Hi Steven,
just did a Google on---- mild electric shock MacBook
----. Apparently it is quite normal, first acknowledged in the days
of the TiBook. Below is what one respondent wrote to the query. Mind
you I never get a spark just a very minor buzz sensation through the
skin.
Regards,
Eugene
"The problem is that the Powerbook will ALWAYS shock you if you're
running it on mains electricity through the two-prong adapter (rather
than the extension cord), since the casing will always have a very
slight but measurable AC current running through it (117V AC).
I know this because my Alubook would ALWAYS spark when I connected my
firewire hard drives and audio interface (which have their own power
supplies), and I called up Apple, concerned about a Powerbook
grounding defect frying several thousand dollars' worth of studio
hardware.
Apparently, it's normal.
They told me to use the three-prong extension cord if I was feeling
alarmed.
So I do."
On 30/03/2007, at 12:58 PM, Steven wrote:
Thanks Bob. I'm afraid I'm a little clueless as to what all that means
though.
How do I make my power block (is that the same thing as the power
point?)
double insulated?
My Powerbook charger has a 2-pin plug on it, and yes, it is a 3-pin
socket.
Are you saying this shouldn't be the case? Is there such a thing as
a 3-pin
Powerbook charger? Is there anything that I can do if not?
What does electrically hot mean? Should I go get checked for total
body
cancer? Which of my internal organs have been slowly fried? (I must
have had
this thing on my lap for something like 2,000 hours over the past
15 months
- yikes). Which multi-national should I sue?!
Cheers, Steven
On 30/3/07 2:41 PM, "Robert Howells" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
On 30/03/2007, at 12:29 PM, Eugene wrote:
Hi Steven,
I must have very conductive skin as I have noticed this phenomena
with my current MB Pro and my previous PB. This only occurs when
the computer is attached to the powerblock. I can, at times, feel
it when I run my finger on the metallic case (very sensual!) but it
is most profound when I have it on my lap and touch someone else on
the skin.
Regards,
Eugene
Eugene , Steven ,
Your Power block is most likely SUPPOSED to be " Double
Insulated "
and using ONLY a 2 pin plug to connect to the wall 3 pin socket .
I suspect the case of your Power Book is electrically HOT
which it
SHOULD NOT BE !
CAREFUL GUYS .
You really need somebody with an Oscilliscope who can confirm what
frequency
it is that is electrifying your Power Book case ...
? mains frequency ? or CPU frequency ... looking for a path to
ground .
Bob
On 30/03/2007, at 11:56 AM, Steven wrote:
I don¹t know why I haven¹t noticed this previously, I¹ve had my
current
Powerbook for nearly three years, but today, whilst I had my
Powerbook on my
lap, my three year old daughter stood next to me. She had some
glitter on
her shoulder, so I went to brush it off with my finger, but when I
touched
her skin it felt really weird.
Cut a long story short, I figured out that the weirdness stopped
when I
wasn't holding or touching the Powerbook. But when I was, and when
I touched
my daughter's skin, it seems like tiny vibrations are what is
giving the
weird sensation. My daughter says it tickles.
I imagine this has something to do with why occasionally I get a
small
electric shock or static sensation on the inside part of my lower
arm when
it rests on the Powerbook.
I guess it must be electricity running through my body. For all you
electrical engineers come health experts, is this some kind of a
health
risk? I spend a large part of most days with this thing on my lap.
Cheers, Steven
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