Unibody adapter can transfer power supply neutral voltage

I hope this topic has not been mentioned before.
I have been using my unibody with the supplied and noticed that in some countries I get a tingle when I touch the computer. This is because the supply neutral carries some voltage. Even 5 volts (on a 240V) supply can cause a tingle when the body is touched. By the way, this is not a problem with UK power supplies.
I am considering purchasing an isolating transformer. Has anyone else come across the problem?
I overcome it by using the computer only when on batteries. However, I do worry if a power supply neutral is not properly earthed you could get a shock from the unibody.
I wonder of apple has an alternative power supply with an isolating transformer, other that the switching power supply as supplied.
Unfortunately this problem is specific to metal bodies only.
Regards
Hamzah

Hello HantuUK, and welcome to the boards.
AS long as you use the power adaptor with the three prong earthed cord rather than the two prong duckhead adaptor the problem does not occur unless the power source that you are plugging into is improperly earthed.
Poor earthing can, of course, be an issue in some countries, especially in remote areas and older buildings.
I've run into the issue myself in some remote Australian areas.
There have been quite a few threads about it over the years, often with strong debate about the actual cause. The problem has been around for a long time. I first ran into it with my old aluminium Powerbook 867MHz 12".
Cheers
Rod

Similar Messages

  • I CAN HAS POWER SUPPLY oops caps... from a G5 iMac 17" to an Intel 17"?

    HI, LOLZ! i have a white G5 (no isight) and a white Intel Imacz0r with a brokered psu and i w4nt 2 know if i can use the one from the g5.
    THANXOR!@

    Hello again,
    Oh dear...
    Another " Nope! ". It will not fit. Another impossible I am afraid.
    Regards once more.
    Ian.

  • DVI to ADc adapter- missing ac power cord

    HI, I recently obtained an dvi to adc adapter for my apple display however the adapter came without the ac cord which powers the thing. Normally this wouldn't be a big issue, but because it is an apple product the cord that powers the adapter has a unique 3 leaf clover dongle which makes
    it difficult to replace. I was wondering if there is some way to either obtain another ac cord or to adjust an existing widely available ac cord to fit the adapter's form factor.

    I would like to connect to my unibody MBPro, and I'm assuming I'd be using a Mini Display > DVI adapter, then a DVI > ADC adapter (found a few but not positive they're exactly what I need).
    You need a MiniDisplayPort to DVI adapter
    <http://store.apple.com/us/product/MB570Z/A?fnode=MTY1NDA5OQ&mco=MjkyNjI0MQ>
    followed by a DVI to ADC adapter
    <http://store.apple.com/us/product/M8661LL/B?fnode=MTY1NDA5OQ&mco=MjE0NTg4NA>
    MY QUESTION: since the ADC display was buss powered through the G4, will it still work with my MBPro using the proper adapters?
    The DVI to ADC adapter contains a power supply for the display. (That's why it costs so much.) Although this setup should work, there might be problems, since the two adapters might not be completely compatible. See if they will let you bring your display and MBP to the store to try them.

  • Power Supply Temperatures Running Hot! Mac Pro shuts down.

    Hello,
    First I will give machine/hardware specs of interest:
    2 x 3 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon (pre 2009)
    8 GB 800 MHz DDR2 FB-DIMM
    NVIDIA Quadro FX 5600 (running 2 displays)
    Apple RAID Card/Controller
    SMC Version: 1.25f4
    *venting dimensions around computer: top=18", left side=3", right side=3" and back=18".
    Software of interest currently running:
    OS X 10.5.8
    iStat Menu
    SMC Fan Control
    My machine has been shutting down spontaneously and I suspect either CPU or power supply overheating. In the 5 instances this has occurred, the room was very warm (AC was not on) and I was running HandBrake with CPU at full and an iStat reading of 145 F. Ambient was 77 F and I was not reading power supply temps at the time. I figured for sure this must be a CPU overheating issue. However, just a few hours ago I had another shutdown. The room was warm again but I was not running Handbrake, but StarCraft II. I have played a lot of Starcraft II with no problems until tonight.
    I decided, this time, to check the temps on my power supplies. Power supply 1 = 147 F, and #2 is at 178 F. After many hours of searching forums I have concluded that these are crazy hot temps! I immediately installed SMC Fan Control to attempt to increase the fan speeds. I was successful in increasing all fans except the power supply (stuck at 599rpm). I have now turned the AC on in the house and the Ambient is down to 70, PS #1 145 and PS #2 169. All of these temps are a result of and idle machine running a browser.
    The following may or may not be an issue, however, leave no stone unturned. I currently have 12 external devices running on USB. 4 WD passport drives, 1 DVD writer, 5 WD powered drives plus the keyboard and mouse. Also, the Mac Pro is plugged into a small UPS.
    In all my forum searches, I just can't seem to answer some basic questions:
    1. Can an overheated power supply shut the system down?
    2. What are optimal (normal) running temps for Mac Pro's? (everyone seems to have opinions, but there doesn't appear to be a technical specification anywhere).
    3. I thought the fans, especially CPU fans, were supposed to kick in when the heat rises. Why are mine staying at minimal rpm's?
    Finally, does it look like I need new power supplies? Fans?
    This machine was put into service in March of 2008 and has done very intensive rendering for the film industry...long nights...rendering for days sometimes. It has been retired for over a year now and is used at a lesser degree.
    Thanks for reading this long post! I appreciate any input you can provide!
    Other iStat reading of interest:
    Power Supply 1 voltage = 12.28 V
    Power Supply 1 current = 26.44 A
    Power Supply 1 power = 316.75 W

