My husband and I disagree.
I think yes.
I was watching mythbusters and they were testing it and I didn't catch the last part of it.I fell asleep or got busy doing something else.
Thank You!
2007-09-12 09:07:21 · 10 answers · asked by Bobbie 5 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Weather
Just thought I would try to finish the TV show for you, since no one else seemed interested in doing it :-)
Episode 30: Son of a Gun, Showering during a Thunderstorm
* You can get electrocuted from a phone or in the shower from a lighting strike to your house: confirmed
* A woman got impregnated from a bullet shot through the family jewels: busted
* A boat can be driven while it is still attached to a trailer: confirmed
On the Phone in a Thunderstorm
Myth: You can get electrocuted from a phone or in the shower from a lighting strike to your house.
For this myth they used PG&E's lightning strike test facility, which is a huge dome containing its own power generators. It can generate 700,000 volts at 500,000 watts, but even that is still much below actual lightning: "We can't even come close to what mother Nature can generate"
One interesting statistic they quoted at the facility as a rule of thumb is that 10,000 volts = 1cm of air travel.
For the test they wanted to simulate what happens when lighting hits the wiring outside a house so that they could see where the charge travels. Adam built a 'stunt house' on wheels with roof, siding, wiring, working shower, plumbing, TV, computer, wall switches, etc... He had a little trouble getting it working so they called in Stephen the electrician to get Adam's wiring to work. Stephen also served as their resident expert -- he had heard about melted phones, but has not personally seen any.
Experiment 1: Talking on the phone
Setup:
* 200,000 volts in order to get more damage-wielding amps
* 'Chip' the ballistics gel dummy inside the house with a phone attached to his head and a meter to measure the current where the heart would be.
Test 1: There was a nice shot of electricity right into the outside wiring of the house (threw the remote camera out of focus), but there was no current to Chip as the charge travelled out the ground wire.
Test 2: Adam cut some of the grounds to set up a worst case scenario, which delivered the intended result: electricity arced from the phone right into Chip's head, setting of a charge that Jamie had set. It tripped the fuse of the meter (> 40mA), which means that Chip would have died, had he not been made of ballistics gel.
Test 3: Tried with older phone and older fuse box -- still killed Chip, though less fireworks as Jamie's gunpowder charge didn't ignite.
(the TV and computer powered up just fine)
Experiment 2: The Shower
Setup:
* Chip grounded with a wire to mimic standing on a drain
* electrical wiring run next to some of the shower plumbing
There were big electrical explosions in the shower. Couldn't get readings off of the meter but it seemed clear that one would not want to have been in the shower.
Confirmed
..
2007-09-12 11:23:05 · answer #1 · answered by muddypuppyuk 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes, it is a very slim chance but it is there.
The lightning can follow the water in the pipes through the ground. I don't have cable so I didn't see that show. But, I have had to write several reports on people injured and one that was killed doing just that.
More likely you will get a big jolt from a close lightning strike rather than being killed, but that also does happen. Most of the time nothing will happen, but do you want to take the risk?
2007-09-12 09:18:11 · answer #2 · answered by Water 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
im not gonna take a shower during a storm to find out for you, sorry, im gonna be out in the field taking pictures and tracking the storm instead. Granted you're safer in the shower than i will be out chasing a storm but at least i know if i get zapped i had it coming for messin with mother nature.
2007-09-13 18:44:58 · answer #3 · answered by do_sctc145 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Depending on the distance from you and the bolt of lightning, the greater the distance from the lightning, the less likely you will get electrocuted.
2007-09-12 13:51:23 · answer #4 · answered by trey98607 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Not unless your shower is in the middle of a field with nothing else around.
2007-09-12 09:34:40 · answer #5 · answered by JT 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It could be possible but it is very very unlikely. I would say next time it is a thunderstrom it is safe to go in the shower.
2007-09-12 11:15:38 · answer #6 · answered by Zazzare 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well....I take no chances.....no shower for me 'til the storm is over!
2007-09-13 01:52:17 · answer #7 · answered by bethy4jesus 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
... not anymore then anyware else, if the lighting bolt is strong enuogh to peirce your roof mabe doubt it if that isnt the case.
2007-09-12 09:17:38 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Yes you can.
2007-09-12 10:39:13 · answer #9 · answered by sassy 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
yES, NOT A LARGE CHANCE, BUT i WOULDN'T RISK IT. JUST SHOWER AFTER MAKING LOVE , NOT BEFORE.
2007-09-12 09:55:13 · answer #10 · answered by Renaissance Man 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