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Why some people died in their bath after smartphone dropped into water ?

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KL27x:

--- Quote ---There are countless youtube videos, search bigclivedotcom to start.
--- End quote ---
So I did some searches, and the only thing I found was (easily, anyway) was a bigclive's thing with the disco camping light. I actually watched that before and from memory, it was indeed something like mains in a charger output or something.

So I bet the wrong horse, and I stand corrected.

I would still like to see even one investigation which shows this was the case in any of these phone charging deaths, rather than user error of mains electricity/extension cords.

FTR, I wouldn't trust any untested/unknown charger in the bathtub. Even if it was from Apple. I'm just curious if this is a major public safety thing, or if user-error is the main problem. Afterall, we have GFI outlets for a reason which existed even before cell phones... I guess it musta been mostly hair dryers and again, user-error. Not that a single or even just a theoretical death from a crappy charger being properly (properly, so long as we know what we're doing, other than we trusted the wrong charger) used in the bathtub isn't horrible.

Jwillis:
This is all that came up when I searched for person killed in bath tube with cell phone were 4 cases world wide.
 https://www.cnn.com/2017/07/18/health/teen-bathtub-electrocuted-text-trnd/index.html .https://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/world/russian-accountant-26-is-killed-instantly-after-dropping-her-phone-into-the-bath-while-it-was-charging/ar-AAHuAkD ,
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-39307418 , https://nypost.com/2018/01/02/pregnant-woman-electrocuted-to-death-in-bathtub-while-charging-phone/

The incidents state such things as extension cords  plugged into non-GFCI, non-grounded receptacles. One clearly stated the extension cord was plugged  in a hall way receptacle.

Brumby:

--- Quote from: KL27x on January 30, 2020, 08:08:31 am ---FTR, I wouldn't trust any untested/unknown charger in the bathtub.

--- End quote ---

FTFY

james_s:

--- Quote from: Jwillis on January 30, 2020, 04:48:54 am ---I think theirs more to these stories than what is really being told. The average USB charger cable is around 3 feet long or about a metre. Electrical code states that any power outlet must be a minimum of 6 feet or 2 meters from the bathtub or shower or toilet . So as the OP stated it's quite likely that an extension cord was used at the time of insistent . GFCI receptacles are supposed to be installed in bathrooms but I have seen these plugs replaced with standard wall receptacles.
So in a scenario of no GFCI with an extension cord charging a smart phone while taking a bath add up to a very bad day for the victim.
Darwin wins again.

--- End quote ---


Longer USB cords are widely available, and extension cords are not inherently unsafe. I still would not use any device plugged into the wall in any form while in the bath but common sense is not so common.

nigelwright7557:

--- Quote from: Prehistoricman on January 27, 2020, 01:31:56 pm ---
--- Quote from: atmfjstc on January 27, 2020, 12:24:39 pm ---- The charger having an isolation fault which means the charger's outputs are at full line voltage relative to ground, and thus the phone's electronics. Dropping the phone in the water is thus equivalent to dropping the mains cord in the water. In fact you don't even need to drop the phone in the water if it has a non-insulated metal chassis....

--- End quote ---

Important thing to note here: this only poses an issue when the bath's metal fittings are earthed. Otherwise, there is no complete circuit and very little current would flow.

--- End quote ---

My bath is cheapo plastic !

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