    Also, the Mac Pro is plugged into a small UPS.
    Put your peripherals on that.
    Don't share the same circuit for A/C as the Mac Pro, and put the Mac on 1300VA UPS at least.
    As for all those external drives.... I'd consolidate into a good SATA case or two.
    And yes in summer run with 3 of the fans up around 900 rpm.

  • How to remove and detailed specs of Power Supply?

    I was trying to remove the power supply you know just as curiosity and also I would like to know the tecnical specs of this PSU, Watts, maximum Amperes in 12V, if this has 8 or 6 PCIe connectors, etc.

    pullman wrote:
    Welcome to discussions.
    From http://www.apple.com/macpro/specs.html:
    # Line voltage: 100-120V AC or 200-240V AC (wide-range power supply input voltage)
    # Frequency: 50Hz to 60Hz single phase
    # Current: Maximum of 12A (low-voltage range) or 6A (high-voltage range).
    Here's Apple's article on the power consumption of the early 2008 Mac Pro: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=307495.
    I don't understand what you mean by remove the power supply.
    Here's Apple's article on the PCIe on Mac Pro: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2838.
    /p
    I got more information with the "Catch Them Document" but I still don't know the specs, according to your links mac pros consume 155 W on idle and 318 W on load but what's the maximum power of the PSU.

