They didn't. The one that's ungrounded is a plastic pin. It's just there because the UK plugs require it to mechanically open the live and neutral connections, allowing you to actually plug the thing.
I've never had this happen with a laptop but as a musician I've been zapped by a microphone a bunch... not an infrequent occurrence if you play electric guitar and sing at the same time. Twice in the past year I've been hit during soundcheck at a gig because of bad grounding at a venue. Last time my solution was to plug everything into the same outlet via a power strip but I invariably end up off-kilter for a few minutes after being electrocuted through my mouth as I'm about to play :-(
This also happens with iPhones. And under the right circumstances you can feel the same tingling sensation on skin contact as well if the other person is holding a plugged in iPhone.
I get this sometimes, but not all of the time on my newish (6 month) Asus 14 laptop with a UK 3-pin to mains power supply. And I've had it with other laptops in the UK. It's mysterious, but don't think it is going to kill you.
So, what's that? And how to know, in the UK, if I have it, or don't want it. Because I have had the same throbbing experience with several metal shell laptops plugged in to power in at least three houses in the UK.
I'm not familiar with the UK wiring standards. However an easy first step that I would imagine also applies there is losing the bonding jumper between neutral and ground at the main circuit breaker panel.
In Canada and USA with our split phase residential system a decent next step is to overload 1 phase causing the neutral to start drifting from 0V.
In the UK with single phase supply I imagine the next best thing would be to also break the neutral return to the pole which should generate at least 100V on the neutral (and also stop all appliances from working), fortunately for you (I think) the UK mandates GFCIs (RCDs) on all residential circuits which would also prevent that from actually killing you.
In summary, I'm going to guess that touching neutral in the UK is a healthier past time then it is in the US or CA. Still not healthy, but at least healthier.
There are a series of things that can be wrong both with the hardware you plug in and with the plug itself. Things can straight up be wired in the wrong order, grounding can be done incorrectly so there's more than one path to ground which among other things causes there to be a voltage difference between the neutral wire and the ground wire, corrosion or bad connections can cause similar issues.
The first cheap test you can do is buy one of these plug testers that diagnose some of the more direct problems you could be having for about £10, don't necessarily buy the one I linked, but do a little research and pick something that seems right.
If you're having those kinds of problems, it wouldn't hurt to contact a local electrician and quickly describe the issue and ask what it would cost to diagnose.
Well, it is not so much of a problem as just strange. I have had my brother, who knows a bit about power circuits, do some testing on my current house, and it seems OK. But sometimes, and only sometimes, metal shell things plugged into the UK mains via 3-pin UK plugs will do the throbbing stuff. And as I said, this happened in multiple houses, with multiple PSUs and laptops and other stuff.
Sure, but DC relative to what? Can't be ground since that connection isn't there, so that leaves neutral.
I've got half an alligator clip on my workbench, the other half disappeared when I connected it to the floating ground of a 5VDC system. It just so happens the ground was floating on top of 120VAC. The ATmega didn't care, it only ever saw 5V between its Vcc and Vee, however once I made the mistaken of connecting its "ground" to an actual ground sparks flew.
The DC side is fully isolated except through a capacitor that is there to reduce EMI interference and is specifically built to "fail safe", except for the cheapest no-name imported power supplies. (https://www.pcbaaa.com/y1-capacitors-function-application-an...)
This is a widespread and well documented phenomenon.
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskElectronics/wiki/why#wiki_tingli...
My frustratingly rubbish M1 Air does this, amongst many other odd and annoying things. But hey... what are the alternatives?
I'm startled they put a metal earth pin on the type-G adapter for that plug that does nothing.
That's additional cost just to make it look like it's grounded when it's not.
They didn't. The one that's ungrounded is a plastic pin. It's just there because the UK plugs require it to mechanically open the live and neutral connections, allowing you to actually plug the thing.
I saw the silvery colour in the photo and made an incorrect assumption, I guess.
I've never had this happen with a laptop but as a musician I've been zapped by a microphone a bunch... not an infrequent occurrence if you play electric guitar and sing at the same time. Twice in the past year I've been hit during soundcheck at a gig because of bad grounding at a venue. Last time my solution was to plug everything into the same outlet via a power strip but I invariably end up off-kilter for a few minutes after being electrocuted through my mouth as I'm about to play :-(
> Apple support are utterly fucking useless and don't know about this.
