Can HTPC kill? Read the ToI story!

[anm]

Can people get killed while playing with their computers?
Here is an unfortunate news I read in times of India - Techie found dead in front of burnt computer - Chennai - Cities - The Times of India

Let us discuss what precautions one shall take when attempting to DIY make/ repair computers? Or A/V equipments in general?

 

[gobble]

Dunno what blew up - mobo or smps? Any ideas?

Regards

 

[anm]

No idea - but let us spread some awareness to all enthusiasts (including me) here. We need to play, but take proper precautions to avoid accidents.

regards

 

[moserw]

Very sad. Did not think it could happen, but I guess anything can with the last round of Sony batteries exploding and laptops catching fire.

 

[psychotropic]

this looks highly suspicious.....there may be more to this story than the computer just exploding......

 

[spirovious]

I think something in story is missing/hiding.
PC cant blast technically.What is the PC part can burst,nothing,but if you are using USB device or charger or monitor due to short circuit.

Practically not possible.

 

[kannanokannan]

"The Hindu" says the friend's room was locked from outside!
The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Man found dead


CHENNAI: A software engineer was killed in a suspected blast at his room in Velachery on Friday.

Police said that Vijay Kumar (28) of Madurai who was working in a software company at Karambakkam was staying with a couple of his friends in a house on Telugu Brahmin Street in Velachery.

About 4 p.m. on Friday, Vijay Kumars room-mate, Ram Prasad, was in the bathroom located outside the house when he heard an unusual noise followed by thick smoke. When he tried to go out, he realised that the door was locked from outside.

Fire service personnel and locals extinguished the fire. Vijay Kumar was found dead with 100 per cent burns.

A computer and other gadgets in the room were gutted. Some passers-by told police that they heard a loud noise. The cause of the suspected blast or fire is under investigation, police added.

Commissioner of Police, K. Radhakrishnan, said that preliminary enquiries had indicated that the software professional might have resorted to self-immolation. There was smell of kerosene at the scene , he added.

 

[Rem]

I agree with spirovious pc's cant just blow up like tht atleast blow up to burn a human to that degree anyway.

Have you guys heard of Spontaneous Human Combustion this could likely be the case.

It has baffled investigators over the years I have heard about it in tv and read a lot about it in some sites its still a mystery as to how it happens.

In this case if it is not a murder I do believe its SHC.

check in google you will find a lot of info about it.


Dont thk our police is good enough to find this kind of mysteries.

 

[moserw]

Have you guys heard of Spontaneous Human Combustion

Reminds me of the X-Files... Still very sad that it happened. I spend a lot of hours in front of my PC and cannot imagine something like this happening. The most I've had is the wires of the SMPS burn and short circuit a couple of HDDs and that's the worst.

 

[venkatcr]

Neither the TOI or The Hindu talks about the computer exploding. They only talk about a 'charred' computer. They also talk about a overwhelming smell of Kerosene.

One of two things could have happened. One; the computer could have been a laptop. Laptops have been known to explode, because of overheating of the batteries. Two; there was something else that exploded and the computer was charred because of that and the engineer was killed.

Desktop computers CANNOT explode. At the worst there can be a short circuit and some parts can burn out. But a whole unit exploding? Not possible. Unless of course you fill the PC with some combustible material.

Cheers

 

[anm]

Can the capacitors in high wattage power supply explode?

 

[venkatcr]

Can the capacitors in high wattage power supply explode?

Yes it can. According to Wikipedia, 'When a faulty capacitor is charged, the water-based electrolyte becomes unstable and breaks down, producing hydrogen gas. Since these types of capacitors are sealed in an aluminium casing, the pressure builds up within the capacitor until either the flat metal top of the capacitor begins to bend, or the rubber sealing plug is pushed down. Eventually the pressure exceeds the strength of the metal casing and venting occurs, either by blowing out the rubber bottom of the capacitor, or bursting the scored metal vent on the top of the capacitor. When an electrolytic capacitor bursts, effects can range from a pop and a hissing noise to a small explosion. Venting is typically messy, and the acidic electrolyte must be cleaned off the motherboard to prevent further damage.'.

But explosions are rare, as the capacitors of made of aluminum that will give way much before the gas inside reaches that explosive pressure. There is a rubber vent and a aluminum vent that will give way much before that.

I doubt that an exploding capacitor can kill a person, unless the poor guy had a shock and may be an instantaneous heart attack. One possibility is the exploding capacitor triggered a secondary explosion that charred the computer and killed the engineer.

Cheers

 

[anm]

Besides the pressure, a capacitor can hold very large amount of charge, and if discharged incorrectly, it can cause very high currents and hence a fire. Is that correct? Trying to remember some physics from my class XII.

Some readings - Can a Capacitor kill you if touched? - Yahoo! Answers

Yes it can. According to Wikipedia, 'When a faulty capacitor is charged, the water-based electrolyte becomes unstable and breaks down, producing hydrogen gas. Since these types of capacitors are sealed in an aluminium casing, the pressure builds up within the capacitor until either the flat metal top of the capacitor begins to bend, or the rubber sealing plug is pushed down. Eventually the pressure exceeds the strength of the metal casing and venting occurs, either by blowing out the rubber bottom of the capacitor, or bursting the scored metal vent on the top of the capacitor. When an electrolytic capacitor bursts, effects can range from a pop and a hissing noise to a small explosion. Venting is typically messy, and the acidic electrolyte must be cleaned off the motherboard to prevent further damage.'.

But explosions are rare, as the capacitors of made of aluminum that will give way much before the gas inside reaches that explosive pressure. There is a rubber vent and a aluminum vent that will give way much before that.

I doubt that an exploding capacitor can kill a person, unless the poor guy had a shock and may be an instantaneous heart attack. One possibility is the exploding capacitor triggered a secondary explosion that charred the computer and killed the engineer.

Cheers

 

[venkatcr]

Today's TOI and The Hindu say that Jayshankar could have committed suicide. This is what the police suspect after preliminary forensics. All the doors were locked from inside, and he had locked his friend inside the bathroom.

So folks, let us not panic early. In any case whether you are using a audio, video, or a PC, please please please, make sure you have proper earthing. Get your earthing tested properly during installation, and once every three months. One of the easiest ways it to take a tester and touch the body of the units (amplifier, player, PC cabinet,,, whatever) lightly. If the tester lights up or even flickers with low intensity, you need to shut down your systems immediately and not use it till your earthing is handled properly.

Let us enjoy life, not take chances with it. There is too much music, movies, and other goodies waiting to be sampled by us.

Cheers

PS: Anm, give your poor eyes some rest man. 3:11 AM? Sheesh Man !!!

 

[cmsajith]

A small doubt. I have seen (in pics), the water coolants inside the cpu / gpu coolers are in green color. Is it any kind of chemical coolant (like the radiator coolant in cars) or is it normal water?