Leaving USB / devices plugged in to MBP

[Superfreak]

Can i leave my USB devices plugged into my MacBook Pro for, well, as long as I want, over a period of days.weeks.months etc?

Like do I have to unplugg them after using, o can i just leave them plugged in for the whole time that my macbook pro is just sitting in the home studio..

I have:

.MacBook Pro

.D-Link USB hub - which has my external HD always connected to it, + 2 MIDI keyboard, Maschine, (but i unplug these from the hub when not using anyway)
.Lexicon Alpha USB Audio Interface
. mini-displayport to DVI (going to my DELL monitor).

Can i leave these just plugged into my macbook after im finished in the studio, and then turn the MBP off, leaving them plugged in, and turning back on, etc..? I'm curious, as i always use these, so would like to know if it is safe.

Ta

[makar1]

Should be fine, although you may want to shut down your MBP rather than sleep, since sleep usually continues to power the USB ports.

[Superfreak]

Okay. Yeah I will just shut the macbook down when I'm finished. Is it okay to just turn the power off at the wall first, and then shut the macbook down, yes?

[Patch]

I NEVER unplug my USB equipment, except to change them.

USB ports wear, and connectivity can suffer.

[Karlos Santos]

Should be fine, although you may want to shut down your MBP rather than sleep, since sleep usually continues to power the USB ports.

This...^^

Also, there have been issues in OS X updates that have introduced USB problems when putting the Mac into sleep.
It has not recommended by NI to use sleep with audio devices in the past and recently there was an issue that was introduced by Apple. I see no reason not to restart the Mac.

[Superfreak]

Yeah, with NI/Traktor stuff this wont apply for me, as when I've finished with Traktor, ill always unplug and put away. This is just for when im on the studio side of things making music.

So, It's all good then yeah?

Reason i ask, is that i have started getting sparks on the USB inputs of my MBP lately... Only with my Audio 10, and my USB hub, even my mini-displayport port, little gold sparks when i try to insert the USB... WTF is this? seems dangerous

[makar1]

Is your MBP power supply grounded?

[Superfreak]

I'm not sure what this means? It's one of those eBay 25quid ones tho. Not an official Apple charger. How do i know i it is grounded or not?

[makar1]

The circular part where the plug latches onto the charger, the slot in the plug, and the longest pin on the plug should all be metal.

The cable on the right is grounded, the one on the left is not:
http://i.stack.imgur.com/GGqwH.jpg

This is the ground point on the charger:
http://i.stack.imgur.com/B5uwM.png
(slightly misleading since it points towards the plug which doesn't have a ground connection)

[Daniboy]

I leave my Focusrite 2i2 always plugged and when I turn the notebook on I have to unplug it and then plug again, because if I don't do it the sound will come like with 1/2 of the speed, is it normal??