My hand can feel a slight static on my MBP when connected via MagSafe

[jennyp]

Today I realised that the palm of my left hand, as it touches and slightly glides over the area to the left of the trackpad, can sense when the MacBook Pro is being powered by the connected MagSafe cable.

It feels like a very, very slight static, like a faint tingling. At first I thought I had something on my hand, but when I pull the MagSafe cable out, the sensation instantly vanishes, and reappears just as instantly when I re-connect it.

I can feel it in the metal strip or area between the screen and the keyboard as well; in fact, just about all over the metal areas.

The MacBook Pro is a 16-inch 2023 M2 Max.

Has anyone else ever experienced this? Is it normal? Is it safe?

 

[Puonti]

It's normal if you're using the basic charger that comes with your MBP. If you purchase the Apple Power Adapter Extension Cable and use that with your charger on a grounded outlet the tingling sensation goes away.

 

[jennyp]

Hey thanks for reply I notice the plug on the charger does have an earth/ground pin which appears to be metal, unless it's fake. The link I see on Apple for the item you describe says, "Use it with MagSafe and MagSafe 2 power adapters" (not MagSafe 3 which I have, apparently), and the compatibility info doesn't show my MacBook Pro. Is it still OK? (I'm in the UK.)

 

[dmccloud]

Today I realised that the palm of my left hand, as it touches and slightly glides over the area to the left of the trackpad, can sense when the MacBook Pro is being powered by the connected MagSafe cable.

It feels like a very, very slight static, like a faint tingling. At first I thought I had something on my hand, but when I pull the MagSafe cable out, the sensation instantly vanishes, and reappears just as instantly when I re-connect it.

I can feel it in the metal strip or area between the screen and the keyboard as well; in fact, just about all over the metal areas.

The MacBook Pro is a 16-inch 2023 M2 Max.

Has anyone else ever experienced this? Is it normal? Is it safe?

I have seen this in some cases where the power adapter was not grounded (i.e., using the two prong plug instead of the three prong grounded plug). It's not something to be overly concerned about, but it could indicate something within the building's wiring itself may need to be checked. As stated earlier, using a three prong plug (all metal prongs) will ground the system and alleviate that issue. As far as the MagSafe 1/2/3 thing goes, it will not matter what the laptop end looks like. If you look at any Apple laptop charger since MagSafe 1, they all have a modular plug that can be swapped out for the correct plug (i.e. the travel adapter set) or an extension/grounded plug (Apple Power Adapter Extension).

 

[jennyp]

using a three prong plug (all metal prongs) will ground the system and alleviate that issue.

That seems to be in effect what I have - the adaptor has three metal prongs, so I wonder if getting the Apple Power Adapter Extension Cable would change anything. Everything's plugged in to a surge protector, but all that's grounded, as is its connection to the mains. But maybe the adapter extension is different somehow. I don't really have a clue about that.

Thanks for the info on MagSafe 3.

I wonder if an Apple store could actually show me an Apple Power Adapter Extension Cable in action and let me test it.

 

[Puonti]

Hey thanks for reply I notice the plug on the charger does have an earth/ground pin which appears to be metal, unless it's fake. The link I see on Apple for the item you describe says, "Use it with MagSafe and MagSafe 2 power adapters" (not MagSafe 3 which I have, apparently), and the compatibility info doesn't show my MacBook Pro. Is it still OK? (I'm in the UK.)

If you remove the plug you should see a groove on the inside surface, normally hidden against the charging block. Does the inside of that groove have a piece of metal in it?

Here's the groove on a EUR plug without the metal piece. No metal, no grounding.

 

[B S Magnet]

If you remove the plug you should see a groove on the inside surface, normally hidden against the charging block. Does the inside of that groove have a piece of metal in it?

Here's the groove on a EUR plug without the metal piece. No metal, no grounding.

Generally speaking, these two metal grounding strips on either side of the “duck head” adapter mount tend to appear on both OEM and aftermarket power bricks — even when the strips (and duck head mount) are making metal contact. It really comes down to internal ground wiring: OEM units will generally have this; some non-OEM units may not (whereas others may).

I have owned several power bricks over the years, going back to iBook G4s and PowerBook G4s (two of the latter are running in my home as we speak). I’ve owned bricks which have that peculiar “vibrating” sensation on one’s palm as the palm glides over the aluminium. In at least one instance, I’m certain the power brick was from an OEM source.

What this tells me is that either the outlet wiring and/or the ground wiring inside the power brick (which I can’t inspect visually without cracking it open, but I can use a multi-meter to check for grounding) is not reaching proper ground through the grounding pin inserted into the wall; instead, my body, via palm to feet is the ground, serves at that ground — not unlike running the adapter with the two-prong “duck head” which ships with North American power bricks (OZ/NZ, UK, and various EU/worldwide “duck head” adapters tend to have the third prong, if local outlets have that as the modern standard, making those adapters physically bigger than the handy, folding, two-prong style of the North American adapters).

