M1 MacBook Pro Static Electricity Problem!

BenBrk16 wrote:

understood.

Why is it creating static electricity in me?

Both computers are installed in the same place.

I tested 2 different macbooks with the same charger to try them out, m1 creates static.

(living in eu)

It isn’t creating static in you, YOU are creating static in you because you are electrically insulated from your surroundings. What you are almost certainly feeling is the discharge of static charge accumulated on your body when you give it a discharge path by touching something metallic on the M1 model.

A static shock is almost always a sudden discharge to earth/ground of accumulated charge on the human. Think about it, every time you feel a shock is when you touch something grounded. By definition the earth is always grounded at zero volts, it can never have a charge but it can absorb an infinite amount of electricity from other charged objects including you. As an example, I used to have a particular car which always zapped me as I got out and turned to close the door. The charge was built on me as I slid off the seat. The fix was simple, keep a hand on a metal part as I slid off the seat and any charge on me leaked back to the car as soon as it was generated, I never got charged enough to get the zap.

I can imagine 2 plausible explanations why you experience something different depending which computer you are using. They are different designs so...

1. The new M1 machine may have a different construction which is largely insulated so charge on your body builds up until you find a metallic part connected to the shell of the charge cable. There is no discharge path until you touch the right part.
2. The non M1 machine may have a conducting path which you contact and discharge yourself more frequently, preventing a significant buildup of static charge -OR- the parts you touch may be fully insulated from the USB charge cable, and the discharge path is never completed.

In other words the M1 chassis provides a sudden discharge path but only when you touch the right place. The non-M1 either provides a permanent path (like me holding the car door) and charge never accumulates, or you never touch a place which lets yYou discharge.

The smaller adapter does not include Earth/Ground connection.

The "extension cord" connects the ground all the way through. Using this cord is a work-around.

Many users who have this issue have outlet(s) that are wired in a non-standard way, possibly with "Hot" and "Neutral" reversed. This reversed wiring works for many devices, but can cause tingling on a MacBook Pro.

So the real solution is to hire an electrician to evaluate your outlets and get them to standard. US$20 for the cord is a lot cheaper.

I have just put my multimeter across the mushroom pin on an Apple 30W power adapter (A2164) and the shell of the USB-C charge cable. There is a 1kOhm dc resistance as the photo below. Not quite the megohms range I would expect to find on a purpose designed static grounding strap but probably enough to provide protection.

OK. So this is just an extension to the power supply. I can't say for certain that a grounding pin on the plug actually goes anywhere, as the connection to the power supply is still just 2 conductors.

In the lab where I work, we have static mats and grounding clips. Perhaps all you need is a mat on the table that is grounded. Probably cheaper too.

If you feel a static discharge when you touch the computer while it is charging it is more likely than not that the computer is acting as an earth point to discharge static electricity which had already accumulated on you. In other words, you have become charged because you are insulated, then you give the charge a path to escape quickly giving you a sharp shock in the process.

You can distinguish between static discharge (one instantaneous shock) and power leakage (a longer tingle lasting as long as you are touching something). There is no way for the Apple power adapter to generate static electricity, and the part which connects to your AC power is fully isolated from the low voltage side so it is unlikely any mains electricity would leak through.

BenBrk16 wrote:

Thank you very much for your interest!

My visiting friend just brought his own m1 (macbookpro).

We did experiments at the same table.

Example: -Trial with the same cable-same ground socket trial

The result is that only my computer is generating static electricity.

That leaves you only one rational course of action if you think your MacBook is defective. Use link Get Support to contact Apple Supoport and start your claim.

Use a power bar that has a line fault indicator. This will tell you if you have a floating ground from the outlet (a potential between neutral and ground). Try a different outlet at least.

So the MB does not come with a cable that supports.... collecting? Can you elaborate on what that means? I'm getting the impression you've bought some other cable that "collects".