4 ms·

I think we need a summary here first. I'm not going to watch something with this title until I know what I'm about to get into...

YawningAngel 2y ago
It refers to a design commonly used in South America where a live wire is run to the shower head and used to heat water just before it is expelled
isodev 2y ago
It's ok to watch, that's just the nickname of the device because of how risky it is to use.
snatchpiesinger 2y ago
The actual video title is "Lorenzetti Electric Shower Head", the HN submission title is edited to include the nickname "suicide shower head". I think the best would be is to just use the actual video title here. FWIW it's just a nickname for their apparently dangerous design (which doesn't necessarily translate to actually dangerous), it has nothing to do with suicides.
- closewith 2y ago
  It is extremely common that these showers are installed visibly ungrounded which is extremely dangerous by developed country standards. It's common to feel a tingling sensation while showering if you are in any way tall (over 175cm). That said, it's obviously something millions of people live with, so it's still relatively safe in grand terms.
  - vladvasiliu 2y ago
    > It's common to feel a tingling sensation while showering if you are in any way tall Why does the user's height make a difference?
    - userbinator 2y ago
      Closer to the shower head, less resistance from the water.
londons_explore 2y ago
It's a design of shower water heater where the water and electricity deliberately mix. The electricity flows through the water to heat it up, at the same time as that water is in contact with your head. In pretty much every other country, this is illegal and against code because it is considered very unsafe. But somehow it seems to work for Brazil, Turkey, and a bunch of poorer nations. It doesn't (usually) kill the users due to a bunch of clever design and good luck, which goes like this: * The power grid provides two wires. "Live", normally around 220 volts AC (110 in usa), and "Neutral", usually near zero - perhaps 5 volts AC. The Earth is at 0 volts AC, and is connected to all your water, pipes, plumbing, metal things in your bathroom, etc. * Normal devices like light bulbs allow electrons to flow between Live and Neutral, but should not allow electrons to flow to Earth. Normally, if flow to earth is detected, a GFCI/RCD will switch everything off for safety, since a human might be on that path! * The resistance of a wet-skinned human is such that if 5 volts AC is put across them, they'll barely feel it, but if 220 volts AC is across them, they'll probably die. * This shower relies on connecting Live (220V) to the water, and also connecting Neutral (~5V) to the water. That causes electrons to flow through the water, and it to heat up. * However, the connections are arranged so that the neutral is far closer to your head than the live - so the voltage your head sees is perhaps only 5 volts relative to the Earth (and the wet floor you're standing on). You feel the tingly electric-water, but you don't die today. * But the big risk is that if the neutral wire were to fail anywhere between the shower and the power station for any reason, now the water you're standing in becomes Live at 220V and you die today.
- Arkanum 2y ago
  I don't think any current flow in the water is deliberate. The heating comes from the resistive heating of the coil. The issue (i think) is the coil being uninsulated, allowing some current to leak out through the water, hence the tingling sensation others have mentioned.
  - londons_explore 2y ago
    My bad... the video features a design with a coil. There are others which use a grid and the waters conductivity.
kleiba 2y ago
So, you want someone else to watch it for you first?

YawningAngel 2y ago

It refers to a design commonly used in South America where a live wire is run to the shower head and used to heat water just before it is expelled

isodev 2y ago

It's ok to watch, that's just the nickname of the device because of how risky it is to use.

snatchpiesinger 2y ago

The actual video title is "Lorenzetti Electric Shower Head", the HN submission title is edited to include the nickname "suicide shower head". I think the best would be is to just use the actual video title here. FWIW it's just a nickname for their apparently dangerous design (which doesn't necessarily translate to actually dangerous), it has nothing to do with suicides.

closewith 2y ago
It is extremely common that these showers are installed visibly ungrounded which is extremely dangerous by developed country standards. It's common to feel a tingling sensation while showering if you are in any way tall (over 175cm). That said, it's obviously something millions of people live with, so it's still relatively safe in grand terms.
- vladvasiliu 2y ago
  > It's common to feel a tingling sensation while showering if you are in any way tall Why does the user's height make a difference?
  - userbinator 2y ago
    Closer to the shower head, less resistance from the water.

londons_explore 2y ago

It's a design of shower water heater where the water and electricity deliberately mix. The electricity flows through the water to heat it up, at the same time as that water is in contact with your head. In pretty much every other country, this is illegal and against code because it is considered very unsafe. But somehow it seems to work for Brazil, Turkey, and a bunch of poorer nations. It doesn't (usually) kill the users due to a bunch of clever design and good luck, which goes like this: * The power grid provides two wires. "Live", normally around 220 volts AC (110 in usa), and "Neutral", usually near zero - perhaps 5 volts AC. The Earth is at 0 volts AC, and is connected to all your water, pipes, plumbing, metal things in your bathroom, etc. * Normal devices like light bulbs allow electrons to flow between Live and Neutral, but should not allow electrons to flow to Earth. Normally, if flow to earth is detected, a GFCI/RCD will switch everything off for safety, since a human might be on that path! * The resistance of a wet-skinned human is such that if 5 volts AC is put across them, they'll barely feel it, but if 220 volts AC is across them, they'll probably die. * This shower relies on connecting Live (220V) to the water, and also connecting Neutral (~5V) to the water. That causes electrons to flow through the water, and it to heat up. * However, the connections are arranged so that the neutral is far closer to your head than the live - so the voltage your head sees is perhaps only 5 volts relative to the Earth (and the wet floor you're standing on). You feel the tingly electric-water, but you don't die today. * But the big risk is that if the neutral wire were to fail anywhere between the shower and the power station for any reason, now the water you're standing in becomes Live at 220V and you die today.

Arkanum 2y ago
I don't think any current flow in the water is deliberate. The heating comes from the resistive heating of the coil. The issue (i think) is the coil being uninsulated, allowing some current to leak out through the water, hence the tingling sensation others have mentioned.
- londons_explore 2y ago
  My bad... the video features a design with a coil. There are others which use a grid and the waters conductivity.

kleiba 2y ago

So, you want someone else to watch it for you first?