*Update* The following problem appears to be solved by getting a 3 pronged grounded adapter fro Dell.



I recently had my laptop a Dell 9400 replaced because it was giving off between 19 and 65 volts AC off any screw on the bottom of the laptop. I now have 3 of these 9400's in my shop, My new replacement and 2 brand new fresh out of the box systems for clients.

All 3 of them have the exact same problem. I know it is not my electrical system, as this is a PC repair shop and we have everything tested and certified regularly. So it seems to me as if this may be a MAJOR problem with these laptops. Could anyone else who has a 9400 or e1705 please grab a multi meter and test theirs out for me? Set the MultiMeter to measure AC, then touch the red lead to a screw on the bottom of the laptop, The wireless card cover screws work well, and touch the black led to something metal that you can ground to.

So please 9400/e1705 owners, PLEASE Check the bottoms of your laptops. Please break out the multi meters and see if you are getting a charge. On my first laptop, this problem possibly lead to the death of my RAM and my Video Card.

Thank you,
Randy


*edit* An update, The_Scotsman has also found this same problem in a Inspiron 6400. So if you have one of these please check it as well.
I also believe you should test ANY 17 inch Dell notebook you have. As far as I know, they are all based off the same platform.

*edit* March 12th,

The concerns for personal safety have been addressed and is no longer a concern. The laptops do give off fairly high voltage, but 0 current. So there is no danger to personal safety. Dell has promised a response to the rest of the issues, we are just awaiting to hear form them.

I tried several screws including the wireless one and didn't get any voltage

Thank you for testing this. When you tested it, did you have the ground on something other than your laptop? Also if you could, leave the laptop running and plugged in for a couple hours, then test again. The charge seems to go up over time.

Also, is your power adapter a grounded or non grounded one? Does it have 2 or 3 prongs?

Thank you,
Randy

Okay I did what you said. I put the red leader on a random screw at the bottom, and the black one at a piece of metal on the side of my laptop, which is used for securing the laptop via a wire.
I got 0,10 volts AC on the display...

I am going to purchase a new muti-meter this week, mine dies about a month ago and I haven't had a need to replace it until NOW!

Thanks for the info...

No problem, and please let us know your results with the multi meter.

Thank you

I get nada same for my friends 9300.

Well that is good. Very very odd but good. One of the 3 I have here with the same problem, it will show Nada one minute and 20 volts the next. We have sent one of them off to an electrical engineer. Hoefully he will have some news for my by the end of the week.

I do not want to keep sending these rigs back to Dell if the same problem is just going to keep coming back up.

I wonder if this may be a problem with a specific run of parts. It just strikes me odd that I have 3 9400's each with differant specs and each of them less than a month old, yet they all have this voltage problem.

Indeed it is weird, I personally don't have a tool to measure it with so I can't help, sorry

From my limited understanding of the EE side of computer hardware, I would venture to guess that any screw on the bottom of the laptop should be in contact with the rest of the metal of the laptop... and therefore grounded to the laptop's ground?

Virii, could you tell us what you were using as a ground node?

Thanks, looking forward to hearing more about this.

I doubt very much designs were changed, so why would he get it but no one else is?

To answer a few questions,

What am I using to ground? On my initial tests I had used an empty computer case that was on my bench. Once I saw at that time 35 volts AC (32-36 bouncing) I felt it best to use my grounding bar on the desk as a solid ground. Same results. On two of the laptops, the charge from the screws is not full-time. One moment I can test them and only see the usual .022 or there abouts volts. Another time I might see 19.05 volts AC and yet another time I will see 35-41 volts AC, yet another time still I may see 60 volts AC. On one of the laptops it is an almost steady 22.07 volts AC. This is currently the best functioning laptop.

I have further run tests of my own by checking other laptops I have around the shop. Plugged into the same station and using the same grounds and testing methods. (I like to be thurough) None of these other laptops, two other Dells, a Sony and a Compaq show any voltages off the bottoms. (Other than the usual .02 volts you will get by touching it with your hands. I have also tried plugging the laptops into a differant circuit and checking for voltage leaks. The problem continues, as I knew it would since mine does this at home as well.

I do not know why I am seeing this and others are not. Unless the problem is more random on some laptops. I would not expect that every 9400 has this problem, but with me getting 3 in a week like this??? Two were right out of box brand new.

Something must be up.
Randy

It might be something wrong with your multimeter also.
When multimeters are low on battery, they tend to get very unstable.

Nah...I just tried it on my 9400...I've got 96V AC sitting there...

I tried my mates 6400...same thing...96V AC...

It apparently has very little current though as I tried touching the screw with a piece of metal and touching earth with my other hand....didn't bite at all...there was nothing....(do not try this at home though! I work in an avionics workshop and am used to 115V bites).

So it seems to be a design flaw perhaps?

What did Dell say when you first told them about this? Did it take much to get a new system out of them?

Im curious to know what their answer was...

When you other guys who got no reading did this, what did you use as a reference?

The black lead should be on a ground/earth...a good one to use is a kithen tap or metal sink...