  • PowerMac G5 Power Supply Replacement _ Sharing some information

    I thought I might share my experience here with the recent replacement of the 600w power supply on my DP 1.8 G5.
    Like many who have experienced the failure, the loud cap gun like sound when the PS failed was a sound I didn't want to hear.
    Because this system is the workhorse of my business it was imperitve that we ether got it back up and running or replace it. After a quick call to Apple, even though the system is out of warrenty, I realized this was going to be an in house repair, one because of the cost invloved, and two because of our time frame.
    My thought was how bad can a power supply replacement be? We replace them all the time on our Web Servers and other Linux based systems.
    To those of you that have done this G5 repair I'm sure you are snickering about this time.
    We were able to locate a new power supply and had it over nighted. To those of you ready to tackle the job here is our experience:
    1. Remove the fans, both the front and rear.
    2. Pop off the covers on the processor heat sinks so you can get to the allen head screws that hold the processors in place. ( Yes you have to pull the processors to remove the power supply) Make sure you have a 2.5mm allen head driver with at least a 5.5" shank so you reach the screws that hold the processor in place.
    3. Mark the processors, A or B, top or bottom, you want them going back in the same slots.
    4. Once you have loosened the screws (leave them in the posts, no need to pull them out) pull each processor straight up. Don't wiggle them or rock them, you don't want to bend any pins.
    5. If you have the lower RAM slots filled I would pull the RAM, you'll need the room to get the Power Supply cover out of the way. Again be sure to mark the modules so there is no mismatch.
    6. Remove the 2 screws that are holding the PS cover in place. I found that if you lift the front of the plate up and then slide it to the front, it clears the case. It IS tight to remove this cover, be careful not to jam it against the logic board. I also found its flexable so I could torque it a little from the middle to pull it out.
    7. Remove the 4 screws from the bottom of the case, they hold the PS in place.
    8. Remove the 3 connections from the logic board.
    9. I found that with the case laying on its side, I tipped the power supply up horzontialy towards the top on the case, and then it lifted stratgit out.
    10. Pop the new in the samew way the old one came out, and make the connections to the logic board. The front connection is a pain because the pig tail isn't all that long, so you end up doint it with one hand.
    11. Reinstall the 4 screws on the bottom of the case, and reinstalled the PS cover using 2 screws.
    12. Put you processors back in place, first the top and then the bottom, be careful here, you don't want to bend any pins, line up the posts and push straight in, you'll feel it seat itself. Tighten up the screws. Don't overtighten these they need to be snug.
    13. Replace the ram, and the top covers for the heat sink and your fans.
    At this point you should be all set, replace the dust covers close up the case and fire it up and all should be well.
    We of course cleaned up the case before replacing the PS and we DID run into a problem with the top processor not seating properly. When the machine booted we got to a gray screen and that was it. I suspected a processor wasn't seating properly and when I pulled the top processor I found a piece of dust between the pins. Of course when I removed the dust I bent a pin, and spent the next 20 minutes realigning it it with a safety pin. I know bad idea but I was desparate. We got incredibly lucky with the alignmnet and the machine booted and has been running like the bear it is.
    We have built and service a lot of machines over the years, and I have to tell you pulling processors to change a PS just doesn't make a lot of sense to me. I also have to take issue with the unavailability of information from Apple. I KNOW they want you to use their services but not all of us are in the position to lay out 250 for a PS and another 300 for labor and wait 10 days:)
    I was in touch with a couple of people I know that stated when they pull the PS they also pull the logic board. I didn't find that to be necessary in our situation.
    Like always when you open the case take the necessary precautions with static discharge and electrical hazards.
    Hope this helps somebody out there, I know there wasn't a whole lot of info I found for the task in detail.
    G5   Mac OS X (10.4.8)  

    You really need to call Apple and ask about your particular machine. Sometimes Apple will still honor the extended warranty if it applies, even if you're beyond the expiration, and your machine might fit a narrow set of circumstances that doesn't apply to everybody else.

  • Want references for using ATX power supply with MDD.

    There are references all over the place to adapting an ATX power supply for a MDD/FW800. But it would be nice to have links to as many useful ones as possible in one thread -- this one -- without too much superfluous verbiage.
    Please post links with brief descriptive comments or, if you have some hard information that's not easily linked to, please post it as concisely as possible. Hopefully, the resulting thread will be useful to many people, and not just to me.

    Watch these great YouTube videos
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xICg592xJTg
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7RDGy34tjU&feature=fvw
    Look at these links.
    http://efeion.blogspot.com/2007/12/power-supply-fun-part-2.html
    http://www.applefritter.com/node/23857
     Cheers, Tom

  • Mac Pro power supply. Is it possible to change from 110V to 240v

    I recently found out that I'll be relocating from New York, USA to London, UK. Does anyone know if it's possible change the input voltage of a mac pro from the 110 volts used in the US to the 240 volts used in the United Kingdom? or should I just rely on a step up/down voltage converter?

    Hi and welcome to Discussions,
    taken from the MacPro tech specs http://support.apple.com/kb/SP11
    *Electrical and environmental requirements*
    ENERGY STAR configurations available
    Line voltage: 100-120V AC or 200-240V AC (wide-range power supply input voltage)
    Frequency: 50Hz to 60Hz single phase
    Current: Maximum of 12A (low-voltage range) or 6A (high-voltage range)
    Operating temperature: 50° to 95° F (10° to 35° C)
    Storage temperature: -40° to 116° F (-40° to 47° C)
    Relative humidity: 5% to 95% noncondensing
    Maximum altitude: 10,000 feet
    So no converter needed, just a different power-plug connector.
    And a hearty welcome to the 'old-world'
    Stefan

  • [GeForce 6] should I upgrade my power supply

    I'm currently running a MSI gforce NX6600GT 128megs AGP with 15 amps on the 12 volt rail. Should I replace my power supply  

