MacBook Pro at 220 volts, could feel current through aluminum case

[deltaiscain]

That just can't be healthy.

"Kevin! Stop throwing the cat down the stairs!"

"It doesn't hurt it, he always lands on his feet."

"It doesn't help him either!!"

Lol, but seriosly, it isn't unhealthy or dangerous in any way. you don't even feel a shock, you just feel a light tingling, a little bit of a sort of drag, when you drag your fingers over the case.

 

[crusher]

It's simple:

You use this

cable, you won't get the "shocks".

But if you use this one

you might feel the vibration, because you are missing the additional grounding.

Nothing to worry about. And yes, it feels sorta nice.

 

[eXan]

It's simple:

You use this cable, you won't get the "shocks".

As I said, this happens on both of the plug-in methods.

 

[Abstract]

lol you're overreacting. Its not a shock - it just feels like it vibrates slightly when you move your fingers over it. It actually feels nice

It is a static shock. Wait till you have your wrists on the edge, and it can be quite sharp and painful.

You're not experiencing the same thing that we are, then...

On my old 12" PowerBook, I felt what eXan feels. I never got "shocked" when I touched my old PB. However, I did feel a bit of a "texture" when I rubbed a finger across the trackpad. I always thought that maybe the surface wasn't perfectly flat, and I was just feeling the sensation of the aluminium. I didn't know it was related to non-grounded cables.

 

[kolax]

As I said, this happens on both of the plug-in methods.

If you are using a grounded connection, this won't happen, depending where you are. I don't know about plugs around the world, and whether all connections in the world offer earth prongs too. In the UK, we have a 3 pin plug - live, neutral and earth. Using the power brick on its own provides no earth connection (there is no connection between the plastic plug and the brick to provide an earth connection), however, using the extension lead provides the earth connection and this problem goes away.

It is just static charge going through the MacBook Pro. If you want to check, earth it. Just attach a wire that goes from the case to a radiator.

 

[Quartz Extreme]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isolation_transformer

 

[Big-TDI-Guy]

You're feeling some current leakage - due to your body's capacitance. AC switches polarity 50-60 times a second (depending on where you live) - during this switch - if you lightly brush your hand along an ungrounded metallic surface tied into the line - you'll feel almost like a vibration or tingle.

If the surface is grounded - or you unplug it - that feeling should go away.

I will NOT say it's completely harmless - because that would be asinine to state about hardware unseen. Switching supplies tend to be fairly safe - but they can fail and short internally - and that tingle can turn into a massive belt should you become grounded. The nice thing about old power supplies was the transformer - which isolated you from mains.

So if you are truly concerned about this sensation - acquire a 1:1 transformer a.k.a. an isolation transformer - and plug your into that - tingly should go away then.

 

[r.j.s]

first the excessively high running temps...

now you guys are getting shocked because it doesn't ground?!?

sorry.. but why the hype over MBPs"?

I'm considering buying a new generation when released, but this thread seriously turned me off...

WTF?

"It's not that bad..." "It doesn't hurt anything..."

overheating and shocking are clear signs of horrible craftsmanship.

The shocking occurs with EVERY laptop I've ever used overseas, but since most PC laptops are plastic, you can only feel it when you touch exposed metal, e.g. the firewire port, or headphone jacks.

It's a grounding issue between the way US products are grounded and how 220V electricity is grounded.

 

[telecomm]

It's a grounding issue between the way US products are grounded and how 220V electricity is grounded.

It's not a North America vs Europe thing, my North American PB and my UK MBP both exhibit this (wherever I happen to be) depending on whether they're connected to the grounded extension cable or the short ungrounded plug.

 

[PMR]

I don't think it is damaging to the computer, but it seems like a grounding issue. I have had that several times also.

Here's the answer

 

[khunsanook]

Seriously, this is whacked. Another reason i don't want the new MBs to be aluminum. I get ungrounded zaps sort of often here in Thailand...the metal freezer in my ancient mini-fridge is one example - but if I had to deal with this every day, all day, while I work on my computer?...dude...that's ridiculous. WTF Apple?

 

[PMR]

Seriously, this is whacked. Another reason i don't want the new MBs to be aluminum. I get ungrounded zaps sort of often here in Thailand...the metal freezer in my ancient mini-fridge is one example - but if I had to deal with this every day, all day, while I work on my computer?...dude...that's ridiculous. WTF Apple?

That's not apple problem. It's yours. Ground all your plugs where you use computers.

 

[Dreamer2go]

LOL at "tingling sensation"
hahaha

Yes sometimes you can feel the "shocks"
I think one of the reasons is because you rub on some fabric (cotton or the carpet) too much, causing electrons to build up and excited. That's why.

 

[el3ktro]

I recently got a new Aluminum MacBook and I also felt the electric current running through the metal case. I actually sent my MB back in (not because of this, but the harddrive was making strange noises) and got my new MB now - and this electric thing is gone - although I'm still using only "the brick" without the extra cable, so there's no grounding. So it seems that not all MB/MBPs have this. I know most people say this is harmless, and it probably is - as long as you're healthy. But what's with people that have a heart issue? Or a pacemaker? Couldn't this be dangerous to them?

 

[lscangus]

My first MBP has this problem, but my replacement unit doesn't.

