Sony laptop shocker

[amanoffewwords]

If you own a Sony Vaio FR or FRV series laptop you may wish to disconnect from the mains now...and then click here

Couldn't find any news of it on the Sony site though...

[Timothy]

Looks to me like a 50v telephonic shock rather than the full 240v, so I wouldn't lie awake worrying.

W

[ORAC]

Or woild that be 12V DC, WC? Assuming the laptop power transformer isn't faulty as well....

[Timothy]

Well, it's pure speculation, but 12v doesn't give a noticeable shock unless across the tongue (and most of us don't love our laptops that much), whereas the 50v which is the basis of the telephone system (and remember this item concerns modems) is enough to make you go "ow!".

So I am going to stand by my guns and say 50v.

But hey! Who cares?!

W

[amanoffewwords]

To help resolve the issue, any volunteers to test whether the shock comes from the phone line or the mains and what voltage they receive?

[ORAC]

Mary McEvoy, a spokeswoman for Sony in the United States, said a user could receive a shock similar to that from static electricity if "you have connected your PC (laptop) to external power, you have disabled your phone line, (while) simultaneously being connected to a grounded peripheral, and you are touching a metal part of the PC, and your phone rings.''

[fobotcso]

...so there's a leakage to the Sony chassis, the chassis is ungrounded and the 'phone ring circuit completes the path to earth - on Fridays in July in the Northern Hemisphere.

So not life threatening then but could put people off.

[Timothy]

Nah! My neck is still out for voting for the ring voltage on the phone line. I reckon that that is being earthed by the power lead.

Though how the phone rings if the line is disabled, I am at something of a loss.

W

[Keef]

I'll vote for the ring voltage on the phone line. That can give you a nasty belt - try it if you don't believe me!

I would be extremely surprised if the mains voltage could get past the power supply and onto the PC.

[fobotcso]

The RAF's REU (Radio Engineering Unit) reckoned that 30v (AC @ 50 Hz) was enough to kill given that sufficient current was available (with the low resistance cicuit conditions that that implies).

[Timothy]

I assume that it also very much depends on where the voltage is applied. I guess that millivolts can kill you if they are correctly applied to the part of the hypothalamus that controls breathing

Whereas you could presumably survive a miilion volts if it only flowed through a finger tip (might be able only to count up to nine thereafter, mind you )

W

[Keef]

"It's volts that jolts but it's mills that kills."

I read many years ago that someone was killed by a 28 volt system. One hand on each pole and a a good wet system, and it could be nasty. Unusual in the extreme, though.

The telephone ring signal doesn't provide that sort of current. It'll give you a nasty surprise, but unless you have a weak heart, you'll survive, making a mental note not to do that again.

Under the bench here is a linear amplifier power supply providing 2.5 kV at a maximum current of 1 amp. Touch that, and it's instant harp lessons. It's well fenced in!

[Ray Darr]

Scenario:

"Laptopping" with my Toshiba 5200 resting on my, well...LAP. (Whilst wearing shorts, as it is blinkin' HOT!) Enjoying the day, computing outdoors...when SUDDENLY....ZAP!! ...tingle tingle tingle... (huh??....nah...imagining things again, I am...) ZAAAAAP!! (OUCH! That S.O.B. ZAPPED me!! What the....?)

(I then check where the port-side USB receptacle was resting against sensitive inner-leg-skin...look across to where starboard USB counter-part did the same!!)

No damage at all, but I can assure you I shall NOT "laptop" like THAT again! Those USB ports carry some load of juice! WHAT A NASTY surprise!

[Timothy]

Toshiba 5200 resting on my, well...LAP

Certainly gives a lie to my earlier comment:

the tongue (and most of us don't love our laptops that much)

W