Tingling sensation when charger is in one orientation

[MountainStorm]

I'm using the included usb c MagSafe adapter (EU 230v) with the MacBook Air M3. Apparently from what I've read online, MacBooks and other metal laptops can produce a slight tingling sensation when ungrounded, but using a grounded plug fixes it. One thing I couldn't find out is whether the orientation matters when plugging the ungrounded adapter into the outlet. It does in my case as the issue is simply gone when I rotate the adapter. I called an electrician in my country who didn't even understand the question as he just said "AC power doesn't have an orientation, so it doesn't matter". Then I asked him about American outlets which apparently do have an orientation and he just repeated what he had said.

I guess my questions are why does rotating fix it and could there be any issues with my electrical system?

 

[bobnugget]

Are you plugging the adapter in with a two prong plug or three prong? If you are using a two prong it won't be grounded. If you are using a three prong - have you tried a different outlet?

 

[MountainStorm]

Are you plugging the adapter in with a two prong plug or three prong? If you are using a two prong it won't be grounded. If you are using a three prong - have you tried a different outlet?

Two prongs. I've tried multiple outlets in different rooms.

 

[BigBlur]

The orientation shouldn't make a difference, at least it doesn't for me in the US when using the two-pronged plug our MBAs/MBPs ship with. I feel the tingling when it's plugged in either orientation, but only when I'm touching the floor. If I'm insulated (wearing shoes, sitting in a chair, etc.), then I don't feel any tingling. Nor do I feel anything when using the grounded extension cable while touching the floor.

Since you only feel it when it's plugged in a certain orientation, I wonder if your neutral might also be wired to ground. Your electrician should be able to determine that, and know whether that's legal or not.

Some countries, like Japan, don't use a third prong for ground...they only have two prongs, and ground is built into the neutral prong. As far as I'm aware, I think Japan is the only country that does that though. Here's a video explaining it, if you're interested.

Just for more context... I'm guessing what you've read online was largely based on North American outlets. In North America, our outlets have two prongs for power (hot and neutral) and a third for ground. The plug we receive with our MBAs/MBPs only has two prongs so it can flip up and be compact. If we want to ground it, we need to use this extension cord to get the third/ground prong. (The ground contact is around the button/pin on the adapter that the connector slides onto.)

You might want to see if there's an equivalent version for your country. For example, here's one for Germany:

Netzteil-Verlängerungskabel

Mit dem Netzteil Verlängerungskabel gibst du deinem Apple Netzteil einfach zusätzliche Länge.

www.apple.com

 

[BotchQue]

Will be following this; my old Yamaha amp had the same issue. Thanks @BigBlur for that video, I learned a couple things.

 

[raythompsontn]

If we want to ground it, we need to use this extension cord to get the third/ground prong.

There are still just two power connections to the power supply from the cable. There is no ground connection in the power supply plug. What may be happening is that internally within the cord Apple has electrically connected the ground to the neutral.

From a US electrical service I would place a tingling issue as not the fault of the Apple power supply but more likely a reversed neutral and hot within the plug. A simple, and cheap, outlet tester would verify the wiring.

 

[MountainStorm]

The orientation shouldn't make a difference, at least it doesn't for me in the US when using the two-pronged plug our MBAs/MBPs ship with. I feel the tingling when it's plugged in either orientation, but only when I'm touching the floor. If I'm insulated (wearing shoes, sitting in a chair, etc.), then I don't feel any tingling. Nor do I feel anything when using a grounded adapter and touching the floor.

Since you only feel it when it's plugged in a certain orientation, I wonder if your neutral might also be wired to ground. Your electrician should be able to determine that, and know whether that's legal or not.

Some countries, like Japan, don't use a third prong for ground...they only have two prongs, and ground is built into the neutral prong. As far as I'm aware, I think Japan is the only country that does that though. Here's a video explaining it, if you're interested.

This one. My old MacBook Air and Pro from back in the day came with a grounded cable as well that was longer.

 

[BigBlur]

There are still just two power connections to the power supply from the cable. There is no ground connection in the power supply plug. What may be happening is that internally within the cord Apple has electrically connected the ground to the neutral.

There is a ground connecter on the adapter. Like I said, it's the metal pin that the duckheads slide onto. The two-pronged duckheads don't have the metal/ground contact in the groove, but the one on the extension cable with the ground prong does.

 

[BigBlur]

View attachment 2494170
This one. My old MacBook Air and Pro from back in the day came with a grounded cable as well that was longer.

Yeah, that one isn't grounded, nor would Apple ground it internally (since you have no way of ensuring which prong goes to neutral...which still isn't exactly safe unless you're in Japan).

Your particular issue likely has to do with which end of the adapter is connected to the live wire. There's an article from Microsoft where they say reversing the plug may help with the "touch current" or "tingle current" on their devices, which I imagine could apply to most electronics.

Will be following this; my old Yamaha amp had the same issue. Thanks @BigBlur for that video, I learned a couple things.

This guy mentioned it has to do with which side the capacitor is on, which seems to go along with the above that the orientation can make a difference in some cases.

 

[raythompsontn]

There is a ground connecter on the adapter

Interesting. The cable I had from many years ago was entirely plastic in the connector. Apple made a change. I stand corrected.

 

[chrfr]

Interesting. The cable I had from many years ago was entirely plastic in the connector. Apple made a change. I stand corrected.

In the US, Apple’s extension cords for these chargers have always had a grounding pin. If you had a cable that did not have grounding contacts in it, it was not an original Apple cord.

 

[MountainStorm]

Yeah, that one isn't grounded, nor would Apple ground it internally (since you have no way of ensuring which prong goes to neutral...which still isn't exactly safe unless you're in Japan).

