In this particular case, unlike Li-ion battery packs, I would bet that 99% of the issues are caused by improper use/damage by users. I mean these chargers are pretty low-amp and for such a high-profile device I've never seen any articles about issues with the chargers - and they've been out for years. Kudos to Anton for pointing out that you shouldn't wrap the cords too tight - I see this all the time and it makes me cringe. I know people that have crippled console controller cords this way, they wrap them up tight whenever they put them away. I only ever wrapped them loosely - thankfully most controllers are wireless now. :P
To clarify my particular case, the problem was not the adapter itself, nor the way the cord gets wrapped for storage or transport, but the way it bends right under the connector while it is plugged in the tablet.
Since the options are only up or down, and power outlets are usually in a direction more like backwards, left or right of tables, beds and other places where tablets get used instead of directly above or below them, your comment is stupid.
I always run my cable in such a way that it doesn't bend sharply at the connector. I can't see a situation where I would need to do otherwise... unless I was plugging it in and stretching it to the max reach. Extension cord? Seriously I don't see how you could be doing that. I let the cable have a little slack. Same for any device even microUSB - if I have the cord at a bad angle, I let it have a little slack so it's not making any tight bends at the connector itself.
You seem to be having a comprehension problem. The cable does not make tight bends, the cable is used normally with the usual bends you expect and it eventually breaks from those, over the course of months of use.
I already replaced my SP2 cable with some chinese knockoff, because it tore itself from bending right under the connector after a couple years of use. First went the rubber insulation, later the wire mesh shielding and eventually the cables inside it as well. I don't think it was heating up unusually before the physical damage, if anyone is worried from that. And after the physical damage, it's only natural. When they say a potential fire hazard, many people would probably imagine some spontaneous and unexpected failure and that can be very worrying, but if what they actually mean is the same thing that happened to mine, at least its a gradual and apparent process.
The PSU they shipped with the Surface RT also sucks badly. There's plenty of stray voltage coming over the magnetic connector which is directly fed into metal case to deliver a nice tingle when touching and a sparkle when connecting. However I've a feeling they don't give a crap about that...
That problem has been going on since the original models were released. The Surface Pro did it, I assume the Surface Pro 2 did it and the Surface Pro 3 sure as hell does it too.
There has not been a single report of that in our Surface Pro 3 deployment, nor have I experienced it with my person device. It is possible that the problem requires bad building wiring, or was corrected with the 3 design change.
I've never seen any sparking with my SP2, but the tingle is there. As with about 99% of metal case laptops I've reviewed when I was working as a tech journalist.
Any gear which has a grounded PSU should not any stray voltage on the case. Both the MBP and the ZenBook here are completely fine in that regard when using a 3-prong plug, if not then they're still fine on their own but there will be a potential difference if you touch both of them at the same time causing tingle.
The Surface RT (although connected using a 3-prong plug) always causes tingle on it's own. It's actually so bad that moving the finger over the metal surface makes it feel like rubber which I haven't seen/felt in any other device. Hence I'm only able to use it on a grounded metal surface when plugged in or disconnected. Quite possibly the forced grounding is also the reason for the sparking.
Yikes I never had this issue. The only complaint I had is that sometimes it's a little tricky to get it to click in place just right, particularly in low-light conditions. I attribute that to the angle of the edges more than anything.
High profile device. Out for several years. No high profile media coverage prior to Microsoft making the decision to recall. Reasonable (though not accurate) assumption that damage could have been caused by abuse / misuse.
I can think of at least one ;'/ company that would not have bothered to recall in this circumstance. I'm going to give Microsoft full points on this one. Nobody called them out on it. Even if someone had, there is a believable (not to be confused with accurate) line of thought that suggests they are not responsible. They could have let this one slide and it is unlikely that it would have "surfaced". Kudos to them for fixing it of their own volition. (Even if only to maintain the perception of a premium product)
Damage can be caused with minimal use, it's just an inherently bad cable design.
That said, Microsoft already replaced these bricks for free (and let you keep the defective one) before this announcement, regardless of the warranty status, so they are definitely cool in my book (even with one brick already having to be replaced)
"Keeping in mind that so far, there have been no reports about overheating cables or PSUs of Microsoft’s Surface Pro tablets, the cables should be generally safe to use"
Says who? If you give me shipping fees I'll send you a defective power supply that overheats at the plug!
The main issue is a very stupid connector design, which is basically a loose cable inside the connector housing. It's not mechanically limited, and can actually cause the shielding (which is likely also live ground) to become exposed and possibly some of the internal cables to disconnect as well.
Because of the way the connector is designed (long and thin with the cable coming out of one end), there's little choice but to have the cable bend to and fro as you use it. My first one didn't last a year, and I looped my second one into that little hook thing. I tied it there with some floss to make sure it stayed. That solution worked for over a year, but then the plastic face holding the steel crumbled away and the wiring of the connector head was exposed.
Frankly, I'm dismayed by the construction of these adapters. It would have made sense to make the thin cable replaceable, too, and just have those ends in abundance at stores across the world.