That particular support person/bot may not have but the company absolutely does
This is why I avoid aluminum laptops. Too many plugs aren't properly grounded and the tingling annoys me to no end.
This also happens with iPhones. And under the right circumstances you can feel the same tingling sensation on skin contact as well if the other person is holding a plugged in iPhone.
I get this sometimes, but not all of the time on my newish (6 month) Asus 14 laptop with a UK 3-pin to mains power supply. And I've had it with other laptops in the UK. It's mysterious, but don't think it is going to kill you.
It won't kill you right up until you plug it into an outlet with a unbalanced neutral.
Granted a couple things have to go wrong for that to happen but they do happen.
The problem is at least a decade old and they sold hundreds of millions of unit since then, where are the deaths?
> unbalanced neutral
So, what's that? And how to know, in the UK, if I have it, or don't want it. Because I have had the same throbbing experience with several metal shell laptops plugged in to power in at least three houses in the UK.
I'm not familiar with the UK wiring standards. However an easy first step that I would imagine also applies there is losing the bonding jumper between neutral and ground at the main circuit breaker panel.
In Canada and USA with our split phase residential system a decent next step is to overload 1 phase causing the neutral to start drifting from 0V.
In the UK with single phase supply I imagine the next best thing would be to also break the neutral return to the pole which should generate at least 100V on the neutral (and also stop all appliances from working), fortunately for you (I think) the UK mandates GFCIs (RCDs) on all residential circuits which would also prevent that from actually killing you.
In summary, I'm going to guess that touching neutral in the UK is a healthier past time then it is in the US or CA. Still not healthy, but at least healthier.
There are a series of things that can be wrong both with the hardware you plug in and with the plug itself. Things can straight up be wired in the wrong order, grounding can be done incorrectly so there's more than one path to ground which among other things causes there to be a voltage difference between the neutral wire and the ground wire, corrosion or bad connections can cause similar issues.
The first cheap test you can do is buy one of these plug testers that diagnose some of the more direct problems you could be having for about £10, don't necessarily buy the one I linked, but do a little research and pick something that seems right.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/QUILLE-Socket-Display-Neutral-Testi...
If you're having those kinds of problems, it wouldn't hurt to contact a local electrician and quickly describe the issue and ask what it would cost to diagnose.
Well, it is not so much of a problem as just strange. I have had my brother, who knows a bit about power circuits, do some testing on my current house, and it seems OK. But sometimes, and only sometimes, metal shell things plugged into the UK mains via 3-pin UK plugs will do the throbbing stuff. And as I said, this happened in multiple houses, with multiple PSUs and laptops and other stuff.
I dunno.
The laptop is DC powered. This isn't a 1950s TV with a hot chassis. You're not exposed to the AC side.
Sure, but DC relative to what? Can't be ground since that connection isn't there, so that leaves neutral.
I've got half an alligator clip on my workbench, the other half disappeared when I connected it to the floating ground of a 5VDC system. It just so happens the ground was floating on top of 120VAC. The ATmega didn't care, it only ever saw 5V between its Vcc and Vee, however once I made the mistaken of connecting its "ground" to an actual ground sparks flew.
The DC side is fully isolated except through a capacitor that is there to reduce EMI interference and is specifically built to "fail safe", except for the cheapest no-name imported power supplies. (https://www.pcbaaa.com/y1-capacitors-function-application-an...)
> Sure, but DC relative to what?
What are an AA battery's terminals relative to when you hold the thing up in the air?
I don't notice this in North America but I did notice it in Europe. Using the 2 prong in both places.
Yeah, I've haven't had it in the USA with two prong, but then 110/120V(?) would be presumably harder to notice?
At home with 240V I use 3 prong so presumably I'm properly grounded as this would be an ongoing annoyance I'd definitely notice.
I’ve always felt it in North America. Especially if you slide your hand/finger. My iPad does it as well (if it’s on a charger).
Noticed it in Asia but Not Japan. Always knew it was a grounding issue.
Shouldn't this be a UL/CE certification issue?
it’s a design decision because some people like myself actually like the light throbbing
New haptic feedback technology