Mouse shocks Users

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May 15th, 2002, 04:35 PM
RejectionMan

Mouse shocks Users

Greetings all,

have a couple of mice here that physicaly shock the user from time to to time. The mouse is imedatly dead after, and the user is more cautious about their computer.

I am aware that this is obviouly a ESD problem, but am curious ast to something i heard about Microsoft Intelli Mice being particularly suceptable to this phenomenon (model X04, with the green wheel).

the only resolution i have come up with is

a) static gard the mouse pads
b) static mats for mous pads or
c) desk, or floor static pads.

if this proplem is specific to the MS X04 mice is thier any documetation on it? (so I can forward it to managment for an appropreate plan of action)

also, i have seen this blow the PS/2 port on the computer so i would like to resolve this befor i lose a system.

Thanks all.
May 16th, 2002, 01:51 AM
AlienDyne

This is the first time I hear such thing.
I've used all kinds of mice including MS ones and never had any similar problems. Neither my customers nor me.
May 16th, 2002, 04:57 AM
HIESLanMan

If you can reproduce this, I might actually pay for these mice. I would just LOVE to distribute them to a few people. Really.
May 16th, 2002, 05:37 AM
Outcoded

Make sure the computers are properly earthed, and that the sockets are wired to a reliable ground.

Otherwise. Could it be the suface you're working on? Try a rubber mouse mat.

Is something in the area suffering from an earth leakage? Make sure all appliances have been PAT tested. Try earthing the metal legs of workstations.
May 16th, 2002, 06:31 AM
Skippoh

I have never seen that happen.Always something new. Sometimes if you pull the PS/2 mouse out and reinsert it while the computer is powered up, it will blow the port
May 16th, 2002, 06:38 AM
Cygnus

I can understand this happening and shorting the mouse out, but shocking the user through the rubberized track wheel or the plastic case?? Im not saying it isnt true, ive seen stranger things happen, but I would have to see that to believe it.
May 16th, 2002, 10:22 AM
Outcoded

It's just a matter of a charge finding the course of least resistance to an earth. If the PC isn't earthed correctly, then it's quite possible. I'm betting most of those users probably wear rings or metal watches right?
May 16th, 2002, 10:32 AM
EvilCabbage

A thought here:

I had something similar, on only one occasion, through my keyboard, mouse, and monitor cable.

It ended up being dodgy earth in building, but I got a hell of a nasty shock, and I destroyed a fair bit of my hardware that day.

Dont bugger around any longer, get an electrician in to check everything out, before someone gets really hurt, or something gets really broken.
May 16th, 2002, 10:53 AM
RejectionMan

have seen it many times, and always with the X04 (heard from supplier that MS remove the ground wire on the Intelli mouse X04s whic casues the problem). so far its been contained to 2 sites.

1. Vet clinic (old probaly wireing related, static garded mouse pads fixed it) (3 mice died)

2. office building, the static is so bad that the wall got me 3 times on a walk though! (4 dead mice)

i gusse i will prced with ground checking, and probaly grounding mats under the work stations.
May 16th, 2002, 05:52 PM
KINGofBLEH

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by Outcoded:
Make sure the computers are properly earthed, and that the sockets are wired to a reliable ground.

Otherwise. Could it be the suface you're working on? Try a rubber mouse mat.

Is something in the area suffering from an earth leakage? Make sure all appliances have been PAT tested. Try earthing the metal legs of workstations.<hr /></blockquote>Agreed. I would check for proper grounding. I would also make sure their is no moisture accumulation in the mouse itself that might cause a short.

ESD will not generally cause repeated shocking that the user can actually feel. Escpecially coming from the mouse.
May 16th, 2002, 05:53 PM
KINGofBLEH

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by Outcoded:
Make sure the computers are properly earthed, and that the sockets are wired to a reliable ground.

Otherwise. Could it be the suface you're working on? Try a rubber mouse mat.

Is something in the area suffering from an earth leakage? Make sure all appliances have been PAT tested. Try earthing the metal legs of workstations.<hr /></blockquote>Agreed. I would check for proper grounding. I would also make sure their is no moisture accumulation in the mouse itself that might cause a short.

ESD will not generally cause repeated shocking that the user can actually feel. Escpecially coming from the mouse.
May 17th, 2002, 09:41 AM
ilovetheusers

Not to be a d*ck but since you say it's only with the one mouse type. Well, have you thought of maybe just not using that mouse anymore??
May 17th, 2002, 09:54 AM
Archer

As a bridge gap you could use wireless mice for now.

<blockquote>quote:<hr />1. Vet clinic (old probaly wireing related, static garded mouse pads fixed it) (3 mice died)
<hr /></blockquote>Prhaps the vet should do a post mortem <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />
May 17th, 2002, 10:48 AM
RejectionMan

Win NT enviroment, wirles mouse usualy USB.

all the Mice that die are being replaced under warranty by model X05 (wich apperently has the ground wire back in to solve the problem, but no one is owning up to weather it is fact or fiction)
May 17th, 2002, 11:56 AM
WildTech

I had this happen several times in one office and I was absolutely pulling my hair out. It started out that they were having mice "die" on multilple machines maybe one or two a week. So I thought it was a random problem. Then I discovered that it was always the same person that would actually kill the mice. When I went in to her office to ask her a couple of questions about it, she reached out to shake my hand and she shot a "visible blue spark" that "zapped" me before our hands even touched. And I'm not talking about a little shock either. It made my hair stand on end. Come to find out, her husband is handicapped and confined to an electric wheel chair Apparently the rubber wheels on the carpeted floors in their home "super charge" her with static. All the other employees in the office later told me that they all complained about her shocking them all the time as they passed by her in the halls. Shortly after my encounter with her she accepted a better job with another company and we have not had any problems in that office with mice since. :p :D
May 19th, 2002, 06:05 AM
Outcoded

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by EvilCabbage:
Dont bugger around any longer, get an electrician in to check everything out, before someone gets really hurt, or something gets really broken.<hr /></blockquote>Indeedy, electrocution really isn't pleasent, trust me, its happened to me twice, both because of bad earthing (probably explains a lot if you think about it). Get a pro in to check things over.