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Macbook Pro 2010 Electric shocks?

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DryEyez

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Nov 21, 2010
314
0
UK
So when I'm typing (OUCH!) my forearms are rested (ZAP!) on the edge of the macbook pro and I seem to get slight electric shocks. When I touch with my fingertips I don't receive these shocks, but if my forearm slightly brushes the corners (ZAP ZAP ZAP OUCH!) I receive, tiny electrical shocks.

So here are my questions...

1. Should I take it to an apple store?
2. What exactly will the apple geniuses do? What will their likely solution be?(Brush their forearms and feel the zaps....?)
3. Has anyone else experienced this? Specifically in the 2010 models, or any others...
4. Curious why I can only feel it on my forearms when they brush past and not say, my fingertips...
5. Anything else you feel is worth noting that I didn't ask!

My model is;
Macbook Pro 2010 13"
2.4ghz
4GB ram
Nvidia 320m 256m

Thanks for your time and please help me as I'm really not sure what to do or what to think of this. Not really heard anyone mention it before but never know.:(
 
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Young Spade

macrumors 68020
Mar 31, 2011
2,156
3
Tallahassee, Florida
Well you shouldn't feel anything at all while using any consumer electronic device; don't know why it's happening now though.

My guess is that something has gradually been getting lower (or higher if it's a battery bulge) over time due to gravity's constant pull and it's now grounded with the aluminum of the machine. (or not grounded at all?)

Anyway, get that looked at and they should fix that for free, even if you don't have Applecare.

If you get shocked (enough to injure you) you can probably sue though.
 
R

randomrazr

macrumors 65816
Jan 1, 2011
1,209
1
did u not try to look this up? there are already answers to this

plug charger with the extension that hsa a ground and it shoud go away >.>
 
D

DryEyez

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Nov 21, 2010
314
0
UK
randomrazr said:
did u not try to look this up? there are already answers to this

plug charger with the extension that hsa a ground and it shoud go away >.>
Click to expand...


I admit I did make the thread before I did, but since that I have been looking and have seen that solution. However we use 3 pin plugs in the UK so it is already grounded, it's direct into a wall socket and I've tried several wall sockets all with the same zap zap zap. So I still have no solutions... =/
 
awer25

awer25

macrumors 65816
Apr 30, 2011
1,100
327
Are you sure the sockets are properly grounded? Just because there's a 3rd hole in the wall doesn't mean it's actually grounded. If the wall is properly grounded, then try another charger. Make sure the charger "tip" has a 3rd pin AND has a metal connector that touches the stub on the charger "brick" - cheap eBay tips don't always (it's hard to explain, but the tips are replaceable, and they have to make contact with the ground pin on the charger itself which is the metal stud that the tip slides over).

I've had this problem on numerous metal laptops and the solution has always been to properly ground the laptop via the 3rd pin. It's actually A/C feedback, not D/C like what the laptop runs off of.
 
MrJolly

MrJolly

macrumors member
Aug 15, 2011
54
0
I live next door, England
You will be generating static electricity, typically when plastic rubs, remember rubbing a balloon against your hair as a child to make it stick to a wall?

As to how you are generating it, many possibilities, low humidity, nylon/poly clothes, the list is endless.
 
awer25

awer25

macrumors 65816
Apr 30, 2011
1,100
327
MrJolly said:
You will be generating static electricity, typically when plastic rubs, remember rubbing a balloon against your hair as a child to make it stick to a wall?

As to how you are generating it, many possibilities, low humidity, nylon/poly clothes, the list is endless.
Click to expand...

It's not static - it's electrical feedback from the laptop's metal chassis. That's why it'll keep shocking him even if he isn't moving.
 
Pinkiy

Pinkiy

macrumors regular
Nov 11, 2008
106
0
Surrey, UK
oh cool i'm not the only one who gets this, cant say i get it all the time depends on how my hands are resting on the palm rest. but it only really happens if i brush up against an edge ie top palm rest to side etc. also doesnt matter if its plugged in or not.

i've had worse from a car spark plug but yes its still a very strange feeling lol

mine is also a 13" mbp mid 2010 same as yours
 
Lennyvalentin

Lennyvalentin

macrumors 65816
Apr 25, 2011
1,431
793
DryEyez said:
However we use 3 pin plugs in the UK so it is already grounded, it's direct into a wall socket and I've tried several wall sockets all with the same zap zap zap. So I still have no solutions... =/
Click to expand...
If you made a thread about this in the past you were told then what to do. Connect the extension cord to your macbook charger and plug the end of THAT into the wall. The plug you pop directly onto the charger itself does not transfer ground properly from the wall socket to the laptop, even though the UK version does have three prongs on it.

Also, I'd get an electrician to look at the wiring in your home, because it's not wired up properly (neutral and live wires switched the wrong way, from what I understand), properly wired wall sockets do not cause a macbook to shock its user.

Good luck!
 
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drambuie

macrumors 6502a
Feb 16, 2010
751
1
This is an indication that the case is not grounded, but floating electrically. The tingling sensation is quite common for electrical equipment that has floating metal surfaces. A very tiny current is induced capacitively or inductively that can be felt with a light touch by sensitive skin areas, such as the wrists. That explains why you don't feel it with your fingers. I found that the same can occur with ungrounded store showcases that have fluorescent lights. If you gently rub the backs of your fingers on the exposed metal glass frames, you can get a tingly vibrating sensation.

As mention in a previous post, the power adapter must be connected by the extension cable to be grounded. If you connect the MBP by the USB, MDP, ethernet, or FireWire ports to equipment that is properly grounded, the tingling should cease.
 
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