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iPad gives tingly light vibration electrocution when plugged into mains

I thought I'd ask whether this was normal seeing that my friends ipads are doing the same thing;

Using the supplied AC adaptor and supplied USB cable, when I plug my iPad into the mains its gives a kind of tingly vibration feeling on the back, especially when I move my hand around the surface. When not plugged into the mains or when plugged into my PC it does not happen... suggestions? Is this a fault?

Ipad Wifi 32GB, Windows 7

Posted on Jun 16, 2010 11:14 AM

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Posted on Jun 18, 2010 7:44 AM

I get exactly the same thing. I just received the iPad, plugged it into the mains charger (UK) to fully charge it for the first time, and felt the same thing. I wasn't sure if it felt like an electric charge or a vibration in a similar way that the iPhone. It only happened when I placed it down on a level surface. It didn't seem happen when held up above, say, a 20 degree angle from the desktop, but occurred again when placed back down.

Interestingly, in the time it took to find this topic, it seems to have stopped doing this or seems less noticable. Maybe it has charged me up!
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Jun 18, 2010 7:44 AM in response to oddballo

I get exactly the same thing. I just received the iPad, plugged it into the mains charger (UK) to fully charge it for the first time, and felt the same thing. I wasn't sure if it felt like an electric charge or a vibration in a similar way that the iPhone. It only happened when I placed it down on a level surface. It didn't seem happen when held up above, say, a 20 degree angle from the desktop, but occurred again when placed back down.

Interestingly, in the time it took to find this topic, it seems to have stopped doing this or seems less noticable. Maybe it has charged me up!

Jun 13, 2017 5:54 PM in response to David M Brewer

David M Brewer wrote:


It's not the voltage or wattage that shocks you it's the ampage that does. If you have this problem go to the Apple store and get a replacement power adapter.

Low voltage and high ampage will kill a person. A million volts with low ampage won't.

Watts = Amps x Volts.


It is the specific combination of volts and amps that kills

Jun 16, 2010 2:02 PM in response to red555

My guess is that the vibration is due to the switching power supply circuitry in the iPad. That circuitry would raise the line-charging voltage to that required for battery charging. It is probably present when charging from USB to but since the 2 amp wall charger provides more current the vibrations would be more evident when using the wall charger.

Jun 17, 2010 4:34 AM in response to UK-Max

It's not the voltage or wattage that shocks you it's the ampage that does. If you have this problem go to the Apple store and get a replacement power adapter.

Low voltage and high ampage will kill a person. A million volts with low ampage won't.

http://bigquestion.wordpress.com/2008/03/11/how-many-volts-of-electricity-would- it-take-to-kill-someone/

Message was edited by: David M Brewer

Jun 17, 2010 6:04 AM in response to red555

If you read my link a 9 volt batterie can shock a person. Put one on your tongue... If you wet your finger you can produce a sock. If a person has a pacemaker getting a sock can be... Read the link.

If the poster is feeling the current there something wrong with either the iPad is or the power adapter is... Better to be safe than sorry. By the way it is the current your feeling not the voltage.

iPad gives tingly light vibration electrocution when plugged into mains

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