Live Spice Rack

[Quilted]

So in the spirit of my continued disasters...

My spice rack is finally up on the wall. 3 out of 4 screws are in, the 4th just spins.

I think I know why it just spins.

The spice rack is live, and gives me a solid electric shock if I touch it. So does my gas boiler, which is to the left of it.

Looks like I've managed to drill into a cable.

 

[xr4x4]

nice,

is there a socket in the area?

 

[Quilted]

There's a boiler to the left, a socket at ground level far to the right where the fridge is, and a switch for the boiler beneath to the right. There's nothing near the screw holes as far as I can see.

The circuit hasn't tripped either.

 

[xr4x4]

someones done some dodgy wiring then, the safe zones are up and down, side to side from a socket, power point etc.

dont drill there.

 

[Quilted]

Switched off the boiler at the isolation switch and no electrical shocks... of course no boiler... guess the electrician will be out soon.

 

[Quilted]

I'm now wondering if it's possible it was static electricity... 230V would have been a severe shock and should have tripped rather than what felt like a 12V battery.

 

[xr4x4]

well dont try touching it again.

depends on how well earthed you where.

got a multimeter? set ac volts, put one probe to the rack and the other to earth i.e socket earth.

 

[foxhole]

I'm now wondering if it's possible it was static electricity... 230V would have been a severe shock and should have tripped rather than what felt like a 12V battery.

Does not always trip, shock depends on amount of contact and how well you are earthed when you touch it.

 

[Quilted]

I do get shocks still.. even with the boiler turned off. I've really no idea what I'm doing.

I don't have a multimeter. so I have no way of testing if it's live.

The shocks are small, I've had a 240V shock before when I was in my teens. My dad had cut the lawnmower cable and fixed it with a 3 pin socket and plug... and had the plug live, the shock from that was much more powerful than the shocks I've been having today.

I don't understand electric shocks a great deal though... however I'm in a second floor flat so I don't imagine I'm earthed so perhaps that's it?

 

[Quilted]

I didn't expect any cables to be there.

 

[gregers]

I don't understand electric shocks a great deal though... however I'm in a second floor flat so I don't imagine I'm earthed so perhaps that's it?

you will understand when we wont see any more posts from you.

get a sparks and stop fooking around.

 

[Quilted]

The one that did the electrical work has his mobile off. I've just turned off the supply to the kitchen and I'll leave it off until he comes out.

What I mean when I say that I don't understand how severe it could/should be at 240V is that while I'm not sure it is the full 240V I'm getting (I realise that V=IR and if R will determine how much A there is, even if V is constant) I'm sure enough that it might be dangerous so I'm going to keep it turned off.

 

[xr4x4]

let me guess , its one of the left two screws?

 

[Quilted]

That would be my guess too. Although I don't know how to find out.

 

[gregers]

try licking it.

turn electrics off take screws out and remove rack put some tape over holes and dont touch that area,and sooner rather then later get a sparks out.