# getting shocked by water



## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

jboldt said:


> I have a customer that got a shock from his outside water. Why?


Not nearly enough information given to even speculate.


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## BuzzKill (Oct 27, 2008)

jboldt said:


> I have a customer that got a shock from his outside water. Why?


hahahaha, you're an EC?
GTFOH!


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## TOOL_5150 (Aug 27, 2007)

BuzzKill said:


> GTFOH!


Agreed.

~Matt


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## Nildogg (Jul 29, 2010)

TOOL_5150 said:


> Agreed.
> 
> ~Matt


 
I would also like to know how...I'm assuming his cold water line was energized but from where? 

I'm industrial so don't crack me down.


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## TOOL_5150 (Aug 27, 2007)

Nildogg said:


> I would also like to know how...I'm assuming his cold water line was energized but from where?
> 
> I'm industrial so don't crack me down.


Well, I would start off at looking at the water bond, next I would see if there is any current on the GEC, then I would go after what is putting current on the grounding system. Could be lots of things, including a loose neutral at the pole pig, and voltage is feeding from your neighbor to your house.:thumbsup:

~Matt


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## Nildogg (Jul 29, 2010)

TOOL_5150 said:


> Well, I would start off at looking at the water bond, next I would see if there is any current on the GEC, then I would go after what is putting current on the grounding system. Could be lots of things, including a loose neutral at the pole pig, and voltage is feeding from your neighbor to your house.:thumbsup:
> 
> ~Matt


 
I was looking for a magical answer...that all sounds pretty basic, but uncommon.


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## TOOL_5150 (Aug 27, 2007)

Nildogg said:


> I was looking for a magical answer...that all sounds pretty basic, but uncommon.


If that all sounds basic, then why did you ask.

~Matt


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## Bkessler (Feb 14, 2007)

Nildogg said:


> I was looking for a magical answer...that all sounds pretty basic, but uncommon.


it's basic but very common.


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## Bob Badger (Apr 19, 2009)

jboldt said:


> I have a customer that got a shock from his outside water. Why?


Pretty sure they are getting a shock from electricity not water.


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## Bob Badger (Apr 19, 2009)

Nildogg said:


> I would also like to know how...I'm assuming his cold water line was energized but from where?
> 
> I'm industrial so don't crack me down.


Assuming he gets a shock from the hose bib to the earth the first thing I would look for is an open neutral on the supply side of the service panel.


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## Introyble (Jul 10, 2010)

jboldt said:


> I have a customer that got a shock from his outside water. Why?


In the old days they used to ground to the main sewer. Maybe thats why?????


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## Magnettica (Jan 23, 2007)

Nildogg said:


> I would also like to know how...I'm assuming his cold water line was energized but from where?
> 
> I'm industrial so don't crack me down.


What, they don't have running water in industrial buildings? 

Electricity is electricity, wether it's in a wood framed house, or the Coca-Cola mfg plant.


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

I had a customer a few years ago who had almost everything connected to their cable TV blown up because their neighbor's neutral went open. The neighbors neutral current was passing on the CATV shield and back to the transformer through my customer's neutral-ground bond. Pretty cool, when you take an F-connector apart and can draw a spark. That also tells me that there was probably some marginal or non-existent intersystem bonding at the pole.


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## jza (Oct 31, 2009)

TOOL_5150 said:


> If that all sounds basic, then why did you ask.
> 
> ~Matt


You know you can just as easily put "~Matt" in your signature so you don't have to retype it every time you post and make yourself look like an even bigger moron.


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

Nildogg said:


> I would also like to know how...I'm assuming his cold water line was energized but from where?
> 
> I'm industrial so don't crack me down.


From his next door neighbor's looser connections at the service.


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## TOOL_5150 (Aug 27, 2007)

jza said:


> You know you can just as easily put "~Matt" in your signature so you don't have to retype it every time you post and make yourself look like an even bigger moron.


Its cute that you care enough about me to make this post.

~Matt


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

RIVETER said:


> From his next door neighbor's looser connections at his service.


From his neighbor's service. I tried to change my post, but quoted it instead.


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

Jbolt, are you glad...or sad...that you checked in with us?


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## TOOL_5150 (Aug 27, 2007)

RIVETER said:


> Jbolt, are you glad...or sad...that you checked in with us?


I am sure he is indifferent

~Matt


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

TOOL_5150 said:


> I am sure he is indifferent
> 
> ~Matt


Maybe you are right. It was his first post and it seems that a lot of posters get snotty remarks. I was wondering what his thoughts were.


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## The Lightman (Jan 9, 2010)

RIVETER said:


> Jbolt, are you glad...or sad...that you checked in with us?


A satisfaction survey? Where else can you learn and laugh this much?


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

The Lightman said:


> A satisfaction survey? Where else can you learn and laugh this much?


