Is my laptop dangerously hot?

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Rikkitic

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#316075 13-Sep-2024 19:13

I have an older MacBook Air I use for email. It has one of those Apple magnetic charging connectors. Until now I have not noticed anything unusual about this but tonight the connector and the area around it seemed extremely hot, to the point that I had to let go of the connector. I am wondering if this is unusual and if it is something I should be concerned about. I disconnected the cable and am using the laptop at the moment. Everything has cooled back to normal. I don't normally charge the laptop if I am not around, mainly due to caution about the battery and I will now keep a close eye on it, but I wonder if this could be a serious issue. I'm not sure how hot it is supposed to get, but it did seem excessive.

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#3281855 13-Sep-2024 19:38

did you get an actual reading of the temp?

poor connection could cause excessive heat, but without a real reading.....

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Rikkitic

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#3281864 13-Sep-2024 19:51

It nearly burned me or at least felt like it when I touched the connector so I pulled it out. I just use the laptop for email and am not really familiar with it so not sure how to do a temperature reading or if I have to download something for that.

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networkn

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#3281943 14-Sep-2024 09:16

Rikkitic:

It nearly burned me or at least felt like it when I touched the connector so I pulled it out. I just use the laptop for email and am not really familiar with it so not sure how to do a temperature reading or if I have to download something for that.

Too hot to comfortably hold is too hot.

Behodar

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#3281994 14-Sep-2024 09:50

Definitely agree. I have an old 2015 model and while it certainly gets warm up there, it's warm as in "nice to put your fingers there in winter". It sounds like something's seriously wrong if it's getting into potential burn territory.

"sudo powermetrics" will get you various temperatures on recent systems, but I'm not sure whether it works on older ones.

Example from mine:

**** SMC sensors ****

CPU Thermal level: 0
GPU Thermal level: 0
IO Thermal level: 0
CPU die temperature: 47.34 C
GPU die temperature: 46.00 C
CPU Plimit: 0.00
GPU Plimit (Int): 0.00 
GPU2 Plimit (Ext1): 0.00

networkn

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#3282050 14-Sep-2024 10:54

I'd go so far as to suggest not leaving it charging unattended.

If you post the model number, it might be a known issue.

Maybe give a few of the larger repair centers (post warranty) a call and see if they have seen it before and can indicate what a repair might entail.

gzt

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#3282074 14-Sep-2024 11:53

>> I have an older MacBook Air I use for email. It has one of those Apple magnetic charging connectors.

Give both surfaces a good clean with isopropol and give it a day and make sure it is fully dry before you charge again. It's unlikely to be a cause just worth trying.

>> Until now I have not noticed anything unusual about this but tonight the connector and the area around it seemed extremely hot,

>> to the point that I had to let go of the connector. I am wondering if this is unusual and if it is something I should be concerned about.

>> I disconnected the cable and am using the laptop at the moment. Everything has cooled back to normal.

Devices tend to get hotter when charging from flat. Was the battery flat when you were both using it and charging it?

>> I don't normally charge the laptop if I am not around, mainly due to caution about the battery and I will now keep a close eye on it,

Imo it's a bad idea to use a device and charge it at the same time. In theory they should be designed to cope with the additional head this generates. In practice I'm not convinced. Imo this has been recognized with the implementation of smart charging in recent years designed to charge slowly unless you really need a fast charge.

>> but I wonder if this could be a serious issue. I'm not sure how hot it is supposed to get, but it did seem excessive.

In a possible fault scenario two things come to mind

The battery may be end of life and requires additional charging current
There may be a fault or wear in the charging connector increasing resistance and dissipated as heat

The first thing to try initially is - don't charge it while you're using it. That is the maximum power use condition.

Rikkitic

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#3282075 14-Sep-2024 11:54

I haven't tried putting it back on the charger again yet, though I will have to at some point. I generally don't let devices charge unattended anyway and I certainly won't with this one! It is possible (as someone suggested) that the contacts may just have been experiencing resistance due to dirt. I will clean them with isopropyl alcohol and check carefully when I charge it again.

I checked the info on the computer and it says this is a Macbook Air from 2014. I found a miniscule model number on the bottom, A1466. That is about all I know about it. I am not an Apple person and I only use this one, which I inherited, for email.

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gzt

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#3282079 14-Sep-2024 12:07

This might provide an interesting indication for battery - https://coconut-flavour.com/coconutbattery/

It reports battery health and battery temperature where supported.

Goosey

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#3282106 14-Sep-2024 14:36

Is it still the same charger / cable from 2014?

Could be the charging cable having a fault i.e. broken conductor sheath at the MagSafe plug end due to wear n tear or at the other end where it terminates to the power pack.

Rikkitic

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#3282107 14-Sep-2024 14:47

Not sure if it is the same. I know an Apple charger was replaced at one point. I don't know if it was this device. Charger and cable look fine.

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kingdragonfly

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#3282131 14-Sep-2024 16:59

First the good news, regarding the Macbook Air itself, it's using an Intel i7, which have a reputation for running hot, as in boiling water temperature hot. Anything below 85C for it is OK. The thermal limit of the CPU is at 100 C. Your display may become damaged at 95 C. 50C is considered "cool".

For the bad news, you should stop using till you get a professional to look at it.

I'd suggest backing up first. You may consider inexpensive external storage (to avoid an iCloud subscription charge) and tying up your internet connection.

Your laptop supports USB3 and Thunderbolt. The USB 3 external storage is more common, and usually cheaper.

A Unitek Y-3035, Drive Enclosure is cheap, and common. COmbined with a 3.5" SATA drive will give the most bang for the buck. Otherwise a complete solution

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...

Anker chargers: Why Does My MagSafe Charger Get So Hot? Causes & Solutions
...
a slight increase in temperature during a charging session is expected and should not be a cause for concern. The charger and the device itself are designed to withstand this operational heat. Apple's MagSafe charging technology includes built-in safety measures to regulate temperature, such as reducing power delivery if excessive heat is detected.

However, if your charger feels uncomfortably hot to the touch, it could be a sign of a malfunction or an indication that the charger is not being used as intended. In these situations, it is crucial to address the issue promptly to prevent potential damage to the charger, the device, or even personal injury.
...

roobarb

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#3282143 14-Sep-2024 19:47

Rikkitic:

I have an older MacBook Air I use for email.

Are you still using a hotmail account?

Handle9

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#3282197 15-Sep-2024 01:33

kingdragonfly: First the good news, regarding the Macbook Air itself, it's using an Intel i7,

It's unlikely to be an i7 but it could be. An 2014 A1466 is either an I7-4650U or an I5-4260U. Neither of them run particularly hot, certainly not under light loads, they are both 15W TDP parts.

As mentioned above this smells more like a connectior/battery issue.

Goosey

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#3282212 15-Sep-2024 07:55

roobarb:

Rikkitic:

I have an older MacBook Air I use for email.

Are you still using a hotmail account?

and accessed using firefox....

hahahah

(BTW, I still use hotmail, but find the blue graphics keeps it cool) ;-)

Rikkitic

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#3282217 15-Sep-2024 09:44

I thought I made a final post here but it seems to have disappeared. Maybe I forgot to press Enter. I cleaned the contact with isopropyl alcohol, saw some dirt come off, and when I plugged the laptop back in the contact didn't even get warm after a couple hours. Cleary a bad connection was the issue. I was just a bit shocked at the time at how hot it was. Anyway, it seems fine now. I don't usually let things charge unattended and I will be even more vigilant about that with this machine. Thank to everyone who contributed ideas here. It is appreciated.

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