# iPhone 5 user gets electrocuted -- plausibility? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 15, 2013, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-5-user-gets-electrocuted-plausibility/663557 "2013-07-15T13:53:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![JoseB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/joseb/32/1530_2.png) [@JoseB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoseB)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-5-user-gets-electrocuted-plausibility/663557/1 "2013-07-15T13:53:47Z")
This is a piece of news that has been doing the rounds for a few days. Summing up: A young lady in western China apparently died, electrocuted, when she answered her iPhone 5 which was charging at that precise moment. Links: [http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/07/15/us-apple-china-idUSBRE96E08P20130715](http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/07/15/us-apple-china-idUSBRE96E08P20130715) > **[Apple to investigate reported iPhone 5 shock death](https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1282777/apple-investigate-reported-iphone-5-shock-death)** > > Apple has promised to "fully investigate" reports that a woman was killed by an electric shock from her iPhone 5 while charging it at home. What is the likelihood of something like that happening? Do you think it might be tied to the use of non-standard, third-part loaders/accessories? Apart from that, poor woman … :-/ ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-5-user-gets-electrocuted-plausibility/663557/2 "2013-07-15T13:58:49Z")
[Snopes says false.](http://www.snopes.com/horrors/techno/cellcharge.asp) ---
**Author:** ![dauerbach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c2a13f/32.png) [@dauerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dauerbach)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-5-user-gets-electrocuted-plausibility/663557/3 "2013-07-15T14:01:23Z")
I tried to look this up and found scant information. I would think it much more likely that she suddenly dies of other causes while she was answering the phone. Given how often most use the phone, there must be thousands of people who die every year within seconds of doing something on it. ---
**Author:** ![JoseB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/joseb/32/1530_2.png) [@JoseB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoseB)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-5-user-gets-electrocuted-plausibility/663557/4 "2013-07-15T14:30:51Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > [Snopes says false.](http://www.snopes.com/horrors/techno/cellcharge.asp) Yeah, although I see that the article was last updated in december 2012 (with most material dating from 2004), and that the claim they declare false is _“Using cell phones while they are being recharged poses a **general and serious danger** of electrocution.”_ (emphasis mine). Of course I understand that there is no general risk of electrocution while using a recharging cell phone – however, is there a plausible _set of (probably unusual) circumstances_ under which that _might_ happen? I was thinking that perhaps the use of third-party accessories of dubious provenance might have something to do with it. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-5-user-gets-electrocuted-plausibility/663557/5 "2013-07-15T14:36:08Z")
> [@JoseB](#): > > I was thinking that perhaps the use of third-party accessories of dubious provenance might have something to do with it. That was my thought - Dollar-store quality charger, plus China uses 220V making things even more interesting. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-5-user-gets-electrocuted-plausibility/663557/6 "2013-07-15T15:05:21Z")
Hmm, that is highly unlikely. The charger unit only puts out a low voltage to charge up the phone. The only way that a high enough voltage could come in contact is if the charger unit went short circuit, and this would rapidly damage the phone, like in milliseconds. Something would give, such as smoke or wires would rapidly burn out. Charger units are designed in such a way that the output is electrically independent of the input, even a badly made one is not likely to give the user a shock - I am struggling to imagine a way it could happen. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-5-user-gets-electrocuted-plausibility/663557/7 "2013-07-15T16:43:42Z")
> [@casdave](#): > > Hmm, that is highly unlikely. > > The charger unit only puts out a low voltage to charge up the phone. The only way that a high enough voltage could come in contact is if the charger unit went short circuit, and this would rapidly damage the phone, like in milliseconds. Something would give, such as smoke or wires would rapidly burn out. > > Charger units are designed in such a way that the output is electrically independent of the input, even a badly made one is not likely to give the user a shock - I am struggling to imagine a way it could happen. You have clearly never looked inside a cheap Chinese iPhone charger. The components are crammed into a tiny space, and they are often very poorly assembled. I could easily see a primary to secondary short happening. I could even believe a short that would let the unit function, and still create a shock hazard ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-5-user-gets-electrocuted-plausibility/663557/8 "2013-07-15T16:57:16Z")
> [@JoseB](#): > > Of course I understand that there is no general risk of electrocution while using a recharging cell phone – however, is there a plausible _set of (probably unusual) circumstances_ under which that _might_ happen? This is the point where the Mythbusters decide to just replicate the result, and pile more C4 into the truck. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-5-user-gets-electrocuted-plausibility/663557/9 "2013-07-15T17:43:34Z")
Well, sumbitch. [Apparently Reuters and Apple are both taking the report seriously.](http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/07/15/us-apple-china-idUSBRE96E08P20130715) ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-5-user-gets-electrocuted-plausibility/663557/10 "2013-07-15T17:51:26Z")
