Rant: My laptop charger fried itself in a Chiang Mai cafe yesterday

Was working at a spot called Ristr8to when my screen just went black and smelled burnt. The outlet must have had a power surge they didn't warn about. Had to scramble to find a repair shop that could get me a new 65W charger same day. Anyone know a good way to check outlet voltage before plugging in?

4 comments

4 Comments

shane_park922mo ago

Ugh that's the worst, same thing happened to my friend's MacBook in Bangkok. I carry a little plug-in voltage tester now (got it on Lazada for cheap). Total lifesaver for sketchy cafe outlets.

felix4142mo ago

Forget the tester, just sniff the outlet first. If it smells like regret and burnt plastic, find another seat.

annajenkins2mo ago

Wait, so does that tester actually show you the voltage number or just a light if it's safe? My cheap one just blinks green but I've always wondered if that's really enough to trust with a laptop.

gavin3651mo ago

my buddy had the exact same thing happen at a coffee shop in Da Nang. his adapter literally popped and sparked right there on the table. now he just unplugs his charger at the wall first before plugging it into his laptop if the outlet looks old or janky.