My MacBook Pro feels electrified when charging

MKS28 wrote:

But now i also have the extension cord from apple so this should stop it. So clearly they have made it this way, i just wonder why?

I'm not clear on what you are saying here.

Do you mean the three prong ground Power Extension Cable resolves the issue?

Apple uses the two prong duck head adapter because it is smaller & most likely preferred for those who travel and is "Ok" as long as the electrical wiring in the home or business is properly wired & grounded. I personally don't like the duck head adapter because it is weak & easily broken...I have personally seen many of them physically bent and also arcing where the prongs rotate along the other metal plate when the prongs are opened & closed.

If you mean why does the two prong adapter cause the problem and the three prong grounded Power Extension Cable does not have the problem? The difference is the default two prong duck head adapter is just trusting the electrical wiring in the home is properly wired & grounded. With the three prong grounded cord, as long as the home electrical wiring is properly grounded, then it will help "overlook" any other incorrect wiring issues with the home's electrical wiring. I don't believe the Apple two prong duck head adapter is even polarized (usually indicated by one prong being wider than the other so there is only one way to plug it into the electrical outlet), but that still requires the actual home wiring to be correct.

Keep in mind the issue with the home electrical wiring could be restricted to just that one electrical outlet, or even a single circuit (fuse or breaker), or it may be an issue with the entire home's wiring. Or it could even be an issue with a power/surge strip if being used with the laptop. Depending on the source of the electrical issue in the home, other items may be similarly affected. If there is an issue with the home's electrical wiring, it can be safety issue for both you and your electrical devices & appliances. Most quality devices are manufactured to help protect themselves & users even if the home's electrical wiring is incorrect, but there is only so much device manufacturers can do about it.

Think of it like this....you drive down the road & hit a pothole stretching across your whole lane which blows your tire. Do you blame the car & car manufacturer or the road? Same thing with home electrical wiring issues and electronic devices like your Apple laptop.

So I just got a brand new M3 Pro 14 inch, build november 2023. When I plug in the power adapter the whole case is electrified, very annoying feeling and I wonder if it can cause harm some way or another.

I tested this thoroughly:

• Charging with docking station, no problem.
• I have the 16 inch M1 Pro 2021 model, no problem what so ever with electrifying.
• When I use the power adapter from the M1 on the M3 laptop same problem om the M3.
• The other way around, the power adapter from the M3 on the M1 no problem on the M1.
• Using different outlets for the M3, same problem.

So it must be something with the M3 itself not with external accessoires or external sources.

Tried it on another M3 from a colleague, same problem. The case is that at work they always use the docking station or just the battery so you do not notice it then.

What is Apple's response to this, can I replace it? Or does every model has this problem.

Could it be that in later models this problem is fixed? Would love to here from someone.

Philip357 wrote:

• So I just got a brand new M3 Pro 14 inch, build november 2023. When I plug in the power adapter the whole case is electrified, very annoying feeling and I wonder if it can cause harm some way or another.

I tested this thoroughly:

Charging with docking station, no problem.

• I have the 16 inch M1 Pro 2021 model, no problem what so ever with electrifying.

• When I use the power adapter from the M1 on the M3 laptop same problem om the M3.

• The other way around, the power adapter from the M3 on the M1 no problem on the M1.

• Using different outlets for the M3, same problem.

So it must be something with the M3 itself not with external accessoires or external sources.

Tried it on another M3 from a colleague, same problem. The case is that at work they always use the docking station or just the battery so you do not notice it then.

What is Apple's response to this, can I replace it? Or does every model has this problem.

Could it be that in later models this problem is fixed? Would love to here from someone.

Try using a grounded AC cord (aka Power Extension Cable) which has a third prong used for a dedicated Ground. Unfortunately some regions do not have this option available. Here is the Power Extension Cable for the US region:

Power Adapter Extension Cable - Apple

If you experience the issue with only the original Apple power adapter and charging cord (especially with the Power Extension Cable) and have no other external devices connected, then you should take the laptop and the power adapter & charging cable to Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider for examination.

If the issue only occurs when using a particular externally connected device, then that device may be the source of the problem, so contact the manufacturer of that device. Make sure that external device if it uses its own power source, that the device is also plugged into the exact same electrical circuit as the laptop's power adapter.

When testing, make sure you are connecting the various test laptops into exactly the same electrical outlet plug. Even if you plug into the same dual electrical outlet....one of the two ports on the wall receptacle could be bad or even part of a different electrical circuit (the latter is rare, but possible).

