When the lights go out all over London

[sovay]

[edit] This issue solved thanks to usernamenumber's spare charger! Bertie Owen is (slowly, but I don't care) charging as we speak! Very serious thanks to everyone who offered or had a suggestion.

This question is addressed only to residents of Cambridge and Somerville—with the subways shut down and buses running only limited routes, I cannot be sure of meeting up with anyone else.

About a month ago, Bertie Owen's power cord died. That was not a disaster; my father had some months previous given me a backup power cord salvaged from a friend's ex-computer. It didn't appear to be as efficient as the original, but it charged the computer if you left it in long enough: whatever.

The backup power cord died tonight. I was working and didn't notice until the screen started dimming that my laptop's battery had run down to an hour. That is a disaster. Especially with the city shut down for snow and God knows the hours of the Apple Store and God knows the price of a new cord anyway. Especially with projects on my hard drive that I need access to. I cannot afford to be out of work right now.

Does anyone have a spare power cord suitable for a MacBook Pro 2009? It's the kind with the magnetic connector. I can write you poetry for it.

(I may rethink this entire proposition in the morning, but right now, God damn, did I not need this.)

Comments

[phi]

Alas, no. We don't have a spare cord :( Good luck finding one. *hugs*

[jjhunter]

If you are still stuck power cordless by the end of today, PM me and I can drop one off for you tomorrow evening. (I'm currently stuck across town, but will be in Cambridge/Somerville tomorrow.)

[ckd]

An important note: it's the kind with the older magnetic connector. They changed formats in 2012, and while there's an adapter to use old power cords with new laptops there isn't one to go the other way.

[martianmooncrab.livejournal.com]

you know anyone that works at a hotel? They have a drawer full of power cords that people leave behind.

[jinian.livejournal.com]

I do in fact have my old Magsafe I adaptor. It tends to short out in particular positions, but it is usable with fiddling. (New ones are up to $80 depending on voltage, and no longer the current model, so I was lucky to get my replacement at the Apple Store without having to order in.) And Harvard is shut today, so I can meet up any time -- let me know.

[movingfinger.livejournal.com]

These things turn up on Craigslist cheap now and then. If nothing is listed around you now, try posting a want. You may even be able to find a loaner that way.

Both types of that cord, the low-profile (flat silver) and perpendicular (white, older) style, have a tendency for crimping and bending (coiling) to break wires inside, especially at the connector. Though it is an obvious problem for the white ones, the long silver connector does it too. I do not think it's possible to re-solder it, but when I had one go bad, I was able to move it around until it would charge, and then I applied a LOT of electrical tape to keep the orientation. Not ideal but it did work long enough to get a replacement!

[rosefox]

I can mail you one if you can't find one locally.

[schreibergasse.livejournal.com]

This issue solved thanks to usernamenumber's spare adapter!

\o/

[nineweaving.livejournal.com]

Whew!

Nine