I just tried another mates 6400...it has no voltage on the screws.

Ive done further testing...

The multimeters give an RMS value...I probed the screws with a probe on an oscilloscope, and got the peak to peak value...its at 290V...

I had already been noticing tingling feelings off the case (the bottom black part is metal) and off the back of the display.

this confirms it..I wasnt imagining it...

NOTE that it will only happen when plugged into the power mains, on bettery only, the laptop is "floating" and has no reference so there will appear to be no AC voltage.

Waiting to hear what the OP says about Dells responcse, then I'll get in touch with Dell myself.

the_scotsman, Thank you very much for helping me to confirm it is deffinately not just me!!! I have now had 2 other people, including you find this same problem. My first one was not REAL trouble to get replaced. Well it was no trouble to get them to AGREE to replace it, but then they lost my order for a week. Dell seemed genuinely concerned about the problem, but acted as if they had never heard of anything like this before. They asked if I was sure, and how I got my results. So I explained my testing to them and they agreed I was correct.

For the earlier poster who suggested it might be the tester, no. This is a fluke with brand new batteries. It is 100% on the money. Like the scotsman and I both have said, when you are testing this you must have the black lead on a ground other than the laptop. And Earth ground. You can use a PC that is plugged in if you do not have a proper grounding bar. The PC would not have to be on, but so long as it is plugged in with a 3 prong plug, it is grounded.

Keep checking them!! ESPECIALLY is you are having the NMI Parity errors that seem to be so common on these laptops.

Also could someone please test the XPS laptops the M1710's? They are the same chassis, and will likely have the same problem.

Randy

You need to use a ground NOT attached to your laptop. Use an Earth ground, use a PC case that is plugged in, use something other than your laptop. You will not see ANY results if you test and use something attached to the laptop for ground.

I just spoke with Dell, They are going to start an investigation and will likely be checking these threads as well. The lady said she would keep me in the loop, so we shall see.

I just checked mine out, and it fluctuates from 12-45 VAC... how odd. I have started getting the NMI error again recently also...

I just checked mine and I am getting about .5 VAC. I am also getting the occasional NMI parity error.

KraziePop, Thank you for testing this. I am hoping to hear something from The E.E. that is checking one of my system by tomorrow. I have some reports of this on 6400's 9400's and M170 and a 1710. So I firmly believe this is a grounding issue across this entire platform.

For those of you who are not seeing the voltage problem, please check it two or three times in a day, with a few hours between them. Make sure the laptop is plugged in when you do this and make sure the red lead is on a screw and the black lead is on a solid ground that is NOT attached to the laptop.

I thank you all for your help in tracking down this problem.
Randy

Ok, I will email Dell today too...but it will be Dell Autstralia, so I guess they will know nothing about it...but like you said, I'll explain how I got my results etc...

It now makes sense why I was feeling the tingling from the case every now and again...100VAC! No current but its still 100V all the same...

You have the highest voltage I have seen yet. How old is your laptop? I have a theory that as the laptop gets older, more damage will be done, thus leading to a larger voltage leak. For those without tools to test this, if the laptop is on your bare skin and someone else touches your bare skin, they will likely feel your skin tingle. You may not feel it yourself, but they likely will. My wife says I felt like a 9 volt battery.

I only got my 9400 last October, so its 3 or 4 months old.

Ive sent an email to Dell...

The first one I saw this one was built in September I believe. As a note, how you get responded too seems to depend upon the Dell Rep. you speak with. One o fmy co-workers jsut got off the phone with Dell to have one of their Techs come in to the shop so we could show them in person. Instead since the laptop is brand new they just want to replace it, then if the next one has the same issue they will come out.. However, the Dell Rep suggested that to avoid this problem, their laptops are not made to be used on your lap. So do not put it on your lap and avoid getting shocked? Not a good solution. not when you consider the damage this stray voltage is/will do to the internals of the laptop.

Randy

It seems odd to me but... since the input voltage is all DC shouldn't any stray voltage also be DC? Why are we seeing AC voltage leaking from a DC machine??

Just a note to Mods.. you might want to sticky this in the 15" Dell section to as it looks to affect the E1505/6400 series laptops also from what ViriiGuy says.

I posted on the 15" forums to try to get more testing results for you guys.

Good point...hmmm...theres obviously some difference in potential...but not sure how that is....