Original Adapter Failure(Top), and New Adapter Overheat (bottom)

Simply put, my ASUS EEE has failed and yours will too. The AC adapter breaks on the inside by tearing at its own wires within the cord. There is no sign of information or a public recall on the adapters that are failing en masse. I personally know two other users at the local University that have had the AC adapters fail too. Its kinda crummy, they bought theirs on my recommendation. Here is how to tell if you've got the same problem:

- The wire 'balls up' near the ends
- The wire ends bend at angles the rest of the wire does not
- Power readouts fluctuate depending on how the wire sits
- The EEEpc will not charge no matter how you hold the wire

At first I thought it may have been the plug, which is known to overheat when charging and operating the laptop at the same time. The presence of unstable current meant that there was no break in the flow inside the block. It was frustrating, because I am impressed with the laptop itself and have promoted ASUS as the go-to manufacturer for affordable quality. These adapters, a small component in the system, have failed the system that they serve.

Some Background:
As an EEE early adopter I received my first in November 2007, and three months later I bailed on my dual-core desktop for the freedom that the EEE afforded me. This switch meant heavy use on the little computer, and I was prepared by picking up a second battery (so that I didn't wear down the cells too badly on just one). The second battery went the extra mile with a higher charge capacity.

Without current we cannot charge...
My own diagnosis was confirmed online by others with the same problem and skill level. The wire break is too close to the brick and the plug for easy repair. Although some claimed to have contacted ASUS, the rest of us were hesitant because of modding and prodding within the computer. In this community you get used to a lack of support and warranty rejections.

The (First) Solution
If you want to call ASUS, please try. If that fails go to either your nearest EEE distributor or to DealExtreme.com and acquire a compatible replacement. I can hope for a voluntary recall/replacement similar to the RRoD for XBOX 360, and I will hold on to my old adapter with that hope. Would you want to pay $60* for an AC adapter that doesn't work for long?

* Retail price at NCIX.com for a replacement adapter for ASUS EEE 701
** My original adapter is still broken, and so are my friends adapters.

FOLLOW-UP ISSUE:

The EEE Adapter from Dealextreme operates at 2.5amp, the original operated at 2.3amp (same voltage). I also added a couple more devices, like an SDHC reader in the expansion mini PCI-e slot underneath and a battery with a very high capacity. This increased the power draw from the adapter during use (which effects amperage). As it climbed higher the interconnect between the adapter and laptop became very hot - I received a bad burn once on my hand from it.

Understanding what went wrong - My high power draw combined with a more powerful adapter caused a current that was too high to flow through tiny wires. High flow in tiny wires leads to an overheat - no exceptions. So I stopped using the large battery and removed the mini PCI-E device and have not had a problem since.