The article makes it sound like this recall might be for only the AC cable, which would be pointless. Hopefully I can get the whole brick replaced, because otherwise I'm looking at shelling out yet another $80 or letting the whole system die once my current cable stops working (or melts down entirely―the remaining plastic is already warping from the heat).
Your 'across the world' comment makes me think you may not be US based... however, if you are close to a Microsoft store, I can practically guarantee they would replace your charger no questions asked.
Microsoft tried to make a premium product but the end result is an epic failure poor QC and poor Design and they use cheap suppliers this is yet another one to add on the list....they should recall or offer a refund to all the poor people that purchased the MS Touch/Type Wireless Keyboard adapter...their cheap manufacturer used a Ni-cad rechargeable battery in it instead of Lithium Ion the damn thing is next to useless after a couple of months use as the Ni-cad battery's charge life is drastically reduced plus Ni-cad has next to no shelf life charge retention losing at least 1% / hour when not in use. They are cutting corners with cheap suppliers and still charging premium prices. The return rate was so bad on it that it is not sold in the regular stores anymore (like BestBuy ect) you can only get it directly from Microsoft now because all the stores were returning them.
(I followed the process, and apparently it's only the useless AC cable they're replacing. They will still try to replace heavily-damaged power supplies, though, if they're suddenly sparking or melting. You'll need to call them and have them escalate the issue, though, and you'll need to have the hardware so you can give them the IDs.)
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28 Comments
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Alexvrb - Wednesday, January 20, 2016 - link
In this particular case, unlike Li-ion battery packs, I would bet that 99% of the issues are caused by improper use/damage by users. I mean these chargers are pretty low-amp and for such a high-profile device I've never seen any articles about issues with the chargers - and they've been out for years. Kudos to Anton for pointing out that you shouldn't wrap the cords too tight - I see this all the time and it makes me cringe. I know people that have crippled console controller cords this way, they wrap them up tight whenever they put them away. I only ever wrapped them loosely - thankfully most controllers are wireless now. :PVisual - Thursday, January 21, 2016 - link
To clarify my particular case, the problem was not the adapter itself, nor the way the cord gets wrapped for storage or transport, but the way it bends right under the connector while it is plugged in the tablet.damianrobertjones - Thursday, January 21, 2016 - link
Hence why I always place the charger in the appropriate way (Up or facing down) when using my SP4.Visual - Thursday, January 21, 2016 - link
Since the options are only up or down, and power outlets are usually in a direction more like backwards, left or right of tables, beds and other places where tablets get used instead of directly above or below them, your comment is stupid.mkozakewich - Thursday, January 21, 2016 - link
If you angle it up, gravity bends the cord. If you angle it down, the table bends the cord. Lose-lose.Alexvrb - Saturday, January 23, 2016 - link
I always run my cable in such a way that it doesn't bend sharply at the connector. I can't see a situation where I would need to do otherwise... unless I was plugging it in and stretching it to the max reach. Extension cord? Seriously I don't see how you could be doing that. I let the cable have a little slack. Same for any device even microUSB - if I have the cord at a bad angle, I let it have a little slack so it's not making any tight bends at the connector itself.Visual - Monday, January 25, 2016 - link
You seem to be having a comprehension problem. The cable does not make tight bends, the cable is used normally with the usual bends you expect and it eventually breaks from those, over the course of months of use.MikeMurphy - Thursday, January 21, 2016 - link
Cord loops should be about the size of your foot print. Never had a cable go bad on me.nagi603 - Thursday, January 21, 2016 - link
Damnit. I hope they will post to all countries...Visual - Thursday, January 21, 2016 - link
I already replaced my SP2 cable with some chinese knockoff, because it tore itself from bending right under the connector after a couple years of use. First went the rubber insulation, later the wire mesh shielding and eventually the cables inside it as well.I don't think it was heating up unusually before the physical damage, if anyone is worried from that. And after the physical damage, it's only natural.
When they say a potential fire hazard, many people would probably imagine some spontaneous and unexpected failure and that can be very worrying, but if what they actually mean is the same thing that happened to mine, at least its a gradual and apparent process.
Daniel Egger - Thursday, January 21, 2016 - link
The PSU they shipped with the Surface RT also sucks badly. There's plenty of stray voltage coming over the magnetic connector which is directly fed into metal case to deliver a nice tingle when touching and a sparkle when connecting. However I've a feeling they don't give a crap about that...ericloewe - Thursday, January 21, 2016 - link
That problem has been going on since the original models were released. The Surface Pro did it, I assume the Surface Pro 2 did it and the Surface Pro 3 sure as hell does it too.NonSequitor - Thursday, January 21, 2016 - link
There has not been a single report of that in our Surface Pro 3 deployment, nor have I experienced it with my person device. It is possible that the problem requires bad building wiring, or was corrected with the 3 design change.nagi603 - Thursday, January 21, 2016 - link
I've never seen any sparking with my SP2, but the tingle is there. As with about 99% of metal case laptops I've reviewed when I was working as a tech journalist.Daniel Egger - Friday, January 22, 2016 - link
Any gear which has a grounded PSU should not any stray voltage on the case. Both the MBP and the ZenBook here are completely fine in that regard when using a 3-prong plug, if not then they're still fine on their own but there will be a potential difference if you touch both of them at the same time causing tingle.The Surface RT (although connected using a 3-prong plug) always causes tingle on it's own. It's actually so bad that moving the finger over the metal surface makes it feel like rubber which I haven't seen/felt in any other device. Hence I'm only able to use it on a grounded metal surface when plugged in or disconnected. Quite possibly the forced grounding is also the reason for the sparking.