    Here are the specs for my system.
    Operating System   
    Windows XP Professional Service Pack 2 (build 2600)
    mother board
    MSI MS-6741 1.0
    1.80 gigahertz AMD 2800 Athlon 64
    128 kilobyte primary memory cache
    512 kilobyte secondary memory cache
    hard drives
    Maxtor 2F040J0 [Hard drive] (41.11 GB) -- drive 1, s/n
    Maxtor 6E020L0 [Hard drive] (20.85 GB) -- drive 0, s/n
    bios
    BIOS: American Megatrends Inc. Version 07.00T 04/02/01
    Memory Modules
    both of them are kingston hyper X
    Slot '0' has 512 MB
    Slot '1' has 256 MB
    audio
    Realtek AC'97 Audio for VIA (R) Audio Controller
    power supply specs
    voltage
    3.3 v 28amps
    5v 30amps
    12 v15amps
    current
    3.3v 0.3a amps
    5v    2.0a amps
    12v  0.8a amps
    If you need anymore specs let me know.

  • Power supply problems

    I'm currently running a 300W non-branded crappy power supply, the voltages are shown below. The problem is, the fan has pretty much given up the ghost and is making an outrageously load noise, I tried replacing it, firstly with 2 different types of Antec 350W powersupplys, both of which had to be sent back, and cost me loads of money doing so, now I've tried a non-branded 500W powersupply, but all have had the same problem: - They appear to begin to power up the system, the fans start for a second, then they stop, as if the PSU doesn't have enough juice to run things. It runs the system when I unplug the external power on the graphics card, but it won't run the graphics card on its own.
    I guess this suggests it is more likely a graphics card problem, but if any of you guys have any ideas I'd be greatful. I don't see why a higher Power PSU would power the system when a much lower one would.
    The 500W power supply voltages are:
    +5V - 40A
    +12V - 17A
    +3.3V - 28A

    I'm not sure what a D-bracket is mate. I've sent an e-mail to ATI to see if they know of any issues with certain power supplys, in the mean time I solved the problem by taking the fan out of the 500W power supply and putting it in my old 300W one not an ideal solution to the problem but at least I don't have to put up with that horrible grinding noise anymore!
    Cheers for the help mate.

  • Power Supply for multiple Graphics Cards

    I recently purchased an X1900 G5 Mac card. I now have my original (NVIDIA GEForce 6600LE) plus this new one. If I purchase yet another X1900, how do I get power to it? There is only one power jack on the mother board.
    What are my options? Can my power supply support more caards? How do I connect them to the power supply? ATI pointed me to Apple support

    Slot 1 (bottom) is the only slot designed for a high powered card. It is also the only 16 lane PCI-Express slot. The other slots have a power limit of 25 watts. Slot 3 is 8 lane, 2 and 4 are only 4 lane.
    <http://developer.apple.com/documentation/Hardware/Conceptual/HWtechPCI/Articles/pci_implementation.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40003937-DontLinkElem entID64>
    Put the 1900 in slot 1 (bottom), and the 6600 in slot 3. Even if there was enough power for a second 1900, it would not have the bus bandwidth because there is only one 16x slot.

  • How can i change the voltage of my power supply using my pci gpib 488.2 driver?

    I need to be able to control the voltage outputed by the power supply. I have a pci gpib 488.2 and I downloaded the correct driver. I also don't no exactly how to use the communicator included in the measurement and automation explorer. When ever I type in the commands I get an error. If anyone can help me I would appreciate it.
    thank you

    First see if you can establish communications with the power suppy using Meas and Automation explorer (MAX for short). If you can find your GPIB card in the directory tree choose it and then use the scan for instruments tool. If it can see your power supply it will give you it's address. Choose it and try the Communicate with my instrument tool. It will send a IDN? command to that address and it might return a string if the instrument understands the command. If not you will need to dig through the power supply manual to find the correct commands.
    Using LabVIEW 2010SP1 and TestStand 4.5

  • M7332 Power Supply-How can I tell if it works?

    I have a power book G3 Lombard, I believe. I have purchased a brand new power supply from ebay. But my computer won't start. The battery is dead too. It has been sitting idle for nearly a year.
    My question is- shouldn't I be able to test the output of the power supply with a voltmeter to prove that it works? I have purchased 3 different power supplies and they all produce no electricity at the outlet tip.

