Static electricity jolt from water tap jet!

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

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.

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

Rob

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

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

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

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

Would plastic piping muck this theory up though?

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!

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

"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

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!

There may be a plastic section of pipe.

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

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

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.

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

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.

In article , Z writes

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