broken wire... you may be getting only one or two stands to carry current which can easily overheat causing a burning smell... or possibly a fire. While that is a "worst case" scenario, it's really not worth taking the risk for something which can be replaced with a quick trip to an Apple store.

Feb 5, 2007 5:18 PM in response to HLQ

I've had this happen to my Macbook power cable as well, and when I called Apple today they said I was SOL as it was only covered during the first three months of ownership, and not during the first year as I assumed (I don't have AppleCare on the Macbook yet--my plan was to buy it in April sometime). I'm hoping I'll have better luck if I go to an Apple Store in person.

By the way, while I firmly believe that Apple builds the best laptops on earth, I've had power cords get frayed like this on my previous iBook as well as this Macbook, while it never happened to the otherwise horribly constructed Gateway and Toshiba laptops that I've owned. It wouldn't be so aggravating if there were third-party adapters available (or if Apple didn't charge $80 for replacements), but so it goes.

Feb 7, 2007 5:00 AM in response to andrewjnyc

Andrew... Let us know how you make out at the store. Unless you did something to damage it, the one year warranty should apply not only to your MacBook, but also to your power supply. A frayed wire(s) is a potential fire hazard as well. I've never heard of the power supply being under warranty for only 90 days. Also, it sounds as if they said that they would have replaced it if it was within what they "considered" the warranty period (90 days) which indicates that it is covered under the warranty. You should be able to get it replaced under the actual one year warranty.

Jun 18, 2007 8:41 PM in response to JoeyR

Ive just noticed I have the same power cord problem. I plugged in the cord into my macbook and noticed that the light did not turn on. Upon closer inspection I noticed the wire was frayed and was real hot. I have not moved my power adapter or have had something happen for it to be that bad. Im not sure if Im still under my 1 year warranty plan thing, but I was wondering if I took it into the apple store they would still replace it. So if anyone has been in this situation and knows the best option, besides spending the 80 bucks for a new one I would greatly appreciate it.

Sep 2, 2007 6:59 AM in response to ChadJust86

I have the exact same problem. This is clearly a design flaw. 😟
I went through 5 power cords on my iBook over the 4 years I had it, and no, I didn't mistreat them and was always very careful. At $80 a pop, that's a lot to shell out for a power cord.

Got the Macbook last October - would the power cord still be covered??

My Macbook power cord is frayed.

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