MKS28 wrote:

I have tried plugging the cord into a 3 prong adapter and made no difference. And when people say to buy the extension cord and that it will fix the problem, then what exactly is the difference between getting the extension cord vs just a 3-prong adapter? Why would one work and not the other?

With the Apple grounded AC Cord (aka Power Extension Cable), the grounding pin on the cable is actually in contact with a grounding pin on the power brick. With just a three prong adapter, you are not making the same type of ground connection with the power adapter. Plus those three prong adapters need to be anchored to the ground of your home wiring...usually using the screw for the wall plate.

Also, does anyone else in Australia have the same issue? I know for example that my husband doesn't actually feel it with his massive man paws, but in my case, it actually makes my joints in my hands ache for hours after touching the charging laptop just for 1 minute. So I can completely expect that not everyone can feel it, but to me, it is very obvious and painful.

People have different sensitivities.

or is there a chance that the other laptop won't do that? But in my opinion, seeing online how this IS an issue and has been for a while (somehow only for some people)... for that price for a laptop, apple is disappointing...

It is not an Apple issue unless there is possibly a fault in the Power Adapter or the cables which seems is not the case since you already had Apple involved here. The fault is with the home electrical wiring not being properly wired. You should have a qualified electrician inspect the home wiring since it affects all your devices on that circuit or perhaps even the whole house depending on whether just one electrical circuit is improperly wired. Most other laptops have plastic cases which would insulate you from the issue, but you may still have the tingling if you touched a metal part of those laptops.

The apple tech person I was on the phone with, seemed to be aware of this issue too but did not actually say it, sort of avoided answering the question.

Keep in mind most Apple techs at the front desk of an Apple Store or you may speak with online do not have any training or special knowledge about electricity for matters like this so it is not surprising the person tried to avoid your question.

When your Mac is actively charging, if the power adapter is not operating EXACTLY as expected, it can induce a very low power AC Voltage superimposed on the DC charging voltage. It is very low voltage, and is not harmful to your computer or to you.

A quick and simple work-around used by many MacBook Pro owners who experience this issue is to remove the ungrounded two-pin AC power inlet and replace it with a fully grounded AC "extension cord" available from Apple for around US$20.

If you wish to press your case, and have warranty coverage, you can ask the Genius Bar techs to replace your power adapter. However, since this Voltage is NOT considered in any way to be a safety issue, they will NOT generally replace it for free. Instead, they will send you over to the rack where new ones are for sale for about US$80. and sInce this annoys YOU and is not unsafe, this is yours to cover.

Unlike household appliances, which are connected directly to High Voltages, the low power systems in a MacBook Pro is Not required to have a through ground, and it does not. At most 20 Volts DC are provided by the power adapter, and only when the Mac requests that power.

...

Unless all those other locations also have similar wiring issues, then it may be something else.

Does this issue only occur when using the power adapter, or does it also occur when using the laptop just on battery power?

Are any other external devices connected? It is possible they could be causing the problem especially if they have their own power supplies.

It is also possible that you just happen to be extremely sensitive which can make resolving this very difficult.

Just to eliminate your power adapter & charging cable as the problem, ask the Apple Store to allow you test one of their power adapters & charging cables to see if it makes any difference for you assuming you experience the issue while at the Apple Store. Or if a friend or family member or co-worker has a compatible Apple power adapter borrow it to compare results.

If your region has a three prong grounded Power Extension Cable available, then definitely try that option. I've never liked the duckhead adapter Apple ships with their products since it doesn't hold up very well (it is convenient for travel though).

Do you have an Apple Authorized Service Provider in your region? If not, is there any local unofficial Apple repair shop which may assist you by letting you try another power adapter & cable?

In the US you have a 14 day period where you can return the Apple laptop for any reason from what I understand. I don't know if the same applies in your region.

I thought you had already been to an Apple Store, but re-reading your initial post I see that I misunderstood (it helps if you break up your post into several paragraphs for easier reading). It is possible your laptop does have a hardware issue.

Sometimes it could be as simple as a loose or corroded connection in the panel or electrical outlet, or a possibly a defective breaker, or defective wire or electrical outlet too. Or someone added a new circuit and did so incorrectly....the work may not always be performed by a knowledgeable & competent electrician, but by a homeowner or friend who has just enough knowledge to be dangerous. Plus with older homes, the home wiring may not have a dedicated ground...I know my neighbor's house only has two wires so none of the electrical outlets in it are grounded like they are today.

Forget the above statement, turns out the M1 has the same problem, but probably because it's a 16 Inch model so slightly bigger and mostly charged trhough the docking station I did not noticed it before. Now that I'm testing it I can conclude it has the same electrifying case when plugged in.