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How can I avoid my MacBook Pro giving me minor shocks?

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Re: How can I avoid my MacBook Pro giving me minor shocks?

#131
post #124

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They didn't "attempt to block Linux", they just shipped hardware without a Linux driver. And later released a workaround to make the hardware work in a slower, more power consuming backwards compatibility mode so Intel can continue not properly supporting the hardware in Linux. But sure, it was totally "Lenovo blocking Linux".

How come Intel is one of the top contributors to linux, but doesn't ship drivers for all their hardware?

I'm guessing because Linux on laptops isn't a big money maker. Linux on server is where Intel focuses.

Re: How can I avoid my MacBook Pro giving me minor shocks?

#134

My iMac, specifically the USB keyboard (I needed the numpad), gives a slight electrical sensation when I touch it anywhere other than a key.

I experienced the same with an aluminium Apple keyboard connected to a non-Apple PC; small electric shocks now and then when I touched the aluminium. I contacted Apple about it and they said it was impossible .. Luckily I had purchased the keyboard online and I could still return it.

Re: How can I avoid my MacBook Pro giving me minor shocks?

#135

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I felt this on an Apple laptop in California a couple of years ago, in an apartment with only two-prong outlets in it. I'd describe the feeling more like the laptop cover was vibrating, rather than bumpy. The feeling went away and the laptop cover became smooth and normal if I lifted my feet off of the ground. Once all the outlets were rewired to be three-prong, with ground, I used a three-prong power cord and the pr…

120v isn't going to hurt you, just scare you. You have too much resistance.

You can die with 50V. It's not the voltage that is important but the amps.

You can also die if you stick your finger for a long time (24H) in a small current.

http://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/19103/how-muc...

Re: How can I avoid my MacBook Pro giving me minor shocks?

#136

What's fascinating to me about this phenomenon is that you can actually feel the 60Hz AC by running your hand across the lid. It feels as if the surface is slightly bumpy, but the width of the bumps changes as you adjust the speed your finger moves. Unplug from mains, and the surface becomes smooth. As the answer notes, this only happens when using the two-prong adapter without earthing. It also seems to be more noti…

This has been happening to me in both UK and Ireland, which use three pin plugs as standard, with every metal-bodied Mac I've owned since the Titanium PowerBook came out in 2001

Re: How can I avoid my MacBook Pro giving me minor shocks?

#137
post #3

Don't use Macs but I'm surprised Apple apparently didn't give an earthed power adapter by default on a metal skin product. This seems like negligence. Now that I think about it, my iPad's the same when charging.

In the U.K. they come with earthed plug. However I still noticed "buzzing" in the MBP, MBA and even iPad when I would touched them. Took the MBP in to the store. It didn't buzz there. They gave me a new power supply anyways and recommended I connect the plug directly into the wall socket. Turned out that the power strip I was using is not grounded even though it has three pin sockets ! When I plug Apple devices direc…

My UK MacBook came with two plugs; one with a long cable and an earth connection, and one "short" one that's just the plug head, with no earth connection (the slot that the earth ring from the transformer connects to is just plastic inside).

I get the shocks when using the short connector, and always have.

Here is a DIY guide by someone who figured out how to fix the issue (danger, electricity, don't kill yourself)

http://garethhayes.net/apple-power-plug-not-earthed/

Re: How can I avoid my MacBook Pro giving me minor shocks?

#139
I've noticed a similar problem. I have a macbook pro and a macbook air and whenever I have both of them plugged in and am touching both of them at the same time (usually one arm laying across both of them)

I can feel where my arm is touching the laptops start to hurt/burn. I figured the electricity is now going through my body, but assumed it was a problem with the laptop, not necessarily the electricity.

Re: How can I avoid my MacBook Pro giving me minor shocks?

#140
post #106

The point is, how did Apple manage to get away with it for all these years? why weren't they enforced to ship only the properly grounded adapter?

With a trotted meme/slogan like "You're holding it wrong" sorta explains it all does it not?

I say this as a happy MacBook Air owner but i'm traveling soon and this had better not be an issue...

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