# Is this normal?



## auzbuzzard (Apr 3, 2010)

Ok! First thread opened by myself. Hope I didn't post on the wrong catagory. 

Well, currently I'm surfing the web with my iPhone 3G S with the pin-plug plugged and charging. Fine. But the interesting part is that, you know there's a metal rim arround the phone? That rim is now fully charged with electricity and every time I touch that rim I get a sting. 

This could only leads to 2 problem: Either my hands have problem and get false stimuli, or that my phone is leaking electricity. 

By the time I'm typing this I've got stung 10 times already. Anyone knows why is this happening?

Ouch.


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## Slingblade_47 (Apr 3, 2010)

Hm. This is bad news. Very bad news. I think that the phone has lost its earth connection, hence why the rim has electricity running through it. Earth connections are normally installed to stop this from happening when the product's casing is made out of metal. You'll need to get that phone replaced or repaired if it's still under warranty.


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## SnowFox (Apr 3, 2010)

I don't know of any phone charger that has an earth connection, theres no need for one. It's probably only supplying a few volts, and you wouldn't be able to get a shock from it. Are you sure you're not just walking around in your socks on a fluffy carpet or making toast in the bath?


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## Slingblade_47 (Apr 3, 2010)

SnowFox said:
			
		

> I don't know of any phone charger that has an earth connection, theres no need for one. It's probably only supplying a few volts, and you wouldn't be able to get a shock from it. Are you sure you're not just walking around in your socks on a fluffy carpet or making toast in the bath?


Um, I wasn't referring to the phone charger. From what my understanding is on this, electrical devices made from metal use an earth connection within them, though I'm not fully sure. If that's not the case, you might just have a leak or short somewhere.


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## Kitcat490 (Apr 3, 2010)

Never had that before, I'd get that looked at right away. I can ask a few iPhone owners I know if they have ever had this before, but you must have a short somewhere, though SnowFox is right, a few volts shouldn't give a shock.


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## Aden (Apr 3, 2010)

Well, first, it's called a "ground", not "earth". Second, volts matter but so do amps. I doubt there are that many going into the iPhone battery, so maybe one solution is a faulty transformer?

Did you drop the phone recently? I have an iPhone first-gen and this has never happened to me. Might have something loose, faulty solder, something. Don't open it yourself, it will void the warranty. Take it to an Apple store if you have one near, they should either fix it for free or give you a new one. If you don't have a store near, call Apple support and you'll be able to mail it in.


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## hitokage (Apr 4, 2010)

Aden said:


> Well, first, it's called a "ground", not "earth".


For us here in the US that is true. In some other countries, such as the UK where Slingblade_47 is from, it is referred to as earth. Wikipedia entry for those interested.

I don't believe it's possible for a battery powered device to shock you in such a way unless you created the short (i.e. you create a path between the battery terminals or across a capacitor with your body in some way). Touching metal on a battery powered device wouldn't do this, even it there was an internal short as *you* aren't creating the path between the battery terminals. The device also wouldn't work, and the battery would begin heating up and possibly explode. With a screwy battery charger connected, yes that could possibly cause a shock.

AC devices are a different case.


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## auzbuzzard (Apr 4, 2010)

Well, I did drop the phone hard, loud bang and even the SIM card was affecte and the screen said "no sim card installed". But the phone still works fine, nothing can't run, and the screen didn't shatter. So I ignored it. 

I think the problem is that the docking get screwed up. You see there's grey spots on the metal 30 pin plug, and plus I don't get sting when I'm using the internal battery and charging with the computer. I think it's just because the plug touched some metal are inside the phone and leaked electricity to the rim.  

I hope it's just because the docking problem or because I was charging inside the bathroom. Changing the cable is easier than changing the phone. 

Should I be scared now about if the phone will explode? I put it in my trousers pocket at most times and when it explodes, well...

