Chonburi: Man killed after being electrocuted ‘charging phone while using earphones to listen to music’

[webfact]

ZAPPED TO DEATH 

Man killed after being electrocuted ‘charging phone while using earphones to listen to music’ as cops warn over cheap chargers

Kritsada Supol was found dead on his bed with his Samsung plugged into a power point

By Nicola Stow

 

Picture shows the factory worker's phone plugged into the power socket next to his lifeless body//VIRAL PRESS

 

A MAN was killed after being electrocuted in bed as he charged his phone while listening to music.

 

Cops have issued a warning about the dangers of cheap chargers after Kritsada Supol was found dead with his Samsung plugged into a power point.

 

Kritsada, 24, appeared to have been listening to music or talking to someone, with the mic section of the earphones resting over his lips.

 

The property owner visited the room in Chonburi, Thailand, on Sunday and found the 24-year-old's body on the mattress with signs of burning around his ears.

 

Police from the Phan Thong Provincial Police Station in Chonburi, Thailand, arrived and carried the dead body from the property.

 

Full story: https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/8356442/man-killed-electrocuted-charging-phone-earphones-music/

 

-- The SUN 2019-02-06

[brokenbone]

rip young boy

[fisherd3]

I just bought a condo cannot see an earth wire anywhere in the room or any consumer service panel many of whch are falling to bits with access, anywhere in the building.

[notasmartassknowitallfarag]

I don’t have cheap chargers but I do have Thai plug converters for foreign plugs.They are cheap and one would worry. 

 

Although, the main problem seems to be the sockets and the ‘qualified’ electricians who install them. 

[YetAnother]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

A MAN was killed after being electrocuted in bed as he charged his phone while listening to music.

this happened in a civilized country and you couldnt count the resultant lawsuits

[Carlosm]

36 minutes ago, fisherd3 said:

I just bought a condo cannot see an earth wire anywhere in the room or any consumer service panel many of whch are falling to bits with access, anywhere in the building.

Just curious, if its that bad why did you buy the condo ?

[colinneil]

42 minutes ago, fisherd3 said:

I just bought a condo cannot see an earth wire anywhere in the room or any consumer service panel many of whch are falling to bits with access, anywhere in the building.

Surely you would have checked these things before, parting with money to buy the condo.

[sammieuk1]

I was alarmed a couple of months ago whilst cutting the grass and using a moulded plug expensive extension that caught fire without tripping the modern consumer box be warned don't expect any earth to save you here its sense and luck alone ???? 

[jacko45k]

1 hour ago, fisherd3 said:

I just bought a condo cannot see an earth wire anywhere in the room or any consumer service panel many of whch are falling to bits with access, anywhere in the building.

Even the expensive Samsung brand chargers do not have an earth pin. 

[Stargeezr]

When you charge anything, shut it off. Is that too difficult? Laziness can lead to all sorts of problems. RIP to this fellow who was too trusting in an electrical device.

Geezer

[teigen]

55 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Even the expensive Samsung brand chargers do not have an earth pin. 

That's right, there are no smartphones chargers with an earth pin.
The problem with some cheap chargers is that they are not insulated from the live mains.
Technically they just have a rectifier, capacitor and zener diode.
On the other way, the normal chargers have a complete control circuit with a switching transformer and optical isolation between the primary and secondary sides.
But not sure security labels (UL, CE,..) are a guaranty here.

[sammieuk1]

1 hour ago, Arjen said:

 

This has nothing to do with being grounded/having earth connection.

 

A modern MDB should have a a RCB or something similars. They open when there is a leakage to ground. A wire/extension cord catching fire is caused by overload. It is possible because low quality, production failure, damage. Can also be caused by the appliance you plug in, or the wall outlet where you plug it in. In this case it is wise to check the function from your RCB by pushing the "test" button.

Not so grasshopper on inspection the live and neutral were in contact where the cable joins the molded plug causing a dead short and no trip and the insulator to catch fire???? 

[jacko45k]

9 minutes ago, teigen said:

That's right, there are no smartphones chargers with an earth pin.
The problem with some cheap chargers is that they are not insulated from the live mains.

Just so surprising that it gets through 3 devices, the charger, the phone and the earphones. Personally I would feel nervous connecting my head to something plugged into 240v at the other end. 

[polkop11]

Electrocuted over Bluetooth ??

[Greyhat]

Damn, I fall to sleep every night watching youtube on my tablet while it's charging. I hope my relatively expensive surge protector with usb outlets built in will spare my life.

[aussie11950]

The way to be safe is to have an RCD (or current sensing, Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker) fitted to the switchboard, for all outlets.

It will detect a small leakage current, if a faulty charger bleeds voltage from the 240 volt side to the 5 volt side, and trip.

Also washing machines, fridges or microwave appliances with only 2 pins, that are tingly.

Cost about 500฿ and will give you safety and security from electrical faults that could cause electrocution.

