Have you ever asked yourself what a toaster bath is like? Is it as deadly as movies usually display? We will tell you what would happen detailedly in this post.
Can A Toaster Bath Kill You?
We bet you’ve watched some movie scenes in which a character gets killed by a toaster or other electrical appliance rolled in a tub full of water. You might doubt the toaster bath scene in the Addams Family and think it’s another thing Hollywood made up to trick us.
However, the truth is the exact opposite. The famous show MythBusters aired an episode that proved the credibility of this claim. Their results were interesting: A toaster bath can kill a person, especially when you don’t ground your unit correctly.
Many people might mistake the real culprit as the voltage. However, the truth is that amperage is the lethal factor here. A million-volt can strike you, and still, you survive, but if you face a 5-to-10mA together with a 50V, you will be dead.
A Detailed Explanation Of Toaster Bath (Backed By Science)
Let’s take a look at electrical science. Electrical conductors transmit electricity from one place to another. And unfortunately, tap water is the perfect conductor.
You might ask now whether pure water or distilled ones is a conductor? Then the answer is NO. Different from tap water, pure and distilled ones do not possess any ions, a conducting element.
You can even put salt in the water to increase conductivity and the chance of getting an electric shock. Therefore, we could tell that different conditions affect the lethal characteristic of the toaster bath. Whether you face a deadly situation in a toaster bath or not depends on various factors.
The first and most crucial factor is home wiring. Most houses, especially modern ones, have a ground fault interrupt system that interrupts the power current immediately if there is an electric shock. As a result, if the toaster accidentally gets into the water or the bathtub, the system will cut the electricity and save your life.
However, if your bathroom uses redirected power, higher chances are that the breaker wouldn’t trip immediately. And in that time, the electric shock can kill you.
Therefore, we always recommend you install the ground fault interrupt system in your house. It helps to lower the deadline characteristic of a toaster bath in high-risk environments such as bathrooms where electric shock can occur.
In conclusion, we’ve agreed that a person could lose his life being in a toaster bath.
Read More:
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6 Ways To Avoid An Electric Shock At Home
Now, when you’ve fully acknowledged the danger of electric shock, let’s find out six ways to protect yourself from electrocution.
1. Don’t use a shorn extension cord
- A slightly shorn extension cord can also result in an electric shock. Therefore, if you detect any, please throw it away!
- Never put the extension cord under the rug. After a time, its performance may degrade and put your house on fire.
- Also, make sure these cords are out of the reach of children.
2. Throw away all the defective electrical devices in your house
If you see a broken electrical appliance, you may still want to use it anyway as long as it still does the job. However, never play with electricity! Consider getting it repaired or throw it away immediately.
Check this video to see how to fault trace on some standard electrical devices:
3. Disconnect an electrical device properly
To disconnect electrical equipment, pull the plug instead of the cord. The power cable is fragile, and any damage to it can lead to electric shock.
4. Don’t use electrical devices or extension cords near watery areas
Keep all household appliances away from water as much as possible. For additional protection, use a battery or an outlet with a protection system (like a ground fault interrupt system).
5. Pick suitable multi-outlet power bars
Take caution of your multi-outlet bars. Plugging in too many electrical devices may result in overheating. Here are some solutions to avoid overloading.
- Utilize a power bar with a built-in circuit breaker that helps to stop the overloaded state.
- Connect different devices to different locations.
- Remove equipment that you are not using.
It would be advisable if you also protect your equipment from voltage fluctuations resulting from electrical or other factors. Many products have internal circuit breakers that provide voltage protection, so consider getting one of them.
6. Do not cut or bend the third plug
The third plug of your socket is what connects the ground to protect users from electric shock. Also, using a three-pronged cord and plugging devices in the appropriate socket could do a great help.
Refer to this video to know how to handle a person with electric shock:
Conclusion
Now you know the results of a toaster bath. It’s a super lethal experiment, so we do not encourage trying it at all. Also, follow our suggestions strictly to prevent yourself from home electrocution.
