Bought new power cable. Now laptop shocks me

[maanoi]

So yeh i bought a new power adapter for my laptop as the old one stopped working. Now with the new one everytime i touch the metal frame under my laptop i get an electric shock.

I know the problem is the adapter because if i plug my wifes adapter into my laptop (she has same laptop as me) i dont get a shock.

Am i doing any damage to the laptop? And why is this happening?

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[Guest]

Could it be that the building electric wires are not done well? I have similar situation. Turning the plug 180 degrees solves the problem. If the plug have 3 pins, you can use 2 pin extension cord to test if turning helps.

Needles to say that the electrician I used was very cheap..

[sumrit]

The new adapter you're using is not earthed, either not connected internally or it's a cheap one that' only got a two core cable.

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[h90]

The new adapter you're using is not earthed, either not connected internally or it's a cheap one that' only got a two core cable.

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I have seen cables with the earth connection on both ends but no wire inside.

They appear to have earth....but really they don't.

[NHJ]

wear shoes and this won't happen or link the metal frame to earth.

[LeeCraker]

The concept of grounding is not understood in Thailand. I had to hunt long and hard to find an electrician that understood grounding to build my home, and I still don't have lightning protection ... Yes you can fry your laptop or shorten it's life. Some adaptors have built in grounding and surge protection, but I suspect most after market adaptors in Thailand do not. I run my home system from my grounded wall plug through good (and expensive) power strips and then into a grounded UPS which I plug everything into.

[Cuban]

DIY housing in Thailand sub-fourm has chapter and verse on this issue - many times over.

[nosatisfaction]

The new adapter you're using is not earthed, either not connected internally or it's a cheap one that' only got a two core cable.

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Did you ever have anything earthed in Thailand?

Since when?

[nosatisfaction]

wear shoes and this won't happen or link the metal frame to earth.

another, rather extreme , solution would be to take your wife's power supply and give her yours.............

[mowgus]

Out of curiosity, is it an HP laptop?

I have the same problem here in Thailand. I have an HP Elitebook with a lot of metal parts (including the handrest) and I get a mild tingling sensation if I'm grounded.

HP did actually release a bulletin (can't find the link, sorry) stating that it wasn't dangerous or wouldn't damage the equipment. It's just annoying. If it was fine before the new adapter, chances are your new adapter is not a proper one from the manufacturer and therefore does not have proper grounding. I'd order a proper one from the manufacturer.

[nosatisfaction]

Out of curiosity, is it an HP laptop?

I have the same problem here in Thailand. I have an HP Elitebook with a lot of metal parts (including the handrest) and I get a mild tingling sensation if I'm grounded.

HP did actually release a bulletin (can't find the link, sorry) stating that it wasn't dangerous or wouldn't damage the equipment. It's just annoying. If it was fine before the new adapter, chances are your new adapter is not a proper one from the manufacturer and therefore does not have proper grounding. I'd order a proper one from the manufacturer.

There is absolutely no danger in it, it is just a mild reminder for your weekly massage session.

I get the same when I sit on my airco-compressor on the balcony and touch the railing, but this is not low voltage.....

It seems to be a new test to reduce fat and cellulite.

[puukao]

I would discontinue using the power adapter that provides a shock.

I hope you don't have a pace maker, or are pregnant.

[X pat]

I have always used an APC serge protector haven't had any problems yet.

[monkey4u]

I bought a cheap local made cable as I left mine at home, it caught fire on its second use. Buy an original to be safe

[lmaxv]

The casing on my computer is metal and when I touched it, I felt a mild electric sensation; it felt "rough" but when unplugged it was smooth. I bought a surge protector and using it there's now no more electrical sensation.

[Pib]

So yeh i bought a new power adapter for my laptop as the old one stopped working. Now with the new one everytime i touch the metal frame under my laptop i get an electric shock.

Probably a cheap/defective/bad design adapter. Keep in mind that while the input to the power adapter is AC voltage and maybe be either a 2-wire or 3-wire setup, the power adapter output is a DC voltage...varies by laptop but is usually in the 10 to 20 Volts DC range. So, if your adapter is not doing a good job of rectifying the AC to DC and keeping any ground-loop currents from getting through the adapter and riding on top of the DC voltage feeding your laptop then you got a good chance of getting a tinkle/small shock. And if you have other AC power equipment always hooked to your laptop then the ground-loop could be originating from those items.

But when you say you wife's adapter (assuming it's a correct model for your laptop...different laptops use different adapters) doesn't result in a shock, then that should be telling you there is something wrong/defective/cheap/bad design about the adapter you just bought.

[maanoi]

Its a toshiba laptop. But the new charger is some random thing probably chinese made.

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[asdecas]

Consider surfing the Internet in Wellington boots.

[nosatisfaction]

Its a toshiba laptop. But the new charger is some random thing probably chinese made.