Alexvrb - Saturday, January 23, 2016 - link
Yikes I never had this issue. The only complaint I had is that sometimes it's a little tricky to get it to click in place just right, particularly in low-light conditions. I attribute that to the angle of the edges more than anything.BurntMyBacon - Thursday, January 21, 2016 - link
High profile device.Out for several years.
No high profile media coverage prior to Microsoft making the decision to recall.
Reasonable (though not accurate) assumption that damage could have been caused by abuse / misuse.
I can think of at least one ;'/ company that would not have bothered to recall in this circumstance. I'm going to give Microsoft full points on this one. Nobody called them out on it. Even if someone had, there is a believable (not to be confused with accurate) line of thought that suggests they are not responsible. They could have let this one slide and it is unlikely that it would have "surfaced". Kudos to them for fixing it of their own volition. (Even if only to maintain the perception of a premium product)
basroil - Thursday, January 21, 2016 - link
Damage can be caused with minimal use, it's just an inherently bad cable design.That said, Microsoft already replaced these bricks for free (and let you keep the defective one) before this announcement, regardless of the warranty status, so they are definitely cool in my book (even with one brick already having to be replaced)
Murloc - Thursday, January 21, 2016 - link
most people will not actually hear about this anyway.basroil - Thursday, January 21, 2016 - link
"Keeping in mind that so far, there have been no reports about overheating cables or PSUs of Microsoft’s Surface Pro tablets, the cables should be generally safe to use"Says who? If you give me shipping fees I'll send you a defective power supply that overheats at the plug!
The main issue is a very stupid connector design, which is basically a loose cable inside the connector housing. It's not mechanically limited, and can actually cause the shielding (which is likely also live ground) to become exposed and possibly some of the internal cables to disconnect as well.
mkozakewich - Thursday, January 21, 2016 - link
Because of the way the connector is designed (long and thin with the cable coming out of one end), there's little choice but to have the cable bend to and fro as you use it. My first one didn't last a year, and I looped my second one into that little hook thing. I tied it there with some floss to make sure it stayed. That solution worked for over a year, but then the plastic face holding the steel crumbled away and the wiring of the connector head was exposed.Frankly, I'm dismayed by the construction of these adapters. It would have made sense to make the thin cable replaceable, too, and just have those ends in abundance at stores across the world.
The article makes it sound like this recall might be for only the AC cable, which would be pointless. Hopefully I can get the whole brick replaced, because otherwise I'm looking at shelling out yet another $80 or letting the whole system die once my current cable stops working (or melts down entirely―the remaining plastic is already warping from the heat).
thetuna - Thursday, January 21, 2016 - link
Your 'across the world' comment makes me think you may not be US based... however, if you are close to a Microsoft store, I can practically guarantee they would replace your charger no questions asked.mkozakewich - Thursday, January 21, 2016 - link
They don't have a store in my city, unfortunately.NYC Tech - Thursday, January 21, 2016 - link
Microsoft tried to make a premium product but the end result is an epic failure poor QC and poor Design and they use cheap suppliers this is yet another one to add on the list....they should recall or offer a refund to all the poor people that purchased the MS Touch/Type Wireless Keyboard adapter...their cheap manufacturer used a Ni-cad rechargeable battery in it instead of Lithium Ion the damn thing is next to useless after a couple of months use as the Ni-cad battery's charge life is drastically reduced plus Ni-cad has next to no shelf life charge retention losing at least 1% / hour when not in use. They are cutting corners with cheap suppliers and still charging premium prices. The return rate was so bad on it that it is not sold in the regular stores anymore (like BestBuy ect) you can only get it directly from Microsoft now because all the stores were returning them.NonSequitor - Friday, January 22, 2016 - link
It's strange, then, that we have had non of them go bad in a deployment of 25 Surface Pro 3s.NonSequitor - Friday, January 22, 2016 - link
*none. Why is it I always notice typos after hitting Submit?mkozakewich - Thursday, January 21, 2016 - link
(I followed the process, and apparently it's only the useless AC cable they're replacing. They will still try to replace heavily-damaged power supplies, though, if they're suddenly sparking or melting. You'll need to call them and have them escalate the issue, though, and you'll need to have the hardware so you can give them the IDs.)vaporcobra - Friday, January 22, 2016 - link
mayyyyy have submitted three separate orders... Appears to be working thus far.