Could this electric shower be lethal?

[treez]

Hi,
In this video, a Chinese shower is examined which is literally no more than a bare conductor across the live mains with water flowing over it, and then this water stream goes on to the shower user…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiErqUkw690&feature=youtu.be

From 7:20 to 9:07, the investigator even disconnects the earth from the shower, and also connects himself to earth but still is not shocked badly when under this shower.

The following video is a pre-cursor to the above video….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jo99U3nVCnA&feature=youtu.be

Do you think that if the water had been more “salty” (more conductive), and also if the soil of the earth at his house had been more conductive , then there is a good chance that he could have tragically died doing the experiment shown above?

 

[wwfeldman]

I think it depends on what is inside the shower head and how its wired.

The two lines from the power plug must go to a heating element. If the ground wire is not connected
then all of the current from the hot wire must return to the neutral - no other path.

If the ground is connected to the metal shower head, then some of the current may leak through the shower head to ground.

If the tub is metal and is grounded, then, assuming a path through the water, some of the current may leak that way.
(because the water from the shower head breaks into drops, the current path is broken - it isn't so clear when a body is in the shower
as that creates thin layers of water on the body and could allow a current path)

If the metal shower head and the metal tub are both grounded, I would not expect much of anything.

Not interested in testing this arrangement by taking a shower.

Note that electric "instant hot" water works in a similar manner, although in US, there are various
plumbing and electrical codes involved for safety.

 

[FvM]

Some interesting points characterizing the device are quoted below:

The heater



The "earthing" electrode below the shower head



Measured leakage current



I must confess that I'm not so interested in possible extra attempts of the tester to kill himself. More in the question if this or similar devices are tradeable.

No doubt, the design is violating so many basic safety rules that it must be seized by customs in any civilized country it's exported to.

 

[treez]

Thanks, this is why i was asking about the conductivity of the water, and the conductivity of the earth soil, because according to the videos, and other sources, this shower is used by 50 million people in Brazil...often without an earth.