I thought perhaps she had a counterfeit iPhone, but the articles I’m finding quote the sister as saying that the phone was purchased from an Apple store (although there are even counterfeit Apple stores) and the charger was the original one. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-5-user-gets-electrocuted-plausibility/663557/11 "2013-07-15T17:54:23Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > Well, sumbitch. [Apparently Reuters and Apple are both taking the report seriously.](http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/07/15/us-apple-china-idUSBRE96E08P20130715) That’s the same article as in the first link in the OP. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-5-user-gets-electrocuted-plausibility/663557/12 "2013-07-15T17:55:24Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > That’s the same article as in the first link in the OP. I need more coffee, clearly. Sorry! ---
**Author:** ![Ignotus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ecc23a/32.png) [@Ignotus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignotus)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-5-user-gets-electrocuted-plausibility/663557/13 "2013-07-15T18:17:04Z")
Does the iPhone have any external metal parts? Otherwise, I can’t see how it could happen (well, unless the phone was soaked in sea water, or had its cover removed, or something like that). ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-5-user-gets-electrocuted-plausibility/663557/14 "2013-07-15T18:18:21Z")
> [@Ignotus](#): > > Does the iPhone have any external metal parts? Otherwise, I can’t see how it could happen (well, unless the phone was soaked in sea water, or had its cover removed, or something like that). Yes, the antenna is metal, and it extends around the entire outside of the case. ---
**Author:** ![Dog80](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@Dog80](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dog80)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-5-user-gets-electrocuted-plausibility/663557/15 "2013-07-15T18:33:28Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > You have clearly never looked inside a cheap Chinese iPhone charger. The components are crammed into a tiny space, and they are often very poorly assembled. I could easily see a primary to secondary short happening. I could even believe a short that would let the unit function, and still create a shock hazard Exactly. Here is a teardown video of some fake chargers: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wi-b9k-0KfE](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wi-b9k-0KfE) The mains side is separated by less than 1mm from the USB socket metal part. A surge or a failed solder joint is enough to feed mains voltage to the USB side. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-5-user-gets-electrocuted-plausibility/663557/16 "2013-07-15T18:47:18Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > You have clearly never looked inside a cheap Chinese iPhone charger. The components are crammed into a tiny space, and they are often very poorly assembled. I could easily see a primary to secondary short happening. I could even believe a short that would let the unit function, and still create a shock hazard I could easily see a primary to secondary short which would result in 220V delivered to the phone. I cannot see how that phone remains functional at that point. It’s just barely conceivable that hot could be shorted to the charging cord ground, which might electrify the aluminum shell of the iPhone 5? But that should also be feeding 220v backwards into the phone’s circuitry resulting in a pop and a flash and some smoke and maybe fire. What am I missing? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-5-user-gets-electrocuted-plausibility/663557/17 "2013-07-15T19:00:56Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > I could easily see a primary to secondary short which would result in 220V delivered to the phone. I cannot see how that phone remains functional at that point. It’s just barely conceivable that hot could be shorted to the charging cord ground, which might electrify the aluminum shell of the iPhone 5? But that should also be feeding 220v backwards into the phone’s circuitry resulting in a pop and a flash and some smoke and maybe fire. > > What am I missing? The secondary side of the circuit is supposed to be completely electrically isolated from the primary. If there is a short from the hot side of the primary to the secondary, it’s conceivable that all it would do is “float” the secondary at 110 (or 220) volts with respect to ground. Unlikely, but not impossible. ---
**Author:** ![Blakeyrat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@Blakeyrat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blakeyrat)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-5-user-gets-electrocuted-plausibility/663557/18 "2013-07-15T21:58:50Z")
If they’re trying to scam Apple out of some settlement, they should have claimed the battery caught fire and/or exploded. That’s far more believable. I’d file this story under, “stranger things have happened, I guess”, and wait for the official word from Apple’s investigation. Who knows. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2013, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-5-user-gets-electrocuted-plausibility/663557/19 "2013-07-16T00:59:17Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > But that should also be feeding 220v backwards into the phone’s circuitry resulting in a pop and a flash and some smoke and maybe fire. As a data point - Feeding 12V into a phone expecting 5V, with power and ground reversed, does, in fact, result in a popping sound and smoke. Sadly, I don’t recall if there was a flash of light. There was no fire. I got to do some really fun extra things at my old job, occasionally.. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2013, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-5-user-gets-electrocuted-plausibility/663557/20 "2013-07-16T06:03:16Z")
By the way, everyone: There’s a separate nearby thread on this subject, which questions whether that victim really was electrocuted, or might possibly have died of some other cause at just the inopportune moment. The question under discussion there is: Can an autopsy detect if somebody died of electrocution? > **[Can an autopsy identify an electrocution?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=696589)** > > Inspired by this news tidbit in which a woman in China is claimed to have been electrocuted by her iPhone (she answered a call while it was plugged into the charger). Assuming there are no actual burn marks, then death would have been caused by... [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-5-user-gets-electrocuted-plausibility/663557.md?page=2)