Your particular issue likely has to do with which end of the adapter is connected to the live wire. There's an article from Microsoft where they say reversing the plug may help with the "touch current" or "tingle current" on their devices, which I imagine could apply to most electronics.


This guy mentioned it has to do with which side the capacitor is on, which seems to go along with the above that the orientation can make a difference in some cases.

How do I replace the death capacitor in my MagSafe 3 mentioned by that guy?

 

[raythompsontn]

If you had a cable that did not have grounding contacts in it, it was not an original Apple cord

Quite possible. The cable was given to me and I subsequently gave the cable to someone else.

 

[arc of the universe]

I'm using the included usb c MagSafe adapter (EU 230v) with the MacBook Air M3. Apparently from what I've read online, MacBooks and other metal laptops can produce a slight tingling sensation when ungrounded, but using a grounded plug fixes it. One thing I couldn't find out is whether the orientation matters when plugging the ungrounded adapter into the outlet. It does in my case as the issue is simply gone when I rotate the adapter. I called an electrician in my country who didn't even understand the question as he just said "AC power doesn't have an orientation, so it doesn't matter". Then I asked him about American outlets which apparently do have an orientation and he just repeated what he had said.

I guess my questions are why does rotating fix it and could there be any issues with my electrical system.

i had this problem frequently while in china.
im not an electrician and dont understand anything about the terminology of electrical current, as is apparent from my post here.
but at least for some of the instances when i was feeling this tingling sensation, in fact, it did seemingly correct itself to the extent that i didn't feel that sensation, by simply doing what you said: switch the plug orientation. it did work. many times it didn't, though.
all my devices are apple devices and i used the adapter that is supposed to be used for china.
the statement that AC doesn't have an orientation is true. but its a "truism". it begs the question.
there are even more fundamental issues than orientation that cause this.
its not just about grounding. its goes all the way back to polarity issues in buildings (at least in china).

the link below is an interesting read.

The Orientation and Polarity of Power Outlets

Did you know that even the outlets you use every day have polarity, just like batteries, which clearly indicate the posi

www.soundhouse.co.jp

i have had same issues in other countries occasionally. vietnam and cambodia. i had this issue in Malta as well.
but, thank god. never in japan, as someone alluded to.

i was never able to figure it out. but when i did have this problem, most frequently the wall socket and the plug did not fit snugly. however, i dont think that one thing caused the other. i think that the construction in buildings where i encountered this tingling sensation had as well this other problem of a poor fitting socket/plug. overall shoddy construction in general was the common thing.

 

[Ruggy]

If it's only got 2 pins it isn't grounded- how can it be? If the cable only has two wires in it then it isn't grounded.
I don't know any transformers for phones or laptops that are grounded and I always get a slight tingling off all my laptops when using them connected to mains, wherever I am.

 

[raythompsontn]

To get the "tingly" feeling would require current to be passing through the body. If there is no path to ground through the body then there will be no current flow. Avoid using metal chairs on concrete floors. Wear shoes with rubber soles. Sit on a bed. Don't sit on the ground.

 

[GianL]

The photo in message #7 is a plug without ground, it should have 3 prongs where central one is ground.
I have what is described as ground connector on the power supply as in the image in msg #8 but this is not connected to anything metallic, just plastic.

Plot twist: but this is fine as this is not needed: on the power supplier there's the symbol of a square inside another square signifies "double insulation" or "Class II" and indicates that the appliance does not require a connection to electrical earth (ground) for safety. Here is last 70W Apple piece of HW:

 

[chrfr]

I have what is described as ground connector on the power supply as in the image in msg #8 but this is not connected to anything metallic, just plastic.

Genuine Apple extension cables will use the metal peg as shown in post 8 as the ground, and the cable will have metal contacts that connect to the ground. When using those cables in a properly grounded outlet, you don't get that tingling sensation.

 

[raythompsontn]

How do I replace the death capacitor in my MagSafe 3 mentioned by that guy?

Use the FORCE.

It was hard to resist. I will let myself out.

 

[GianL]

Genuine Apple extension cables will use the metal peg as shown in post 8 as the ground, and the cable will have metal contacts that connect to the ground.

Mine is a genuine A product and still no metal contact.
Anyway it would be useless as the cable (in the same A box) has a 2-pronged plug instead of 3, exactly the same as in image in msg #8 (I live in EU).

 

[MountainStorm]

Use the FORCE.

It was hard to resist. I will let myself out.

I put my full effort into using a rather low quality ratcheting flathead screwdriver, but instead of budging the plastic, I ended up breaking the tool. Turns out the plastic is stronger than I expected.

 

[Parowdy]

I was always able to feel this when my MacBook was charging and assumed it’s normal.
When only touching the very edge of the corner of the top case with any body part I even burned it. Same thing with our second MacBook. Sometimes I’m charged after using either connected to power and get discharged very noticeably when touching something metal or another person.

 

[The Cockney Rebel]

I’m in the UK.

Thus, three prongs.

I’ve felt the “tingling sensation” for years.

Never worried about it.

 

[casjohnr]

I've got my MBA M4 connected to an Anker 736 100W (UK) plug and Anker 240W USB-C cable and get the tingling every now and again

 

[maerz001]

I put my full effort into using a rather low quality ratcheting flathead screwdriver, but instead of budging the plastic, I ended up breaking the tool. Turns out the plastic is stronger than I expected.

The power supply is not designed to be opened. Its glued together.

I don’t think you have a dead capacitor. Try using any other USBC supply or your old mentioned extension cord (it still fits on the new bricks)