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are you certain your laptop is manufactured in it's original country,and not in China, or just has the brandname original?

maybe manufactured on a monday morning or friday afternoon?

[newermonkey]

Change the laptop charger, because no current higher than 18 volts should be getting through. The charging adapter may have got water in it allowing some of the mains power to trace through, this is potentially lethal to you and the laptop!!!!!

[BahBahBoBo]

Thai sell farang cable with no 'earthing' all the time. It ok. Farang not needing earth, farang is 'alien'.

[masuk]

Could it be that the building electric wires are not done well? I have similar situation. Turning the plug 180 degrees solves the problem. If the plug have 3 pins, you can use 2 pin extension cord to test if turning helps.

Needles to say that the electrician I used was very cheap..

As Thai and most other Asian plugs (not Singapore) are reversible, it is possible you've changed the polarity. Turn the plug thru 180degrees and see if that helps. Could be that the active side of things runs through your setup and and stops at the switch, instead of not getting past the switch.

Western plugs are normally made in such a way that the active pin plugs into the active socket. Here, anything goes.

[worgeordie]

My PC s come from the UK, when I plugged them in I would get mild shock, then I realized,

that Thai 3 pin plugs have the L (live) on the left, in the UK its on the right, I bought some

of those extension strips, cut the plug off and put UK 3 pin plug on it, it had Brown, Blue,

and green wires, now in the West Brown is L, Blue N and Green E, so thats the way I

wired the plug, I have fitted UK sockets, so Plugged the tv and PC in to the strip, and I

was getting slight shock of any screws on tv, after about a week the TV was knackered,

as it was brand new took it back to shop and got new one.

So I opened up the strip sockets and found that they had BLUE wired as LIVE, Brown as N.!

It is wise to be very careful with any electrical stuff here in Thailand,

Regards Worgeordie

[jocko]

I took my i-pod touch to Thailand and forgot to take charger so went to local shop bought a charger (Copy) connected to pod nothing the pod stopped working i thought thats that then but when i returned home connected to PC/ I-TUNES and restored it it was ok.

[Naam]

The new adapter you're using is not earthed, either not connected internally or it's a cheap one that' only got a two core cable.

Sent from my i-mobile IQ XA using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Did you ever have anything earthed in Thailand?

Since when?

since i build my house 7 years ago.

[jocko]

My PC s come from the UK, when I plugged them in I would get mild shock, then I realized,

that Thai 3 pin plugs have the L (live) on the left, in the UK its on the right, I bought some

of those extension strips, cut the plug off and put UK 3 pin plug on it, it had Brown, Blue,

and green wires, now in the West Brown is L, Blue N and Green E, so thats the way I

wired the plug, I have fitted UK sockets, so Plugged the tv and PC in to the strip, and I

was getting slight shock of any screws on tv, after about a week the TV was knackered,

as it was brand new took it back to shop and got new one.

So I opened up the strip sockets and found that they had BLUE wired as LIVE, Brown as N.!

It is wise to be very careful with any electrical stuff here in Thailand,

Regards Worgeordie

I done the same for my UK stereo but bought the 4 gang extension in the UK so far so good..

[USNret]

The casing on my computer is metal and when I touched it, I felt a mild electric sensation; it felt "rough" but when unplugged it was smooth. I bought a surge protector and using it there's now no more electrical sensation.

I had exactly the same experience. This was with my American-bought Macbook Pro (metal case) with original Apple charger. lmaxv captures the sensation well: It felt "rough" when plugged in, and smooth when on battery power, with occasional electric shock. The same computer & charger, back in the States, is just fine. Also, this happened only in my in-laws home, but nowhere else in Thailand such as coffee shops or hotels. I endured this for about 2 months, and tried to use the computer only on battery power in the house, charging at night when no one was using it, but this wasn't always possible. I took my computer to an Apple Store when I got back to the States and had them run a full diagnostic, they found nothing wrong so I guess I did no damage. It was pretty weird.

[nakhonandy]

It sounds like the earth is not correct. If your wife's works then it must be the adapter, go buy an original.

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[HerbalEd]

Since you're smart enough to figure out it's the new adapter that's causing the problem, be smart enough to stop using it immediately and destroy it so no one else can use it.

I'm assuming/guessing you purchased a cheaper adapter that was not made by the same company that made the computer. Recently a woman was electrocuted in China because she used a cheap charging cable to replace the original cable that came with her iPhone. For a while they were blaming Apple, but it was soon discovered she had used a non-Apple, cheaply made cable.

I like a money saver like we all do, but when it comes to electric cables and the like, give me the best, please ... and not shoddy, low-priced equipment. Cheap is often much more costly that expensive ... esp. if it kills you.

[sirchai]

Thai sell farang cable with no 'earthing' all the time. It ok. Farang not needing earth, farang is 'alien'.

Which explains your username.......-