 

[LucasPro]

static mac pro and speaker noise

Hi, I hope someone is still reading this topic . I have this to with my Mac Pro (not MBP). I also noticed a problem with my speakers connected to the Mac. They started to make crispy noise sounds. Can this have something to do with the static electricity on the mac? Speakers are ok, I connected them to Iphone and Ipod and there's no noise. Speakers are connected via analog line, so not digitally.

thx.

 

[thedarkhorse]

I get this too sometimes, and while it doesn't hurt on the fingers, when it zaps my wrist it kind of feels like being pinched a little. Definitely something I'd rather not have on my laptop & have never had from any other computer.

 

[mikes70mustang]

ok all this is lacking is someone actually using a ammeter, multi meter or what ever u wanna call it. Id like to see some numbers instead of "its kinda tingly". And it sounds like a ground prob. Makes one appreciate the american power grid lol. Il stick to my 60Hz and 110 thank u very much

 

[TheSVD]

britfag reporting!
i get it when i run my fingers over the top a little, its a weird feeling
never thought anything of it though

 

[CaffeMacchiato]

I recently traveled to Europe with a MacBook Pro, and plugged it into the outlet with a travel converter. My understanding is that the brick on the magsafe cable works as a transformer and it is safe to plug into a European outlet. I've never had a problem with other laptops.

Everything worked fine with the machine, except I could always feel an "electric" sensation through my hands when touching the aluminum case. This was especially apparent when running my fingers across the top -- it was as if I could feel an electric current running through the case.

This seemed harmless, and I ran the computer without fail during my time abroad. My question is out of curiosity -- is this sensation normal? What exactly is it? Thank you for any responses and explanation, I'm not an electrical engineer.

This is a common problem for macbook pro.

AC (alternate current) socket, be it 110 Volts or 240 Volts consist of two pins (life and neutral) and one ground (earth).

The cause:
By using just 2 pins (life and neutral) without using the ground pin, it is enough to transfer the energy to the adapter, which converts AC to DC (direct current) for the laptop. Thus, the body of the laptop chassis has a floating ground. Meaning, there is a difference between the ground potential of the laptop, and the ground potential of user (the real ground which the user is standing/sitting on).

The 'ground' potential of the laptop might be different from the 'ground' potential of the socket/real physical ground. When the user, with their feet connected to the ground, touches the laptop with their hand, it creates a current path for the current to flow from the laptop to the floor.

This problem could be resolved by,

(1) Using a real 3 pin plug. This will ensure that the ground potential of the laptop is the same as that of the physical ground. Therefore, there will be no current flowing from the user to the ground, even if there is a conducting path. No current flowing, no tickling sensation.

Note that some of their 3-pin plug provided has a fake ground pin (non-metallic). A real 3 pin plug would have a metal ground pin on both end of the cables.

(2) In some cases, those who sit on a plastic chair (non-conducting), could wear a rubber shoe, or lift up their legs to 'feel' the difference.

 

[zcor]

That's not apple problem. It's yours. Ground all your plugs where you use computers.

There are plenty of people reporting the problem with their computers properly grounded. I have the exact same problem and use the grounded cable extension.

 

[r.j.s]

There are plenty of people reporting the problem with their computers properly grounded. I have the exact same problem and use the grounded cable extension.

Then the outlet is not properly grounded.

 

[DoNoHarm]

I can't believe this thread. People, even if there is a grounding issue, a properly designed adapter should compensate for this or fail. An electric current that one can feel when touching a computer is ABSURD. During my last trip to Europe, I had this problem too in a perfectly grounded plug.

I'm traveling to Europe again in a couple of months so I think I'll be contacting Applecare later today....

 

[mpopkin]

I recently traveled to Europe with a MacBook Pro, and plugged it into the outlet with a travel converter. My understanding is that the brick on the magsafe cable works as a transformer and it is safe to plug into a European outlet. I've never had a problem with other laptops.

Everything worked fine with the machine, except I could always feel an "electric" sensation through my hands when touching the aluminum case. This was especially apparent when running my fingers across the top -- it was as if I could feel an electric current running through the case.

This seemed harmless, and I ran the computer without fail during my time abroad. My question is out of curiosity -- is this sensation normal? What exactly is it? Thank you for any responses and explanation, I'm not an electrical engineer.

Not normal, i have a US bought macbook pro(uMBP 15" 3.06) in Beijing right now, and i have not felt a bit of a shock(china is on 220) or tingling feeling, in fact i have a broad statement towards people complaining of heat,
my uMBP, when running final cut pro with 9600gt, has never gone above 55c, in temp, it is cool, the fans run smoothly and quietly, so i would say that if your machine is running too hot, that is not normal.

 

[t0mat0]

Not normal, i have a US bought macbook pro(uMBP 15" 3.06) in Beijing right now, and i have not felt a bit of a shock(china is on 220) or tingling feeling, in fact i have a broad statement towards people complaining of heat,
my uMBP, when running final cut pro with 9600gt, has never gone above 55c, in temp, it is cool, the fans run smoothly and quietly, so i would say that if your machine is running too hot, that is not normal.

Felt the tingly feeling - seems it happens when the HD is spinning - might be a resonance due to speed finger moves over (left to right or right to left parallel to the space key just underneath space key above the trackpad and anywhere to the left or right of the trackpad, or above the keyboard. Heck, can just use palm of hand to get the feeling.