Man dies while fixing microwave (I don't mean this as a joke)

[underpants]

Hanover resident had removed the back cover, which led to electrocution

http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/news.apx.-content-articles-RTD-2008-11-13-0148.html

A man was electrocuted while trying to repair a microwave oven in King William County.

Nester said Martin, 28, a farmer who lived in Hanover County, was fatally injured while removing the back cover of a microwave oven. The oven had electrical power but apparently was not generating heat, Nester said.

"Even an unplugged microwave can kill you," said Hudson Mulford with Lakeside Appliance in North Side.

Mulford said a lot of people fix their own appliances such as their washers and dryers, but once they are unplugged, they aren't an electrical risk.

Not so with a microwave.

The price of microwave ovens don't make them worth fixing, Mulford said.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that four people are electrocuted each year trying to repair their microwave ovens. The ovens use high voltage, which makes removing the back cover very hazardous.

The commission also warns that even after an oven is disconnected from the power source, there is still a potential to be shocked.

Martin was the father of four children, including 1-year-old twins, according to his family.

[Parche]

1. Run Shocker Run

He got zapped while it was unplugged????

[underpants]

3. No idea

there is some kind of charge in it even when unplugged.

I had no idea that was the case.

[UndertheOcean]

28. A large capacitor , same with TV's , dangerous even when unplugged

[LeftyFingerPop]

2. I would not have known this was possible. Poor guy...

Thank you for posting this.

[DS1]

4. damn

fixing microwaves was my favorite bath-time hobby

[underpants]

6. Is it better

with toast too?

[johnnie]

5. Yup, a magnetron can kill you

They store some heavy-duty voltage.

[LeftyFingerPop]

7. Are these things just on microwaves?

[johnnie]

10. As the poster points out below

It is the capacitor that stores the voltage and yes...capacitors are used in many things.

[LeftyFingerPop]

12. What I am interested in is this...

How are these things discharged upon disposal of the appliance?

I am wondering how they are handled at the landfills, etc.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

13. They lose their charge over a few hours.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capacitor

[LeftyFingerPop]

16. Gotcha. Thank you.

[Swede]

17. Capacitors can hold their charge for years.

Always discharge them before servicing electronic devices. Even old tv picture tubes (they have a large capacitance) that have sat around can give you a good jolt.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

18. Even in standard appliances?

Didn't know they typically lasted that long.

[Swede]

19. The filter caps in big power supplys can. Better safe than sorry.

Just use some pliers with insulated hand grips and jump across the leads. I've seen caps melt spots on the pliers from the arc.

[pokerfan]

23. a standard appliance might have a cap

to run the digital clock for a couple of hours but the voltages are tiny and not dangerous.

The HV cap in microwave can hold thousands of volts with a fair amount of current behind it (which is what actually stops the heart).

[pokerfan]

22. But not usually high voltage caps

which aren't particularly known for their low leakage. There are procedures for discharging them if you need to tinker immediately after pulling the plug.

[Symarip]

8. False

The magnetron is basically an antenna. But connected to the magnetron is a capacitor usually about 8 inches long and 3 inches wide which can often hold a charge up to 3,000 volts even when unplugged.

Brought to you by Symarip, former GE Appliance Technician.

[johnnie]

9. OK..lol

I forgot about the cap. I haven't worked with the shit in years.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

11. It's always the capacitors in one form or another.

Assuming they remember to unplug the damn thing.

Always remember to leave the electronics unplugged for 24 hours before messing around with them, people. And ground yourselves, for fuck's sake.

[IndianaJones]

15. screwdriver...ground to chassis. newer electronics usually have resistors to discharge the caps...

pretty quickly, at least tv's do.

[pokerfan]

24. The problem from the designer's POV

is that a resistor to handle with those types of voltages would either a) have to be of such a large value that it would still take a fair amount of time to discharge the cap or b) small enough a value to quickly discharge but at the expense of adversely compromising the efficiency of the appliance, which is always a concern these days. Sure, you could add circuitry that could sense when the mains are gone and then complete a discharge path but that would add cost in what is already a very price-driven appliance.

So the designers say, fuck it. Besides it's inside a grounded chassis anyway, usually complete with warning labels.

(Twenty years of electronic design experience speaking.)

[pokerfan]

20. delete

never mind

[KamaAina]

14. And the Darwin goes to...

:(

[Deja Q]

27. Now that's a shocking response...

Not as shocking as the article or, worse, the incident causing the article... :blush:

[Midlodemocrat]

21. Did you read the obits yesterday?

Why, oh, why would someone name their child 'Marijuana'? Seriously.

http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/news/policebeat.apx.-content-articles-RTD-2008-11-07-0143.html

[petronius]

25. It's an unfortunate choice, but at least the guy made up for it with a solid,

respectable nickname... :rofl:

Poor dude - doomed from the get-go...

[Deja Q]

26. Like CRT televisions; the capacitance of electricity is substantial...

I have a microwave unit but rarely use it.