Power Shower, tingling (current?) in pipes.

[Harworth]

Just read this post and it scares the cr** out of me! Half expecting the poster to suddenly stop updating it and we hear no more!
Asked my 12 year old as a test what she'd do if she thought there was electricity present when in the bath/shower. She knew straight away to get out, out out! Please please, go get this sorted and stop using it!

 

[GeoffPotts]

If its that hard getting an electrician down there I'll come down if you pay my train fare from Northumberland. Actually probably cheaper than some southern call out charges according to Watchdog

 

[AngelV]

Start here.

http://www.competentperson.co.uk/search.asp

Thank you - contact made with Electrician from this site and he is comimg at 3 today.

And I am using the bath until the shower is fixed.

 

[bernardgreen]

And I am using the bath until the shower is fixed.

But St Peter at the Pearly Gates will be dis-appointed.

 

[AngelV]

[quote="bernardgreen";p="1880624]But St Peter at the Pearly Gates will be dis-appointed. [/quote]

Yes, my name is not on his list at the moment,

The electrician came out, cringed and we have a solution.

Bathroom is downstairs at rear of house and mains water is also there

An Earth is going to be taken from water main, under the floorboards, picking up the gas meter along the way and connected to the CU which is at the front of the house. And any other strapping will be done to ensure ALL the house is safe.

I'm having the CU re-done too.

Work starts next week.

 

[AngelV]

But St Peter at the Pearly Gates will be dis-appointed.

Yes, my name is not on his list at the moment,

The electrician came out, cringed and we have a solution.

Bathroom is downstairs at rear of house and mains water is also there

An Earth is going to be taken from water main, under the floorboards, picking up the gas meter along the way and connected to the CU which is at the front of the house. And any other strapping will be done to ensure ALL the house is safe.

I'm having the CU re-done too.

Work starts next week.

 

[ricicle]

Do you mean the water supply entry point (and stop-tap) are in the bathroom ?

What did the electrician say was the cause of the tingling ?

What is he doing to the CU ?

 

[AngelV]

Do you mean the water supply entry point (and stop-tap) are in the bathroom ?

What did the electrician say was the cause of the tingling ?

What is he doing to the CU ?

CU does not conform to current regs and it only has 4 fuses so given I will be making alterations to house I need a new one.

The water main/entry/stop tap are in the kitchen which is directly adjacent to the downstairs bathroom. In the absence of a floor plan, imagine a 1900's mid terrace: Bathroom/Kithcen/Dining/Living Room.

He talked about 'potentials' and that the electricity should be going back to the CU via the cables but due to the bath being cast iron, pipes being copper and no earth, that is the problem.

 

[ricicle]

If he is talking about supplementary bonding then this must not run back to the CU.

What is/was the cause of the tingling ?

 

[AngelV]

If he is talking about supplementary bonding then this must not run back to the CU.

What is/was the cause of the tingling ?

As far as I understand this Earth is needed because right now no pipework at all is earthed.
So brand new earthing is going to be put in from main and tied back to CU.

The tingling, from my limited understanding, is because of the different potentials with me in the shower standing on the cast iron bath and touching a pipe.

I'll be glad when it is fixed!

 

[mbga9pgf]

Sounds as if the incoming pipework has no earthing attached.

 

[Buzx1313]

going to stick my nose in here..

did your electrician find the fault?????????

that should be his first job.. just bonding every thing is only covering up the fault..
i had a customer with a similar problem, she had tingles when she steped out of the bath ..

long story short, up the lane a farmers shed had a fault, it was a TT supply, the rcd was faulty so did not trip out under fault conditions,, there was a fault and this was tracking back to an electricity pole near her garden, the fault was tracking up her lead water main which was under her bath, and to the pole..

hench when she stepped out she made the circuit to earth..

thats a long story short, but the point i am making your sparky has to investigate all options,, oh and her pipe work was all bonded..


so please get hin to check every thing

if i was nearer i would call and check it out..

good luck..

oh and make this be a lesson that plumbers dont do electrics..

 

[aptsys]

I'm pretty sure radioredcat posted the cause of the tingling back on page 3. The shower has a filter between L-E and N-E. No earth would mean that the metal parts of the shower were floating at about 115V.

 

[Buzx1313]

i have been giving this some thought


i think you have had an N E fault,,,

do you have a TT supply in your house?? that means your earth is afforded by a rod in the ground??

if matey boy has just bonded all your pipes and you still have the fault assuming you have no RCD then all your bonded metal work will become live

please make sure he has cleard the fault first.. there must be one for you to be getting tingles

 

[riveralt]

i have been giving this some thought


i think you have had an N E fault,,,

do you have a TT supply in your house?? that means your earth is afforded by a rod in the ground??

if matey boy has just bonded all your pipes and you still have the fault assuming you have no RCD then all your bonded metal work will become live

please make sure he has cleard the fault first.. there must be one for you to be getting tingles

The lighting ring comes from the electrical board which is RCD and has not tripped.