[chi03]

what is the proper way of connecting my laptop to a power outlet. because when i plug the power cable to the power outlet it sparks. although on the manual it says that i must first connect the power cable on the laptop and then plug in to the power outlet. thanks in advance.

[mphenterprises]

Hi Chi. Okay, there are several things you need to become aware of:

- You should never plug in any electrical device while the Power Strip is turned on. Always turn the Power Strip off first and then plug in your electrical device. I know it may be a bit of an inconvenience if you have other devices connected to the Power Strip, but believe me, it's better to be safe than sorry.

- The sparks you are seeing are an indication that the Power Strip you are using may be about to fail OR that you are overloading the Power Strip. If you have multiple devices connected to the Power Strip, you may want to think about getting a second Power Strip to relieve the load off of the one Power Strip

- Make sure you have an actual Surge Protector and not just an elaborate extension cord. Computer equipment and computer related devices should never be connected to just an extension cord or a Power Strip. In my experiences, the only things that should be plugged into the wall outlet should be the Surge Protector itself and one other power hunger device. For example, I have my Surge Protector and my laser printer plugged directly into my wall outlet. All other computer components, including the computer itself, is plugged into a Surge Protector.

- If you find it absolutely necessary to plug your Surge Protector into an extension cord, make sure you get an extension cord with a grounding port. I actually had a customer who did just that; however, instead of buying the right kind of extension cord, she bent the Surge Protector's grounding prong to the side and forced the remaining two prongs into an extension. I created a clause in my custom desktop contracts because of this very issue.




Now, if you have followed all of these suggestions and you still get a spark, there may be one of three possibilities:

- a bad Surge Protector

- a bad laptop power connection

- bad wiring in the building

[chi03]

oh i see. thanks for the reply. i think its a bad wiring in the building.
but what if i dont connect first the power cord to the laptop but first plug it in the power oulet. is it okay? just to avoid the sparking?

[mphenterprises]

Hi Chi. Well, that may be like the old saying, "Six of one, a half dozen of another." If the power outlet is on and you plug in the power cord, you may run the risk of getting a spark on the laptop end of the cord instead of the power outlet. Again, I know it may seem like an inconvenience but if you are truly trying to avoid damage to your electrical devices, namely your laptop, I would suggest:

- getting a Surge Protector instead of a power strip

AND

- making sure that the Surge Protector is turned off when you connect a new electrical device

[chi03]

http://i47.photobuck...ed560Pixels.jpg

is this sir the surge protector that your telling?

[mphenterprises]

No, this list provides examples of Surge Protectors.

Now, I am not sure what country you reside but I would advise looking for something similar to what you see within the list.

[mphenterprises]

After looking at the device you posted more closely, that could be exactly what you need. I believe the packaging states "Surge Protector" correct? If this device goes between the laptop and the power cord, this may be exactly what you need.

[mjd420nova]

This sounds like problem I run across pretty often in older homes. Did you use a ground buster on the power strip?? Older homes don't have grounded (three prong) outlets and it's easy to get the hot side and neutral side of the power lines swapped, causing a problem when plugging in grounded devices. This creates a full voltage potential between components and will cause much sparking and even circuit breakers to open. As they should, look closely at what's plugged in and if you may have mixed two prong plugs. Reversing some of them may cure the sparking but a licensed electrician should look at the setup for you. You could diagnose it yourself if you buy one of the power outlet testers. It looks like a three prong plug and has three LED's on it to tell you what the fault is.

[chi03]

yes sir this this is the surge protector that your talking. and ive confirmed it. im from philippines, and the pictures thats on the list is on some of our hardwares here. Thank you so much for your reply and time sir.

[chi03]

thanks for the reply. and yes sir maybe i just should let an electrician look at our wirings..hehe! although some of the power outlets are not like that.