This would be a good chance for you to answer his question. Will you?:thumbsup:


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## The Lightman (Jan 9, 2010)

RIVETER said:


> This would be a good chance for you to answer his question. Will you?:thumbsup:


 Sure, obviously there was a difference of potential between "his water" and whatever else he was touching at the time. To determine the source of voltage, we would need a few more clues.
Was his water a puddle of water over a junction box? I have measured 277V from a puddle over a quazite box in the middle of a parking to ground which was a few feet from a storm sewer drain and filling up with water before we eliminated the box.
Is all of his tap water energized, inside and out? If I was in Tahoe, I'd start checking the bonding and grounding of the building.
Is there an easement with power lines running close by or a transformer pad? I've been on a couple of pole lights near lines that you must wear gloves to work on. The luminaire cases are energized from induced voltage from approximately thirty feet above.
Are the loads balanced? Neutrals open or torqued? Could be some type of back feed. 
Did YOU answer his question? 
At least I didn't tell him to GTFOH, like others did. I have been more than kind to people newer than I here. I actually got a FrasB like guy hit me up yesterday with an offer to work for me for minimum wage when he gets back to town from a volunteer gig. Your right in that newer posters often get snotty remarks, some tool hurt my feelings early on, but, now we are tight as a tick. 
As far as that survey, I learn and laugh every time I click here. Not to swell any one's ego, but this place is far superior to any other electrician's board out there. I would subscribe, if it was a pay site.


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## Speedy Petey (Jan 10, 2007)

RIVETER said:


> Maybe you are right. It was his first post and it seems that a lot of posters get snotty remarks. I was wondering what his thoughts were.


Well, considering he made the post and logged out two minutes later and has not checked back in, maybe the remarks are warranted. IMO this is extremely rude and selfish. We all make an effort to help and folks simply ignore it. 
Also the fact that it is pretty obvious that he is not an electrician this is his own house.


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

Speedy Petey said:


> Well, considering he made the post and logged out two minutes later and has not checked back in, maybe the remarks are warranted. IMO this is extremely rude and selfish. We all make an effort to help and folks simply ignore it.
> Also the fact that it is pretty obvious that he is not an electrician this is his own house.


You guys are good. The guy only had a thirteen word post and you got a lot more out of it than I did. To me nothing was obvious. It was just a question.


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## The Lightman (Jan 9, 2010)

RIVETER said:


> It was just a question.


What was the answer?


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

The Lightman said:


> What was the answer?


Presuming that he was inside, the possible question of a loose neutral could come into play. If his neighbor had a loose connection and he had a better one and both shared the water pipe grounding system, a portion of the neighbors current could be finding its way back to the source via his service. THAT current, which would be classified as STRAY, would cause a stray voltage and the subsequent shock. You don't have to believe me but you would be well advised to check those possibilities out.


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## The Lightman (Jan 9, 2010)

jboldt said:


> I have a customer that got a shock from his outside water. Why?





The Lightman said:


> Neutrals open or torqued?





RIVETER said:


> Presuming that he was inside,


Nope, he's outside!


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

The Lightman said:


> Nope, he's outside!


Does it really matter? If he is feeling a "tingle", something is not right. Somehow I have not been able to separate my "outside" water from my "inside" water., They apparently come from the same pipe.


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## Big John (May 23, 2010)

RIVETER said:


> ...Somehow I have not been able to separate my "outside" water from my "inside" water., They apparently come from the same pipe.


 It's all pipes! :laughing: 



-John


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

Big John said:


> It's all pipes! :laughing:
> 
> 
> 
> -John


My audio doesn't work, but I love that show.:thumbsup:


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## Magnettica (Jan 23, 2007)

RIVETER said:


> My audio doesn't work, but I love that show.:thumbsup:


With built-in speakers and wireless mouse and keyboard. :thumbup:


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## davey (Aug 14, 2010)

If you're going to pipe up with Seinfeld, I should mention Laurel and Hardy's _Them Thar Hills_. 
The boys head out to get some mountain air, as the simple living was recommended by Ollie's doctor as a cure for gout. They camp at a location recently vacated due to a raid by revenooers, during which the occupants poured the barrelsful of evidence into the well. 

That outdoor water tasted shockingly good.


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## JimmyR (Mar 11, 2010)

Are you in Local 3?


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## captkirk (Nov 21, 2007)

I have a very serious electrical problem, how can I fix it...? please help...:laughing::laughing:


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

captkirk said:


> I have a very serious electrical problem, how can I fix it...? please help...:laughing::laughing:


Have you talked to Riveter? He is very knowledgeable, and if he knows half of what he thinks he does, it may be worth a try.:whistling2:


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## HAND (Jul 15, 2010)

BuzzKill said:


> hahahaha, you're an EC?
> GTFOH!


 I think that did the job, GOOH! I mean.
I have a client who got nailed with his coax cable, I went out and checked and sure enough there is 120V on the termination.
The bath wall used to be there and is here now they say.
Ok, I checked the breakers and there is a 20 amp that when it is turned off the voltage goes away, so the neighbors neutral is out of the question, this 20a ckt is feeding the rest of the bedroom but not the renovated bath.
I dont want to get up in the attic i think is less than 3' and I am just too old for that sh2t and the walls are just finished and painted.
Any tips.


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## Speedy Petey (Jan 10, 2007)

I think it is safe to say this guy is not an electrician, and is not coming back.

Thanks jboldt for wasting our time.


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