Never ansawer a charging cellphone?

[twotyred]

Young guy electricuted whilst answering his plugged-in mobile...

http://www.rense.com/general81/charging.htm

[98tls]

Bugger,bit like syphoning gas with a vacuum cleaner.

[Big Dan]

Young guy electricuted whilst answering his plugged-in mobile...

http://www.rense.com/general81/charging.htm

Shit i talk on the phone often while it is charging - not anymore

[Jantar]

Snopes may have listed it as possible, but ask any electrical engineer and you'll be told, NOT POSSIBLE.

Even without looking at the pictures, the charging system is via a transformer which reduces the voltage to a very safe level and isolates the item being charged from the mains. Next, Cell phones are made of an insulating material, and are double insulated, so even if the transformer somehow developed a fault that allowed mains voltage into the phone, a shock would not be possible. The worst that could happen would be a short circuit and localised burning within the phone.

Now lets look at the photos: The transformer itself shows no sign of damage, but the cable at the phone end is badly burnt. A high current fault would cause the transformer end to be burnt, which suggests a battery fault into a short circuit. This could happen even if the phone was not charging at the time.

The clincher though, is the fact the photo is not of a dead person. Look at the colour of the fingernails: this person is still breathing and has a healthy circulation.

[onearmedbandit]

Snopes may have listed it as possible, but ask any electrical engineer and you'll be told, NOT POSSIBLE.

Snopes actually list it as false, but say that fires can be caused by exploding batteries. Seems as though they agree with you Jantar.

[98tls]

Snopes may have listed it as possible, but ask any electrical engineer and you'll be told, NOT POSSIBLE.

Even without looking at the pictures, the charging system is via a transformer which reduces the voltage to a very safe level and isolates the item being charged from the mains. Next, Cell phones are made of an insulating material, and are double insulated, so even if the transformer somehow developed a fault that allowed mains voltage into the phone, a shock would not be possible. The worst that could happen would be a short circuit and localised burning within the phone.

Now lets look at the photos: The transformer itself shows no sign of damage, but the cable at the phone end is badly burnt. A high current fault would cause the transformer end to be burnt, which suggests a battery fault into a short circuit. This could happen even if the phone was not charging at the time.

The clincher though, is the fact the photo is not of a dead person. Look at the colour of the fingernails: this person is still breathing and has a healthy circulation.

Bloody spoilsporti hate mobile phones and was rejoicing the fact that someone fried themselves with one.

[Swoop]

I can imagine Big Dave having a giggle over this.

[98tls]

Craig looked skywards and gave thanks he only made it to 2nd base

[Mikkel]

Snopes may have listed it as possible, but ask any electrical engineer and you'll be told, NOT POSSIBLE.

+1 - a voice of reason

If you believe that story I'd make sure to build a faraday cage in the garden for the next thunderstorm - you never know...

[Wiki Drifter]

I blame Mossad

[Dave-]

aparently they can blow up petrol stations too!

err

[DMNTD:Me]

I blame Mossad

I blame P and party pills...

[Mikkel]

aparently they can blow up petrol stations too!

err

...and fry your brain silly...

Oh, and they make people forget to pay attention to the traffic as well - true story!

[Winter]

My cellphone charger puts out something like 3.3 volt.. IE two double AA batteries.

You could chew on it with a mouth full of salt water and get nothing more than a tickle.

Batterys can explode, however.

[McJim]

I knew someone who came off worse when they tried to answer a charging bull........