Shocked!

How can I be getting shocked off my faucet? This happens only in my bathroom & laundry tub downstairs. It's not all the time, but it's a good enough zap to make you jump.

Reply to
Fred
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"Fred" wrote in news:l4hpoi$a41$ snipped-for-privacy@speranza.aioe.org:

You have at least two problems: a fault in your electrical system somewhere is energizing that pipe, and the pipe itself is not properly grounded.

Get a qualified electrician out to look at this ASAP: this could be fatal.

Reply to
Doug Miller

somewhere is energizing that

It's probably a good idea to first determine whether this is a static electricity shock or an actual 110VAC buzz. I'm betting on the former because water pipes are *usually* grounded so it's hard to energize them to the point of getting a shock unless you're touching something that's an even better ground. If walking on a carpet has given your body a static electric charge then it could be easily dumped to ground when you touch a faucet or some other metal part of the plumbing.

Fred, is your basement carpeted? Are we talking a sudden spark and a zap or is there a constant tingling when you touch the faucet? Do you have plastic water pipes or copper? Does this happen all the time or just when the humidity is very low? Do you have an electric water heater or gas unit?

Reply to
Robert Green

I would check for voltage between each of your plumbing pipes and the neutral terminal of an electrical outlet. On a polarized receptacle, the neutral will be the taller slot.

Notice if your phone rings when there's voltage in the pipe. Telephones operate on fairly low voltage... except when they ring. The ring signal to a telephone is a whopping 90 volts AC, which is enough to give you a pretty good shock.

Reply to
nestork

That is a *damn serious* situation and you need to have a certified electrician take care of it *at once*!

115vac *can* be fatal!

Do not fool with it.

It appears to be an electrical ground circuit connected to an ungrounded water pipe.

Reply to
philo 

All good questions. Hopefully, the OP (Fred) will reply back.

Reply to
TomR

if OP has a electric hot water tank it could have a heater failing. energizing the water in the tank and line.

best to get this fixed FAST, since it could be lethal:(

Reply to
bob haller

Usedta be grounded. Now there is PEX and PVC and whatnot. Its all the fault of them PEX nuts on this newsgroup.

I agree the OP should figure out what is going on.

Not stated - what the other 'contact' is, like a concrete floor.

Reply to
bud--

Thanks. I thought it was a bit premature to call in the cavalry because the word "zap" in the original post made me think "static shock" and not 110VAC. But it always pays to be careful and I think with the right questions (and perhaps some testing) we can help the OP determine what's going on.

Reply to
Robert Green

No carpet in basement. There's a constant tingling, and the pipes are copper. This happens all the time, in fact, I just got shocked off the kitchen faucet, which is a first! The water heater is gas. The problem appears to be getting worse.

Reply to
Fred

Ok, this is way weird. I just was going to replace a toilet flapper. I went to turn the shut off valve, and got zapped, big time!

Reply to
Fred

It's not that weird. As has been pointed out, some malfunctioning appliance is grounded to your plumbing. As has been suggested, get a professional to isolate the problem before someone gets hurt!

Reply to
Bill

!!!I TOLD YOU TO GET A QUALIFIED ELECTRICIAN IN ASAP

EVEN 115V CAN BE FATAL!!!!!

Reply to
philo 

I'd say you have to be an idiot not to be familiar with static shocks and to mistake that for being shocked by your faucet. But the Bobby has that ground covered. The most obvious thing is that it would *not* be just the faucet that you get a static shock from.

Reply to
nj48forplay

"Fred" wrote in news:l4jnne$r7q$ snipped-for-privacy@speranza.aioe.org:

Quit posting on Usenet, and call an electrician NOW before someone gets a fatal shock.

Like I told you in my response to your first post, you have a fault in your electrical system that is energizing your water pipes -- *and* the pipes are not properly grounded.

You NEED an electrician, and you need one YESTERDAY. This is potentially DEADLY.

Reply to
Doug Miller

I got a call in to an electrician, they will be out Wednesday. Now you're making me nervous if I should even use the shower tonight or not.

Reply to
Fred

If you're getting "buzzed" you need to be very careful around your piping and get it checked out ASAP. You've got at least two problems, one, the water piping system is (surprisingly) not properly grounded, two, it's getting AC voltage applied to it from somewhere. If it were properly grounded, the breaker would have tripped for the voltage source.

nate

Reply to
Nate Nagel

If you have a voltmeter or test light, measure voltage from a copper pipe to a good ground (usually the copper pipe *would* be a good ground, but in this case it is apparently not! Try a grounded receptacle.) I'm guessing you'll find there is some. Unplug any appliance that connects to water line one at a time (clothes washer, refrigerator with ice maker are the two obvious ones; water softener if you have it, etc.) until you find the faulty one. Leave that one unplugged until it's fixed.

If you've unplugged everything and you still have voltage on the pipes, start turning off breakers one by one until it goes away. Then depending on your skill level you can find the issue or give a pro a good place to start troubleshooting (and be safe in the meantime.)

Consider driving some ground rods, and bonding your panel and plumbing system so this doesn't happen again!

nate

Reply to
Nate Nagel

DO NOT use your shower why risk your life?

I'd spend the extra money and get an electrician in tomorrow .

SERIOUSLY this could be lethal, no one here is trying to scare you unnecessarily.

Reply to
philo 

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