 

 

[smedly]

1 hour ago, sammieuk1 said:

Not so grasshopper on inspection the live and neutral were in contact where the cable joins the molded plug causing a dead short and no trip and the insulator to catch fire???? 

The extra layer of protection back in the west are plugs with fuses, Thai have adopted a 2 pin system (same as USA) on a 220v feed, the significant difference is that in the US they are 110v for general appliances, earthing is a bit more complex in High Condo buildings as it is a challenge to get any sort of earth potential on high floors

 

In the OP the charger seems to have failed exposing the user to the mains - although it is not clear exactly how that happened as the earplugs are isolated - there may have been an exposed wire or something, also the fact he was on the bed and isolated from the floor makes this a greater mystery - almost unbelievable if I was to be honest 

[jacko45k]

52 minutes ago, Arjen said:

A shortcut between live and neutral will not have a RCD tripped. A normall should CB should open...... I am wondering why this did not happened?

The smallest breaker in my DP is 20 amps, I doubt the fault current would get that high in the thin wires of a  mobile headset. 

Sockets and plugs are not usually fused.

Edited February 6, 2019 by jacko45k

[Hockeybik]

4 hours ago, fisherd3 said:

I just bought a condo cannot see an earth wire anywhere in the room or any consumer service panel many of whch are falling to bits with access, anywhere in the building.

Thai electricians believe the laws of physics do not apply in Thailand.

[jacko45k]

3 minutes ago, Arjen said:

When the current is high enough to make the wire catch fire, I think the current is way above 20A. time for an expert...

 

Not true.....never seen an electric fire?

Edited February 6, 2019 by jacko45k

[smedly]

4 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

The smallest breaker in my DP is 20 amps, I doubt the fault current would get that high in the thin wires of a  mobile headset. 

Those are generally to avoid fires in buildings not for electrical safety

 

Like I said above - earths need to built into tall buildings and if any appliance is 2 pin it might actually increase the risk of electrocution, if you want to go this route then all your appliances need earth connections (3 pin) and the DB needs to also be equipped with earth leakage detection, the whole Thai system in on the cheap - no surprise there - safety costs money 

[Mukdahanman]

Those 2 pin plugs are often a really loose fit into the socket - anything slightly heavy (such as using an adapter) seems to just languidly hang there, defying gravity and leaving the conductors exposed. My new house is having 3 pins throughout, they are generally a tighter fit.

Now what do I do about all my 2 pin appliances?!!

[smedly]

6 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Not true.....never seen an electric fire?

20amps protects the main feeds from short circuit - individual appliances should be fused appropriately - oh wait TIT - no such thing exists

 

If you wanted extra safety you could add protection to each outlet in your home or at least ones that are deemed risky

Edited February 6, 2019 by smedly

[jacko45k]

1 minute ago, Mukdahanman said:

My new house is having 3 pins throughout, they are generally a tighter fit.

Now what do I do about all my 2 pin appliances?!!

Well if the sockets have a mechanical interlock whereby you cannot plug them in without an earth pin you will be changing all the plugs. Likely there won't be a wire to connect the earth pin to either!

[smedly]

6 minutes ago, Mukdahanman said:

Those 2 pin plugs are often a really loose fit into the socket - anything slightly heavy (such as using an adapter) seems to just languidly hang there, defying gravity and leaving the conductors exposed. My new house is having 3 pins throughout, they are generally a tighter fit.

Now what do I do about all my 2 pin appliances?!!

if you have 3 pin earth based system and the correct leakage trips fitted you will have a good system that is reasonably safe, if you have 3 wire appliances such as toasters etc then fit a plug that uses the earth

Edited February 6, 2019 by smedly

[jacko45k]

2 minutes ago, smedly said:

If you wanted extra safety you could add protection to each outlet in your home or at least ones that are deemed risky

I have taken to installing extension blocks with individual breakers at each outlet but it is far from satisfactory or compliant. I have some DP breakers at 35 amps and there are lighting circuits wired to them. It really is awful!

[Mukdahanman]

Handy advice, thanks.

There will be an earthing system with RCD and MCBs, but as others have said, not sure how effective it’ll be .....

[smedly]

2 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

I have taken to installing extension blocks with individual breakers at each outlet but it is far from satisfactory or compliant. I have some DP breakers at 35 amps and there are lighting circuits wired to them. It really is awful!

yep that sounds dangerous - in the west low current circuits such as lighting are connected to their own breaker of appropriate weight for the wiring - 5 amp would be reasonable

[balo]

The boy did not die just because of a faulty charger. He probably touched some metal at the same time he was elecrocuted. Not the first time, it was in the news here around 2 years ago, similar accident.

[edwardandtubs]

I recently bought this cheap USB cable from AliExpress that I use to recharge my Xiaomi phone.

 

https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/bE0yOCtb

 

In fact, I'm using it now while typing this message. Will it kill me? How can I be sure a more expensive one will be any better? Isn't that the fallacy of price as an indicator of quality?

Edited February 6, 2019 by edwardandtubs