If you used a magnetic phone charger while it was plugged in and dropped it in water while you were in the bath, would it electrocute you?

Question

NO, I am NOT planning on trying this.

I watched on the news about [a girl who was electrocuted after using her phone while charging in the bathtub and it fell into her bath.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zg6nPthiuLs)

This made me wonder if it would also happen with a magnetic phone charger. Or would it only happen with a phone charger that connects inside the charging port?

FYI, I am talking about a magnetic phone charger like this one, while it is plugged in and actively charging: [https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MHXH3AM/A/magsafe-charger](https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MHXH3AM/A/magsafe-charger)

This question might seem dumb, but some of us aren’t well-versed in this topic. Sorry if it’s a dumb question. I legitimately don’t know.

In: Engineering

Answer 1

A magnetic phone charger is not going to be more protective than plugging it into the wall.

So far, I’m seeing a lot of incorrect answers stating that USB doesn’t provide enough power for electrocution. A lot of these answers are assuming the old USB standard. But with the power delivery of USBC, it is theoretically possible to be electrocuted, though very improbable.

In order to be killed by electricity, the electricity would have to pass through your heart. In a scenario where a typical AC appliance is dropped into a bathtub, the electricity flows from the appliance through the water and to metal fixtures of the bathtub, usually the drain. How’s the electricity is flowing through the water, it also will flow through your body and cause electrocution. However, building codes require that all outlets near water have a special circuit breaker to turn off the electricity if this is detected. In the story you are talking about, the girl was using an extension cord plugged into a regular outlet that did not have the special protection, and the cord was frayed which is likely what actually caused the electrocution.

At any rate, getting back to the point about the path of the electricity. With a USB charger, the electricity will flow from one pin of the charger, through the water, to the other pin, so it is unlikely to actually pass through your body and cause any harm. But there are reports in the medical literature of USBC chargers coming into contact with jewelry and causing pretty severe burns.