Electric Shock from bathroom tap

Discussion in 'Electricians' Talk' started by Evilobiwan, Sep 12, 2011.

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  1. Evilobiwan

    Evilobiwan New Member

    Hi all,

    I am finding that I get an electric shock from the water coming from the taps in the bathroom.  This only happens from the water itself, and if I touch the copper pipes (with wet hands for conductivity) I do not feel anything.  There are no earth bonding straps to any of the pipes in the bathroom.  I do not get a shock from the kitchen taps.  I tried to do a bit of fault finding and switched off the electricity to the whole house, the problem went away, I then went through each MCB in turn and have isolated it to the downstairs lighting ring.  I am getting a sparky in to look at it, but I like to know a little of what is going on - does anyone have any opinions?  I suppose the most obvious would be that L or N wire from one of the light supplies is touching a pipe - but then I woudl expect this to earth through the normal house earth.   In addition I would have thought that woudl have caused an electric shock from the pipes too.  Any ideas or thoughts welcome.
     
    Evilobiwan, Sep 12, 2011
    #1
  2. wally

    wally Screwfix Select

    Is it noticable on the bath taps or the sink taps & whichever one it is, does that one have a plastic or metal waste.
     
    wally, Sep 12, 2011
    #2
  3. Evilobiwan

    Evilobiwan New Member

    Its happens with both sets of taps, and both have plastic waste pipes. A bit more info, the house has had new central heating installed (going from storage tanks to combi boiler). When the plumber did it he replaced by shower (10.5kW) cold water feed with a plastic one - not sure if that has broken a circuit.  But anyway, I still can't quite fathom when the electric shock comes from teh water and not the copper pipes three inches below them......
     
    Evilobiwan, Sep 12, 2011
    #3
  4. Evilobiwan

    Evilobiwan New Member

    Nope its a first floor bathroom with wooden floors and laminate coverings.
     
    Evilobiwan, Sep 12, 2011
    #4
  5. Mr. Handyandy

    Mr. Handyandy Screwfix Select

    Come on guys. If the shock comes from ONLY the water, there can only be one answer.







    There must be an electric eel in the tank.


    Mr. HandyAndy - Really
     
    Mr. Handyandy, Sep 12, 2011
    #5
  6. Lokkars Daisy

    Lokkars Daisy New Member

    This is most odd, who would go about touching pipes to see if they got a shock or not, and how can the water be conducting but not the tap to which it is in contact, I think you are pulling my leg
     
    Lokkars Daisy, Sep 12, 2011
    #6
  7. J.P.

    J.P. New Member

    Concur LD. You only have to check out the electrical resistive properties of water to see that the op is aving a laff..:)
     
    J.P., Sep 13, 2011
    #7
  8. Evilobiwan

    Evilobiwan New Member

    Update - I promise I am not making this up!  Further progress today - I turned off the mains supply (rising main) and received an electric shock from that.  Any further ideas in light of this?
     
    Evilobiwan, Sep 13, 2011
    #8
  9. J.P.

    J.P. New Member

    Lead sheathed riser OP?..;)

     
    J.P., Sep 13, 2011
    #9
  10. Lectrician

    Lectrician Screwfix Select

    Getting shocks like this is nearly always due to a damaged cable AND a lack of mains earthing, (or defective RCD on a TT system).

    Your sprak should check the main earthing as a start, and then carry out an insulation resistance test (to the ground floor lighting circuit by the sound of it).

    Nothing you can really do yourself.
     
    Lectrician, Sep 13, 2011
    #10
  11. sparky Si-Fi

    sparky Si-Fi Screwfix Select

    Thats if he can interrupt a spark on a steady job, to come and take this headache on, ferked if I would
     
    sparky Si-Fi, Sep 14, 2011
    #11
  12. Evilobiwan

    Evilobiwan New Member

    Well thanks for the advice and thoughts on the root cause.  My Sparky could, it would appear, be ferked and found the fault.  So, thankfully I think that is the problem resoled.  P.S - it wasn't a net and a trip into the loft to find the eels in the cold water tank.  That was just silly..........
     
    Evilobiwan, Sep 14, 2011
    #12
  13. Lectrician

    Lectrician Screwfix Select

    So what was it?
     
    Lectrician, Sep 14, 2011
    #13
  14. Evilobiwan

    Evilobiwan New Member

    It was a neutral touching a live on the downstairs lighting ring.  So there you go, issue has been sorted.
     
    Evilobiwan, Sep 14, 2011
    #14
  15. seneca

    seneca Screwfix Select

    Highly unlikely that, if it was a live touching a neutral why didn't the mcb trip or the fuse blow? 
     
    seneca, Sep 14, 2011
    #15
  16. Lectrician

    Lectrician Screwfix Select

    Yep, that does not sound like it was the problem.

    Live to earth I could understand, but for a live to earth fault to remain without fuses popping etc, then there must also be a lack of main earthing or a defective RCD, or a condemable voltage operated ELCB used.  This problem would need sorting too.
     
    Lectrician, Sep 15, 2011
    #16
  17. J.P.

    J.P. New Member

    Lec the whole things a load of rubbish m8 - the geezer was making the whole thing up. Electric shock from water coming out of a tap indeed....pfffttttttttt
     
    J.P., Sep 16, 2011
    #17
  18. J.P.

    J.P. New Member

     
    J.P., Sep 16, 2011
    #18
  19. proper spark

    proper spark Guest

    My god a house with a ring circuit for the lights, How strange
     
    proper spark, Sep 16, 2011
    #19
  20. Janine

    Janine New Member

    My husband and I are both getting electric shocks from the water coming out of our bathroom sink. We don't feel it in our kids bathroom or the kitchen. I haven't checked the shower since I don't like to get in when the water is cold. Evilobiwan I know you're not kidding. I thought it was nothing serious, but now I'm going to call someone in to look at it. I'm glad you got your situation figured out. Wish me luck with ours!
     
    Janine, Oct 30, 2011
    #20
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