Static electricity jolt from water tap jet!

Really weird this, never experienced it before; only just started happening (since I bought a new pair of shoes maybe?).

I go to the sink (ceramic) at work, grip the tap (metal) to turn it on... water pours out and goes down the drain, not surprisingly. (With me so far?).

I then take my hand away from the tap, and as it touches the water jet I get that same slight but distinctive 'zap' I usually get from the doorframe as I climb out of the car. First time it happened with the water jet I thought I'd imagined it, but the effect is definitely reproducible.

How is this happening? (and does it mean that there's no supplementary earth bonding on the plumbing at work?!)

Thanks David

Reply to
Lobster
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No, it means the water is grounded, whereas you are not. When you get a 'zap', you're discharging yourself to ground (IYSWIM).

Reply to
Grunff

Probably. There wouldn't normally be a requirement for supplementary bonding in a toilet or kitchen. You don't mention what room the tap is in.

Christian.

Reply to
Christian McArdle

Are you sure it is static and not a small shock coming through the water? I have experienced similar with an electric shower.

Rob

Reply to
Kalico

But the OP has already touched the tap (metal) which will be connected to pipe (metal) which carries the water... so by touching the tap one would think the discharge would happen to that, not to the water.

Velvet

Reply to
Velvet

Hmm, good point. I really should read twice type once...

Reply to
Grunff

Unless the tap is painted... :)

Isn't there a property of flowing water droplets which generates charge? Seem to vaguely remember something from physics, probably thinking of something completely different! :) :)

Lee

Reply to
Lee

Hmm, maybe I'd better take special care to ground myself before taking a leak then! (Yes, Christian, this 'event' takes place in the gents!).

David

Reply to
Lobster

Would plastic piping muck this theory up though?

Reply to
James Hart

Yes - if the water supply is via a plastic pipe, the tap is metal and the sink is made of insulating material (the last two of these points being given) then the tap could acquire a triboelectric (static) charge simply due to the flow of water. I remember seeing a demo many many years ago at somebody or other's open day where 5kV (indicated on an electrostatic voltmeter) was being raised from nothing but water!

Reply to
Andy Wade

Depends. Given the water flows through the tap which is presumably metal, it makes no odds whether the tap or the water is grounded at some point further back, as the water passes through the taps it should mean there's still a connection between metal tap--water inside plastic pipe---metal pipe. I doubt the interior of the tap is plastic-coated - but I guess it might be.

So my gut feeling is no, plastic piping wouldn't necessarily make my theory invalid, however I've no idea if it's valid in practice anyway :-)

Velvet

Reply to
Velvet

"Kalico" wrote in news:sRp_b.9319$ snipped-for-privacy@stones.force.net:

You wouldn't get me in a shower that gives even *small* electric shocks

mike r

Reply to
mike ring

This does not sound like static!

I had an instance two months ago where the tenant touched the taps and rxed shocks. Electrician visited did some extra bonding and they still reported shocks. Went round myself and got shocks, did more bonding, got bigger shocks. Checked the voltage between metalwork and (my initial thought) earth the floor different voltages at every floor nail. Presumed initially there was an electricity supply earth fault. Measured every nail voltage on the floor and it was higher in one area. Measured the loo screw voltages 190 odd, 200 odd, 220 odd, 245V - gotcha! A lavatory screw had pierced a cable.

Perhaps the floor is live!

Reply to
Z

There may be a plastic section of pipe.

Reply to
Z

We covered that already. Water conducts, does it not, therefore my gut instinct says a plastic section of pipe doesn't make any difference to my theory.

Velvet

Reply to
Velvet

To be pedantic, water's a pretty poor conductor, but the ions in solution have a dramatic effect on that..... :-)

-- Richard Sampson

email me at richard at olifant d-ot co do-t uk

Reply to
RichardS

No it doesn't conduct. Sorry. Water needs impurity ions in it to conduct. This is why the IEE recommend not supplementary bonding baths and radiators fed by plastic pipework.

Christian.

Reply to
Christian McArdle

Hang on, so I'm safe if I drop my hairdryer in the bath and I'm still in it, as long as I have plastic piping?

Velvet

Reply to
Velvet

You're probably safer than had you had metal piping and/or supplementary bonding. I wouldn't say safe, though, especially if you're fond of bath salts.

Christian.

Reply to
Christian McArdle

In article , Z writes

That's one useful thing about an RCD, it would have shown that up very quickly!...

Reply to
tony sayer

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