Apple recalls 'overheating' European USB power adapters - Polidicks

[QUOTE]A European USB iPhone charger sold between October 2009 and September 2012 "may overheat and pose a safety risk", says manufacturer, Apple. The US firm is offering to exchange the defective items free of charge. In an advice note, the company urges those who own the adapter to stop using it, although it says the malfunction only occurs in "rare cases". The model was sold in 37 countries, including some countries in Africa and Asia, but not in the UK. Apple Apple released an image explaining how to identify the adapter The item was shipped with iPhone 3GS, 4 and 4S models, and was also sold as a separate accessory. It was sold in the following countries: Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Vietnam [/QUOTE] [url]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-27834310[/url] [IMG]http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/75500000/jpg/_75500281_82ed2a80-b08d-450c-9eb6-1c31f7d0347d.jpg[/IMG]

Haha so much for apples not getting viruses!!

My Dad's iPad charging unit always feels hot, thought that was normal though

[QUOTE=DrDevil;45092717]Haha so much for apples not getting viruses!![/QUOTE] What?

[QUOTE=fruxodaily;45092786]My Dad's iPad charging unit always feels hot, thought that was normal though[/QUOTE] It is normal for a transformer to get a bit hot, but these are getting [i]too[/i] hot.

[QUOTE=TestECull;45092800]It is normal for a transformer to get a bit hot, but these are getting [i]too[/i] hot.[/QUOTE] Well it's not really hot just warm, it's the heat you'll normally find in a computer power brick

[QUOTE=fruxodaily;45092822]Well it's not really hot just warm, it's the heat you'll normally find in a computer power brick[/QUOTE] If it feels so hot you can't touch it it's alright. When you smell burning and scorching is when you want to nope the hell out of there though.

[QUOTE=fruxodaily;45092786]My Dad's iPad charging unit always feels hot, thought that was normal though[/QUOTE] Theres a fine line between the normal heat of a transformer and "oh god its going to burn my house down". I think the European ones are leaning towards the later.

[QUOTE=fruxodaily;45092822]Well it's not really hot just warm, it's the heat you'll normally find in a computer power brick[/QUOTE] Totally normal though. Shouldn't affect anything other than it's surface temperature

My laptop charger for example is very hot when it's connected to my laptop. Like, I'm sure the thing is over 60c when operating.

Oh hey, I got that one! Maybe I should bother changing it...

[QUOTE=DrDevil;45092717]Haha so much for apples not getting viruses!![/QUOTE] seriously this must be your level of understanding on computer smarts [t]http://i.stack.imgur.com/sgctZ.jpg[/t] [editline]13th June 2014[/editline] [QUOTE=Riller;45092993]Oh hey, I got that one! Maybe I should bother changing it...[/QUOTE] better safe than toasted best change asap imho, warn the store unless they already know

I have one like that, it was never even warm.

I remember at work last year someone plugged in their iPhone wall charger, after a few minutes it literally exploded and came apart, leaving a huge black scorch mark on the wall and just a piece of plastic + metal stuck in the socket.

Just checked our only charger of this kind. It was an A1400. Good. :v:

A1300 represent. I charge everything through my iPad charger anyway, but I'll probably change it for the safe model when I find myself near the service provider.

[QUOTE=Merijnwitje;45092987]My laptop charger for example is very hot when it's connected to my laptop. Like, I'm sure the thing is over 60c when operating.[/QUOTE] Mine has burned the paint off my desk.

[QUOTE=Amiga OS;45094613]Apple USB chargers are among the highest quality you can get, minimum ripple on the DC out, well designed inside. I wouldn't be too concerned.[/QUOTE] Except you know, the fact they are being recalled because they are overheating.

[QUOTE=Soukuw;45094711]Except you know, the fact they are being recalled because they are overheating.[/QUOTE] They're probably overheating when hooked up to dodgy as hell power inputs, likely with overvoltage out of the range they have to support by law

[QUOTE=Tobba;45094721]They're probably overheating when hooked up to dodgy as hell power inputs, likely with overvoltage out of the range they have to support by law[/QUOTE] Because mains electricity is well known for overvoltage

[QUOTE=Tobba;45094721]They're probably overheating when hooked up to dodgy as hell power inputs, likely with overvoltage out of the range they have to support by law[/QUOTE] Doesn't European power sockets have a higher voltage than US and some other countries? I'm not an electricity guru mind you.

[QUOTE=DrDevil;45092717]Haha so much for apples not getting viruses!![/QUOTE] The hell made you think this was software-related?

I have the same charger but luckily it's a "A1400"

[QUOTE=Darkimmortal;45097655]Because mains electricity is well known for overvoltage[/QUOTE] Unsure if sarcastic but it kind of is, depending on where you live in relation to whatever is supplying your power you can get all sorts of ranges.

[QUOTE=Thomo_UK;45097756]Doesn't European power sockets have a higher voltage than US and some other countries? I'm not an electricity guru mind you.[/QUOTE] EU is about 230V (continental I think is 220V and UK is 240V)

[QUOTE=TestECull;45092800]It is normal for a transformer to get a bit hot, but these are getting [i]too[/i] hot.[/QUOTE] It's not normal for things like phone chargers to get warm. If they do get warm, it's indicative whoever made the charger cut as many corners as possible when making it. Most modern USB chargers are just tiny switching power supplies (like ones used in PCs.) Many of the cheap Chinese versions are spec'd to do 1-4A but are actually only built to handle 500ma-1A so at best they shut off, supply dirty DC or have a voltage drop down to nothing. At worst they'll burn or explode. It's easy to find the sketchy units because they'll be very cheap, light as a feather and the materials used feel brittle and look fake. You don't see many companies shipping the old traditional wall warts with linear power supplies because the transformer has to be huge and requires lots of expensive copper wire. There's also the issue of voltage drift over time.

[QUOTE=Amiga OS;45094739]All Apple hardware overheats. The one thing they can't do for shit is thermal design.[/QUOTE] Source?