Question about safety of potential functional print

[grave lava]

I kind of have a bad habit of losing things, such as my macbook charger, and i was wondering if it would be bad to 3d print an enclosure of two parts enclosing the adapter, since the adapter give off some heat, not sure if it would be enoguh to be a problem, or if even some kind of passive or active cooling could be added if it were. I would put a spot to hold an actual airtag on the inside.

I've found a couple of listings that are basically what I'm thinking:
https://www.printables.com/model/200386-swap-case-for-65w-macbook-charger-after-wire-repla

https://cults3d.com/en/3d-model/gadget/magsafe-macbook-charger-cable-repair-box

The description on this one is funny lol

There is a product called plugbug which has findmy build in: https://www.twelvesouth.com/products/plugbug-multiport-usbc-charger-with-find-my?srsltid=AfmBOopL_1X8wxPTqVDb8YqKH0IxN20VCNIzE6HdV80wDVFgpeToRREX

But one thing I've noticed with products with find-my built in, such as the card I have in my wallet, is that they don't have the find feature where you can find something within feet and it will point you in the direction of it. Just like regular basic Find My, if that makes sense. Also, sorry if this is not the most appropriate place to post this question.

[light lake]

if you made the tag so you could zip tie it on maybe?

[grave lava]

well then someone could just cut it

[light lake]

ok so it's abou tprevent theft... 👌

[grave lava]

also, I should have mentioned this, but also a reason for full enclosure with full screws is for securtiy

[grave lava]

both security and losing my sutff lmao

I think my airpod case in a gym was stolen once even thoguh it didn't even have the airpods in it

🙄

@light lake basically this https://www.printables.com/model/200386-swap-case-for-65w-macbook-charger-after-wire-repla

I think, but with a spot for airtag as well

just wondering how safe it is with heat given off by adapter and what not

and iguess a hgiher wattage adapter like a fast charge one would give off more heat than a lower wattage one

https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/l9amxy/eli5_why_do_laptop_chargers_get_very_hot_very/

Your phone charger might output 20W, if its 90% efficient that means it draws 22W, outputs 20W as useful power, and gives off 2W as heat so it'll be warm but not hot

A laptop charger can be 150W. If it is also 90% efficient then it draws 165W from the wall, sends 150W to the laptop, and gives off 15W as heat. That's 7.5x as much heat result in the laptop charger resulting it in being much hotter, its larger surface area helps get rid of heat faster but 15W is a fair amount of heat for passive cooling.

You can also get varied results. A dirt cheap USB charger might only be 70% efficient and run hot while a high end desk mounted one will have space for a better transformer and run at 90% efficiency. Older laptop chargers were often more in the 75-85% efficiency range while newer ones(particularly the little guys) are going to be closer to 90%. Over the last decade or so there's been a big push for more efficient supplies so the 90% peak efficiency supplies have gotten a lot cheaper than they were years ago

[light lake]

i'd go over the existing case (with this one, so two cases intotal), and add large holes so it's mesh like (then cooling isnt an issue). i'd not use screws, cos well...you can undo those... (basically look at any device that considered hard to repair)
i'd maybe epoxy it or print it over the adapter + "airtag". no seams or obvious ways to get into it is more discouraging. also white if the charger is white.
i would be a little scared printing over it.. cos ofc all sorts of stuff can go wrong...so epoxy might be better. this is permanent of course..

i would use something with temp resistance (so not pla) and maybe good layer adhesion etc....

[grave lava]

sounds good. though the airtag would need to be accessible some how, because the battery lasts about a year give or take

I wonder what the hardest way to access airtag container connected to the case would be 🤔

screws with custom holes? like isntead of phillips or flathead, some kind of comibnation lock? etc...??

and for something with temop resistance, would petg or abs work?

@light lake

[light lake]

petg would be ok.

[light lake]

yeah unless u can wirelessly charge it?

[grave lava]

Nah it can’t unfortunately it uses a battery

There might be some hack you could do if you take it apart 🤔

[light lake]

yeah most theives might use a hammer or battery angle grinder for that... 😅

[grave lava]

This seems interesting…

[grave lava]

True

Didn’t even now this existed, I guess I could embed it in side 🤔

And then maybe, after 10 years I can just angle grind to replace 😂

[light lake]

the other problem might be it'd work against you as well as for you, cos if theives can see see the tag that says "macbook charger" "oh hey there must be a macbook nearby... using bt discover lets find it"
so fro the purpose of you not losing it mighttt be the easier target to achieve.... 😅

[grave lava]

Too bad MacBooks don’t have AirTag built in

Though I think is has find my, and I think it can be locked if stolen like iPhone? But I might be wrong

Ik it’s basically impossible or really hard to remove ICloud lock on iPhones

I guess a thief could still sell for parts though

And metal

[light lake]

err yeah.. result is still the same. you have no data or laptop....
and there are likely other methods unknown

10 year battery sounds like the best idea, with the less extreme version that has screws but mostly for the purpose of you keeping track of it.

[steel trench]

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