Electricity and murder

[jonesthecurl]

So, honestly this is for a story, honestly! Could somebody more competent at electrical work than me (Read, almost anyone over the age of three) set up a booby-trap to electrocute someone in a hot tub, but the device goes off accidentally?
Once again, this is for a story. Honest.

[2dimes]

Nope.

Though lots of people probably manage to die when fooling around with electrical devices near pools and hot tubs. They are more likely out side the thing but soaking wet.

The way to get electrocuted is by having the current go through you chest in a way that causes your heart to lose its rhythm. It doesn't need to be much, it just needs to put your heart into fibrillation.

If a live wire entered the water and the tub became energized you would likely put one foot in and get a shock but most likely not be harmed because it would go through your legs to the other foot. If you are already in the tub the current will more likely exit you in a way that does not bother your heart. Or possibly just go through the water around you. It will always take the shortest path to ground or "earth" in the UK.

However reaching over to change a song or adjust the volume on a stereo with a wet hand while some other body part is in the tub would do the trick. Current from the stereo, through you to the tub then to ground. Zzzzzzzxorch.

So basically just make something up and readers that don't know any better will probably buy it.

In my opinion your murderer should make something to release a deadly toxin in that water instead. More mysterious and plausible.

[Dukasaur]

However reaching over to change a song or adjust the volume on a stereo with a wet hand while some other body part is in the tub would do the trick. Current from the stereo, through you to the tub then to ground. Zzzzzzzxorch.

You say "nope" but then you suggest this perfectly plausible scenario.

People have tons of electrical devices. Most of them are not designed to be used near the water. All it takes is having a person have a reason to use them near the water despite the warnings not to.

A boom box, plugged into an extension cord, because the person loves his music loud.

A solar lamp, because the person loves the illusion of being in a tropical place and wants to sun his face while sitting in the water.

An electric blender, because the person loves making fresh margaritas while sitting in the hot tub, doesn't want to go all the way into the kitchen for them.

We'll leave the formation of an exhaustive list up to Jonesy, but 2d has made the critical point, that the device shouldn't just discharge into the water. There must be a reason for the victim to touch it with his extended arm, so that the shortest path to ground is through his chest.

[NomadPatriot]

maybe the standard scene is getting electrocuted when in the hot tub.. but you need suspense.. have them get electrocuted by something else random.. like the towel bar, or the inside door handle as she leaves

[HitRed]

I was in a building with drop down electrical plugs 220. One was installed backwards so the copper prongs were exposed and LIVE. When you unplugged and thought you were safe you where actually in moral danger. If your fingers connected with the prongs or the prongs touched your head ZAP! That should work in the bathroom with or without water.




The one on the far right is round male and female. So wiring them incorrectly OR intentially is possible.

[2dimes]

Oh, right, I meant go with setting up a margarita station near by. Going to be epic.

I know lots of people that have been shocked. Two electricians that were badly hurt. Only one story of a guy being electrocuted. Working on a sign regular 120 volts 15 amps. Shocked dead. Possibly no one tried cpr. Maybe just a bad heart.

[NomadPatriot]

Oh, right, I meant go with setting up a margarita station near by. Going to be epic.

I know lots of people that have been shocked. Two electricians that were badly hurt. Only one story of a guy being electrocuted. Working on a sign regular 120 volts 15 amps. Shocked dead. Possibly no one tried cpr. Maybe just a bad heart.

what was so shocking on the sign it killed him...?

[2dimes]

The black wire.

[Maxleod]

Electric Eel (because cool name... also, the fish is the culprit, perfect murder)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_eel

[KoolBak]

Set up a trap trying to kill someone. Yes.

You'd need an electric source that is non GFI (the newer ish style that interrupts current one it notices it isn't flowing properly - made JUST to prevent this type of accident) and preferably ungrounded.

So....you build a little shelf that conveniently folds down or disconnects. You have some thing on the shelf wired to ungrounded 220. When person is in bath, you remotely flip shelf, dropping electro bomb in bath. Dead.

Or if it's actually an outdoor hottub, you could drill a hole into the tub and simply thread a hot wire thru and caulk it. Again, ungrounded. Set on a timer, manual switch, whatever. Poof. You made soup.

You don't care that it was obviously murder, right? Just wanted to git 'r dun? Ungrounded 220 would absolutely kill.

Look up electrocution deaths in Thailand. They use 220 and there are very few rules about proper wiring. People getting zapped all the time, mostly now from charging cell phones.

[2dimes]

[NomadPatriot]

hot tub indoors or outdoors...?

[KoolBak]

Not gonna watch that mythbusters video but I recall they confirmed death is possible without a GFI...?

[2dimes]

This guy has played with all sorts of electricity including 220 volts, lots of times and he's fine. You might be in more danger choking from laughter watching him.