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macbook pro electric shocks

Have had my Macbook Pro for just over 12 months and since day 1 - if i use the 3 pin plug i get electric shocks from my Aluminium Unibody, its the same if i fit a European type plug but NOT if i use the long flex lead - i think this is because it has an earth...


So - why is my Mac giving me shocks, and does anyone else have the same issue?


I know its not just my Macbook Pro - i bought my daughter an iMac 21" last month and i was trying to plug a USB printer in to it in the dark and as the USB connector made contact with the aluminium body there were sparks...


anyone else find this?

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.7.4)

Posted on May 21, 2012 3:02 PM

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78 replies

Jun 14, 2017 6:56 PM in response to petermac87

Pete,


I experience this occasionally and very mild on a macbook air, all the time and strong on a macbook pro, and crazy mad strong on an ipod to the point where i just stopped using it.


Statistically, one single person (hence random sample) experiencing that problem this often makes it a not rare event, meaning, well outside of the 5% of intervals of confidence.


I think that there's a serious design flaw here, and Apple should rush to look into it and solve it.


Best

Jun 17, 2012 1:06 PM in response to Aedhasdad

Me too! I have an aliminum unibody, the February 2011 13" model and I notice whenever I press my left arm against it when it's on, I feel an almost continuous stinging, or shock on the part making contact with the mac. At first I thought it might be the edge of the mac, feeling sharp against my arm, but the more I try it, it just continues to happen. Let me know if you find a solution, apparantley, we're not alone with this issue.

Jul 28, 2012 7:51 AM in response to Aedhasdad

For the first time in many years of macbookpro use in exactly the same location, with the charger plugged in, I was feeling tiny but unpleasant electric shocks stinging my arms where they rested on the edge of the computer. It is hot and I had taken my shoes off, so had bare feet on a terracotta tile floor. Eureka! I put my shoes back on - no more shocks! I still find this a worrying phenomenon however.

Jul 28, 2012 7:59 AM in response to sig

Its got nothing to do with the electrical outlets.


as an electrical engineer i can catagorically state that there is a fault on all metal bodied Mac's where there is a "Short to Ground" - a electrical leak to the case which is the earth/ground


this doesnt happen when using the long power lead with your DC Converter because the Mac is then earthed.


when you use the short connector or a travel connector (the small clip on power plugs - any region) the moulding is all plastic - there is no earth pin connection (in the long lead the "shoe" to use a photography term - hace a metal sleave to make the connection to earth)


if this was a washing machine or toaster it would have been recalled and you would have got your money back..


the most expensive computers on gods green earth and they will give you a shock at best and at worst - motor nueron disease


and still no comment from Apple.

Jul 28, 2012 8:52 AM in response to Aedhasdad

"and still no comment from Apple."


You are aware that this is a user forum and Apple is not here. So have you brought the MBP to an Apple store or AASP? Have you cantacted AppleCare? Who at Apple have you contacted? If you deduced that there is a "short to ground" fault why have you not dealt with it?

Aug 7, 2012 1:33 AM in response to Aedhasdad

I was also having this issue intermittently with my MBP and searched for answers all over the internet. Strange vibrating sensation when you run your fingers across the body and occasional shocks, etc. I though it must be related to the power supply even though I was using a grounded plug. Until it happened when I was running on battery power and I realized it must be something else...The only other device connected at the time was my Maxtor external HD, so I disconnected that and voila - the shocking stopped! Turns out it was the HD that was not grounded, not my power supply. Might want to consider any and all devices that might be connected to your computer. Hopefully this helps!

Aug 7, 2012 4:23 PM in response to EvanG123

Whilst i am pleased you solved your issue, this is not the case with my issue.


the Electric shocks only happen when its on the Mains Charger and ONLY when using the Short connector - the stubby plastic mains plug, not the log flexible connector (the long white rubber flex cable) which has an Earth inside the horseshoe connector, and not when on battery.

Aug 7, 2012 5:29 PM in response to Aedhasdad

"the Electric shocks only happen when its on the Mains Charger and ONLY when using the Short connector - the stubby plastic mains plug, not the log flexible connector (the long white rubber flex cable) which has an Earth inside the horseshoe connector, and not when on battery."


The power adapter places one-half of the AC line voltage onto the compter chassis/casework. Although annoying, the current is well within international safety standards. This scheme is used by all personal computer hardware vendors worldwide. One poster noted that, even when using the battery, plugging in an ungrounded printer via the USB cable caused the electrical sensation on the computer. That's normal.


The only way to solve this is to use the 3-prong power adapter cable for your Apple computer, and plug it into a properly-grounded AC outlet. The two-prong power adapter "duckhead" is not grounded.

Dec 30, 2012 1:44 PM in response to Aedhasdad

This has happened with me with my first macbook and now my second.

Easy fix: Don't touch the floor when its plugged into the charger.


I put my feet on the table leg when on the mac, but if you have a metal chair, your screwed!


[Electricity needs to travel to ground to effect you, basic science]


You can thank me later!

Mar 2, 2013 8:50 PM in response to EvanG123

EvanG123 wrote:


I was also having this issue intermittently with my MBP and searched for answers all over the internet. Strange vibrating sensation when you run your fingers across the body and occasional shocks, etc. I though it must be related to the power supply even though I was using a grounded plug. Until it happened when I was running on battery power and I realized it must be something else...The only other device connected at the time was my Maxtor external HD, so I disconnected that and voila - the shocking stopped! Turns out it was the HD that was not grounded, not my power supply. Might want to consider any and all devices that might be connected to your computer. Hopefully this helps!

Thanks, it seems that disconnecting the HDD did stop the shocking. Now the two questions i have are; Why and how do i continue to backups without the drive attached 🙂

macbook pro electric shocks

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