• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

The Powerbook electrocuted my mother!

M

MrsKinnan

Junior Member
I purchased a 15" Apple Powerbook at the store Saturday. After bringing it home, I gave it to my mother today. She had it plugged into the wall and was trying to use it, and all of a sudden she was electrocuted! Bolts of electricity shot out of the battery into her.

Is this a common occurance? Its very disappointing.
 
Never heard of it. Hire a lawyer. BTW - did you really mean "electrocuted," as in she's dead?
 
Introducing the new "Death Mac G4"...

[sorry in advance if she really was electrocuted, but I guess (hope) you wouldn't be just "disappointed" if that had happened 😉 ]
 
Let me guess.

She's in the northern hemisphere, it's cold outside and the humidity is low, and she's wearing rubber-soled slippers in a carpeted room. And she touches a grounded metal object?
 
Originally posted by: MrsKinnan
I purchased a 15" Apple Powerbook at the store Saturday. After bringing it home, I gave it to my mother today. She had it plugged into the wall and was trying to use it, and all of a sudden she was electrocuted! Bolts of electricity shot out of the battery into her.

Is this a common occurance? Its very disappointing.
Click to expand...

I smell troll.... Seriously though first post on a non mac board. I know if this happened to me I would atleast find a mac board to bitch on...
 
Originally posted by: omissible
Let me guess.

She's in the northern hemisphere, it's cold outside and the humidity is low, and she's wearing rubber-soled slippers in a carpeted room. And she touches a grounded metal object?
Click to expand...

:shocked:

sorry to hear that. get some legal action started:laugh:
 
they are aluminum cased...but i doubt ur mother acutally got electrocuted, mac quality control is top notch i think...

i second the troll suggestion
 
Damn guys give him a break. What if his mom really did get electric shock by a Powerbook. It's not as if he's saying "Stay away from Apples they're evil! Steve Jobs tried to fry mama. Why Steve??? why???" He may just be relating a story and asking if any of you have heard of similar experiences.
 
getting shocked and having bolts of electricity shooting out of a laptop and electrocuting someone is two completely different things.

 
Originally posted by: MrsKinnan
I purchased a 15" Apple Powerbook at the store Saturday. After bringing it home, I gave it to my mother today. She had it plugged into the wall and was trying to use it, and all of a sudden she was electrocuted! Bolts of electricity shot out of the battery into her.

Is this a common occurance? Its very disappointing.
Click to expand...



Definitions of electrocute on the Web:

kill by electric shock; "She dropped the hair dryer into the bathtub and was instantly electrocuted"
www.cogsci.princeton.edu/cgi-bin/webwn

kill by electrocution, as in the electric chair; "The serial killer was electrocuted"
www.cogsci.princeton.edu/cgi-bin/webwn

 
basically he used the wrong word to describe the situation...kind of exaggerated things. Electrocuted means someone actually dies from being schocked...

in his case, the laptop probably had the paint scuffed at a point down to the aluminum and there was a ground somewhere, or static and his mother touched it...leading to a small little static schock
 
LOL, that was funny. On the serious side, winter is the "best" time for ESD. Cool and dry conditions are perfect, especially if you add artificial fibers (like carpeting) into the mix. Human body can "safely" store in excess of 30,000 Volts of static. You have to discharge 10,000 or more before you can feel anything, but it only takes ~10Volts to fry IC.

Also, ESD in an of itself is not dangerous to your life, voltage alone won't kill anyone. Electric current, on the other hand, can be deadly. It only takes ~0.1A to stop a heart.
 
LOL he registered on the forum just to post this too. Either he is a troll, or the powerbook electrocuted him too. He probally used it to post here, and the shock got him too. Watch the news for the article: "entire family killed by powerbook G4!!"
 
Well, he may be serious, so here's a serious explanation. It is probably from static electricity, which has nothing to do with the computer itself. Instead, static electricity is just free charges that can build up on your body when you move around (especially in winter when the air is dry and doesn't conduct it away from you as well). When you touch something that conducts electricity (i.e., the laptop), these extra charges will jump to the laptop. It won't hurt you (much), and it has nothing to do with the laptop. Anything can shock you via static electricity.

If you were trying to ask a serious question, I apologize for all these goofballs here 😉
People sometimes come up with wierd stuff just because they're bored.

EDIT: Oh, and I hope you read this far in the postings as well. G'luck with the lappy.
 
This is probably related to the problem that caused Apple to issue a:

voluntary recall of 15" Aluminum PowerBook batteries. The batteries being recalled could potentially overheat, though no injuries relating to the defect have been reported.

The announcement of the recall also says that there is the risk of fire damage, and that the problem stems from an internal short in the batteries. Apple and the CPSC are recommending that users immediately stop using the recalled battery, and that users rely on AC power until their batteries have been replaced.

http://www.macobserver.com/article/2004/08/19.4.shtml
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top