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Lightning dock : iPhone sides static / electrical to the touch

daffie

daffie

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Dec 31, 2010
399
354
Holland
Does anyone experience the sides of their iPhone being static / electrical to the touch when set on the lightning dock?

The charger is connected to grounded outlet. I get this buzzing feeling with both the original charger and 12W iPad charger.

Not sure if this is harmful to the phone or not. It definitively doesn't seem normal as charging the phone connected directly to the cable doesn't have this issue.

Any input would be appreciated. Cheers!
 
This electric feeling has been reported many times. I have felt it when playing with the phones at the Apple Store. Like a buzzing feeling as you run you finger lightly on the edge.
 
It's because the adapter being used is not grounded and so the voltage of any exposed metal parts will rise above 0V. Type "ungrounded tingle" into a search engine and you will get 1000's of hits.
 
Cheers for the info. So if I understand correctly it's due to the charger/adapter only having 2 prongs instead of an additional one for earth/grounding?

Not harmful neither then I reckon?
 
Cheers for the help.

Slightly annoying indeed but as long as it's not an issue for the phone then I'm fine with it.

I have the 256gb jet black version and already use the 12w iPad charger. Don't have a MacBook cable though.
 
Weird. Had a silver 6S Plus and with a non-grounded charger there was static. I didn't notice it on the JB.

And there definitely isn't any static when I charge with a grounded charger or via Macbook.
 
Strange indeed. I strongly suspect the dock though as I don't get the static when using just the cable instead.
 
Oh, missed that, sorry. Finish on the dock is different than on the phone, right?

Give it a try with a grounded charger. Nowadays you can get the cable from Apple for $19, since they don't ship it with the Macbooks anymore (and static is highly annoying on a large laptop ).
 
It's the official apple lightning dock and indeed has a different finish on it. Still the phone doesn't touch the dock itself, it sits directly on the lightning connector. But maybe internally the connector makes some sort of touch with the housing of the dock.

Anyway thanks again.
 
I think the problem is, because there is a "ground" lead on the Lightning connector, but ultimately goes nowhere and there is an electric charge buildup on all "grounded" metal parts.

At least this is how I understand it. Maybe somebody with more technical knowledge can elaborate.
 
Would be great if anybody with some more technical knowledge could step in as well.

Most important for me is to know whether the static could be harmful in any way to the phone (or battery).
 
daffie said:
Would be great if anybody with some more technical knowledge could step in as well.

Most important for me is to know whether the static could be harmful in any way to the phone (or battery).
Click to expand...
A high enough static charge could be harmful to the phone. It very unlikely that a high enough static charge would build up on the phone. You could install a grounding trap to the dock itself. It would look like hell but it would drain off any static buildup.
[doublepost=1480172504][/doublepost]Or get one of these

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00G...X236_SY340_QL65&keywords=grounded+12w+charger
 
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Well I have decided to return the dock. Not satisfied the extra static won't hurt the phone and I feel it's better to be safe than sorry. It's just not worth it with a mobile device of Eur 1.100.
 
T
ibookg409 said:
A high enough static charge could be harmful to the phone. It very unlikely that a high enough static charge would build up on the phone. You could install a grounding trap to the dock itself. It would look like hell but it would drain off any static buildup.
[doublepost=1480172504][/doublepost]Or get one of these

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00G...X236_SY340_QL65&keywords=grounded+12w+charger
Click to expand...

This is not a static charge. A static charge would discharge with a single touch. This is like a ungrounded voltage leak that you can feel as you move you finger across the metal surfaces of the device. Not the first time I have felt it.
 
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Newtons Apple said:
T


This is not a static charge. A static charge would discharge with a single touch. This is like a ungrounded voltage leak that you can feel as you move you finger across the metal surfaces of the device. Not the first time I have felt it.
Click to expand...
I've never felt it. I must be insulated very well.
 
Newtons Apple said:
T


This is not a static charge. A static charge would discharge with a single touch. This is like a ungrounded voltage leak that you can feel as you move you finger across the metal surfaces of the device. Not the first time I have felt it.
Click to expand...

That's exactly it. Doesn't feel right to me.
 
537635 said:
But it's annoying.

Option 1: Use a 12W charger, but connect it via a Macbook grounded cable.

Option 2: Get a Jet Black. Apparently doesn't have this issue.
Click to expand...

Interesting the Jet Black doesn't suffer from this issue.
 
If a metal sheathed device, without a ground, suffers an internal electrical short, the device becomes live. Not noticeable when wearing rubber soles, a possible hazard, especially to children and elderly, exists. Talk to someone more knowledgeable, but I believe plastic shrouded devices to be non lethal. ( Refrigerators in some Asian countries, where grounding may be rare, are often assassins. )
 
537635 said:
Interesting. Does this vary with exterior material, skin quality (dry, wet...) or some environmental factors (dry air, moist air)?
Click to expand...

Needs to be one of the metal, conductive, edges of the device. It is not a shocking feeling but more of a vibrating feeling as you finger moves slowly along the edge.
[doublepost=1480245807][/doublepost]
daffie said:
That's exactly it. Doesn't feel right to me.
Click to expand...

I do not think it IS right, but not sure if it will hurt the device. My phone does not exhibit this but then I do not use the dock. I did notice several of the iPhones at the Apple Store that were doing this and have noticed this at other times not related to our phones.
 
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