Cell Phone Trouble

[dukkadukka]

Has anyone ever heard of this?? Is it possible?? I know I've done this probably a million times...

A few days ago, a person was recharging his cell phone at home.

Just at that time a call came in and he answered it with the
Instrument still connected to the outlet.

After a few seconds electricity flowed into the cell phone unrestrained and the young man was thrown to the ground with a heavy thud.

His parents rushed to the room only to find him unconscious, with a weak heartbeat and burnt fingers.
He was rushed to the nearby hospital, but was pronounced dead on arrival.

Cell phones are a very useful modern invention.
However, we must be aware that it can also be an instrument of death.

Never use the cell phone while it is hooked to the electrical outlet![/size]

Received in email.

Not sure if the pictures will work: (I couldn't upload them because they are in the incorrect format...)

 

[the 48th regulator]

http://www.snopes.com/horrors/techno/cellcharge.asp

Always check snopes first.....

dileas

tess

 

[kincanucks]

http://www.snopes.com/horrors/techno/cellcharge.asp

Always check snopes first.....

dileas

tess

Then you don't look like an idiot spreading BS.

 

[dukkadukka]

Then you don't look like an idiot spreading BS.

hahaha then call me an idiot.  PLUS in my defense, I wasn't "spreading" bs... but rather inquiring... It's something I've never heard of, (nor anyone in my family) but seemed rather plausible, my first laptop exploded and burned my fingers... It was merely a question of "if anyone's heard of this" clearly, people have. (I'm always last on in the loop of things... technologically challenged and quite sheltered.)

 

[MedTechStudent]

According to our good friends at Snopes, lightning can electrocute you through your telephone.  Scary.

http://www.snopes.com/horrors/techno/phone.asp

 

[dukkadukka]

According to our good friends at Snopes, lightning can electrocute you through your telephone.  Scary.

http://www.snopes.com/horrors/techno/phone.asp

That's old school... My mom ALWAYS told me that during a lightening storm and I was on the phone.

 

[adaminc]

I find it more plausible that the LiIon/LiPo battery burst, than getting electrocuted.

[Edit] It seems that snopes agree's with me.

 

[hugh19]

I think you will find the power goes through a transformer first. Taking the 110v power in the wall outlet and making it, I believe 28v. So the transformer would blow before electrocuting the operator of the cellphone. If I have gotten something wrong someone please correct me.

 

[Jorkapp]

Simple electronic theories here,

Cell phones don't require much juice to charge, just a few volts. A typical phone battery is 3.6V, which requires 4.2V (give or take) to charge. Given that a lot of phones these days can charge off a USB port, which provides no more than 5V, 500mA, you'd be hard pressed to get a tingle in your skin, let alone electrocution. Think pressing a 9V battery to your tongue, and that's about as bad as it will get with these.

Now some chemistry/physics,

The lithium battery is, however, a tricky beast. A minor imperfection in the battery's construction can prove to be quite painful. As the battery heats when it is recharging, the pressure inside the battery increases. If there is a minor imperfection, that point will rupture from the increased pressure, and cause the battery to spew forth it's contents, bringing a world of pain to whoever happens to be nearby.