Is there a way to fix it without going to AppleCare? I don't want to hear them saying "Well there's no way to fix it maybe you can buy a new one at full price?" again. I've a friend with an iPod Touch 1G ad the home button was broken and can't pop back up. He can now only stick with it like this, luckily he jailbreak it before and has an app that allows no home button menuvouring. Tho he can never upgrade the jailbreak system again. You know the reboot thing.


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## hitokage (Apr 4, 2010)

If it only happens with the wall charger and it works otherwise, then it's very likely just the charger, and a new one should fix the problem. If it still happens with a replacement charger, then you'll want to try and get Apple's assistance. Make sure you avoid any counterfeit/cheaply made chargers.

The battery won't explode on its' own unless it is shorted - you'll be fine. However I would stop using your current charger and get a new one, because if it is damaged in some way it could end-up damaging your iPhone.


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## auzbuzzard (Apr 4, 2010)

What does aids have to do with electric shock?


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## auzbuzzard (Apr 4, 2010)

torachi said:


> There is nothing wrong with your cellular telephone.
> 
> What you are experiencing is the anomaly of hyper-sensitivity to electro-magnetic fields due to the exponential rate of increase of said fields all over the planet, throwing off the equilibrium perception of a small percentage of the population. You are a part of this phenomena.
> 
> Have fun.



Thanks I'm having a really great fun in getting myself being masochisticly hurted by electric shock.


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## Aden (Apr 4, 2010)

hitokage said:


> For us here in the US that is true. In some other countries, such as the UK where Slingblade_47 is from, it is referred to as earth. Wikipedia entry for those interested.



Knowledge! 



auzbuzzard said:


> Is there a way to fix it without going to AppleCare? I don't want to hear them saying "Well there's no way to fix it maybe you can buy a new one at full price?" again.



It's all in what you tell them. Is it still in the warranty period? Then just tell them it started doing it one day, don't mention you dropping it (but hell, I got them to replace my laptop's entire keyboard assembly because I spilled soda in it).


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## Kitcat490 (Apr 4, 2010)

auzbuzzard said:


> Well, I did drop the phone hard, loud bang and even the SIM card was affecte and the screen said "no sim card installed". But the phone still works fine, nothing can't run, and the screen didn't shatter. So I ignored it.
> 
> I think the problem is that the docking get screwed up. You see there's grey spots on the metal 30 pin plug, and plus I don't get sting when I'm using the internal battery and charging with the computer. I think it's just because the plug touched some metal are inside the phone and leaked electricity to the rim.
> 
> ...



Well, your friend could buy a replacement home button, they are not very hard to replace. I've had to replace the entire front of my iPod. If he wants links to cheap home buttons, have him contact me on Twitter (I hope you can figure out my username). Yeah, I realize this is slightly off the topic of this thread, but oh well.


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## Slyck (Apr 4, 2010)

Is the backlight cold-cathode fluorescent or LED? If it's CCFL, than a  HV wire from the driver of it is juicing you up. Those usually go about  5kv (5 thousand volts) at 5 ma (0.005 amps) That would explain it as the  backlight is right on the side of the LCD.

It takes 20ma arm-to-arm to end ya but, here comes Dr. Ohm's Law, 5kv won't cut it. (Don't quote me on that, microwave oven transformers put, say 2.2kv out @ 220ma and there nasty lil bastards!)

If you can't fix it, you can donate it to a good cause.


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## red_dragon (Apr 5, 2010)

sounds like the isolation transformer in the charger has developed a short between the primary and the secondary winding, this would cause there to be a high voltage between earth and the output of the charger. i recommend replacing the charger. Depending on the nature of the fault it could quite easily give a lethal shock.


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## hitokage (Apr 6, 2010)

Slyck said:


> Is the backlight cold-cathode fluorescent or LED?


I forgot about CCFL backlights - the inverter would be a potential source of shock in a battery powered device. Though the iPhone and other small devices are using LEDs these days, so that potential source of shock is being diminished.


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