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afix · Dec 30, 2004, 03:15 PM

Recently I've discovered a very frustrating problem with my iBook. A lot of time when I have it sitting around charging and I go up to chat with someone, or surf the web and touch a key on the keyboard a little bit of static electricity shocks either me from the iBook, or the iBook from me. Whenever this happens the computer just shuts down. Usually I can just press the power button and it starts back up again (boots normally), with the exception that I receive a warning that my clock is set to June 30th, 2001. The date and time then automatically set themselves. Also, sometimes pressing the power button doesn't do anything. I have to remove the battery from the iBook and reseat it to turn the iBook back on. Is this problem common, or should I contact Apple to fix it?

jon l. dawson · Dec 30, 2004, 03:54 PM

it depends. is it really cold / dry where you are now? do you get static shocks from touching other metals in your house? I haven't had this happen with my ibook, but I'm sure it could. try running a humidifier in the room your ibook is in. I've also found that not wearing shoes around the house helps, because the rubber on bottom prevents static from discharging.

sine -''-..- · Dec 30, 2004, 04:26 PM

yea that sounds like a problem - discharging static shouldnt effect the computer these days... something in the machine must not be properly grounded, especially if its doing that when you have it plugged into the mains. it sounds dangerous too, could blow a chip.

What should be happening is that whatever static goes through the power jack into the mains ground. if its not doing that there's a problem - it means the static is discharging through the circuiry of the computer.

oh i just realized... try screwing down your keyboard - the little lock by numlock, because they'res a little pad underneith the keyboard there that contacts the sheilding of the ibook inside. if its not contacting there, the static would be going perhaps through the keyboard's interface.

afix · Dec 31, 2004, 12:35 AM

Thanks, sine. I took your advice and screwed that peice (it was screwed so it wasn't locked) and we'll see if it works.

sine -''-..- · Dec 31, 2004, 02:02 AM

yea good luck - if you (first unscrew the lock

) and look underneith the keyboard, you'll see what i mean. theres a round metal nub that comes through the plastic which should make contact with the metal frame of the keyboard- in fact, i just discovered that the nub is a magnet! anyhow, it looks to me that it should act as grounding... and if its not contacting properly, the keyboaard wouldnt be grounded.

of course this may not be the actual problem you're having, its just my guess.

afix · Dec 31, 2004, 12:50 PM

Yeah, I see it. Sounds like a reasonable idea. Now I actually want to get static just to test it out.

MARINEOSX · Dec 31, 2004, 01:33 PM

If you are going to test your iBook for static you are going to probably brake something. The human body can hold thousands of volts and the iBook will not. the average human body has 3000 volts of static electricity built up. This has little to no current but it will destroy electronics. The fact that the iBook can turn its self off and not blow up after something like that is amazing in its self. But the only way that you would be able to send a static charge into it is if it where plugged into the wall. The reason for this is that the electricity built up in your body grounds on the earth because your body has 2 points of contact with it. The iBook sitting without it plugged in will not complete the electrical circuit to discharge unless the iBook has the charge built up. In that case it would come from the iBook and not into it, and into it is the fatal blow. However I had no idea about the screw that is awesome and will do it to mine for sure.

afix · Jan 1, 2005, 04:52 PM

I didn't mean I was going to purposfully build up static and shock my iBook, but I'm sure at one point I will have static again and I will forget to discharge it on some other metal.

sine -''-..- · 10:59 PM

Originally posted by MARINEOSX:
The iBook sitting without it plugged in will not complete the electrical circuit to discharge unless the iBook has the charge built up.

I'm no expert on electricity, but I'm quite sure that an you could still shock the ibook even if it is not plugged in... And "in" or "out" dosent really matter - electricity dosent really have a direction - its the electrical flow that matters, too much flow going through the logic circuitry and it'll bust a chip.

Okay, so i just did some more research... that nubby thing, which is a magnet, actually does nothing for grounding. i tested with my handy multimeter and the steel circular pad that the magnet contacts does _not_ have electrical contact with the aluminum keyboard base. so it does nothing to ground. but i did put the keyboard back and place and verified that the keyboard _is_ grounded when in place, which i now see is from the soft conductive strip that goes across the middle keyboard. which would mean that locking the little locky thing does NOT do anything... sorry.

but if your machine is crashing because of static, it sounds like a bigger problem. i'd send it in.

MARINEOSX · Jan 5, 2005, 09:21 PM

it does matter acctually the human body has AC voltage and the iBook runs of of DC voltage these can not complete a cuircit the AC voltage from your body would have to run through the iBook and into the wall to reach an AC ground.

That little white box that is plugged into the wall is called an AC to DC converter. Converts Alternating Current into Direct Current. If you don't have that plugged in and you "shock the iBook" This is all voltage from within the iBook.

Also if you must know DC voltage does have a direct flow of electrons. Hense the name given it (Direct Current) AC current or Alternating curent can flow in any direction you can test this buy plugging in a vacume one way then flipping the plug upside down and it will still run no problems, but if you try to plug a car stereo in backwards you will fry it. Why could this be HMMMMM. Gues it is direct current and will only flow in one direction. I was a custom home and car audio specialist M.E.C.P certified and deal with electronics on a daily basis. This is how I know What I am talking about. This is also why you are suppose to unplug and remove the battery from the iBook when you remove the keyboard so you don't discharge static electricity or the capacitors in the iBook from grounding them on accident.

MARINEOSX · Jan 5, 2005, 09:28 PM

Sorry one more thing just in case someone wanted to bring it up. Yes the iBook could hold a charge of AC voltage. Poly Carbonate Plastic (the iBooks shell) Rubbing on fabric will build up a static charge. plastic on fabric is a great cathode. Same thing as taking a balloon and rubbing it on the ground then sticking it to the wall.