NEW G4 powerbook = electrocution!

Demon · May 17, 2004

anyone else get electrocuted using the 1.33 powerbook??
i'm now on my 2nd week of using it and i get electrocuted every 5 minutes or so. no fun. i've turned to using wrist pads to separate my wrist from the metal surface... but every so often i touch it and get zapped. it's not like a big shock, but it's definitely more painful than static! is this a problem?

raptorhigh · May 17, 2004

This is a HUGE problem. This computer will need to be returned to an apple store, or directly to apple.

JFreak · May 17, 2004

yes, do it now, there's something wrong with it. something inside that should be isolated is clearly touching the case, and that indicates a time bomb - some day some chip cannot handle it anymore and it will break.

flyfish29 · May 17, 2004

Demon said:
anyone else get electrocuted using the 1.33 powerbook??
i'm now on my 2nd week of using it and i get electrocuted every 5 minutes or so. no fun.

So are you a cat?

Electrocution is actually defined as: To kill with electricity

I sure hope not...hope you get the problem figured out soon, you only have nine lives.

vouder17 · May 17, 2004

It sounds like your problem is the earthing, it is most probably something badly wired in the plug or socket or perhaps in your house. But i would recommend not using your laptop for a while cos this could destroy components that are very sensitive to electricity ie. the whole computer.
But perhaps you should check the plug, perhaps call up apple, call up an electrician?

Good luck
VoTeZ

aricher · May 17, 2004

Don't waste your money on an electrician - just send it back into Apple or take it directly to an Apple Store. This is a problem that has happened to other people - som faulty wiring inside. Take it in and they will fix or replace your Mac. Be sure to back up your data first as they may either give you a new machine or wipe your hard drive clean.

GiantsFan · May 17, 2004

thats scary. hope my powerbook isn't like that when it gets here.

aricher · May 17, 2004

i wouldn't worry too much about this - very few reports of this happening have been reported.

Chip NoVaMac · May 17, 2004

vouder17 said:
It sounds like your problem is the earthing, it is most probably something badly wired in the plug or socket or perhaps in your house. But i would recommend not using your laptop for a while cos this could destroy components that are very sensitive to electricity ie. the whole computer.
But perhaps you should check the plug, perhaps call up apple, call up an electrician?

Good luck
VoTeZ

Earthing? Did you mean "grounding"?

kaylee · May 17, 2004

Chip NoVaMac said:
Earthing? Did you mean "grounding"?

As far as im aware, earthing and grounding mean the same thing when refering to electrical things ie they are interchangable terms.

vouder17 · May 17, 2004

Chip NoVaMac said:
Earthing? Did you mean "grounding"?

Well here we call it earthing, cos that usually means that the earth line in your plug or appliances is faulty. The earth plug is usually the green one. I don't know, but that is what i was taught at school, could be different were you are from??

Mord · May 17, 2004

earthing grounding same thing; electons going up and nutralising something

leftbanke7 · May 17, 2004

I suppose you could always leave the PBook as it and use it as a weapon of mass destruction...or mass annoyance.

Chip NoVaMac · May 17, 2004

kaylee said:
As far as im aware, earthing and grounding mean the same thing when refering to electrical things ie they are interchangable terms.

Sorry, but even as much as i played with electronics back in HS - I never heard the term "earthing".

Well live and learn....

flyfish29 · May 17, 2004

leftbanke7 said:
I suppose you could always leave the PBook as it and use it as a weapon of mass destruction...or mass annoyance.

Or Weapon of Mac Destruction!

superbovine · May 17, 2004

Demon said:
anyone else get electrocuted using the 1.33 powerbook??
i'm now on my 2nd week of using it and i get electrocuted every 5 minutes or so. no fun. i've turned to using wrist pads to separate my wrist from the metal surface... but every so often i touch it and get zapped. it's not like a big shock, but it's definitely more painful than static! is this a problem?

do you actually see an arc of eletricity or is it transfering from metal to skin directly? when you don't feel a big shock do you feel current running through your skin? for temporary relief use the cable with the ground wire, this will ground your PB so your body won't be the ground

make sure you the ground in your house or wherever is a working ground.

Demon · May 17, 2004

thanks guys

hi,

hmm, i never thought it was such a big problem, but i will have to bring it in to have the computer looked at.
i've noticed that when the laptop is placed on my lap, there are no problems. but when placed on my wooden desktop... it hurts.
and to answer the question of whether i see a spark. well, no, it only happens when i come into contact with it. and it's not intense enough to feel all the way down my body, just from wrist to elbow. but sometimes it makes my whole arm jolt... it's not a pleasant feeling, especially since i happens so frequently.

when you guys say "it doesn't happen often, but you have heard of instances" how often is... not often? i've never heard of shocks coming from the computer before.

another thing to note... my pbook builds up a electric force after prolonged use. by that i mean... there's a static rub on the entire casing, so that when i run my hands along the computer, i can feel the vibrations of static. strange. only place i've witnessed that is in the science museum. haha.

thanks guys, i'll bring it in to have it looked at.

electroshockin..!

diamond geezer · May 18, 2004

The latest powerbooks use a grounded AC Adapter. You will see a metal guide/pin where the AC cord plugs in. However, if you use a duckhead plug or 3rd party 2pin AC plug you may receive some electric shocks.

Is the AC plug you are using a 2 pin or 3 pin?

Palador · May 18, 2004

The latest powerbooks use a grounded AC Adapter. You will see a metal guide/pin where the AC cord plugs in. However, if you use a duckhead plug or 3rd party 2pin AC plug you may receive some electric shocks.

Really? My new 17" 1.5GHz powerbook came with an AC adapter with the standard 2 prong polarized plug. No ground wire on the adapter or the extention it comes with.

diamond geezer · May 19, 2004

Palador said:
Really? My new 17" 1.5GHz powerbook came with an AC adapter with the standard 2 prong polarized plug. No ground wire on the adapter or the extention it comes with.

Yes Really. The new adapters have a metal guide/lug where the AC cord plugs into it, the old ones have a plastic lug.

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