Why does my macbook give a slight tingling sensation when it is charging and what could i,we or Apple do about it?

Question

I have been facing this problem since the time of purchase. I think the shocks go away once it's fully charged. I experience shocks regardless of whether I sit directly on the tiled floor at my home, or on a chair with my feet on the ground, or with my shoes on at my workplace. I use the official two pin charger that came with the box. I reside in India. I have gone through the following posts

• Electric shocks from MacBook
• Alu macbook is shocking me
• macbook is shocking me
• electric shocks from macbook
• shocks from macbook

• my macbook gives me electric shock when I charge it

  Please help me. Many of my friends are also facing the same problem.

This question also asks what could be done by apple about it? and as to why apple is seemingly ignorant of its widespread prevalence?

Answer 1

It definitely sounds like their MacBook is not properly grounded. Take it to an Apple store for service.

Answer 2

It's pretty much standard with 2 pin chargers and a metal case. It's not dangerous, just electrical "noise". The intensity may vary slightly if you plug it into a different wall socket, or go through the other wall sockets and disconnect devices that likely add noise (such as chargers, transformers, both even if turned off). Depending on the circuit the tingling can even be affected by the light switch being on of off.

Answer 3

I am in Canada and have observed a similar phenomenon with some devices (nothing to do with Apple). These devices have 2-pin adapters, and plug in to 3-pin domestic outlets which consist of "live" (120V), neutral, and ground; live and neutral are blade-shaped pins, ground has a round or rounded section. Outlets can accept either a 3-pin grounded plug, a 2-pin polarized plug or a 2-pin non-polarized plug.

A polarized 2-pin plug has unequal blades to only fit the socket one way round; but a non-polarized can be plugged in either of two orientations (as I believe occurs with your power system).

I have sometimes noticed a slight tingle when I touch the surface of a device when its 2-pin non-polarized adapter is plugged in; I have also noticed that the tingle effect disappears if I plug it in "the other way around" (pins transposed).

For North American power, the explanation could be due to some sort of leakage and the fact that one blade is at alternating mains voltage, where the other should be (but is not necessarily) at ground potential. Perhaps your issue is related and the solution is similar - try plugging it in the other way around.