Electric shock from Water !!!!

[Estrella]

Hi , I live in a end terrace house ( terrace of three properties) , all three properties lights dimmed last night and have stayed the same since. plug sockets are also affected. Its almost as if someone had turned the electric current down by 50%.

More worrying is that my daughter turned the kitchen tap on this morning and got a shock from the tap. She then put her hand under the water and got a shock again!

The Leccy board asked whther the house was earthed , all i could tell them was that the sink my daughter was using has an earth wire attached as do the pipes leading to it.

They are supposedly coming out to look at it.

Does anyone know why my daughter would be shocked by an earthed sink ????

 

[bernardgreen]

Do we have a floating neutral here... ?

 

[fido]

Yes, it sounds like the power used in the house is not going through the incoming neutral but taking a circuitous route though the supply earth. This earth is joined to the neutral at some point outside the property. The earth wiring does not have as high a current capacity as the main meter tails so there will be a voltage drop.

 

[Estrella]

So you think the problem is outside the house ? i.e. the leccy boards responsibility ?

 

[fido]

Not necessarily. It could be a loose wire in your consumer unit.

 

[ricicle]

This is a potentially dangerous situation.You need to call out an electrician who can check your installation and then call or get you to call out your DNO if it is their problem.Turn off your electricity at the consumer unit until all is checked .Do not carry on checking where or where you are not getting shocks as this could be dangerous especially with water involved.

 

[Estrella]

could my dodgy consumer unit affect the rest of the terrace ?

 

[suffolklad]

yes but would a problem in one house effect all three terrace houses

 

[Estrella]

This is a potentially dangerous situation.You need to call out an electrician who can check your installation and then call or get you to call out your DNO if it is their problem.Turn off your electricity at the consumer unit until all is checked .Do not carry on checking where or where you are not getting shocks as this could be dangerous especially with water involved.

I called Scottish Power who are supposedly rushing round ( called them 5 hrs ago)

 

[Estrella]

yes but would a problem in one house effect all three terrace houses

yeah thats what i meant

 

[plugwash]

if the issue is hitting all 3 properties and the 3 properties have seperate electricity board own meters then it is unquestionablly thier problem.

my guess is the supply neutral has been lost but one or more of the supplies are PME and so the current is going down through the main bonding to metal pipework and eventually finding its way back to the suppliers neutral through the body of the earth and/or undergound pipework.

 

[JohnD]

Assuming the electricity supplier ("Board" ) has been called they will look for damage to the supply cable and will doubtless tell the OP if their investigation suggests that it is a fault on the consumer's side.

Like Plugwash, my thoughts are also of a damaged neutral, the three houses are quite likely to be on different phases. Voltages can go very strange when this happens and if consumer's equipment has been damaged you can attempt to claim compensation (but probably won't get it if the DNO has attended promptly and cannot be shown negligent). I had this happen in the premises of a voluntary organistaion I was involved with, and got no money, but two free inspections from their Contracting arm looking first for damage, and later checking for correct rectification. I was able to use their schedule as a guide to required upgrades and compliance .

 

[plugwash]

could my dodgy consumer unit affect the rest of the terrace ?

seems highly unlikely

 

[JohnD]

I called Scottish Power who are supposedly rushing round ( called them 5 hrs ago)

This is very unsatisfactory in a dangerous situation.

Get your neighbours to phone as well, say you have been getting shocks and you believe the supply cable to be damaged. If you have a careful look at your electricity bills it will probably tell you who the electricity is "delivered" by and you can call them direct

Sorry, but you should turn off your power at the main switch. You may have odd voltages which can damage elctronic equipment e.g. TV, video, DVD, computer, so unplug them (not just turned off). If you are aware of a fault and have not done this you will probably not be able to get compensation for subsequent damage.

I don't know Clwyd, is it in the old SWALEC area? Their Emergencyline is 0800 052 0400. Or look at http://www.swalec.co.uk/Home/CustomerServices/Popups/EmergencyPhoneNos.aspx

 

[Estrella]

Thanks Guys ,
All three property owners have called Scottish Power / Manweb who supply the electric. I am the only one who has reported electric shocks to them as far as I am aware. The shock only happened to my daughter and wife who were both wearing no footwear at the time. When I tried it with my trainers on I was fine. The electric co. are aware of the issue , they will get to it when they can I suppose. And yes, I agree , it sucks