# Navy Diver, Sea Water, Live electrical cord



## clovingo (May 27, 2008)

Got a trouble call today in regards to a navy diver recieving a mild tingle in the water. I investigated and discovered a 120volt extension cord female end broken floating in the water near the diver. The extension cord was plugged into a GFCI protected circuit. After securing power and removing the cord. I tested the GFCI breaker (test button), it worked fine.

Now, I'm kinda of stump about why the GFCI breaker did not trip when the electrical cord end was in the water. Is it possible that the salt water had something to do with it??? Or the GFCI lost its sensitivity to determine the difference of amps between the neutral and hot conductor??? Any body have any ideas?? What happen??


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## electricalperson (Jan 11, 2008)

clovingo said:


> Got a trouble call today in regards to a navy diver recieving a mild tingle in the water. I investigated and discovered a 120volt extension cord female end broken floating in the water near the diver. The extension cord was plugged into a GFCI protected circuit. After securing power and removing the cord. I tested the GFCI breaker (test button), it worked fine.
> 
> Now, I'm kinda of stump about why the GFCI breaker did not trip when the electrical cord end was in the water. Is it possible that the salt water had something to do with it??? Or the GFCI lost its sensitivity to determine the difference of amps between the neutral and hot conductor??? Any body have any ideas?? What happen??


my guess is there wasnt a load plugged into the cord. plug your drill in turn it on and throw it in the water and see what happens


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## electricalperson (Jan 11, 2008)

the way a GFCI works is that it senses a unbalance between the H and N conductors. if electricity decides to take a different path between H and N lets say through your body or the EGC for example, it will trip the GFCI

get the book overcurrents and undercurrents by earl roberts


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## John (Jan 22, 2007)

clovingo said:


> Got a trouble call today in regards to a navy diver recieving a mild tingle in the water.


You need to clarify "mild tingle" because the diver could be feeling almost nothing in the way of current and due to a very small load on the circuit between the conductors in the salt water. Water and electricity don't mix well and the combination of two the does some rather peculiar things.

View attachment 1087


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## electricalperson (Jan 11, 2008)

i done an experiment in the summer. i taken an extension cord and threw it in my pool. it didnt trip but when i plugged in the christmas lights (yes i have christmas lights up all year round on a couple trees outside  ) it tripped the GFCI. it was because there was a load and and power found another path


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## John (Jan 22, 2007)

If the diver was close enough to the "live " cord in the water and reached out of the water to and touched something grounded....He could potentially become the load and get electrocuted.


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## electricalperson (Jan 11, 2008)

John said:


> If the diver was close enough to the "live " cord in the water and reached out of the water to and touched something grounded....He could potentially become the load and get electrocuted.


hes lucky. i was on a roof a few weeks ago and there was a puddle of water there and a cord end was in it. the receptacle wasnt a gfci so i got a pretty good shock


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## John (Jan 22, 2007)

I got a good jolt from wallpaper one time.  paperhanger folded the excess wallpaper in a switchbox and the wallpaper became unstuck in the box and shorted to the switch terminals. Designer metallic wallpaper sucks.


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