    ABoney,
    Welcome to the Discussions.
    You cannot safely measure the voltage of the plug which connects to the power port due to its design. The center post has three insulated parts with the tip being one and it does not carry power.
    Did the powerbook work the last time it was used (last year)?
    First, try resetting the power manager:
    http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=14449
    If unsuccessful and since the 'book has been stored for a year, I would recommend this procedure:
    Remove the power adapter, main battery, and optical drive; position the display vertically since the 'book will want to tilt backwards. Lift off the keyboard (place it face down on the palm rest...do not disconnect the ribbon cable), then disconnect the PRAM battery as shown in this photo; click to enlarge the top photo.
    http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Mac/PowerBook-G3-Lombard/PRAM-Battery/31/3/Page-3/PR AM-Battery
    Without any reassembly, connect just the power adapter and try starting. If successful, press the power button until it shuts off (disconnect the power adapter if it will not shut off). Reconnect the PRAM battery and test startup again. If successful, shut down and reassemble the 'book; if it fails to start, disconnect the PRAM battery, then reassemble the 'book.
    The powerbook will run fine without the rechargeable internal backup battery a.k.a. PRAM battery and these can be replaced for about $20.
    The purpose of this procedure is two-fold: You may have a corrupted power manager that will not clear normally and/or the PRAM battery has an internal short that prevents startup.

  • Power supply/adapter for Motorola ONT1000GI4

    I fell for the three service package when getting FiOS initially. It turned out I didn't use the phone at all and I haven't watched TV in months. I digress, during the install, I noticed the tech installing the battery which, according to him was to facilitate phone calls during power outages.
    The battery backup unit started beeping periodically the past few weeks indicating it needs to be replaced (though supposedly, it lasts 5 years and I've had it for just over one.) I decided to disconnect it altogether which is when I realized that the ONT is powered directly by the unit with some proprietary connector that looks similar to an S-video cable.
    I would like to purchase a standalone power adapter/cable to power it via wall adapter instead of having to use the big battery which serves no purpose to me aside from taking up space and being an eyesore. Unfortunately, I've been unable to find much info on the ONT model to help me in my search. Also, there's no power information on the ONT indicating the voltage and amps required.
    Anyone have any ideas? Thanks in advance.
    P/N is 567004-003-00
    FA P/N (not sure what this is, but it's on the unit as well) is 573796-003-00

    You cannot easily replace the power supply / battery unit ("BBU"). The ONT communicates with it to obtain status on power and battery.  It's more than just supplying the correct voltage.
    You have several options to deal with the low battery:
    Remove the current battery and press the battery silence button.
    Re-install the current battery and see if that turns off the warning beep.
    Buy a new battery.  Online prices are very good.
    Earplugs.
    Note that if you have a battery, the internet will stay up for a minute or two during power outages.  If you want longer run time, you need to supply your own UPS.
    Good Luck.
    If a forum member gives an answer you like, give them the Kudos they deserve. If a member gives you the answer to your question, mark the answer as Accepted Solution so others can see the solution to the problem.

  • Where can I buy a replacement power supply (model VP-09500018-000) for my 1st generation Time Capsule?

    My 1st Time Capsule no longer powers on!  It was making noises for a while before it would no longer keep power / turn on!   I have taken the time capsule apart and could easily replace the power supply if I knew where to buy it   Can anyone lead me in the right direction?
    Thank you!

    Apple do not supply it as a part.
    You can repair the existing supply.
    https://sites.google.com/site/lapastenague/a-deconstruction-of-routers-and-modem s/apple-time-capsule-repair/apple-time-capsule-repair-type2
    Plenty of people sell the caps set on ebay. Cheaper if you have a good electronics store handy but they need to be top quality low esr capacitors.
    Substitute a different kind of power supply.
    I definitely believe in using external power supply for this job. This is my own website so disclaimer. 
    https://sites.google.com/site/lapastenague/time-capsule-power-supply-repair-kits
    Or some original type are available on ebay. Just search for "Time Capsule power supply"
    Or look at what a whole second hand TC will cost you.. a Gen3 or Gen4 can be a better proposition than repairing a dead Gen1.
    You can also do a half repair.. By that I mean you only need one voltage to run the TC.. a single 5v 3A power supply plugged into the TC board socket or soldered directly in.. will give you an airport extreme Gen2 for $10. Plug the hard drive in by USB.. or use a bit of careful hacking and use a SATA cable to the post on the board and use a 2TB or even 3TB esata case.
    You can also still buy a Cisco dual voltage supply on ebay.. but the wiring of it is a bit rough.
    https://sites.google.com/site/lapastenague/a-deconstruction-of-routers-and-modem s/apple-time-capsule-repair/cisco-adp-30rb-4pin-molex

Maybe you are looking for