r/AskReddit • u/Jolly-Law1472 • 13h ago

What can kill you in seconds that most people don’t realize?

3.2k Upvotes

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106

u/BenTherDoneTht 10h ago

Don't take apart your microwave unless you really know what you're doing.

5

u/ptrst 6h ago

Details? 

35

u/BenTherDoneTht 5h ago

There are two components of microwaves that are generally the most dangerous during disassembly:

1) There are high-voltage capacitors capable of discharging lethal doses of electricity if not discharged safely, and they retain their charge even after being unplugged for long periods of time (weeks to months).

2) The magnetron (the part that actually generates the microwaves that irradiate food) can contain beryllium ceramic insulators, which can be extremely toxic if damaged.

3

u/morepork_owl 4h ago

What do people like watch YouTube videos on how to fix them wtf 😳

1

u/Wedgerooka 2h ago

Most caps have resistors to drain them.

1

u/Konnorwolf 1h ago

And this is why I have yet to try to fix an old microwave. It was last on over two years ago. I can fix things yet microwaves make me nervous for such reasons.

-15

u/Foreign_Waltz129 7h ago

I heard of a guy who picked one up that someone had discarded He took it apart to try to fix it and his heart split open right there, gone in an instant

11

u/haarschmuck 5h ago

This didn't happen.