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hsl · Dec 13, 2003, 12:58 PM

Ok I've got a problem,..

whenever my 1 GHz PowerBook 12" is plugged in with the original adapter.. than i feel the electricity through the case,.. it's not painful, but it's annoying,.. it tingles in my wrists when i move them and when i unplug it than it stops.. so i know it's the poweradapter,.. does anyone know about this? i don't know if it's normal or if i should send it for repair or send the poweradapter back!

thanks

Har.

CeRtiFiedSkitZo · Dec 13, 2003, 02:28 PM

Originally posted by hsl:
Ok I've got a problem,..

whenever my 1 GHz PowerBook 12" is plugged in with the original adapter.. than i feel the electricity through the case,.. it's not painful, but it's annoying,.. it tingles in my wrists when i move them and when i unplug it than it stops.. so i know it's the poweradapter,.. does anyone know about this? i don't know if it's normal or if i should send it for repair or send the poweradapter back!

thanks

Har.

I can say it's not normal and I would have send it back to Apple. The only thing I can think of is that maybe something like a loose wire is touching the inside your laptop case.

In any case that's not normal and I would send it back to Apple.

Vi0 · Dec 13, 2003, 02:53 PM

Do not continue to use your iBook until you fix this.

Electricity travelling through your body can do major damage and you don't even have to feel pain necessarily.

hsl · Dec 13, 2003, 03:00 PM

I think I already found the solution.. I'm at my parents today and i left the extension cable at my place,.. and I took the little plug that can be plugged on the corner of the adapter.. and that is probably causing the problem,.. because the little plug doesn't have earth.. (I don't if this is the right word in english)

can tell for 100% tomorrow when I'm at my house!

I really hope that's the problem,.. i really need it and it would be a big problem if i had to work without it for a week!

Pfew

be back soon..

Thorin · Dec 13, 2003, 04:05 PM

http://forums.macnn.com/showthread.p...hreadid=190728

This seems to be a common problem. I suspect it's just the way it is - the outside case of the 12" powerbook is live when plugged into the mains.

bobpensik · Dec 13, 2003, 05:53 PM

i have never had that kind of problem with my Rev A 12" PB! if it persists, send it back!

anaphora68 · Dec 13, 2003, 08:43 PM

That is not a small or minor problem in any way. It sounds like there is something wrong with the powerbook and you should send it back to apple ASAP.

Any electronic device is supposed to be properly shielded so you do not feel its current running. Does it do this unplugged?

Fellow2000 · Dec 13, 2003, 10:24 PM

Originally posted by hsl:
Ok I've got a problem,..

whenever my 1 GHz PowerBook 12" is plugged in with the original adapter.. than i feel the electricity through the case,.. it's not painful, but it's annoying,.. it tingles in my wrists when i move them and when i unplug it than it stops.. so i know it's the poweradapter,.. does anyone know about this? i don't know if it's normal or if i should send it for repair or send the poweradapter back!

thanks

Har.

HSL!!!!!!!!!!

I am having the same problem!!!!!

I noticed it when I was typing one night and moving my wrists on the palm rests I could feel this strange feeling. Then when I did it with just a couple fingers it was even weirder. I finally figured out that it would only do it when plugged in, so somehow the electricity was going through the case.

Now when I use it I just unplug it. It is so comforting to know that someone else is having the same problem though. Do you use some kind of instant messenger so I could talk to you more about it? PM if so.

Very weird.

PS I have a revB 12" pbook superdrive.

Spheric Harlot · Dec 13, 2003, 10:30 PM

As I mentioned in the other thread, I'm seeing a 95V AC potential on the case every time I plug it in.

Enough to give a nice spark when I plug in a Firewire or USB cable, and enough to hurt when I accidentally touch one while I'm using the Powerbook.

Usually, it just tingles, as the original poster here notes.

I really need to contact Apple on this.

-s*

anaphora68 · Dec 13, 2003, 10:45 PM

I'm noticing that everyone who is having a problem on this thread is from outside the US, is it possible that the adaport is messing up the voltage conversion and that is why the unit is conducting enough electricity for you to feel it?

SunilC · Dec 13, 2003, 11:25 PM

I get this too with my UK 1ghz 12" powerbook. I never bothered doing anything about it though!

