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User profile for user: oddballo
oddballo Author
User level: Level 1
5 points

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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User profile for user: ipodplayer
ipodplayer
User level: Level 1
8 points

Posted on Jun 16, 2010 2:14 PM

I also experience this effect with the supplied mains charger.

It does not occur with the 10W mains charger that I also have.

I wonder if this 'problem' is related to the higher voltage here in UK?
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User profile for user: Keith119
Keith119
User level: Level 1
4 points

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!
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User profile for user: His Nibbs
His Nibbs
User level: Level 1
0 points

Feb 27, 2014 7:16 AM in response to Iship

  • Your power supply is not earthed with the short lead: it makes my Power Book Pro case tingle (not the track-pad). It is due to a floating earth! I got around this by using the longer mains charger lead, which is earthed, plugged permanently in the Power Book Pro via a mains timer, so that the charger is not charging the battery all the time, but the computer is earthed.
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User profile for user: His Nibbs
His Nibbs
User level: Level 1
0 points

Feb 27, 2014 7:17 AM in response to oddballo

  • Your power supply is not earthed with the short lead: it makes my Power Book Pro case tingle (not the track-pad). It is due to a floating earth! I got around this by using the longer mains charger lead, which is earthed, plugged permanently in the Power Book Pro via a mains timer, so that the charger is not charging the battery all the time, but the computer is earthed.
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User profile for user: lllaass
lllaass
User level: Level 10
210,459 points

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.
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User profile for user: David M Brewer
David M Brewer
User level: Level 6
9,669 points

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
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User profile for user: David M Brewer
David M Brewer
User level: Level 6
9,669 points

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.
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User profile for user: Keith119
Keith119
User level: Level 1
4 points

Jun 18, 2010 8:53 AM in response to David M Brewer

Good thought. I wondered about that too. I can't detect any noticable hum... and sticking my ear to the back doesn't create any tingle either. However, I did this when there was also no tingle/vibration when picking it up. I would say it doesn't feel like a high frequency/high voltage current shock/tingle. However, since I have very fortunately never experienced a (dangerous) low frequency/low voltage high current I'm not sure what that would feel like.

I does seem to lessen as though it is a slow static build-up the more frequently it is touched. What I mean by that is that the longer interval it is left the stronger the effect. Most peculiar.
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iPad gives tingly light vibration electrocution when plugged into mains

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