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Man dies charging iPhone while in the bath
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DaleCooper
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Darwin award.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
No, that's why you shouldn't be so mind-numbingly stupid. Proper Darwin there.
AlterEgo
Veteran Member
People have been shockingly callous in this thread so far.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
J-2739
Established Member
How does one even manage to get their cable from a socket to their phone in the bath? No way would there be a socket in the bathroom.
While this was a stupid act, it's rather a horrific way to die, and I have thoughts for his friends and family.
While this was a stupid act, it's rather a horrific way to die, and I have thoughts for his friends and family.
I quite agree - but I do wonder what you expected!
It's hard to have sympathy for someone who went out of their way to defeat the things that were specifically designed and engineered to keep them safe, especially when it was for something so trivial as charging their phone.
I have sympathy for the people who will be affected by his death though.
DaleCooper
Established Member
He used an extension lead and balanced the charger on his chest. That's why...
...I make no apologies for being callous.
Indeed. However, this bit from the article intrigued me.
What exactly are they supposed to do?
There's very little they can do - other than add a warning "Caution: Do not use this product while in a bath, swimming pool or other body of water."
AlterEgo
Veteran Member
I see everyone missed my dreadful joke!
I agree, it's from the department of the bleeding obvious.
That is why it has me wondering why the coroner is taking such a step.
I did wonder if the pun was on purpose or not.
There's a story behind every warning label, and quite often a tombstone.
DaleCooper
Established Member
They'll make every iPhone user buy an expensive wireless charger.
DaleCooper
Established Member
Sorry, I was on exasperation mode.
Which they will presumably break by placing it in the bath?
It appears to be the iphone itself that got into the water.
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/man-dies-after-being-electrocuted-in-bath-while-charging-iphone-a3492101.html
But either way, I think having a good laugh at a man's death is pretty ******* distasteful.
The linked article does not support that assertion.
Ok, it's a little unclear, but it wasn't the mains lead in the water.
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/3111249/man-dies-after-charging-iphone-while-lying-in-a-bath-with-the-mobile-resting-on-his-chest/
I doubt that it was due to the the phone dropping in the bath unless it was a fake charger. Genuine Apple devices have good isolation between the mains and DC sides of the charger.
DaleCooper
Established Member
That is from the Sun article you linked. The charger was on his chest and part of it touched the water and if you think it is only the mains lead itself that is a danger then stick to batteries.
The coroner is sending a report to Apple. Why do you think he is doing that?
(hint - coroners are generally not stupid people)
I don't know, it's a very good question. But I say again - genuine Apple devices have good separation between the mains and DC sides of the charger.
It is a basic design requirement in order for them to be able to carry UL and CE markings, they would not be certified to carry those marks if it was possible to get a lethal shock from the DC side of the charger.
Perhaps it was a fake branded apple. Perhaps there was a fault in the charger. Perhaps there was a design change after certification.
Whatever it is, it's enough for an experienced coroner to think it is worth reporting.
(I think the notion that the charger was on his chest is a misinterpretation from reports of a 'device' on his chest. Other reports are clearer that it was the iphone itself.)
Although it's not the best thing to do obviously, I can understand how someone might think it's safe to have a low voltage cable plugged into your phone while you're watching something say, and have it on charge plugged into an extension lead on the floor. Obviously that's not a great idea and we probably all know that.
However it's quite a different scenario having an entire 240v extension lead resting on your chest with the phone charger plugged in to it, I think the phrase 'certain death' springs to mind.
The former scenario with an extension lead on the floor next to the bath although (I'll say it again) is a very silly thing to do, is the kind of thing I could imagine a naive young person (we've got a few of them in the house) to do by mistake.
However it's quite a different scenario having an entire 240v extension lead resting on your chest with the phone charger plugged in to it, I think the phrase 'certain death' springs to mind.
The former scenario with an extension lead on the floor next to the bath although (I'll say it again) is a very silly thing to do, is the kind of thing I could imagine a naive young person (we've got a few of them in the house) to do by mistake.
Darwin award, I am sorry to say. I feel sorry for those bereaved by this, but not for the deceased.
Reports seem a little confused as to exactly what got wet or was immersed in the water, but given the fatal result I strongly suspect that the mains voltage extension lead and/or the mains voltage charger got wet.
And as regards mains voltage sockets in bathrooms, astonishingly these are now permitted, most unwisely in my view, but definitely permitted subject to RCD protection and being a certain distance from the bath or shower.
Not of course relevant in this case as it is stated that an extension lead from outside the bathroom was used.
Reports seem a little confused as to exactly what got wet or was immersed in the water, but given the fatal result I strongly suspect that the mains voltage extension lead and/or the mains voltage charger got wet.
And as regards mains voltage sockets in bathrooms, astonishingly these are now permitted, most unwisely in my view, but definitely permitted subject to RCD protection and being a certain distance from the bath or shower.
Not of course relevant in this case as it is stated that an extension lead from outside the bathroom was used.
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