Update: Dell assures users that laptops' electric jolts are harmless

[OhioChick]

January 18, 2008 (Techworld.com) -- Dell Inc. has assured users of its laptops that there is no danger from electrical jolts sometimes received from the cases of some of its systems.

Users have complained of receiving either a continuous electrical "tingling" or sharp shocks from some Dell laptops. The Dell machines involved include the 9400 and, more recently, laptops with brushed-aluminum cases, such as the XPS M1330 and XPS M1530.

In a knowledge base article published on Wednesday, Dell acknowledged that "a tingling sensation may be noticed when connecting devices to Dell notebook computers or printers and touching exposed metal parts of the devices being connected or the parent device." But Dell denied that the "tingling sensation" is cause for alarm and said the surges will neither harm human beings nor do any damage to the computer.

The jolts reported by some users are due to an electrical potential, or voltage, between exposed metal parts of the laptop and the earth, according to Dell. This voltage can be found in any electrical device powered by an AC adapter without an earth.

"The voltage does not present any risk of injury to the user," the company said.

Earlier this year, users began noticing the voltage issue with Dell 9400 laptops. Other Dell users have reported the same problem with notebooks such as the XPS M1530 and other notebooks with aluminum cases.

http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&taxonomyId=12&articleId=9057901&intsrc=hm_topic

[eek]

1. same thing with my Mac

Powerbook G4
Aluminium case

I have tried to get the issue resolved but never have.

As aa result, my fingertips get very sore, tingley.

Hard to write for much at a time.

I have seen plenty of people on various Mac boards describe this - and offer fixes to try.

I will be posting the Dell article on the Mac boards.

Thank you for the information!

[Warpy]

5. Best defense

is to sit in a non conductive chair and wear rubber soled shoes. It's hard to get a belt off anything unless that belt has a way to get to ground.

Unless those keys are metal, it's hard to see how you're getting any kind of a shock from them.

The last shock I got off a keyboard was from an ancient Underwood with metal keys after I'd walked across a nylon carpet in leather soled shoes.

[OnceUponTimeOnTheNet]

2. nts. kick for later

[Jamastiene]

3. I guess it would depend on the amount of current in those "jolts."

Still, getting shocked like that is not "harmless." :eyes:

[Cogito ergo doleo]

4. We don't intend to fix the problem, you're on your own...

That's the very thing we face now with corporations thanks to our becoming irrelevant to our "representatives".

So what if your table top cracks because it was made from Chinese wood and not kiln-dried. Hell, just throw a table cloth on it. Sorry your toaster sparks. Wear rubber shoes.

To hell with them and their crap. If we all quit buying, maybe they'd take us seriously again -- maybe not.

[louis-t]

6. Right, and the air at WTC was safe

and the lead and other poisons in Chinese made goods won't hurt you, and global warming is actually good for the Earth, and lowering taxes brings in more revenue, and illegal immigrants only do the work that Americans won't do. My heads hurts. I am sick of being lied to, sick of being a target of marketing every way I turn, sick of waiting for the last 50 clicks on the pre-pay gas pumps (owner hopes you'll get tired of waiting and give HIM the last 50 cents), sick of long pre-recorded messages on voice mail that are designed to use up minutes, sick of 90 mph disclaimers at the end of every radio commercial, sick of mucus commercials, sick of pharmaceutical commercials in general (about 75% of all commercials,I would say), sick of "up selling" or "suggestive selling" as they now call it("Would you like fries with that?").....My father was right. Every career I could possibly have entered is about selling. Maybe I just need a vacation.

[shain from kane]

7. Don't tase me, bro. n/t

[eek]

8. curious if others have had computer shock issues?

K & R