Dell: Don't Worry About Laptop Electric Shocks

Here is another reason why I won't buy Dell again:

from PC World:
Users have been complaining about electric shocks from some Dell
laptops; not to worry, Dell says they're harmless.

Dell 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, including some reviewers, have recently 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-aluminium cases, such as the XPS M1330 and XPS M1530.

The reports have caused some alarm, coming after incidents such as
batteries overheating and catching on fire. Dell recalled 4.1 million
laptop batteries because of such risks in 2006; other major laptop
makers, such as Acer, Lenovo and Toshiba, also recalled batteries.

In a knowledge base article published on Wednesday, Dell assured
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
denied that the "tingling sensation" is cause for alarm.

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. But 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 issue with notebooks
such as the XPS M1530 and other notebooks with aluminium cases.

A voltage test by one user showed that the surface of the XPS M1530 was
giving off more than 100 volts of power.

Users have said they could also feel the voltage when connecting cables
or accessories.

Dell acknowledged that users might feel a "tingling sensation" but said
that the voltage is harmless.

"If conditions are right for the human body to be more conductive, such
as having wet hands or standing barefoot on a concrete floor, the
probability of sensing the tingling (electric current) increases," Dell
said in the knowledge base article. "It is recommended to unplug the AC
adapter from the parent device before attaching any cables or
accessories, as this reduces the possibility of experiencing the
tingling sensation."

Some users who have complained of the tingles or shocks have been
supplied with a three-pronged - that is, earthed - power adapter, which
solves the problem.

Dell has been shipping two-prong (unearthed) power adapters with the
majority of its systems worldwide for more than a year and a half, Dell
digital media manager Lionel Menchaca said in a recent forum post. As a
result, the company isn't in a position to immediately supply all its
customers with earthed adapters.

Dell is considering creating a program to sell earthed power adapters to
users at a discounted price, Menchaca said.

Electrical devices can be designed in such a way that they do not need a
safety connection to electrical earth, normally by using reinforced
insulation or having two layers of insulation.

On Jan 20, 9:39 am, "Reginald P. Smithers III" <"Reggie is Here
"@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Here is another reason why I won't buy Dell again:
>
> from PC World:
> Users have been complaining about electric shocks from some Dell
> laptops; not to worry, Dell says they're harmless.
>
> Dell 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, including some reviewers, have recently 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-aluminium cases, such as the XPS M1330 and XPS M1530.
>
> The reports have caused some alarm, coming after incidents such as
> batteries overheating and catching on fire. Dell recalled 4.1 million
> laptop batteries because of such risks in 2006; other major laptop
> makers, such as Acer, Lenovo and Toshiba, also recalled batteries.
>
> In a knowledge base article published on Wednesday, Dell assured
> 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
> denied that the "tingling sensation" is cause for alarm.
>
> 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. But 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 issue with notebooks
> such as the XPS M1530 and other notebooks with aluminium cases.
>
> A voltage test by one user showed that the surface of the XPS M1530 was
> giving off more than 100 volts of power.
>
> Users have said they could also feel the voltage when connecting cables
> or accessories.
>
> Dell acknowledged that users might feel a "tingling sensation" but said
> that the voltage is harmless.
>
> "If conditions are right for the human body to be more conductive, such
> as having wet hands or standing barefoot on a concrete floor, the
> probability of sensing the tingling (electric current) increases," Dell
> said in the knowledge base article. "It is recommended to unplug the AC
> adapter from the parent device before attaching any cables or
> accessories, as this reduces the possibility of experiencing the
> tingling sensation."
>
> Some users who have complained of the tingles or shocks have been
> supplied with a three-pronged - that is, earthed - power adapter, which
> solves the problem.
>
> Dell has been shipping two-prong (unearthed) power adapters with the
> majority of its systems worldwide for more than a year and a half, Dell
> digital media manager Lionel Menchaca said in a recent forum post. As a
> result, the company isn't in a position to immediately supply all its
> customers with earthed adapters.
>
> Dell is considering creating a program to sell earthed power adapters to
> users at a discounted price, Menchaca said.
>
> Electrical devices can be designed in such a way that they do not need a
> safety connection to electrical earth, normally by using reinforced
> insulation or having two layers of insulation.

I had a laptop a couple of years back that gave me a little tingle
sometimes when it got damp in the woodshop. I couldn't reproduce it
enough to get a real handle on it, so I never really worried about
it.. Not that this Dell problem is not a problem, just that I had it
happen before.