Discussion Method Discussion: Appliance in a Bathtub / Electrocution

[McShuckle]

Does this make any sense? The comments also seem to be informative to some degree. Can anyone explain this in detail and also, are there any other methods that utilize electrocution?

 

[ArtVandelay]

"This video contains content from Discovery Communications, who has blocked it in your country on copyright grounds."

 

[TAW122]

^This, same here. Since I am unable to watch the video (due to YT being stubborn), I'll just give my thoughts on electrocution. In short, I don't think it is likely to be successful due to the fact that the voltage isn't strong enough and will likely just result in injuries and the power going out well before death. The reason that the electric chair and other electrocutions are successful (but not without lots of suffering and pain) is the fact that execution via the electric chair is using lots of voltage and current going through the condemned. Plus, people who are in the electric chair have a natural sponge along with a shaved head, which allows electricity to go through their bodies more effectively.

As far as electrocution via power lines, it is likely to be successful, but very painful during the electrocution as your body is cooking from within and electrical current surging through your entire body.

 

[JeSuisMalade]

Discovery tool that video off of YouTube, but you can watch it on their site here: https://www.discovery.com/tv-shows/mythbusters/videos/appliances-in-the-bath-minimyth

This was 2011, I think. They seemed pretty emphatic that a clothing iron in a bathtub with a metal drain and full of epsom salts would "pump death into you" so I've been surprised to see how relatively unpopular this method seems to be on this forum.

Here's the Mythbusters page that talks about the episode: http://www.discovery.com/tv-shows/mythbusters/mythbusters-database/drop-appliances-in-the-bath/

 

[Dead beat dad]

I think with modern technology, this is both harder than it sounds and if you pull it off, painful af

 

[JeSuisMalade]

I know that most bathrooms have GFCI circuits in the bathroom outlets to prevent these electrocutions, but can that not be bypassed with an extension cord and a standard outlet?

Or is there stuff installed deeper in homes today to cut off the electricity before it gets that powerful in an incident such as this? I know several headlines have come along pertaining to people who electrocuted themselves accidentally while charging their phones in the bathtub with an extension cord.

 

[jake3d]

I know that most bathrooms have GFCI circuits in the bathroom outlets to prevent these electrocutions, but can that not be bypassed with an extension cord and a standard outlet?

Yes it can. And there are still a lot of places that don't have a gfci at all. But sometimes it is on the main panel so you can't do much about it.