Sunil

Fellow2000 · Dec 14, 2003, 05:11 AM

Originally posted by anaphora68:
I'm noticing that everyone who is having a problem on this thread is from outside the US, is it possible that the adaport is messing up the voltage conversion and that is why the unit is conducting enough electricity for you to feel it?

What do you mean outside the US? I am born and bread American

I bought my powerbook in university village, seattle washington.

jalsrv · Dec 14, 2003, 07:52 AM

Originally posted by Fellow2000:
What do you mean outside the US? I am born and bread American

I bought my powerbook in university village, seattle washington.

If you plug the power adaptor in upside down, it will make a high pitched noise and you will get a current through the powerbook. The adaptor has a positive and negative, so if you plug it in backwards it isnt grounded. Hope this helps

Link · Dec 14, 2003, 10:03 AM

Interesting they never polarized the plug then...

This is freaky

Spheric Harlot · Dec 14, 2003, 05:03 PM

Originally posted by jalsrv:
If you plug the power adaptor in upside down, it will make a high pitched noise and you will get a current through the powerbook. The adaptor has a positive and negative, so if you plug it in backwards it isnt grounded. Hope this helps

Funny, but NO.

I've turned around the adaptor in the socket (thus switching the phase), and I still measure 115V AC across ground.

And just for laughs, I hooked up the power adaptor using the GROUNDED extension cord that clips onto the corner of the power brick, and I STILL measure 95V AC.

Note that we have 230V power outlets here.

-s*

jld · Dec 15, 2003, 04:59 AM

Why do they even bother with the grounded extention? It's obvious the earth pin doesn't lead anywhere, and it just limits the places I can use the extension. (Like where I'm sitting now)

Maybe when my warrenty is up I'll cut the earth pin off.

hsl · Dec 15, 2003, 05:07 AM

when i use the grounded extension everything is alright! and on my work when i use my old iBook adapter which is not grounded i have no problems either. so the only thing i have troubles with is the new PoBo adapter with the not grounded plug!

AlbertWu · Dec 15, 2003, 06:01 AM

the ground pin is for the adapter, in case there is a surge, so that the surge doesn't get passed on to the powerbook as DC voltage or blow out the adapter.

it's a good thing. leave it on.

jld · Dec 15, 2003, 03:26 PM

Just noticed where the earth pin connects to the adapter. I guess I won't be cutting anything apart. :-/

hodaddy · Dec 15, 2003, 05:06 PM

FYI, i'm in the states and have had this problem since the pb was new (1st gen 867 12" pb...ordered at MWSF03)

i dont notice the voltage until i move a body part across the surface of the machine. for example, if i just lay my hand or finger on it, i feel nothing. but, if i drag my hand/finger across the wrist rests i feel the 'tingle'.

i have not trouble-shot this issue at all. i may find a grounding issue in my wall. but, it happens with two different power adapters...an old silver yoyo type, and the white brick the computer shipped with.

was this not an issue with the original 15" Ti books? dont remember how that got resolved. i really should have this looked at. but, the machine works fine and i cant afford to be without it for several weeks (if past applecare experiences count for anything :o )

Crusoe · Dec 16, 2003, 01:01 PM

Yeah my wife can make the hair on my ears stand up if I'm using the powerbook (15") and she puts her finger close to my skin. I'm in Europe and they don't ground connections. I have the 3 prong going to a 2 prong Euro adapter.

I like the tingling sensation.

Spheric Harlot · Dec 16, 2003, 09:41 PM

Originally posted by Crusoe:
Yeah my wife can make the hair on my ears stand up if I'm using the powerbook (15") and she puts her finger close to my skin. I'm in Europe and they don't ground connections. I have the 3 prong going to a 2 prong Euro adapter.

I like the tingling sensation.

I'm in Europe, too, and we DO ground connections.

two-prong, 3-prong, makes absolutely no difference to this phenomenon.

It is not related to defects or grounding in the external power supply, as I was able to confirm with a tech at a local repair shop. This is some sort of botched wiring job within the computer itself.

They're sending it in to Apple for repair in January, when I'll be able to do without it for a little while (can't right now).

-s*