At home, where it’s dry and GFCI-protected circuits are part of the house’s wiring, I don’t worry too much about the odd sensation if I happen to use one of those power bricks. Yes, it may carry some risk of a power surge going through me instead of to the third prong, but unless I’m using such am outlet/adapter during, say, an electrical storm, then that risk is acceptable, if not low — especially since my Apple-related three-prong cord extensions to wall outlets all go through a surge protector, surge suppressor, or surge protection in a UPS.

 

[jennyp]

If you remove the plug you should see a groove on the inside surface, normally hidden against the charging block. Does the inside of that groove have a piece of metal in it?

Here's the groove on a EUR plug without the metal piece. No metal, no grounding.

Ah I see what you mean. Yes, removing the plug piece I can see there's no metal. Wouldn't that be the same when using the Apple Power Adapter Extension Cable though?

 

[Puonti]

Ah I see what you mean. Yes, removing the plug piece I can see there's no metal. Wouldn't that be the same when using the Apple Power Adapter Extension Cable though?

At least the Apple extension cables I've used with MacBook Pros in the past have had the necessary metal connection for grounding. I would assume the design hasn't changed, but you can always check with store staff.

 

[theluggage]

Ah I see what you mean. Yes, removing the plug piece I can see there's no metal. Wouldn't that be the same when using the Apple Power Adapter Extension Cable though?

At least at one stage in the UK, the extension cable was earthed but the plug pieces weren't. Guess the reasoning is that if the power brick is on an extension cable its more likely to get dropped in the bath, crushed, swallowed by a cow etc.

Note that this "tingle" phenomenon has been a thing for the last 20 years or so, so it's probably nothing to worry about.

 

[0339327]

I found this is only case for 220v systems.

I found it concerning and annoying when traveling overseas. It doesn’t do this in the US.

 

[chrfr]

I found this is only case for 220v systems.

I found it concerning and annoying when traveling overseas. It doesn’t do this in the US.

I have experienced it in the US when not using the grounded extension power cable.

 

[leifp]

Deleted. Added nothing useful to the conversation.

 

[Fishrrman]

As explained above, your charger isn't grounded.

Take steps to ground the charger, and the problem will go away.

I don't know how they fix this with those 2-prong power connectors used in Europe...

 

[Puonti]

I don't know how they fix this with those 2-prong power connectors used in Europe...

The extension cable terminates in a grounded schuko plug.

 

[okkibs]

A thread exists for this already. It's normal for all aluminum/metal devices and happens on iPads just the same as well as on other laptops with such housings.

The extension cable that has the extra ground pin will resolve this but there is no need for it from a safety point of view.

 

[jennyp]

The extension cable that has the extra ground pin will resolve this but there is no need for it from a safety point of view.

Well that's good to know. (But it is a little off-putting when you don't know what the heck it is. My old 2015 MacBook Pro never had this.) Thanks for the advice guys.

 

[iMacDragon]

Surprised if didn't have it on the 2015 if weren't using extension cable, I've had it to some degree on every single metal cased mac laptop, powerbook onwards, and it indeed is technically harmless.

 

[B S Magnet]

As explained above, your charger isn't grounded.

If your charger isn’t grounded, then you’re not disciplining it properly!

Have it sit in its room for the afternoon and let it think about what it didn’t do. If it doesn’t come out by suppertime to explain what it did wrong, then it’s maybe time to ground it until its conduct improves. C'mon, electrical parenting 101…

 

[okkibs]

My old 2015 MacBook Pro never had this.

It has that identical effect. All MBPs have it. And again, any aluminum/metal housing device such as iPads have it too. Whether it happens depends on the charger.

 

[weeener]

Im still using the grounded extension cable that came with my 2011 MacBook Pro, on my 2023 14” charging brick, so I haven’t noticed this issue, but i have felt it on the 2011 when using without the grounded cable.

Its too bad the grounded cable doesn’t come with the macbooks anymore. The little fold out prongs on the charging brick have a hard time staying put in old loose wall outlets. I think apple charges $19 for the grounded extension cable… worth it to me, I would buy one if I didn’t already have one.

 

[goodfidelity]

Somtimes flipping the orientation of a powerplug can change the behaviour of buzzing sounds and stuff like that, try doing that and see if it persists.

I have same issue on multiple Macbooks, i noticed that sometimes this is related to what is under the macbook or where i have my other hand /fot.

If i dont have another mac connected to my body physically this tickeling stops.

(sometimes i have my foot on a macpro under the desk, and sometimes the macbook is sitting on top of another macbook, and that is when i get this problem)

Hope you find solution and post it.

 

[okkibs]

If i dont have another mac connected to my body physically this tickeling stops.

If you aren't grounded no current can flow...

 

[goodfidelity]

If you aren't grounded no current can flow...

Makes sense.

 

[B S Magnet]

If you aren't grounded no current can flow...

Next time your kid protests, after being grounded, and asks why they’re grounded, just say “Because the current must flow.”