[Ti] Power adapters

[John Pariseau]

> I have had about 6 of these 65W adapters go bad this year, right in  
> my home. I threw them out and purchased new ones. After it happened  
> twice I knew there was something wrong with this device. Today I  
> remembered to carry my adapter, which worked fine all weekend in  
> Boston, in my small carry-on bag for a flight. In the airport I sat  
> down and plugged into an outlet. When I inserted the power plug  
> into my closed PowerBook I saw it flash green and then go out. The  
> adapter went bad in this instant.
>
> I'm a bit pissed because if it happened to me a half dozen times in  
> a year, it's probably happening to many more.

I have a 550 Mhz (45W?) adapter, and within the year of buying my PB,  
the plastic sleeve popped off the tip - Apple Care covered it. BUT...  
after super-gluing it, it lasted only 1 more year, this time the thin  
cord shorted where it left the adapter.

The one I got from Apple has lasted until now, HOWEVER, now the two  
prong cord that goes into the wall shorted at the prong strain relief  
portion. I have to keep the bloody thing bent at a 90 degree angle to  
use my adapter. The Apple Store couldn't tell me how much the plain  
old cord would cost, but told me they estimated it to be between 20  
and 40 dollars!!!! I got one from someone for free (thanks!). They  
just seem overpriced for how fragile they are (I suppose 3+ years is  
"good" life, but I have a Duo power adapter that still works...).

At work we lost one power brick due to failure (2.5 years old), and I  
know someone who has a 12" Al book that had to replace a shorted cord  
as well. And, I know at work we also went through a few UFO power  
bricks.

A coworker got one of the "early" 3-prong adapters, and his had the  
infamous "doesn't power PowerBook" power adapter where you have to  
unplug the power brick from the wall, and plug it in - can't remember  
if Apple replaced his or not, or how prevalent the problem was.