Sweaty man electrocuted by computer

[adrian]

source

A 20-YEAR-OLD student was electrocuted by his computer this morning in Shanghai's Yangpu District, Eastday.com reported.

The young man, who was identified as Wu, reportedly opened the external casing of the computer's CPU to prevent it from overheating because he didn't want to switch on the air conditioner in his home.

According to the report, his sweaty legs came into contact with the computer's wiring, which might have caused a short circuit. The computer's internal voltage is as high as 380 volts, enough to give a deadly shock.

An initial investigation by police officers and medical staff found Wu was electrocuted. They found bruises on his legs as well as blood from his nostrils.

remember geeks: cool those computers properly!

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Sweaty man electrocuted by computer

380 volts? I don't think so.

Even if he contacted any part of the PSU's wiring the highest voltage would be about 30 volts DC.

I smell urban legend here.

[alohacandy]

Re: Sweaty man electrocuted by computer

source

Hmmmmmm.....exactly why was he sweating so much at his computer?? I smell something fishy here!

[helen]

Re: Sweaty man electrocuted by computer

380 volts? I don't think so.

Even if he contacted any part of the PSU's wiring the highest voltage would be about 30 volts DC.

I smell urban legend here.

380 watts perhaps. I don't know if China uses 110 volts or 220 volts for their stuff.

I am not doubting that someone got electrocuted, it just that the article is not giving clear enough information on what happened.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Sweaty man electrocuted by computer

380-watts seems more like it. Still find it hard to believe it unless he was laying down with his feet stretched and he was trying to move it with his toes when ZAPPO.

[GeckoGeek]

Re: Sweaty man electrocuted by computer

380 volts? I don't think so.

380 is a little high, but if he opened the cover to the power supply, he could have been exposed to 340V or so. The PSUs I've taken apart will voltage double the 120VAC or just rectify 240VAC to feed to the switcher. The heatsinks of the switching transistors can be "hot".

It wouldn't be easy to come in contact with it, but not impossible. I'm curious as to what else he was in contact with. I'd think the shock would be confined to his leg unless his arms/hands were somehow grounded.

[mp3jockey]

Re: Sweaty man electrocuted by computer

gosh...almost spilled my drink while taking it out of the cup holder on my computer, as I read this story..

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Sweaty man electrocuted by computer

Is that the cup holder that comes out of the 5.25 drive bay...you know the one with the +12v lighter socket? I've always wondered why in the world would you want to put a cup holder there.

[reineke]

Re: Sweaty man electrocuted by computer

380 watts perhaps. I don't know if China uses 110 volts or 220 volts for their stuff.

I am not doubting that someone got electrocuted, it just that the article is not giving clear enough information on what happened.

220 volts for China and most of Europe. It's definitely more likely to kill you than an American appliance. Chinese articles are usually not very reliable on detail but the story might be true. Incidentally I once saw a fridge destined for a foreign market forcefully plugged into a European socket by a ...moron. It danced.